Getting Started With Blender Salsa!
There’s nothing better than going to dinner at your local Mexican restaurant and… filling up on chips and salsa before your food arrives at your table. You tell yourself every time that you’re going to go easy on the complimentary appetizer, but that promise goes out the window as soon as those freshly fried chips and perfectly seasoned salsa appear in front of you.
If the salsa weren’t so delicious, resisting would be easier. The good news is that making restaurant-style salsa at home is simple. There are just eight ingredients between you and a batch of zesty homemade salsa. You can achieve the texture and consistency you’re looking for with any blender you have at home, without special equipment.
Ingredients
- 1 can(14.5 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 garlic cloves
- 1/4 red onion, chopped
- 1 medium jalapenos seeds removed and chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Equipment Needed
The best thing about this recipe is definitely how easy it is! Unlike pico de gallo or chunkier salsas, there is almost no chopping involved, making this perfect for anyone that hates dealing with knives. That also cuts down the required steps and makes it the quickest salsa you can make.
All you need is a blender to chop everything up and a spatula to scrape the sides of the container.
Blender
The main thing you need is a blender. The good news is that you can use any style of blender available. You could even use a food processor if you’re in a pinch and don’t have anything else. If you’re buying a new blender, your options are a countertop model or a handheld/immersion blender.
The benefit of using a blender is virtually no prep work is required. You need to make sure your jalapeno has the stem and seeds removed and that it is chopped up, but aside from that, the blender does the work for you.

Countertop
When it comes to countertop blenders, you have a couple of options to choose from. You can go with your average pitcher-style countertop model, or you can go with a bullet-style blender.
They both have the advantage of being able to blend up a single serving of a recipe. However, the pitcher-style stands out because you can whip up a larger batch of your favorite milkshake, smoothie, or salsa recipe, making it an excellent choice for families.
Immersion
A handheld immersion blender is a fantastic tool for anyone that wants to be able to blend but is limited in space. If you don’t have the storage for a blender, consider an immersion-style one rather than a countertop model. Immersion blenders allow you to blend in any container that the blender fits in, whether you use a cup, bowl, pitcher, or bucket.
One thing that comes in handy with immersion blenders is that you can move them around, allowing you to aim the blades right where you need them to be. They often have speed control and a pulse setting, allowing you to adequately blend anything, from smoothies to sauces.
Spatula
You’ll need a spatula when scraping the salsa out of your blender. Ideally, you would use a silicone or rubber spatula since they do the best job of scraping everything. If you use a pitcher-style blender or an immersion blender with a deep container, you’ll want to make sure you use one with a long enough handle to reach the bottom properly. You don’t want to leave any of that delicious salsa behind!
Making the Blender Salsa
Step One: Add the following ingredients into your blender:
- Tomatoes
- Jalapenos
- Cilantro
- Red Onion
- Lime Juice
- Garlic
- Cumin
Note: If you are using an immersion blender, add your ingredients to a pitcher or bowl that is large enough to hold all of your ingredients and has extra space for stirring and mixing.

Step Two: Blend the ingredients
Now that you have all of your ingredients either in your blender or in a container, it’s time to blend. It can be tempting to just press that button and let it go, but it’s important to refrain from doing so. The technique you’ll want to use is called pulsing.
Some blenders have a pulse setting, some do not. If your blender doesn’t pulse automatically, you can simply press the button for just a second or two at a time. Pulsing allows your salsa to keep some of the chunkiness rather than turning into a puree. If you accidentally go too far with the blending, you can either eat the salsa puree with chips or you can use it as a marinade for meat.
After everything is mixed, give your salsa a taste. Depending on the flavor, you may want to add some seasoning. Feel free to add salt and pepper to taste at this point.
Step Three: Cover in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Once all of your ingredients are blended and you’ve added any seasoning you want to incorporate, store your salsa in an airtight container.
You can refrigerate for a few hours, but overnight is ideal. It will taste delicious right after blending, but letting it chill for a while lets the flavors develop more.
Step 4: Serve chilled with chips and enjoy.
Now that your salsa has chilled in the fridge, you can serve it either in the container you have it stored in or you can transfer it to a decorative bowl for serving. Pair it with your favorite tortilla chips and you are ready to munch!

After you’re done eating, make sure you store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. This will ensure your salsa stays as fresh as possible.

Tips and Tricks for Making the Best Blender Salsa
Making blender salsa is easy enough for anyone with a blender to make themselves at home. This restaurant-style chips and salsa side is an excellent snack for an afternoon at home or taking to a potluck or party. Here are a few tips and tricks that you can utilize to make sure your salsa tastes precisely how you want it to:
- Pulse the salsa rather than pureeing it to retain some texture
- Allow the salsa to chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, if not overnight
- Fresh ingredients are ideal, aside from the canned tomatoes
- To drain or not to drain…the tomatoes
- The more liquid you drain out, the thicker the salsa will be
- Drain the juice into a cup or bowl so you can add it later if you need to thin out your salsa
- If you don’t like cilantro, you can pass on it
Enjoy Your Blender Salsa
Whether you’re looking for an easy salsa recipe or you want to recreate your favorite Mexican restaurant’s killer salsa, blender salsa is a fast, easy, and satisfying recipe. If you wish to keep with the theme and serve it with restaurant-style chips, or you prefer a scooping chip, you’ll be able to do this with any style of corn chips.
Give it a try for yourself!