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This Blender Salsa recipe has all the goodness of restaurant salsa in only 5 minutes and uses simple grocery ingredients. Use fresh or canned tomatoes and any blending appliance for this easy salsa recipe.
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We all know there's nothing like fresh pico de gallo summer salsa when garden tomatoes are abundant. But blender salsa saves us ALL twelve months of the year because you can use fresh OR canned tomatoes.
This no-frills, 5-minute salsa recipe requires NO cooking and satisfies like restaurant salsa. It's great to serve with tortilla chips and it's a must-have condiment on chicken burrito bowls, nachos, totchos, taco pasta, taco meat, and veggie enchiladas.
Even at the last minute, you can make a snack bar with this quick blender salsa and my ten minute refried black beans. It's always a hit for neighborhood pop-up parties and a must-have salsa for every Cinco de Mayo feast!
What I love about this recipe
- Made with fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes.
- It's a budget-friendly version of restaurant salsa.
- Use any blender such as Vitamix, Nutribullet, Ninja, or stick blender; or use a food processor like I did in the photos you see for this recipe.
- Blender salsa diet-approved for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and paleo diets.
What you'll need
Ingredient amounts are listed in recipe card below.
- tomatoes - Use canned tomatoes OR fresh tomatoes for blender salsa.
- onion - I prefer red onions for restaurant style salsa, but you can use what you have on hand.
- cilantro and lime - These are key ingredients in fresh Mexican salsa, so make sure to buy them fresh.
- jalapeño pepper - Or Serrano pepper if you like more heat.
- fresh garlic - Restaurant style salsa can be delicious with or without fresh garlic, but I always say go for the garlic!
- cumin - It's super convenient and more common to buy ground cumin, but you can buy cumin seed and grind it yourself with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Either way, don't skip this important ingredient.
- salt and pepper - Adjust to your liking after the salsa has been blended.
How to make blender salsa
Place canned tomatoes (or fresh), onions, jalapeño peppers, cilantro, garlic, and cumin into a blender, food processor, or tall container (if using stick blender).
Pulse the blender (or food processor) until ingredients are well-combined. Add salt and black pepper, to taste.
Refrigerate blender salsa 3-7 days in an airtight container. Serve chilled.
Recipe tips
- When using canned tomatoes, I recommend the reduced sodium variety because it gives you the option to adjust salt to your liking.
- I also recommend unseasoned or unflavored canned tomatoes so you can flavor them specifically to your liking.
- When making blender salsa with fresh tomatoes, it's helpful to remove the juice. Do this by cutting the tomato and squeezing out any excess liquid along with the seeds.
- To adjust the spiciness of blender salsa, I recommend starting with a small amount of jalapeño or serrano pepper and adjusting it to taste once the salsa is made.
How long does blender salsa last?
Blender salsa can last up to 7 days. It depends on ingredient freshness and how airtight your containers are. My favorite food storage containers offer optimal freshness which means less air exposure and fresher salsa for a longer time. This salsa is so good though, it's gets devoured in about two days.
Can you freeze blender salsa?
Yes, if it's made from canned tomatoes (not fresh)! In fact, I almost always have blender salsa in my freezer. It's so convenient for weeknight dinners and impromptu gatherings. To freeze, transfer salsa to your favorite freezer-safe storage packaging and freeze up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer salsa to the refrigerator for an eight hour nap, then serve.
More salsa recipes
- Classic Pico de Gallo (Salsa Fresca)
- Black Bean and Corn Salsa
- Fresh Peach Salsa Recipe
- Mango Avocado Salsa
📖 Recipe
Blender Salsa (Restaurant Style Salsa)
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Video
Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
- 1 (14.5-ounce can) Diced Tomatoes, don't drain
- ¼ small Red Onion, about ⅓ cup coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup Cilantro
- 1 Lime, zested and juiced
- 1 Jalapeno Pepper (or Serrano Pepper), seeded and coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, coarsely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- Salt, to taste
- Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place TOMATOES, ONIONS, CILANTRO, LIME, JALAPENO, GARLIC, CUMIN, SALT, and PEPPER in a food processor or blender.*If using a stick blender, place everything in a tall-sided container to avoid splattering.
- Blend or pulse ingredients just until combined and the texture is to your liking. Do not overblend.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
Equipment
- latex gloves optional for seeding peppers
- 7-cup food processor or immersion blender
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
Autumn says
Sooo good! What a great recipe. I added extra cilantro because I love it. I waited to add the tomatoes to the blender until pulsing everything else together. I feel it made the presentation better.
Traci says
Wonderful!! Thank you for this and I like your approach 🙂 I'm soooo here for cilantro too lol. Enjoy!!
Rachael says
I'm considering making this recipe cause I LOVE blender salsa. I had a quick question it might be stupid. Do you peel the tomatoes or no? Thanks in advance <3
Traci says
Hi Rachael, thanks for asking! You are welcome to peel, but I do not because a high speed blender purees the skins and they're not noticeable. Hope you enjoy the recipe! xoxo
Mayra says
Best salsa I’ve ever had, only used half a jalapeño the second time for a milder salsa
Traci says
I’m so glad you loved it — that makes my day! 🙌 You must’ve gotten your hands on a hotter jalapeño, which is rare for me lol. That’s the beauty of this salsa though. It’s so easy to adjust the heat to your taste. Thanks so much for sharing how you made it!
Kristine Darrow says
Can this salsa be canned?
Traci says
Thanks for asking! This recipe is meant to be enjoyed within 5 days. I haven’t tested any long-term storage methods, so I can’t make recommendations. For food safety, it’s best to follow a fully tested recipe designed for that purpose. Thanks and enjoy!!
John Hertler says
Finally! Restaurant style salsa. So simple and delicious!
Traci says
I'm glad you're enjoying the recipe. Thank you for making it and for coming back to leave feedback. Much appreciated! 🙂
Mary Kay says
I usually make a chunky fresh salsa, but I was out of fresh tomatoes. To be honest, in my snobbery I didn’t have high expectations for this blender version. Whew - I’m so glad I gave it a try! Absolutely delicious, and so easy. It garnered lots of compliments from my guests and family, who devoured a double batch. Many thanks for a real keeper!
Traci says
I love this so much because I had an identical experience, snobbery and all, which is how this recipe was born. 🤣
So glad you gave it a chance and even happier to hear it got devoured (a double batch is the best compliment!). Thanks so much for coming back to share. This totally made my day! xoxo
Kristine says
Best salsa ever! Trying it fresh tomates next time. This will be my go to recipe from now on.
Traci says
Yay! I love knowing you love it that much! I feel the same way about this one, so I'm glad you gave it a try. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!
Dave says
This is good. Certainly play around with the ingredients to suit your tastes, but this is a great starting point. Store bought salsas are pretty underwhelming so this is a game changer. Self reliance is paramount. Make your own salsa. Thanks!
Traci says
Love this! Totally agree—quick homemade salsa really is a game changer, especially with the price hikes! So glad you found this recipe to be a solid starting point. Thanks for trying my recipe and for sharing your experience here. Enjoy!