Blender Salsa Recipe

This easy blender salsa recipe is as close to restaurant style as you can get. The best part? Everything comes together in five minutes! All you need are a few simple ingredients. 

Try this salsa served with my Crispy Baked Quesadillas, Chicken Burrito Bowls, Sheet Pan Fajitas or my Oven Nachos! You can even serve it with a batch of Berry Mojitos!

Ready for the easiest recipe of all time? This semi homemade salsa is made in under five minutes and combines canned tomatoes with fresh ingredients. 

We have been making this for YEARS. It has slowly adapted and changed but always comes back to the basics. All of the core ingredients are added to your blender, pulsed, and seasoned. Chill to let the flavors blend and serve with your favorite chips. It is really that simple.

5 Minute Blender Salsa

Ok, so I mentioned this recipe is easy. But let’s dive into the ingredients you will need. We are using a blend of pantry staples with fresh produce. Read the entire post, including tips and tricks, for some awesome info on how you can customize this to fit your tastes.

Easy Restaurant Style Salsa Ingredients: 

• Caned Diced Tomatoes– We stick with the basic brand and drain the juices. If you like your salsa a little more watery you can skip that step.
• Diced Tomatoes with Chilies– Rotel is what you are looking for. We like to use the original flavor. It has just enough kick that you get a small added amount of spice, but not too hot that our kid cannot enjoy.
• Onion– Yellow is what we have on hand and always use, however my sister swears by white onion. The choice is up to you. 
• Garlic– Garlic is king, in my opinion, and in this recipe you will love the addition.
• Cilantro– The one is tricky. We like less but some people like more. I suggest adding a smaller portion and adding more when you get ready to season. Cilantro can be a strong flavor and keep in mind that the flavors in this recipe blend together and become more strong as they sit. 
• Jalapeno– Here’s the deal with this one… If you want things spicy, do not scrape out the membrane and seeds. If you want things on the more mild side, scrape the insides before adding to the blender. I live for spicy foods and still find this has enough kick when we clean out the center. It is up to you. 
• Lime Juice– Fresh is best, but you can find jarred juice that will work too. One or two squeezes, about one whole lime, will give it a nice citrus flavor. 
• Spices– Cumin, salt, and sugar. That’s it. 

What does restaurant style salsa mean?

Restaurant style salsa is blended down to break up and larger pieces. The other version you will typically see is “chunky salsa.” This recipe falls firmly into the first category. It has bold flavor with no bigger pieces. 

How to make salsa in a blender:

1. Combine all of your ingredients into a blender of food processor. 
2. Pulse until combined. I find that four or five pulses give us a great consistency. 
3. Taste your salsa and add additional salt or cumin as needed.
4. Chill and serve.

Note: The longer this recipe chills the more time the flavors have to meld together. This recipe tastes better with time. I usually make this the day before I plan to serve. 

How long to keep homemade salsa:

This homemade salsa will last one week if stored properly. Keep in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Spoon out of the dish when serving and avoid dipping chips directly into the main container. 

Helpful tools and tips for this recipe:

• I like to drain my tomatoes before adding into the blender. This gives you a less watered down salsa but is optional. 
• Use a quality blender or food processor. 
• Add smaller amounts of cilantro during the first pulse. Taste and add more if needed. 
• Remember that this recipe starts to taste more bold the longer it sits. Adding a lot of the powerful flavors in the beginning could lead to a very robust end flavor. 

More Dip Recipes:

• Homemade Guacamole
• Avocado Salsa
• Spinach Artichoke Dip
• The Best Cheese Ball Recipe
• Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Recipes to serve this salsa with: 

• Chicken Enchiladas
• Baked Chicken Taquitos
• Slow Cooker Fajitas
• Quick Taco Salad 

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