Restaurant-Style Salsa
The smooth, zesty table salsa from your favorite Mexican restaurant, pulsed together from canned tomatoes in 5 minutes. It’s the same all year round.
Nutrition per serving
¼ cup- Net carbs
- 1.4g
- Calories
- 11kcal
- Protein
- 0.5g
- Fat
- 0.1g
- Total carbs
- 2.5 g
- Fiber
- 1.1 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Charred (salsa asada): Fresh tomatoes, onion, jalapeño and garlic blistered under the broiler give a smoky, deeper salsa. It’s best in summer.
- Heat the broiler with a rack about 4 inches (10 cm) from the element. Spread the tomatoes (cut side down), onion, jalapeños and unpeeled garlic on a foil-lined sheet pan.
- Broil 8–10 minutes, turning once, until blackened in spots and softened. Peel the garlic, cool everything slightly, then pulse with the cilantro, lime, cumin and salt.
Creamy avocado salsa: A whole avocado blended in makes a pale-green, taqueria-style creamy salsa to spoon over tacos and grilled meat.
- Blend the salsa with the avocado until completely smooth and creamy. Press plastic wrap onto the surface and use within 2 days.
- Also add
Estimated cost $1.69 for 9 servings ($0.19 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Pulse the onion, jalapeños and garlic in a food processor or blender until finely chopped.
-
Add the tomatoes with their juices, the cilantro, lime juice, cumin and salt. Pulse 8–10 times, just until the salsa is fairly smooth but still has a little texture. Don’t purée it.
-
Taste and adjust the salt, lime and heat. Chill at least 30 minutes so the flavors come together.
Tips for success
-
Fire-roasted canned tomatoes add a smoky, charred flavor with no extra work. - Jarred salsas sometimes add sugar. Homemade keeps it to tomatoes, chiles and lime.
- Serve with pork rinds, Parmesan crisps or cucumber rounds, or spoon over taco skillet, pork rind nachos and eggs.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 7 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Serve cold
Prep tip: Stir before serving; a little liquid separates as it sits.
Refrigerate in a sealed jar up to 1 week.
Variations
2 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosCharred (salsa asada)
SwapFresh tomatoes, onion, jalapeño and garlic blistered under the broiler give a smoky, deeper salsa. It’s best in summer.
- whole peeled or diced tomatoes (14.5 oz) → Roma tomatoes
2.1 g net · 13 kcal · 0.6 g protein · 0.1 g fat · ≈$0.33 per serving (+0.7 g net carbs vs the original)
Creamy avocado salsa
FlavorA whole avocado blended in makes a pale-green, taqueria-style creamy salsa to spoon over tacos and grilled meat.
- + 1 medium ripe avocado
1.7 g net · 38 kcal · 0.8 g protein · 2.6 g fat · ≈$0.31 per serving (+0.3 g net carbs vs the original)
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