Salsa Recipe - The Most Flavorful Restaurant Style Salsa! (2024)

Created: Updated: by Lyuba Brooke 21 Comments *This post may contain affiliate links. Read More...

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This easy Salsa Recipe is rich with flavor and takes 5 minutes to make! A few key ingredients like fire roasted tomatoes, seasoning, fresh cilantro, and lime juice blend together to make an incredibly mouthwatering restaurant style salsa. Serve it with warm homemade tortilla chips for a real treat!

To complete your chips and salsa spread, make some Salsa Verde and Guacamole as well.

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Table of Contents

Restaurant Style Salsa

In Mexico, this salsa is known assalsa roja(red sauce) orsalsa de mesa(table sauce). “Salsa” literally means sauce. You will find it in every Mexican restaurant served before dinner with warm fried tortilla chips. It’s incredibly addicting!

This salsa is so good, it’s notorious for filling up your belly before the main courses ever arrive to the table. You know the saying, “bet you can’t have just one?” That’s absolutely applicable to tortilla chips dipped in this bold red salsa. It’s impossible to just have one.

If you’re thinking about doing anything fun for Cinco de Mayo this year, this salsa needs to be included in your plans! It’s a great restaurant-style salsa recipe that’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser. And if you really want to impress your friends and family, serve this red salsa and homemade tortilla chips alongside some Salsa Verde, Queso, and Corn Salsa too. There’s no such thing as too much salsa!

Ingredient Notes

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Fire Roasted Canned Tomatoes – If you need to use plain canned tomatoes, that will also work, but your salsa won’t be quite as flavorful. The fire roasted tomatoes really bring something special!

White Onion – In a pinch, a yellow onion may be used instead, but white onions are preferred for this salsa recipe.

Jalapeños – Use fresh jalapeños and you canadjust the spice leveljust by choose older or younger jalapenos. Young jalapenos are less spicy and they have smooth, deep green skin. Older jalapenos get spicier as they age and they will have brown veins running along the skin.The more veins, the spicier the jalapeno.You can also discard jalapenoseedsif you want less spice of leave them in for more spice.

Garlic – Just a couple cloves of fresh garlic will deepen the other flavors without overpowering them.

Lime – The juice of one fresh lime will add the perfect amount of mouthwatering tang to the salsa but if you wish, you can have more. Be sure to use a fresh lime, and not bottled.

Cilantro – choose cilantro that is vibrantly green, not limp, and has no dark spots. Cilantro adds a great layer of flavor and aroma and brings other ingredients together.

Seasoning – you will need salt, sugar, cumin, and chili powder.

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Make It

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This salsa recipe is super easy! Start off by combining all of the ingredients in a blender (1).

Pulse the blender a few times until the salsa is thoroughly blended (2). Be sure that there are no large chunks, as no one wants to bite into a large chunk of onion, garlic, or jalapeño!

Serve the salsa right away, or store it in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator. There, it will stay fresh for up to a week!

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How to Make Tortilla Chips

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This is totally optional, but you’ll love the full restaurant experience at home!

To fry the chips: Use small taco corn tortillas and cut them into quarters. Preheat about 2 cups of oil in a skillet until it reaches 350°F. Set a wire rack inside a baking sheet and cover it with a paper towels to catch excess oil.

Add a few chips at a time to the oil (3) and fry tortillas for a couple of minutes, until golden and crispy (4), flipping them half way through. Make sure to use metal tongs or metal spatula.

To bake them: Spread cut tortillas on a large metal baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 350° and bake them for 5-6 minutes. Flip each tortilla chip and bake another 6-8 minutes.

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Recipe FAQs

Salsa Vs. Pico de Gallo

To start, salsa is often cooked or made with canned tomatoes, while Pico de Gallo is made with all fresh ingredients.

The consistency is also very different: Pico de Gallo is chopped, while salsa is often blended (although sometimes comes as chunky). Usually, Pico is a little more basic, but both dishes have almost the same ingredients.

How to Use Fresh Tomatoes Instead of Canned

I prefer using canned tomatoes over fresh because it gives the salsa flavor that is closest to one served at restaurants. While fresh is great for Pico de Gallo, if you want that Mexican style restaurant flavor, use canned tomatoes.

However, if you really want to use fresh tomatoes, it’s possible! You can use fresh tomatoes and simmer the salsa with a little cooking oil for about 15 minutes to get similar flavor. Using just fresh tomatoes, won’t give you this exact flavor though. If you want to use fresh, use about 1.25-1.5 lbs. of fresh Roma or San Marzano tomatoes for best results.

How to Make Salsa Spicier

When it comes to spice levels, it’s all in the chili peppers! Jalapeños are a pretty mild chili pepper, so you can use spicier peppers, like habanero or serrano.

Older jalapeños are also spicier than younger ones, and you can tell the older ones by the veins on their skin. Younger jalapeños have smooth green skin and older have dry veins running on the skin. The older the jalapeño, the more veins it has, and the spicier it will be!

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More Mexican-inspired Recipes

Quacamole Cups

Spicy Southwest Salad

Huevos Rancheros

Southwest Chicken Zucchini Boats

Guacamole Shrimp Tacos

Creamy Avocado Dressing

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Salsa Recipe

Incredibly easy and flavorful restaurant-style salsa. Pair it with warm fried tortilla chips for the full restaurant experience at home!

5 from 23 votes

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 33kcal

Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

  • 28 oz fire roasted canned tomatoes
  • 1/2 medium white onion
  • 2 jalapeno peppers
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 lime – juice only
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 tsp white granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp salt more or less to taste
  • 1 tsp cumin if needed
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Combine all the ingredients in a blender and pulse a few times until it's blended to small, coarse chunks. Don't make it too chunky because you don't' want to bite into a big piece of garlic or jalapeno.

  • Serve right away to transfer into a glass jar with a lid and refrigerate.

Storing:

  • Store homemade salsa in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container, for up to a week.

Notes

  • Need To Use Fresh Tomatoes?While canned tomatoes will give you the best restaurant style salsa and is easier, you can still use fresh tomatoes if you prefer. You can use fresh tomatoes in this recipe and simmer the blended salsa with a little cooking oil for about 15 minutes to get similar flavor. Use about 1.25-1.5 lbs. of fresh Roma or San Marzano tomatoes for best results.
  • Make It Spicier:Jalapeños are a pretty mild chili pepper, so you can use spicier peppers.Older jalapeños are also spicier than younger ones, and you can tell the older ones by the veins on their skin. Younger jalapeños have smooth green skin and older have dry veins running on the skin. The older the jalapeño, the more veins it has, and the spicier it will be! You can also leave the seeds of the chili pepper in to get much more spice.

Nutrition

Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 447mg | Potassium: 41mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 524IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles and tag #willcookforsmiles

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ABOUT LYUBA

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read more...

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Salsa Recipe - The Most Flavorful Restaurant Style Salsa! (2024)

FAQs

Why does Mexican restaurant salsa taste so good? ›

A unique blend of fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice contributes to the vibrant, lively taste of restaurant-style salsa.

What makes restaurant salsa different? ›

These establishments have access to high-quality ingredients and equipment to streamline the salsa-making process and ensure a consistent product. Restaurants have ingredients delivered fresh daily from highly specific purveyors, giving them access to the freshest and best quality of even the most obscure ingredients.

What kind of salsa do most Mexican restaurants use? ›

By far, salsa roja is the most popular Mexican salsa, and after a bite, it is not hard to see why. Different chefs will often vary the amount of heat by adjusting how much and what kind of chilis are added to the mix.

Why doesn't my salsa taste like the restaurant? ›

Mexican restaurants usually make it from scratch using fresh ingredients. Store bought stuff is tailored to mass produced and usually add things to make them shelf stable. You'll never find a store bought equivalent to fresh ingredients.

What is the difference between cantina style and restaurant-style salsa? ›

I've found restaurant style to be less salty and slightly thicker than cantina, best with salsa or in nachos. Whereas cantina is thinner, crunchier, and salty, best for snacking.

What is the number 1 salsa brand in Mexico? ›

The HERDEZ® brand allows consumers to experience the real flavor and culture of Mexico at home with authentic salsas and cooking sauce. The HERDEZ® brand is the No. 1 selling brand in Mexico and the leading authentic Mexican salsa brand in homes across the US.

How do you make homemade salsa taste better? ›

Balance flavors; add salt, vinegar, lime juice, bottled hot sauce, and pinches of sugar, tasting frequently, until you achieve the perfect balance of sweet, savory, salty, sour, and spicy.

Why is restaurant salsa better? ›

Restaurant-quality salsa tastes better than the kind you get at the store, or even homemade attempts, mostly due to the culinary expertise and creativity of the restaurant's chef. Restaurant salsa is essentially small-batch, freshly made salsa.

Why do you put vinegar in salsa? ›

Acidic Ingredients

The acid ingredients in salsa help preserve it. You must add acid to canned salsa because the natural acidity may not be high enough. Commonly used acids are vinegar and bottled lemon juice. Lemon juice is more acidic than vinegar and has less effect on flavor.

What are the best tomatoes for restaurant-style salsa? ›

Roma Tomatoes are a popular choice for salsa-making due to their dense and meaty texture, small number of seeds, and full-of-flavor tanginess. Variations of this tomato are sometimes called “plum” or “paste” tomatoes. Red Beefsteak Tomatoes are another favorite for those who favor a juicier tomato in their salsa.

What is authentic Mexican salsa made of? ›

Take the stems off the peppers and throw away the stems. Place the peppers and seeds in the bender. Blend well. Next toss in the stewed tomatoes with juice, 1 jalepeno (sliced), 1/2 yellow onion (quarterd), 1 garlic clove, handful of cilantro, lemon juice, salt and pepper and blend til you have the consistancy desired.

What gives salsa more flavor? ›

Roasted tomatoes, peppers, or garlic because roasting anything provides a smoky flavor that we love. Black garlic for a complex, kinda sweet-kinda sour, mildly garlicky but finger-lickin fantastic taste. Smoked salts for a fuller flavor. Corn niblets or diced avocado for added texture and a hint of savory flavor.

Why does my salsa taste bland? ›

Blandness usually comes from lack of seasoning. When you prepare a dish like spaghetti sauce you want to season as you go, not just at the end. Salt enhances the flavor of foods as well as performs some important functions during cooking, like drawing moisture out of ingredients and intensifying their flavor.

Is it better to use fresh or canned tomatoes for salsa? ›

While fresh tomatoes make great pico de gallo, you gotta go with canned tomatoes if you want that true restaurant salsa flavor.

Is Mexican restaurant salsa healthy? ›

We treat it like a condiment like mayo or ketchup, which is why people may not necessarily think of it as a vegetable source or a health food. But the truth is salsa is an incredible way to increase your vegetable intake, and it's an undeniably healthy food.

How healthy is Mexican salsa? ›

High in vitamins and minerals: Salsa is packed with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium and iron, which are essential for maintaining a healthy body. Rich in antioxidants: Salsa is rich in antioxidants.

What salsa do Mexicans use? ›

What is the name of the typical red “salsa” that is normally eaten with tortilla chips at Mexican restaurants? If it's fresh chopped tomatoes, onion, chile verde/jalapeño or árbol and cilantro, it's called “Pico de gallo”. If it's cooked, it's just salsa roja or casera.

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