Easy & Delicious Restaurant Style Salsa with Canned Tomatoes
This easy restaurant-style salsa is made with canned tomatoes, green chilies, cilantro, onion, garlic, jalapeño, lime, cumin, salt, and a tiny pinch of sugar. It’s bright, fresh, and scoopable!
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Ingredients
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes & green chilies drained
- 1 28 oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes
- 1/4 cup cilantro no stems
- 1/8 cup white onion or yellow onion if needed
- 1-2 clove garlic depending on how garlicky you like
- 1/2 jalapeño seeded (do a whole one if you want heat)
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- Juice of 1/2 lime
Instructions
- Add the drained diced tomatoes and green chilies, whole San Marzano tomatoes, cilantro, onion, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, kosher salt, sugar, and lime juice to a blender or food processor.
- Pulse or blend until the salsa reaches your preferred restaurant-style consistency. For a smoother salsa, blend a little longer. For a chunkier salsa, pulse just until combined.
- Taste and adjust if needed, keeping in mind the flavor will change and develop as the salsa chills. Don't add too much salt yet.
- Transfer the salsa to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving. For the best flavor, make it 1–2 days ahead.
- Serve chilled with tortilla chips, tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, eggs, or anything that needs a little salsa moment.
Notes
This salsa will taste good fresh, but it is much better after resting. The onion, garlic, lime, tomatoes, jalapeño, cumin, and salt need time to settle into each other.
For mild salsa, use 1/2 seeded jalapeño. For more heat, use the whole jalapeño.
Drain the diced tomatoes and green chilies before blending so the salsa does not get too watery.
The sugar does not make the salsa sweet. It helps balance the acidity from the tomatoes and lime.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I’d use it within about 5 days for the best flavor and freshness.