Easy Homemade Salsa
This homemade salsa recipe is the best! It comes together in just 10 minutes and tastes like it came straight from your favorite Mexican restaurant. Use it to top beef enchiladas, or tacos, or just grab a bag of chips and dig in! The fresh flavors of tomato, lime, and cilantro will require multiple chip refills and with no leftovers!
The first time I ate at an authentic Mexican restaurant, I was blown away when the customary bowl of chips and salsa arrived at the table. The salsa was so… different. Different from all of the jarred salsas that I had ever known. The chunks weren’t as big, it had more heat, and you could clearly taste the tomatoes, lime, and cilantro. To say that I loved it would be a massive understatement; I could have easily made a meal of just fresh tortilla chips and that salsa.
It took me awhile, but I eventually found the absolute best recipe for restaurant-style salsa so that I could make it at home. I’ve been making this recipe for nearly 10 years now, and it is by far my favorite salsa, ever.
What Makes This Salsa the Best
There are approximately 378573627364 salsa recipes out there, but this is why you’re going to love, love, LOVE this one.
- A simple ingredient list.
- Big, bright, and fresh flavors.
- A medium heat level that you can ramp up or down.
- Low maintenance prep (no finely chopping!).
- Ready in just 10 minutes.
- Makes a HUGE batch, perfect for parties.
If you’ve tried countless jars of store-bought salsa but just can’t find your salsa soulmate, pretty please give this recipe a try.
Ingredients in Homemade Salsa
The best salsa recipe has a simple list of ingredients that allow the flavors to shine bright.
- Canned Whole Tomatoes: The first building block in any salsa recipe.
- Rotel: The canned combination of diced tomatoes with green chiles give the salsa a little kick (you can buy it in varying heat levels to suit your taste.)
- Onion + Garlic: Classic flavors that contribute to that classic salsa flavor.
- Jalapeño: More flavor and another kick of heat (be sure to remove the seeds and membranes if you prefer a mild flavor; leave them in if you want it hot hot HOT!).
- Cilantro: A cornerstone of Mexican recipes, cilantro is loaded with aroma and flavor, similar to a mixture of parsley and citrus, which means it always pairs well with our next ingredient…
- Lime Juice: A freshly squeezed lime balances out the heavier ingredients and brightens up the flavor of the salsa.
- Salt + Sugar + Cumin: The final seasoning comes from salt and sugar, which help to draw out the other flavors, and cumin, which adds a touch of smoky flavor.
You might want to adjust a few of these depending on your heat tolerance or personal preference, but after trying dozens of homemade salsa recipes, I’m convinced that this combination of ingredients makes the absolute BEST salsa!
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How to Make This Homemade Salsa
Okay, are you ready? Pay close attention.
- Add ingredients to the blender. All of them, throw ’em in!
- Pulse to your desired consistency – less for chunkier salsa, more for a finer consistency.
- BOOM! You’re done!
Seriously, that’s it. So, so easy. I do prefer to pop it in the refrigerator for about an hour so all of the flavors can meld together, but it’s not absolutely necessary if you want to serve it right away.
Sit down with an entire bag of tortilla chips, a bowl of this salsa, and watch them both disappear. Or make one of my favorite quick snacks (one of my mom’s late-night specialties): spread a little bit of cream cheese on a plate, top with shredded cheddar and microwave until the cheese is melted. Top with salsa and dig in!
More Favorite Mexican Dips for Your Next Party!
- The Best Homemade Guacamole Recipe
- Black Bean Salsa
- Seven Layer Dip
- Salsa Verde with Hatch Chiles
- Taco Dip
- Slow Cooker Spicy Beef Queso Dip
- Queso Fundido
- Mango-Pineapple Salsa
- Warm Black Bean Dip
Seven years ago: Salted Mexican Chocolate-Chile Caramels
Easy Homemade Salsa
Ingredients
- 28 ounce (793.79 g) can whole tomatoes, drained
- 2 10-ounce (566.99 g) cans Rotel
- ½ (0.5) small onion, roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 jalepeño, seeds removed and thinly sliced
- ½ cup (8 g) cilantro, loosely packed
- ½ lime, juiced
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) ground cumin
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse until it reaches your desired consistency (less for a chunkier salsa, more for a thinner one – my salsa pictured above was 8 to 10 pulses).
- Refrigerate for at least one hour, then serve with your favorite tortilla chips. This salsa can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Rotel is a common canned product found in the U.S. – it is a mixture of diced tomatoes and green chiles. If you cannot find it, feel free to substitute an equal amount of canned diced tomatoes and green chiles.
- This makes a large quantity, so if you are using a food processor with less than an 11-cup capacity, work in batches.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published in May 2011.
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
I having been making this recipe for years. My favorite Mexican restaurant owner suggested I change the onion to a bunch of green onions instead. We loved it even more. Let me know if you try it what you think.
Love Love Love this! I have been making this for years and everyone loves it, best part it takes minutes to make. I get request from friends and family to make it for parties. The one bad thing is….it ruins you, I have been to restaurants that their salsa doesn’t compare to this. My brother or husband will say “your’s is better.” :D
We love it. We stopped buying restaurant chips and salsa thanks to this recipe!
Can this recipe be canned also is there any adjustments that need to be made
Hi Diona, I do not recommend canning this recipe for long-term storage, it has not been tested for it.
Always amazing and I’ve texted the recipe link to anyone who ever asks for it. Your food never disappoints.
I am planing to make it today in order to fulfill my taco party. Looking really delicious! Thank you for sharing it.
This sounds like the kind of salsa you can get at El Rodeo! And you’re from PA so maybe this is the case. By far the BEST salsa I ever had came from there. I can’t wait to try this recipe! I crave their salsa ALL THE TIME!!! Thank you for sharing this!
This is a great recipe, tatstes great, love making my own salsa.
Simon
Restaurant style salsa is both fresh and delicious. It can also be hard to replicate. This recipe is easy to make and it is also a perfect replica of restaurant quality salsa!
What is Rotel?
Hi Crystal, It is a mixture of diced tomatoes and green chiles. It’s sold at the grocery store near all of the other canned tomato products.
Thanks, Michelle. I live in a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada, and can’t find them. I think I’ll try using can tomatoes and adding a can of green chiles. Fingers crossed! :)
This looks exactly like the El Torito salsa that I loved! Pinning this for next time I need a salsa fix!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Looks great, now i have to try to make it and see myself. I have to say its hard to make it as good as in the restaurants.
This recipe is hands down the best salsa recipe ever. I make huge batches to take to the beach with us and I’ve even given a friend who got married a Ninja and this recipe (crediting you of course) as a wedding gift. I never buy jar salsa anymore. Thank you!!!
Ok. what gives, this is the EXACT same recipe as Food Network’s website. Someone is plagerizing…?
Got it…the Food Network recipe is from the Pioneer Woman as well.
Love salsa…making some today! Would it be OK to use an 8 oz can of tomato sauce? Sometimes these recipes are a little too watery for me.
WOW, I have that same pattern of dishes….Corning Ware Corelle, Meadow! Thought I was the only one still using it.
Hi Kim, I would not use tomato sauce, the flavor would be way off. Instead, I would just drain the tomatoes really well.
This is the most awesome salsa!
Ithis is the best salsa ever ! Love your recipes !
I just made this. Followed the recipe exactly. It’s amazing. I was worried there wouldn’t be enough garlic, but I resisted adding more. THANK YOU!!!
This was a great recipe. Your pictures looks so much better than that of The Pioneer Woman. We don’t have Ro-tel tomatoes in Canada so I used a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes (drained) and one can of green chilis. I found draining the diced tomato made the salsa not as runny and everyone loved it. Will my go to recipe for fresh salsa from now on.
Thanks. I’ve have been making this for a couple of weeks now , my family has me make a batch every Sunday.
I was very skeptical because I’m not a fan of cilantro or cumin. BUT, this recipe is excellent. I tweaked it by adding less cilantro (because of said dislike), a little more garlic, and no jalapeno (I’m a whimp and can’t handle the heat). This truly is like a restaurant-style salsa and exactly what I’ve been looking for. Thanks for sharing with us!
I’m not sure if this is purely coincidental, but ree drummond from pioneer woman posted this exact recipe in 2010.
I thought the same thing. I’ve been making this salsa since 2012 and it’s the exact recipe. She should at least put adapted from and give her credit.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I just made it and its DELICIOUS! only thing i did was increase the salt and the lime juice (brown people can’t get enough tang and salt!). Thanks!!!
This recipe looks so good! Thanks for sharing.
Mmmm, fresh salsa. I’m going to make this tonight !
4/10 Taste, but 3/10 recipe (too many seeds)
This looks amazing! I really want to make this, but I don’t want to use canned tomatoes.
Can I substitute fresh tomatoes for the canned (and Rotel)? If so, how much?
Hi Lauren, I have not used fresh, but you would want to make sure they are peeled, and just use the same weights. For the Rotel, they need to be diced with green chiles.
Okay, thanks!
I make this all the time too!
I make this salsa all the time for my family and we absolutely love it. I have a couple of additions for you to try. We had about a tablespoon of Mexican oregano (make sure it’s MEXICAN, not Italian and crush it in the palm of your hand to make it smaller and release the oils) and to taste some El Pato. If you don’t know, El Pato is a Mexican tomato sauce and it’s kind of spicy, so be careful.
I have made it in the blender, but it’s better in a food processor. The blender tends to liquefy it too much for our tastes.
This salsa is amazing. We have been looking for one (so we didn’t have to go to our favorite Mexican restaurant to buy it) and my daughter gave the thumbs up and said we are never buying jarred salsa again.
Thank you sooooooo much!!!!!
Has anyone made this with a bender? Was it good?