This Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe is a cinch to make. In less than fifteen minutes you’ll be dipping those chips into a fresh tasting, flavorful bowl of tomato salsa that tastes just like it came from your favorite Mexican Restaurant.
This is so different than purchased jarred salsas in so many ways. Even though it’s made with canned tomato products, it tastes surprisingly fresh. That’s because this is a no-cook Mexican salsa recipe.
You can clearly taste the lime, cilantro, onion and tomatoes. And it so easy to make, It’s not as chunky and it has a nice warm heat in the flavor. The ingredients blend into a very dip-able salsa recipe. This restaurant salsa recipe is a must have, must make.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Vegetables: Canned Tomatoes, Jalapeno Pepper, Onion
- Seasonings: Cilantro, garlic, cumin, salt, red chile powder, Mexican oregano, sugar, cumin
- Acid: Adding acid brightens flavors. For this recipe we’re using lime juice and apple cider vinegar.
Mexican Oregano is preferred for this recipe. It’s peppery, grassy, earthy flavor is a good compliment for Mexican Food. If you don’t have Mexican Oregano, substitute Marjoram. Known for its aroma and delicate flavor, its related to oregano and will bring a sweet undertone to any recipe.
How To Make Mexican Restaurant Salsa, It’s Easy
I have a 14 Cup Cuisinart Food Processor that easily holds all of the ingredients for this salsa. Just a rough chop for the vegetables and add the rest of the ingredients, all you need is about twelve good pulses and you’re done.
If you have a smaller food processor you might need to make this in two batches.
And isn’t homemade salsa a weakness for all of us? It’s so satisfying to having a nice big jar in the fridge that bears no big label hiding the bright beautiful red sauce and informing you of all those odd preservatives for that crazy long shelf life.
Restaurant style salsa isn’t just for chip dipping, This is good on:
- Beef Tacos.
- Burritos.
- Tostadas.
- And my favorite, on scrambled eggs.
Tips For Success
- The fresh heat flavor comes from a fresh jalapeno pepper. I remove the seeds and the veins for a milder heat. If you’re one of those who loves a burn baby burn salsa, add more jalapeno or leave the seeds and veins in.
- Use a single ground chile New Mexico Chile Powder for this recipe. Ancho Chile Powder will also work fine for this. Avoid a Chili Seasoning blend used for chili soup recipes. These blends already contain other seasonings which would compromise the flavor of this salsa.
Storage:
- This homemade Mexican restaurant style salsa will keep nicely in the fridge for a couple of weeks, if it lasts that long. It makes about four cups. I like to store it in a Mason style jar.
Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe
I hope you give this Mexican Restaurant Salsa recipe a try. It’s just too easy to make with high flavor returns. A salsa recipe using canned tomatoes is a recipe you need in your data base.
More Salsa Recipes
And if you’re looking for a queso recipe for those chips, don’t miss my Queso Blanco Recipe. It’s so easy.
And if you love Mexican food as much as we do, don’t miss my Mexican Food Category. You’ll find lots of South of The Border recipes including the most popular for my award winning Hatch Green Chili with Pork.
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. And write a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback.
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Essential Mexican Restaurant Style Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 15-ounce Can diced tomatoes drained
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves or more to taste
- 1 medium onion rough chopped
- 1 clove garlic rough chpped, or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 whole jalapeno Top cut off and rough sliced. Make this with 2 jalepeno peppers, depending on heat tolerance.
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon New Mexico Red Chile Powder or Ancho will work well
- 1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a 14-cup food processor, If you have a smaller food processor, you can process the ingredients in batches and then mix everything together in a large mixing bowl.
- Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like. I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.
- Refrigerate the salsa for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Mexican Restaurant Salsa Recipe … it’s what’s for dipping chips.
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
This sounds amazing and what we would enjoy in a restaurant! I’d love to try this over the summer with my garden’s tomatoes.
Thanks Lea Ann!
Roz
Hi Roz. So good to hear from you …. and Thank you!
It is salsa season! And I’m always looking for great recipes. Thanks LeaAnn!
Just made this! Can’t wait to have it in an hour!!! I can’t edit any store salsa unless it’s from a Mexican market. Double jalapeños. 🙂
Bobby just requested chips and salsa for lunch tomorrow. (I know – but that’s one of the perks of retirement :)) I have everything listing in your recipe. It looks just like the kind of salsa we love. Thanks Lea Ann!
This is a bright recipe for the winter when good tasting tomatoes are hard to get. I’ve got a similar favorite from a local restaurant: http://eliotseats.com/2016/04/04/restaurant-style-salsa/
Looks perfect Chef and this is so easy to whip up, I refuse to eat the stuff from a jar.