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Restaurant-Style Salsa

This recipe delivers a quick and easy restaurant-style salsa, perfect for chips or as a versatile topping. It combines canned diced and whole tomatoes with fresh cilantro, onion, garlic, and jalapeño, seasoned with cumin, salt, sugar, and lime juice. All ingredients are pulsed in a blender or food processor, then chilled to allow flavors to meld, resulting in a vibrant and flavorful condiment.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 people
Course: lunch/dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 212.8
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • Two 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes and green chiles such as Rotel
  • One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes with juice
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves or more to taste!
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 whole jalapeno quartered and sliced thin, with seeds and membrane
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 whole lime juiced

Equipment

  • 1 Blender or Food Processor A 12-cup capacity or larger is ideal for this batch size.
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl For combining batches if processing separately.
  • 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons
  • 1 Airtight Container For refrigeration and storage.

Method
 

  1. Combine the diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, cilantro, onions, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, salt, sugar and lime juice in a blender or food processor. (This is a very large batch. I recommend using a 12-cup food processor, or you can process the ingredients in batches and then mix everything together in a large mixing bowl.)
  2. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you'd like. I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.
  3. Refrigerate the salsa for at least an hour before serving.

Notes

For optimal flavor, ensure your cilantro, onion, and especially the jalapeño are fresh. When working with jalapeños, consider wearing gloves to avoid skin irritation. The recipe suggests using canned diced tomatoes and green chilies (like Rotel), which contribute a distinct flavor profile; however, for a brighter, fresher salsa, you could roast fresh tomatoes and chilies before blending. Adjust the amount of jalapeño and its seeds/membrane to control the heat level to your preference. The addition of sugar is crucial to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and lime, enhancing the overall taste without making the salsa overtly sweet. Always taste and adjust seasonings (salt, sugar, lime juice, cumin) after the initial blend, as flavors develop and mellow during refrigeration. The refrigeration period is vital for ingredients to meld, creating a more cohesive and 'restaurant-style' depth of flavor. Serve chilled for the best experience.