I have a confession to make. I have a borderline inappropriate love for salsa. There; I said it. Promise, if there is a will, there is a way. I will sneak salsa into almost ANYTHING. Okay, not like dessert or anything, because that’s just weird. But pretty much everything else. I’ve used it as dressing on a salad. Healthier, and so much tastier than salad dressing. And just plain old, gosh-darn good. I almost always have to have blender salsa with scrambled eggs in the morning — yuh huh. I scramble the eggs up in a skillet. Then toss in some crushed up tortilla chips (just like a tablespoon or two or three) and some cheese and let it all melt. Put all of that on a warm tortilla and top with a couple of tablespoons of homemade blender salsa. That’s it. <– It’s basically migas shoved into tortillas. You’ve got to try it. It is seriously the best breakfast taco of your life. If I could, I would eat this for every meal of the day. No joke!
Making homemade salsa isn’t tricky; however, if you’re like me and like a nicely balanced red salsa, it’s important to get the proportions right. Like any other recipe, making salsa is all about balance. Too much lime juice and it’s too tart, too many spices and you can’t taste the tomatoes. Too much garlic, and you would be scaring away an army of vampires for life. But salsa isn’t the only thing I love whipping up quickly. Homemade Pico de Gallo (recipe coming soon), salsa verde, slow cooker queso, chili cheese dip, and guacamole salsa are just some of the other homemade dips I like to add to my Cinco de Mayo menu or Saturday nights for game night.
Ingredients to make blender salsa in 5 minutes:
tomatoes Jalapeños Lime juice White onions Cilantro Diced green chilies Garlic Sugar/ salt Spices
How to make the best blender salsa:
Making blender salsa is the easiest thing ever!
You don’t have to mince any veggies; just a rough chop does the trick. Toss it all into the blender along with the spices and pulse until the veggies breakdown.
What type of tomatoes work best for this recipe?
I prefer to use diced fire-roasted canned tomatoes. I know that not everyone loves the taste of canned tomatoes, but I find that the canned tomatoes have that perfect texture for a good homemade salsa. You’re welcome to use fresh tomatoes and then grill them on your own or roast them in the oven. However, I find that using fresh tomatoes doesn’t yield that same taste and texture for me as the canned tomatoes, but it’s an option if you’d like to use it.
Do you drain the canned tomatoes?
It’s entirely up to you. If you prefer a more liquidy salsa, I suggest using one can undrained and then draining the other can. I prefer a thicker salsa, one that won’t make my chip soggy, so I like draining both cans of tomatoes (and even the diced green chilies) before adding them to the blender.
Can you use a food processor instead of a blender?
Yes, you can! If you don’t have a blender, don’t worry, this is just as easy to make in your food processor. Just add all the ingredients into the food processor and be sure to use the pulse setting. That way, you get to control the texture.
Tips to make the best restaurant-style blender salsa:
Make sure all your ingredients are fresh! Check the expiration date on your cumin, oregano, and chili powder if you don’t cook with these spices often! Trust me; it makes a big difference in terms of flavor. Pulse the salsa, don’t puree. So important I had to say it twice! Pulsing creates that perfectly minced texture without causing the salsa to turn into Picante sauce! Let it chill. I learned this when I was testing my Pico de Gallo recipe. The tomatoes need a chance to hang out with the salt, onions, and garlic to make the most flavorful salsa! Ten minutes does the trick, 20-30 minutes is even better!
Other Cinco De Mayo recipes to try:
elotes (Mexican street corn) chicken tortilla soup Mexican street corn salad Mexican shrimp stuffed avocados Street corn chicken tacos Chicken Carnitas Mexican fruit salad Black bean soup Homemade taco seasoning The best fajitas Chicken street tacos Sopapilla cheesecake bars Mexican chili
