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This homemade salsa recipe only takes about 10 minutes to make, it’s easy to customize (to make it extra spicy, smoky or tangy if you’d like), and it’s SO irresistibly delicious.
Happy Dos De Mayo!
Which also means…happy birthday to me!
My birthday feels a little extra-special this year because it also happens to mark exactly one more month until my wedding. (Can’t wait!) But every year, my birthday also happens to conveniently fall on the week of Cinco De Mayo, which I must say I couldn’t have planned better myself. Mexican food on my birthday for life! (Literally!)
Last year for my birthday, I had all of my friends over for an epic chips-and-salsa-a-thon, which was downright dreamy. Instead of cooking, Barclay and I drove around town all afternoon and picked up a dozen or so different salsas from our favorite Mexican restaurants. And then we whipped up an enormous batch of my classic margaritas, opened up a zillion bags of chips, and had all of our friends over for the most delicious taste test ever. Totally my kind of birthday.
This year’s plans are TBD, thanks to my sweet fiancé who knows how much I love a good surprise. But I did go ahead and whip up a batch of this salsa recipe to have on hand for my bday and Cinco De Mayo this week, which I’ve already been putting to good use. And hey — since I don’t eat many sweets or crave a traditional birthday cake anymore — this seemed like my kind of birthday treat recipe to share on the blog today. ?
Restaurant-Style Salsa Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Alright, so about this salsa recipe!
It’s actually one that I shared on the blog a few years ago. But — like many of the recipes around here lately while I’ve been busy with wedding planning — it’s one that I recently re-photographed and updated to share with those of you who might have missed it the first time around, because I’m convinced that everyone needs this recipe in their lives.
Seriously, it’s been my go-to homemade salsa recipe for years. And for someone who makes homemade salsa nearly once a week, that’s sayin’ something.
But the best part? It’s incredibly quick and easy to make! Also, since it uses canned fire-roasted tomatoes (gotta use the fire-roasted), it’s a really accessible recipe to make year-round, even beyond your regional tomato season.
To make it, simply toss all of your ingredients together in a food processor or blender…
…puree until the salsa reaches your desired texture…
…then taste and season as needed.
If you’d like a smokier salsa, I strongly recommend adding in a chipotle pepper or two in adobo sauce. If you’d like a spicier salsa, you can add in an extra jalapeño (or just add in the seeds from the original one). If you’d like a tangier salsa, you can’t go wrong with extra lime juice in my opinion. And as always, don’t be afraid to add in extra salt to kick up the flavor if needed!
Then, once your salsa is all seasoned and ready to go, partay like it’s yo birthday and DIVE IN.
Seriously, I’ve made this recipe probably hundreds of times, and still never grow tired of it. So if you need some chips and salsa in your life this week — as I believe everyone always does — I can’t recommend it enough.
Enjoy, amigos!
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The BEST Salsa Recipe!
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star4.9 from 33 reviews
Prep Time:5 minutes
Total Time:5 minutes
Yield:0 About 4 cups1x
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Description
This restaurant-style salsa recipe is easy to make, and full of amazing fresh flavor.
Unlike jarred or canned salsa, restaurant salsa is essentially small-batch, freshly made salsa. These establishments have access to high-quality ingredients and equipment to streamline the salsa-making process and ensure a consistent product.
Cook the salsa, and you'll trade bright, fresh flavors for something deeper, sweeter. Roasting the tomatoes, garlic and/or chiles creates rich, smoky flavors. 3. Layer in flavor, color, and texture with bell peppers, jicama, radishes, fresh corn kernels, avocado, or black beans.
The acid ingredients in salsa help preserve it. You must add acid to canned salsa because the natural acidity may not be high enough. Commonly used acids are vinegar and bottled lemon juice. Lemon juice is more acidic than vinegar and has less effect on flavor.
While some restaurant-style salsas may be prepared in large batches to meet demand, the emphasis on using fresh, high-quality ingredients remains a constant, no matter the quantity. A unique blend of fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice contributes to the vibrant, lively taste of restaurant-style salsa.
Fortunately, there's an easy way to thicken this kind of salsa to your exact liking: tomato paste. A tablespoon or two could be just what you need to tighten up your sauce but do keep in mind that not all salsas are the same.
A pH of 4.6 or lower is required for safe canning without the use of pressure processing. Foods such as pickles or salsa need to have an acid added if they are to reach a pH level of 4.6 or lower to prevent microorganism survival and/or growth.
Prepare your salsa an hour before you plan on serving it. Not only will the flavors mingle together better, the salt will draw out the moisture from the tomatoes, taking it from chopped slaw to a seasoned, perfectly saucy situation. Just keep in mind: The longer it sits, the soupier it will get, so plan accordingly.
Roasted tomatoes, peppers, or garlic because roasting anything provides a smoky flavor that we love. Black garlic for a complex, kinda sweet-kinda sour, mildly garlicky but finger-lickin fantastic taste. Smoked salts for a fuller flavor. Corn niblets or diced avocado for added texture and a hint of savory flavor.
The vinegar is acidic, so presumably it's part of bringing the pH to a safe one for boiling water canning. Without it, the salsa won't be safe to can like this. If you realize right away and recan immediately, it's basically just cooking it extra. It may not be as good with the extra cooking, but it'll be safe.
Slicing tomatoes produce a thinner, more watery salsa. If you use slicing tomatoes, you can thicken your salsa by adding tomato paste or by draining off some of the liquid after you chop the tomatoes.
What is the name of the typical red “salsa” that is normally eaten with tortilla chips at Mexican restaurants? If it's fresh chopped tomatoes, onion, chile verde/jalapeño or árbol and cilantro, it's called “Pico de gallo”. If it's cooked, it's just salsa roja or casera.
LA-style salsa is probably the most popular form of salsa dancing in the world. It is the style of salsa that is taught most broadly, and most dancers of other styles of salsa dancing will have at least some familiarity with it.
Tomatoes, onions, cilantro leaves, chiles (peppers), limes, salt and black pepper. Garlic and cumin are sometimes added in very small amounts. Truly authentic Mexican salsa CAN BE chunky, watery, thick or not. There are many recipes, depending on the region and the dish.
Compared to regular ol' salsa or something like pico de gallo, restaurant-style salsa is usually smoother—just how I like it! It's blended up in a food processor so that all the pieces get minced really finely. This is no place for big chunks of tomatoes, man.
Restaurant salsa is made with canned tomatoes such as diced, crushed or whole peeled tomatoes in their juice. It's combined with onion, garlic, jalapeño, lime juice and cilantro, then it's pureed or blended until smooth. Regular salsa, or pico de gallo, always includes fresh tomatoes and it's chunky in texture.
What Is Cantina Style Salsa vs Regular Salsa? Cantina style is a term used to describe salsa that is restaurant quality. Jarred cantina-style salsa has a thin consistency, and regular salsa in the jar is usually chunky.
Mexican restaurants usually make it from scratch using fresh ingredients. Store bought stuff is tailored to mass produced and usually add things to make them shelf stable. You'll never find a store bought equivalent to fresh ingredients.
Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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