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This Homemade Salsa recipe is even BETTER than the restaurant! Learn how to make your own fresh & tasty dip with only these easy steps and a food processor.
Fresh Salsa is one of those things where if you’ve had it once, you know you can’t go back to those stale-flavored glass jars.
However, store-bought fresh salsa is usuallyway more expensive….and most of us don’t have the time or funds to go out to our favorite restaurant and enjoy some fresh salsa whenever we get the hankering.
Well guess what, friends – today is the day all of that changes. Because I’m going to show you how to make thebest-est, easiest, and tastiest salsa ever…using only whole plant foods and a food processor!
This recipe is actually courtesy of my boyfriend, Dylan (it’s hissecond shout-out on the blog!). He (and his father, and his father’s father) has/have been making this salsa sincepretty much forever. I’m not saying that it earned him any extra dates with me, but Iwill say that we’ve shared many a bowl of it together.
Dylan uses a few “untraditional” ingredients in his salsa, like carrots and green onions. I totally questioned him at first, but once I had a bite of his dip, I chucked those judgments out the dang window. Once you make this for yourself, I think you will too 😉
Now, enough with the stories!Let’s make some salsa.
Step One: Wash & Prep Your Veggies
Rinse all of your veggies and cut off any pesky ends that you don’t want in your salsa.
You don’t have to overly chop any of the vegetables here – the food processor is going to do all of the work for us! Just try to cut each veggie into uniform pieces so they will break down evenly when processed.
Step Two: Pulse Everything Together in a Food Processor
You heard me – this is essentially aone bowl recipe! We’ll add our salsa ingredients to our food processorin a specific order in order to get that perfectly chunky, restaurant-style salsa. If you don’t have a food processor you can chop everything by hand, but it’ll take you alot longer.
You’ll need a food processor that can hold at least 8 cups for this recipe; otherwise, you can just work in batches! Unfortunately, this recipe won’t work in a blender – it’ll just turn everything to mush.
Step Three: Serve and Enjoy!
It’s really thateasy.All in all, this recipe takes about 10 minutes to make! And considering you get about 4 cups of salsa, it’sway more cost-effective too. And let’s not forget that you can customizeyour salsa to your own personal taste preferences! Want more or less heat? No worries. Want to add in some extra veggies or fresh summer fruit? Go for it, friend.
Ways to Use Salsa:
- As a dip for chips or fresh veggies (pro tip: mash it with some avocado for a fun treat!)
- As a condiment in salads, grain bowls, breakfast foods, and pretty much everything with a tex-mex influence
- As a seasoning in cooked beans, rice, or soups
As you can see, the possibilities are pretty much endless – in terms of savory food, at least. Is dessert salsa a thing? Now I’m curious…
If you’re looking for more fresh and tasty dip recipes, you’ll also love this Summer Mango Salsa, this Avocado Salsa and this (Best Ever) Hummus!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
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Easy Homemade Salsa
★★★★★5 from 4 reviews
This Homemade Salsa recipe is even BETTER than the restaurant! Learn how to make your own fresh & tasty dip with only these easy steps and a food processor.
- Author: Caitlin Shoemaker
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 0 Minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: American
- 8–10 roma tomatoes, divided (about 2.5 pounds / 1130g)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled
- 2 jalapeños, de-seeded*
- 3–5 cloves of garlic
- 3 green onions
- ¼ bunch cilantro
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Wash all of the produce and roughly chop it into evenly sized pieces about 2-3” long.
- Add half of the tomatoes to a large food processor and process until completely broken down, reminiscent of a sauce.
- Add the green onion, cilantro, and garlic to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the processor, if necessary. Add the carrots and jalapeños and repeat the same process, then add the spices, salt, lemon juice, and lime juice. Pulse briefly to incorporate, and adjust seasonings to taste
- Finally, add the remaining tomatoes and pulse a few times, until the tomatoes reach your desired consistency.
- Serve as desired and enjoy! This salsa is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You can opt to completely remove the seeds of the jalapeños for a mild salsa, or leave some of them in for a spicier version. I left the seeds of ½ of a pepper in mine for a medium heat.
Keywords: food processor salsa, carrot salsa, healthy salsa, easy salsa recipe, one bowl salsa, fresh salsa recipe
FAQs
A unique blend of fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice contributes to the vibrant, lively taste of restaurant-style salsa.
Why doesn't my salsa taste like the restaurant? ›
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.
What is the difference between restaurant-style salsa? ›
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.
What kind of salsa do most Mexican restaurants use? ›
By far, salsa roja is the most popular Mexican salsa, and after a bite, it is not hard to see why. Different chefs will often vary the amount of heat by adjusting how much and what kind of chilis are added to the mix.
How do you make homemade salsa taste better? ›
Balance flavors; add salt, vinegar, lime juice, bottled hot sauce, and pinches of sugar, tasting frequently, until you achieve the perfect balance of sweet, savory, salty, sour, and spicy.
What is the number 1 salsa brand in Mexico? ›
The HERDEZ® brand allows consumers to experience the real flavor and culture of Mexico at home with authentic salsas and cooking sauce. The HERDEZ® brand is the No. 1 selling brand in Mexico and the leading authentic Mexican salsa brand in homes across the US.
What gives salsa more flavor? ›
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.
Is it better to use fresh or canned tomatoes for salsa? ›
Fresh Roma tomatoes – use the nice and red ones, avoid anything soft. Canned tomatoes – I like to use canned in addition to fresh because it gives the salsa a better consistency. Fresh cilantro – cilantro adds key flavor, don't omit this!
Why is restaurant salsa so much better? ›
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.
What is cantina vs restaurant salsa? ›
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.
U.S. picante sauce and salsa share ingredients (tomatoes, onion, jalapeños) and are made similarly. What sets them apart is that picante sauce is smoother than its chunkier salsa cousin, making it easier to pour on top of dishes like tacos. Salsa is more commonly served on top of nachos or as a side for dishes.
What is the secret to restaurant salsa? ›
I've watched my favorite Mexican restaurant make their homemade salsa more times than I can count. The secret ingredient? Canned tomatoes! While you can certainly make due with fresh tomatoes, to achieve the right consistency you'll want to use canned.
What variety of tomato makes the best salsa? ›
Roma Tomatoes are a popular choice for salsa-making due to their dense and meaty texture, small number of seeds, and full-of-flavor tanginess. Variations of this tomato are sometimes called “plum” or “paste” tomatoes. Red Beefsteak Tomatoes are another favorite for those who favor a juicier tomato in their salsa.
What is authentic Mexican salsa made of? ›
Take the stems off the peppers and throw away the stems. Place the peppers and seeds in the bender. Blend well. Next toss in the stewed tomatoes with juice, 1 jalepeno (sliced), 1/2 yellow onion (quarterd), 1 garlic clove, handful of cilantro, lemon juice, salt and pepper and blend til you have the consistancy desired.
Why is restaurant salsa better than store bought? ›
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.
Is Mexican restaurant salsa healthy? ›
We treat it like a condiment like mayo or ketchup, which is why people may not necessarily think of it as a vegetable source or a health food. But the truth is salsa is an incredible way to increase your vegetable intake, and it's an undeniably healthy food.
How healthy is Mexican salsa? ›
High in vitamins and minerals: Salsa is packed with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium and iron, which are essential for maintaining a healthy body. Rich in antioxidants: Salsa is rich in antioxidants.
What salsa do Mexicans use? ›
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.
