Best Homemade Chunky or Restaurant Style Salsa Recipe (2024)

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Salsa is the BEST invention ever.... hands down! This is the Best Homemade Restaurant-Style Salsa Recipe that's low in calories, made with healthy tomatoes and it can be mild or spicy to your preference. Just 4 g net carbs per serving of 4 ounces!

Homemade Salsa versus Store Bought

Buying store-bought salsas is so convenient I know, I've done it! I love the stuff and so does my family! BUT I was sick of buying a jar a week.

I always get inspired when we head to our favorite Mexican restaurant and they make the homemade guacamole right at the table for you and then give you that fresh salsa! Just simple ingredients but they pack a flavor punch! I finally decided to make my own great recipe for the best salsa.

I scoured the internet looking over fresh salsa recipes from Giada, Paula Dean and Ree Drummond. I mixed up what I liked and what I knew my family liked, then changed some of the fresh ingredients and added some other things to make it my own easy blender salsa recipe that pleased everyone.

My recipe gives you instructions to make it either a chunky salsa or a smooth salsa that is typical of what you would enjoy at a restaurant.

Homemade Chunky Salsa Recipe

These pictures are using some fresh plum tomatoes and it was super tasty. You could also use Roma tomatoes. In fact my husband prefers using only fresh tomatoes.

Whole tomatoes can be a hit or miss at the grocery store in the winter as far as ripeness and taste so I convinced him it would still be just as good using canned. He was skeptical, but actually loves it just as much, if not a little more!

I love it for the simple fact that canned tomatoes last forever in your pantry which means you can make this easy salsa any time. 😉 Perfect for Super Bowl Sunday or any night you decide to enjoy some Keto Mexican Recipes!!

To keep the texture chunky just process it only a few times.

Homemade Restaurant Style Salsa

This is our favorite salsa recipe but it is only mildly spicy because my family can't handle too much heat.

If you want spicy salsa, you can keep the seeds and membrane in the fresh jalapenos and then you get a lot more heat and spice from it. You could also add some chipotle pepper or green chiles as well.

I love me some chunks of tomato in my chunky fresh salsa, but the kids prefer smooth salsa, so the next time I made it I processed it about 10 times to get it to their liking. Restaurant salsa is more pureed not chunky.

Do what you like is what I say!

It makes a lot but we want a lot because we eat this easy recipe up pretty quickly in my house.

I top this flavorful salsa on many things, like our favorite tacos, breakfast burrito and sometimes even in a regular salad!

My kids of course eat it up with crunchy tortilla chips. I buy the Siete brand as they are made with Cassava flour and use avocado oil instead of canola or soybean oil.

Zero Carb Tortilla Chips

If you want very low carb keto homemade tortilla chips, I recommend purchasing egg white wraps and simply toasting them.

Here's how to make zero carb tortilla chips:

I cut the egg white wraps into triangles, then spray with avocado oil cooking spray on both sides and add a sprinkle of Redmond Real Salt on both sides.

I air fry at 400 degrees F for 3-5 minutes and flip over once. Not exactly the same as corn chips but pretty darn good enough when you're following a keto diet and definitely delicious with the fresh flavors of my chunky homemade salsa recipe!

Can I make less of this Whole Recipe?

​My salsa recipe makes about 5 and half cup of salsa. You can certainly reduce this amount if it's too much for your household.

If you want to make a smaller batch of this amazingly good salsa, skip the whole peeled tomatoes and just stick with the diced tomatoes in the salsa ingredients for this recipe and reduce the remaining ingredients by half.

If using fresh tomatoes, you could also just use about 3 large ripe tomatoes instead of either of the cans of tomatoes.

Keto Mexican Food

​It's not too difficult to order keto friendly food at a Mexican restaurant. While tacos and burritos aren't a great option since they include a flour tortilla, asking for fajitas is easy to customize for keto since the tortillas come on the side.

Just skip the soft tortillas and enjoy the chicken, steak or shrimp with the peppers and onions and toppings like sour cream, cheese, guacamole. Skip the rice and refried beans and you'll be good to go! Skip the corn tortillas and bring your own pork rinds or ask for fresh bell peppers to dip into your salsa or guacamole!

Here's a picture of the salsa more pureed and typical of restaurant style salsa, YUM either way!

Football Games Day -Super Bowl- Keto Food & Snacks:

​Stuffed Mushrooms

Buffalo Cauliflower

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Pico De Gallo Salsa

HomemadeGuacamole

Homemade Cheese Tacos

Instant Pot No Bean Chili

Cornbread Muffins

White Chicken Chili

​Cheesecake Brownies

Pecan Pie Brownies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Can I freeze this salsa?

I haven't tried freezing my salsa recipe only because it's gone so fast in my house. But I do think it would be fine to freeze in an airtight container in the freezer for at least a month.

Best Homemade Salsa Recipe

Best Homemade Chunky or Restaurant Style Salsa Recipe (5)

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3.82 from 11 votes

Homemade Chunky or Restaurant Style Salsa

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 35kcal

Author: Brenda Bennett

Ingredients

  • 28 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes drained
  • 20 ounces canned tomatoes diced
  • 1 cup chopped red onion or white sweet onion, Vidalia is the one prefer
  • 1 cup chopped red pepper
  • 1 jalapeno membrane and seeds removed, chopped or serrano peppers
  • 2 cloves chopped fresh garlic
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • optional: chili powder

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse 5 times for chunkier salsa or up to 10 times for restaurant style salsa.

  • Makes about 5 ½ cups. I serve my salsa room temperature after blending it but refrigerate if you are making it ahead of time or ahead of game day.

  • Store leftover salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Notes

Net Carbs: 4g

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving @ 4 ounces | Calories: 35kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 192mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 470IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @sugarfreemom and tag #sugarfreemom, I'd love to see your dish!

Best Homemade Chunky or Restaurant Style Salsa Recipe (6)

About Brenda

Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.

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Best Homemade Chunky or Restaurant Style Salsa Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why does Mexican restaurant salsa taste so good? ›

While some restaurant-style salsas may be prepared in large batches to meet demand, the emphasis on using fresh, high-quality ingredients remains a constant, no matter the quantity. A unique blend of fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice contributes to the vibrant, lively taste of restaurant-style salsa.

What is the difference between chunky and restaurant-style salsa? ›

what is the difference between restaurant style salsa and chunky salsa? Restaurant style salsa has a thinner consistency because the ingredients are finely minced! It's a smoother salsa, unlike this chunky salsa. Chunky salsa has less liquid and the ingredients are chopped or diced versus minced.

What is the difference between restaurant style and cantina style salsa? ›

I've found restaurant style to be less salty and slightly thicker than cantina, best with salsa or in nachos. Whereas cantina is thinner, crunchier, and salty, best for snacking.

Why do you add vinegar to homemade salsa? ›

All great salsa need a hit of acidity to lighten and brighten their flavors. Perry and Damuck like lime juice (skip the zest; it's too perfume-y), plain white vinegar, or red wine vinegar, which is a nice match for the tomatoes. Avoid vinegars with overly bossy or clashing flavors, like balsamic and apple cider.

What kind of salsa do most Mexican restaurants use? ›

In Mexico, it is known as salsa roja (red sauce)or salsa de mesa (table sauce). And just like in the U.S., it is served in every restaurant before your meal with tortilla chips.

What is the number one salsa in Mexico? ›

HERDEZ® Salsa is the No. 1 salsa brand in Mexico.

What are the best tomatoes for chunky salsa? ›

If you're going for a chunky salsa, also known as pico de gallo, opt for tomatoes that are easy to slice and dice like beefsteak, big beef, and big yummy. Also known as "slicing tomatoes," these tend to be meaty and easy to seed, which is important because the seeds can make your salsa quite watery.

What is authentic Mexican salsa made of? ›

Take the stems off the peppers and throw away the stems. Place the peppers and seeds in the bender. Blend well. Next toss in the stewed tomatoes with juice, 1 jalepeno (sliced), 1/2 yellow onion (quarterd), 1 garlic clove, handful of cilantro, lemon juice, salt and pepper and blend til you have the consistancy desired.

What do Mexicans call salsa? ›

In Spanish, salsa roja means “red sauce”. This is a general term that covers any type of blended red salsa made with tomatoes. Salsa roja can be made from raw ingredients, cooked ingredients, or a combination of both. It can be pureed until it's completely smooth or blended slightly for a chunky consistency.

Do you cook salsa after blending? ›

Once you blend them, pour the salsa into a skillet and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer it until it's thickened, which takes about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of your skillet.

What to add to salsa to make it better? ›

Normal people, though, may add some of these ingredients to liven up a salsa that might be a bit too blah:
  1. Lime or lemon for a zip of citrus.
  2. Cilantro for a pleasantly herbaceous tang.
  3. Onions because you know everything's better with onions.
Jun 10, 2022

Is apple cider vinegar better than white vinegar for salsa? ›

Basic, white vinegar

The Kitchen is My Playground tested various kinds of vinegar paired with tomatoes and found white vinegar to be the clear winner. Unlike apple cider and balsamic vinegar, which can crush the other flavors of this recipe, white vinegar doesn't try and upstage the tomatoes in your salsa.

How to thicken homemade salsa? ›

Fortunately, there's an easy way to thicken this kind of salsa to your exact liking: tomato paste. A tablespoon or two could be just what you need to tighten up your sauce but do keep in mind that not all salsas are the same.

Is restaurant salsa healthy? ›

Sometimes restaurant salsa can be healthier than the packaged salsas at the store. As long as the salsa is made fresh at the restaurant, it's not too different than making your own at home. As always, be mindful of how many chips you are eating!

Why do Mexican restaurants give out chips and salsa? ›

Free chips and salsa at Mexican restaurants explained

The happier you are with a bottomless supply of something tasty to nibble on, the longer you're likely to linger and order more booze. Rather than making you feel too full, eating chips and salsa can act to whet your appetite.

Why does store bought salsa taste different? ›

One of the problems with store-bought salsas—especially ones that are made in the style of fresh salsas, like salsa verde and pico de gallo—is that the high-heat canning process kills those fresh flavors. Whatever vitality they had before they went into the jar doesn't come out so great on the other side.

Do real Mexicans eat chips and salsa? ›

Chips and salsa is a U.S. invention, full stop. Restaurants in touristy places in Mexico serve it, because their tourist customers expect and demand it. And it tastes different because it is not a dish that Mexicans are accustomed to serving.

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