One of our favorite things about going to a great Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant is the salsa with warm tortilla chips that are brought to you just as you are seated. We’re going to show you how easy it is to replicate that taste and texture at home!
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🍅 The Ingredients
The straightforward ingredients for this restaurant-style salsa blend perfectly to create bold, fresh flavors that rival any Tex-Mex restaurant in town. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
🌶️ Substitutions and Variations
- Tomatoes – Canned tomatoes work great for this salsa. If you can’t find Ro-tel, look for other brands that carry a tomato and pepper (or chili) variety. Diced fire-roasted tomatoes are a perfectly fine substitute. We always recommend certified San Marzano whole tomatoes for the best flavor. They can be found in the canned tomatoes section of most supermarkets.
- Peppers – When you remove the seeds and the inside ribs of a jalapeño, you’re removing most of the heat. You can easily substitute pickled jalapeño (nacho-style). If you want more heat, leave some of the seeds (or all of them). A serrano pepper will deliver more heat, too.
- Flavor enhancers – Fresh cilantro and fresh lime juice are essential to giving this a restaurant-style salsa taste. None of the flavors, including the onion, are prominent. Taste testing is key.
- Sugar – Don’t worry, this will not make the salsa sweet tasting. It just adds a subtle depth to the flavor profile. Light brown sugar can be substituted.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Expert Tip
Taste testing is key to getting the flavor balance just right. Grab a few clean spoons and try the salsa before chilling. You may feel it needs more salt, or lime juice, etc. Add more ingredients in small increments. It’s hard to correct the flavors once you go too far with any one ingredient. Also, the flavor gets better after it has time to chill for a few hours (or even better, overnight).
💃🏻 How To Make Restaurant-Style Salsa
- Step 1: Add the whole tomatoes (with juice) and Ro-tel into your food processor.
- Step 2: Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño.
- Step 3: Add the sugar, salt, and cumin.
- Step 4: Add the cilantro and lime juice.
- Step 5: Pulse to desired consistency.
- Step 6: Store in a jar with a lid.
🌮 How to Serve and Store
- This salsa is great served as an appetizer along with warm tortilla chips. For the ultimate Tex-Mex chips and salsa, seek out thin corn tortillas and then deep fry them in vegetable oil (350°F) until crispy. Hit them with a little salt and serve with the salsa.
- This salsa is also delicious served with a little softened butter and warm corn tortillas and warm flour tortillas.
- This salsa is the perfect addition to classic Tex-Mex dishes such as Tex-Mex Beef Tacos, Classic Cheese Enchiladas, and Best-Ever Shrimp Fajitas.
- Keep the salsa stored in the fridge for up to 7 days. The salsa is best when served at room temperature. Take the salsa out of the fridge about an hour before serving.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve tweaked this recipe for years, and find that the listed ingredients and seasonings are essential to the restaurant-style recipe. But, like most recipes, it can easily be tweaked to its perfect for you! Remember to taste test (with clean spoons!).
No, it’s mild to medium. However, you can increase the heat by adding more jalapeño (with seeds) and increasing the cayenne.
We love it both ways. Check out our Roasted Tomato Salsa. Both types of salsa are restaurant-quality.
🥭 Other Amazing Salsa Recipes
Ready to make a salsa that will rival your favorite Tex-Mex restaurant? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Restaurant-Style Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes with juice, San Marzano are best
- 2 cans Ro-tel tomatoes we use 1 can mild, 1 can original
- ¼ cup onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 fresh jalapeño seeded and chopped
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped (use more, if desired)
- 1 lime juiced, about 1 tbsp
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a large food processor (or blender). This can also be done in batches if using a smaller processor.1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, 2 cans Ro-tel tomatoes, ¼ cup onion, 1 clove garlic, 1 fresh jalapeño, ½ teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ cup cilantro, 1 lime
- Pulse to get desired consistency. We like ours still with some tomato chunks left. This usually takes about 10 pulses.
- Taste with a tortilla chip and adjust seasoning to taste. It may need more salt, lime, or cilantro.
- Store in an air-tight container in the fridge, preferably for at least 1 hour, or longer. Let sit out for about 30 minutes before serving (it's best served at room temperature).
- Serve with warm tortilla chips!
Janet says
Excellent salsa. I have made it many times. I like to add peaches or mango to make a milder taste with some of the batch for my more sensitive consumers. Can I freeze this salsa? As a more empty nester I can’t go through it as fast but when they come home we devour it all. Yum.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Janet! It does make a decent amount of salsa! Absolutely! This salsa freezes perfectly! Congrats to empty nesting…although we know that is a mixed bag of emotions! It makes them coming home to homemade salsa that much more enjoyable!!!!P Please stay in touch!!! xo Kris & Wesley
Amy says
Best and easiest Salas!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Amy!!! We are so so happy you made the salsa and loved it! Woo hoo! Thank you so much for sharing and for the fantastic review. That means so much to us! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Mike says
Love watch u guys cook love ureet balls and thanks for be you guys
Kris Longwell says
You made our day, Mike!
Mike says
Love u guy s
Kris Longwell says
Thank you, Mike! Sending tons and tons of love back your way, too!!!
Alene says
It says y’all made some changes since the video, please share! I’m excited to try this.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Alene! Nothing major! I believed we pulled back on the canned San Marzano tomatoes. We’re constantly tweaking! This salsa is really good! Let us know if you make it and what you think!
Jay says
Guys!
This was awesome thanks so much,
There is a saying here in San Antonio Texas, “If the mexican restaraunt has made an effort on the chips and salsa – then the rest of the food should be ok”.
But if not just walk out don’t waste your time.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Jay! That truly just made our day! And we feel the exact same way! You really can tell the quality of a TexMex/Mexican restaurant by the chips and salsa!! We are so so happy you enjoyed our version! And thank you SO MUCH for sharing and for the GREAT review! That means so much to us! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Kelli says
OMG, I love you guys! Love Joe T’s in Fort Worth, too! I’m a salsa girl and totally get judgy walking into a Mexican food restaurant. You are right, if the salsa isn’t good, I’m not getting my hopes up for the rest that is to come. Gonna try this recipe out! I was searching out a copy cat recipe for a restaurant in the Houston/Spring area called La Maria and this one looks similar!
Debbie says
Hi Kelli (neighbor, lol!) I live in Tomball and couldn’t agree more… if the salsa isn’t good, then all bets are off!!! Tex-Mex is the best, right? I have a few nearby favs, but mostly it’s like… well I like the enchiladas at this one, the fajitas at this one, the queso over there, etc. Martha’s is a newer venue here in Tomball and is pretty good. Can’t recall if I ever went to La Maria’s… it’s on Stuebner, right? I found this recipe and use it as a serious base for my own homemade salsa all the time! I also make a great version of “Ninfa’s Green Sauce” too! So glad you posted!!!
Amy says
Finally a salsa that’s easy to make and taste perfect!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Amy! Right??? We played around with so many variations, and kept coming back to this version! So glad you love and thank you for letting us know!!
Heike says
We miss our Family in Texas so much. To cook your texmex recipes reminds us on good times while spending summer vacations with our loved ones.
Hopefully corona will be over pretty soon and we are allowed to come back.
Kris Longwell says
We completely understand, Heike! Nothing brings the memories back much better than making TexMex at home. Stay safe and stay positive. Things will be back to normal soon. Much love! Kris & Wesley
Kelly says
I can stop looking for salsa recipes now. This is perfection. Tossed in a few jalapeño seeds, but other than that, followed the recipe exactly. Love your website. The chicken salad is also a keeper.
Kris Longwell says
Kelly, you seriously just made us tear up a little bit! We are such salsa snobs and the fact that you love our version so much literally made our month!! It’s really good, right? We are so glad you are enjoying our recipes and please stay in touch!!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Debbie Kane says
Can you can this recipe?
Kris Longwell says
Hi Debbie! We’ve never canned our salsa, we don’t see any reason that you couldn’t can them perfectly! Please let us know if you do and how it turns out!! Best, Kris & Wesley
Stacy Lynn Alexander says
I have canned it many times. Very easy to do.
Kris Longwell says
YES!!
Mark Hall says
Hands down, with out a doubt, the best salsa we’ve EVA had!!!
Kris Longwell says
Awesome!!!! So glad you loved our salsa recipe! We’re kinda crazy for it, too! Thanks so much for letting us know and especially for the GREAT review! That means the world to us!! Stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Stacy Alexander says
This is delish! I added more chopped onion and jalapeno, but it is really just so good!
krislongwell says
Hey Stacy!! More onion and jalapeño sounds good to us! Thank you so much for letting us know and please stay in touch. All the best, Kris & Wesley
William Axenfield says
If you know how long would this keep in the fridge?
krislongwell says
Hi William! You can keep this covered in the fridge for up to a week. Hope this helps!!! Best, Kris & Wesley
William Axenfield says
thank you
Sarita says
Yum!!!!! can’t wait to try this salsa, thanks for the recipe!!
~ Sarita ~
The Loon says
Thanks Sarita! It is so good and FRESH!