This 5-minute restaurant-style salsa roja is what happens when classic Tex-Mex flavors meet the ultimate cooking hack—your blender. It’s got that deep tomato richness, just the right amount of heat, and a little zing of lime to keep things fresh. Best of all, it's made with canned tomatoes, so you can feed your cravings year-round.
This delicious cantina-style salsa is so easy it practically makes itself—just toss everything in the blender, hit a button, and boom: salsa that tastes like it came straight from your favorite Mexican restaurant (but better, because homemade, am I right?). It’s smoky, a little spicy, and dangerously addictive. Chips? Tacos? Spoon straight to mouth? No judgment.
You can win Cinco de Mayo (or just enjoy a killer taco night) with this perfect salsa, Mexican street corn in a cup, and my cream cheese taco dip along with classic ground beef tacos made with the best homemade seasoning!
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Why You Will Love This Restaurant-Style Salsa Roja
You’ll love this restaurant-style salsa roja because it’s everything you want in a salsa—bold, deeply tomatoey, and ultra-smooth—without a lot of work. Thanks to canned tomatoes and a quick whirl in the blender, it takes just 5 minutes to make, no roasting required. It’s the easiest way to get that authentic, restaurant-quality flavor at home!
Ingredients
This restaurant-style salsa roja comes together with simple, flavor-packed ingredients—canned tomatoes with green chilies for that classic tomato base, onion and garlic powder for depth, a hit of lime juice for brightness, and just the right blend of cilantro, jalapeno, and cumin. I'm even giving away the secret ingredient to killer homemade salsa—chicken bouillon powder!
- Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and green chilies
- Yellow onion
- Cilantro
- Lime juice
- Jalapeno
- Garlic powder
- Cumin
- Chicken bouillon powder
- Salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
The secret to a smooth, restaurant-style salsa is in the blender. It's the perfect medium for whipping everything into a smooth, no-chunk salsa that’s velvety, pourable, and ready to drench your chips.
- I like to cut the onion half into a few smaller pieces to give the blender a head start.
- Cut the jalapeno in half. Discard the ribs and seeds if desired (this is where most of the spice is). Set aside the other half for another use.
- Slice and juice the lime.
- Place all ingredients into a blender.
5. Blend everything on high speed until a smooth, uniform consistency is achieved and everything is combined. This will result in a smooth, pourable salsa. If you want a more chunky salsa, just do a few pulses until the desired texture is achieved. You can also leave out half of the diced tomatoes for the initial blend and add in after you have blended the other ingredients to maintain a more chunky texture.
Hint: I use Ro-Tel, a combo of diced tomatoes and green chilies, for this salsa. If you can't find Ro-Tel or would rather use regular diced tomatoes, substitute about 24 ounces of diced tomatoes and add in a 4-ounce can of green chilies.
Substitutions
- Onion - I used a yellow onion, but white or red onion also works great here.
- Jalapeno - This is a spicy pepper, even when the seeds are removed. If you want less spice, substitute a poblano or Anaheim pepper. If you want more spice, feel free to use a whole jalapeno and leave the seeds in.
- Lime juice - Lemon juice is a good sub here if you don't have lime.
- Ro-Tel - Substitute about 24 ounces of diced tomatoes and 4 ounces of green chilies if you don't have Ro-Tel.
- Chicken bouillon powder - You can sub ⅔ of a chicken bouillon cube for 1 teaspoon of powder.
Equipment
You don't need a lot of equipment for this recipe—just a blender, cutting board, chef's knife, spatula, and measuring cups and spoons. I love my Ninja Smoothie IQ blender; it makes super quick work of this salsa. And you'll want a serving bowl to start dipping ASAP!
How to Store Homemade Salsa
To store your homemade salsa, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. It should stay fresh for up to 4-5 days. If you want to keep it for longer, you can freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months—just make sure to leave some space for expansion as it freezes. When you're ready to use, thaw it in the fridge overnight.
The Secret Ingredient for Amazing Homemade Salsa
I'm giving up all the details on making the best restaurant-style homemade salsa, including my secret ingredient: Chicken bouillon powder. Adding a teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder to your homemade salsa gives it an extra layer of savory, umami-packed flavor that takes it from good to OMG in seconds!
I used Herb-Ox granulated chicken bouillon, also available on Amazon. You can sub ⅔ of a chicken bouillon cube for 1 teaspoon of powder.
FAQ
It’s mildly spicy thanks to the jalapeno, but you can adjust the heat by adding less jalapeno or swapping it for a milder pepper like an Anaheim or poblano.
This salsa uses half of a jalapeno pepper with the ribs and seeds removed, so it has a mild spice level. To make salsa spicier, add more jalapeno and keep the ribs and seeds in, or use a spicier pepper like habanero, ghost pepper, or Thai chili.
If you prefer a milder salsa, skip the seeds in the jalapeno or use a milder pepper like a poblano, Anaheim, or bell pepper.
Absolutely! This salsa gets even better after it sits for a couple of hours, so feel free to make it ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Yes, you can freeze salsa in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before serving.
Salsa is perfect with chips, tacos, grilled meats, or even as a topping for Mexican street corn (elote en vaso) and fajitas.
The secret to smooth salsa is blending it until you have a silky, no-chunk salsa that’s perfect for dipping or pouring over your favorite dishes.
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with restaurant-style salsa:
5-Minute Restaurant Style Salsa Roja (in the Blender)
Equipment
- blender
- spatula
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- measuring spoons and cups
Ingredients
- 1 28-ounce can of Ro-Tel (diced tomatoes and green chilies)
- ½ yellow onion
- ½ jalapeno seeds and ribs removed
- 1 lime juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- ½ cup cilantro
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
Instructions
- If desired, cut the onion half into a few smaller pieces to give the blender a head start.
- Cut the jalapeno in half. Discard the ribs and seeds if desired (this is where most of the spice is). Set aside the other half for another use.
- Slice and juice the lime.
- Place all ingredients into a blender.
- Blend everything on high speed until a smooth, uniform consistency is achieved and everything is combined. This will result in a smooth, pourable salsa.
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