Salsa is always good, whether it’s Strawberry Jalapeño Salsa, Black Bean Salsa, or Pineapple Salsa. But there’s something special about restaurant-style salsa. The flavour is fresher, the consistency is smoother, and it seems to be tailor-made for spooning onto all your favourite Mexican foods, from Vegan Tacos to Loaded Vegan Nachos. In case you couldn’t tell, this restaurant-style blender salsa is definitely my fave salsa recipe. The best salsa ever, if you ask me. It’s the perfect mix of heat, brine, and acidity, with bold flavour and a great texture. Every bite makes you want even more and pretty soon, you’ll be saying “I thought this recipe made 2 cups…how is it finished already?!” Don’t worry—in just a few minutes, you can whip up some more!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
Fresh tomatoes – If you don’t have fresh tomatoes you can use canned, but as you can imagine, fresh is best!Onion – Yellow or white work best, but red onions are fine too.Jalapeño – Use more or less, according to your heat preference.GarlicCoconut sugar – Granulated sugar works too!Ground cuminLimesSaltGround black pepperParsley or cilantro – Cilantro is the traditional choice, but if you’re not a fan, use parsley instead.
What’s the Best Way to Juice a Lime?
Take the limes out of the fridge well-before you plan on starting the recipe—you’ll get more juice out of them that way. When you’re ready to start juicing, roll them on the counter a bit with the palms of your hands, then cut and juice them with a citrus press or reamer. If you don’t have a reamer, you can use a fork instead; squeeze the juice into a small bowl so you can remove the seeds.
How to Make Restaurant-Style Salsa in a Blender
Here we go! It’s time to make the best salsa you’ve ever had. Combine the ingredients. Add all of the salsa ingredients to a blender. Blend. Turn on the blender and blend for a few seconds until everything is incorporated and the salsa reaches your desired consistency—either completely smooth or with some chunks. Season. Taste and adjust the salt and seasonings as desired. Chill. Transfer the salsa to a bowl, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to meld. Serve. Pair your restaurant-style salsa with tortilla chips and enjoy!
Tips for Success
These simple tips will help you make sure your restaurant-style blender salsa turns out perfect:
Don’t use cherry or grape tomatoes. Smaller tomatoes have more seeds, making them potentially more bitter when blended. Take the time to chill the salsa. When you first blend the salsa, it will be pink. During the 30 minutes of chill time, the colour will change to red and the flavours will really come together.Strain if desired. If you like your salsa a bit thicker, you can pour it into a fine mesh sieve and let some of the liquid drain off before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Tortilla chips are the obvious choice here, but there’s no need to limit yourself! Spoon your salsa over baked sweet potatoes, add it to vegan taco salad, use it as a garnish for black bean soup, or try it with one of these recipes:
Vegan Crunchwrap SupremesQuinoa and Black Bean Burrito BowlMexican QuesadillasEasy Southwestern Tofu ScrambleCrispy Cauliflower Tacos
How to Store
Store blender salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
While you can freeze this restaurant-style salsa, keep in mind that because it’s made with fresh ingredients, the flavour and consistency won’t be quite as good upon freezing and thawing. That said, it will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer when stored in an airtight container or freezer bag. P.S. Here are some of the items I used to make this recipe if you’d like to use them too: | WHAT YOU’LL NEED // SHOP MY FAVORITE INGREDIENTS & PREP PRODUCTS | Enjoy friends! If you make this restaurant-style blender salsa, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
