Blender Salsa (5 minutes!)

Perfectly flavored, chunky yet smooth, this restaurant style Blender Salsa is made in a food processor with just 6 ingredients and 5 minutes.

This Blender Salsa recipe is incredibly easy to make. Just throw all the ingredients into a food processor and you're done! Nutribullet, Ninja, Vitamix or your standard food processor all work great!

Restaurant Style Blender Salsa

Every Mexican restaurant has their own signature salsa. And if you asked me, I'd say the chips and salsa is often the best part of dining at Mexican eateries.

Turns out making restaurant style salsa is super simple. With just 6 ingredients and a food processor, you'll have delicious pair of chips and salsa on your table in 5 minutes.

We have Mexican themed dinners on regular rotation and I typically have a variety of salsas to set out on the table. I always make this Pico de Gallo during the summer months when tomatoes are readily available. It's a great way to preserve those summer fruits and get additional probiotic benefits. 

What goes in a blender salsa?

Blender salsa is commonly made with canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, fresh lime juice and salt and pepper. 

If you want less heat in the salsa, remove the seeds from the jalapeno. Alternatively, you may also use 1 tablespoon of lacto-fermented jalapenos for a zesty kick.

This quick and easy salsa is made with canned tomatoes. I realize that because of the acidity, it's best to purchase tomato products in glass jars. Jovial and Bionaturae are two brands that have exceeded the industry's expectation in tomato products.

However, I also understand that it's not always convenient for most households. Therefore, I often use Muir Glen and 365 Everyday Value canned tomato products in my recipes. 

You can also make this Blender Salsa with fire roasted tomatoes. I love these Muir Glen Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes for this salsa - it adds so much flavor!

Can Blender Salsa be made with fresh tomatoes?

If you want to use fresh tomatoes in a salsa, I would point you to this yummy Pico de Gallo recipe for that. It's a great way to use up those tomatoes and you can actually ferment this salsa for extra probiotic goodness during the cooler months.

Blending tomatoes in a food processor will make the salsa very watery and very pink. The pink hue isn't necessarily an issue but it does mean, the salsa will be lacking flavor. It will not result in the same texture and bold flavor as it would using roasted tomatoes.

What is the best food processor for making salsa?

Any blender like this Ninja or a Vitamix will work. But a NutriBullet does the job just as well if you have large cups that can be used. 

But my favorite appliance for this Blender Salsa is a standard food processor. It does a great job combining all the flavors and still keeping the textures intact. Also, it's easier to add additional onions and cilantro through the chute and pulsing to keep them chunky.

What blender setting for salsa?

There isn't anything magical about the making of this Blender Salsa, but it does help to have a good eye to achieve that perfect texture. You don't want the salsa processed to death into a runny, watery mess. But it's also not fun biting into a large jalapeno or garlic chunk.

To achieve that muy bueno restaurant salsa texture requires a few simple steps. If you prefer a slightly chunkier salsa, like we do, leave out 1 cup of tomatoes, ½ onion, ½ cilantro until the very end.

In the food processor:

1. Pulse a few times to break up the large chunks
2. Process on low speed until desired texture.
3. Add reserved tomatoes, onions, and cilantro and pulse a few more times to gently combine that.

How long does blender salsa last?

Store the Blender Salsa in an airtight container for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. We prefer to store salsas in quart size mason jars like these or cute weck jars.

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Enjoy this Blender Salsa with:

Homemade 2-Ingredient Tortilla Chips
30-Minute Meal Sheet Pan Nachos
Instant Pot Crispy Carnitas
Healthy Keto Sausage and Vegetable Frittata

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This post was originally published January 2016 but has since been updated to include helpful information.