The Best Salsa Recipe (Restaurant Style Salsa)

The Best Salsa Recipe is a delicious restaurant-style salsa that’s easy to make and ready in minutes! It’s the perfect appetizer with tortilla chips and tastes fantastic with Mexican food and many other dishes!

Looking for more dip recipes? My family loves my queso, buffalo chicken dip, and spinach artichoke dip!

My homemade salsa recipe has totally spoiled me. You see, I pick a favorite Mexican restaurant based on how much I like their chips and salsa. The chips must be warm and crispy, but there must be a great salsa! Since I enjoy it so much, I make my own and think this fresh, homemade restaurant-style salsa is the best!

This delicious Best Salsa recipe rivals any restaurant salsa – and I love that I can make it at home anytime. And it’s always a hit with family and friends, too. Not only is it delicious with chips, but we also love it with so many dishes, from tacos to my Salsa Chicken. Since it comes together in minutes with ingredients that I usually have on hand, I can whip it up at a minute’s notice.

Why I Love this Recipe

• Rivals restaurant favorites – This is delicious and full of flavor as those in your favorite Mexican restaurant. I’ve tested this recipe to get it just right – and tell you how to adjust the heat to your preference too!

• Easy recipe – It is made from simple ingredients that you most likely have on hand, and it comes together in just a few minutes.

• Versatile – Perfect with everything from chips to quesadillas to chicken and beef!

Best Homemade Salsa Recipe

This couldn’t be any easier to make! It’s so quick and so delicious you’ll really wonder why you ever bought it at the store. It just takes 5 minutes, no cooking at all, for a fresh, homemade salsa recipe that everyone loves!

How to Make the Best Homemade Salsa

You will need a few essential ingredients to make this recipe. I’ve included a substitution option too.

Ingredients

• Canned Tomatoes – While I love fresh tomatoes, I also love to make salsa year-round. I find that using good-quality crushed tomatoes is quick and easy to make at any time. The other recipe ingredients are fresh and add brightness to it while keeping this simple to make in a few minutes. For a fresh salsa, my Pico de Gallo uses fresh chopped tomatoes and is a delicious option!
• Onion – You can use white onion or green onion – or whichever onion you prefer.
• Fresh Garlic Cloves – You can also use Stone House Seasoning as a substitute for the garlic, salt, and pepper if you wish.
• Jalapeno Peppers – These give the salsa its heat and spiciness. Adjust the level of heat by the amount of jalapenos and/or the membranes and seeds used in your recipe. For mild salsa, start with one jalapeno with the membrane and seeds removed and test the heat. For medium salsa, add another pepper or leave some of the membranes included from the first pepper and taste test for desired heat. Add the second pepper if desired. For hot salsa, add an additional jalapeno and its membrane a bit at a time until you reach the desired heat level.
• Fresh Cilantro – This is essential to the fresh taste and an ingredient I don’t skip.
• Lime Juice and Zest – It adds a “zing” to the salsa and adds so much brightness to it.
• Salt and Pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how I make it.

Chop ingredients and put in blender. Roughly chop the onion, garlic, and jalapeno pepper and place them into a blender or food processor. Add tomatoes and any remaining ingredients into the blender or food processor as well. If you use the Stone House Seasoning instead of garlic, salt, and pepper, add it now as well.

Pulse, don’t blend. Give the food processor or blender about 2-5 short pulses until the salsa reaches the consistency that you want it. It’s essential to PULSE and not blend. If you let it blend too long, the salsa may be too thin.

Rest, then serve. I think giving the salsa a little rest is important to get the best flavor! The salsa is delicious immediately after making it, but it is the BEST when you allow the flavors to combine by letting it rest for about 15 minutes before serving.

Store. Place any remaining salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

This takes just about 5 minutes to make, and while you can eat it immediately, the flavors tend to meld together if you allow it to sit for about 15 minutes. So I love that you can make ahead or freeze this salsa!

To make ahead. Make the salsa as directed and place it in an airtight container, or cover it well with wrap. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve, up to 7 days.

To store. Place the remaining salsa into an airtight container or cover it well with wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

To freeze. Place into a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, stir and serve.

More Favorite Salsas to Try

Cranberry Salsa

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Mango Blueberry Salsa

Here’s the Best Homemade Salsa recipe. Make it soon! You’ll love it!

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2013.