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Skip the jar and make restaurant-style salsa at home in just minutes. This Easy Blender Salsa is fresh, vibrant, endlessly customizable, and comes together with simple ingredients and almost no prep.
Pair this blender salsa with your favorite chips and serve on the side of beef tacos or vegetarian fajitas, or dollop it on taco pizza for a meal with serious appeal.
Blender Salsa at a Glance
- Yields: About 4 cups of fresh restaurant-style salsa.
- Time: 10 minutes of prep plus 15-20 minutes of resting.
- Best For: Taco night, parties, meal prep, and snacking.
- Flexible: Made with fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes and easy to customize from mild to spicy.
- Why You'll Love It: Fresh, vibrant flavor with almost no chopping thanks to the blender.
In This Post
Kristen's Keys for Blender Salsa
I grew up making big batches of homemade salsa with my mom and aunt with fresh garden tomatoes, and it was a labor of love! These days, I let the blender do the work and get that same restaurant-style salsa in just minutes.
These simple tips make all the difference.
- Remove excess seeds if needed. Especially for vine-ripened tomatoes, this keeps your salsa from getting watery and helps the flavor stay bold rather than diluted. The same goes for making the topping for Tomato Bruschetta.
- Give everything a rough chop before blending. You don't need to mince your onions or chop your tomatoes, but quartering them helps them combine evenly without overprocessing the salsa.
- Go easy on garlic and jalapeños. Raw garlic and raw jalapeños add intense, strong flavor -- especially when blended. Start small and add more as desired.
- Pulse, don't puree. Blend in short bursts so you control the texture. You are aiming for slightly textured, not completely smooth.
- Let it rest before serving. Giving the salsa 15-20 minutes to sit before serving helps the flavor to mellow and taste more like that classic restaurant salsa.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
5-Star Reader Review
First, I have always been intimidated to make homemade salsa, maybe just because of the thought of not having enough time. This is super easy and super quick to make. I first made this recipe 3 weeks ago and, needless to say, I have made it 3 more times since then! The whole family loves it and my husband said it's "award winning". The perfect balance of flavor and the amount of cilantro in it is just right. Even my 7yr old niece loved it. I will never go back to jar salsa. Thank you for such a great recipe! I am loving all of your recipes we have tried so far. -Sheena
Notes on Ingredients
While this recipe is designed for fresh tomatoes, I have included modifications for using canned tomatoes. After all, the craving for salsa is strong year-round, not just in the summer when tomatoes are in season.
- Tomatoes: Use ripe, flavorful tomatoes for the best salsa. Roma, vine-ripened, or heirloom all work well. Roma are less watery, while vine-ripened have the most robust flavor (just remove some seeds to prevent the salsa from being watered down). If tomatoes aren't in season, canned whole tomatoes often have better flavor than grocery store tomatoes.
- Onion: A sweet onion (like Vidalia) gives the best balance, but yellow onion works just fine.
- Jalapeño: Adds heat and flavor. Use ½ for mild salsa or up to 2 for more kick. Remove seeds and ribs to control the spice.
- Cilantro: Adds freshness and classic salsa flavor. Not a fan? Leave it out. Your salsa will still be delicious, just a little less traditional.
- Garlic: A small amount adds depth. Start with 1 clove and adjust to taste.
- Lime Juice: Fresh is key here. It brightens and balances the salsa in a way bottled juice just can't.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors. Start with 1 teaspoon, then adjust after blending based on taste and tomato ripeness.
How to Make Blender Salsa
Layer, blend, rest, and scoop away! Just remember to squeeze out some of the seeds prior to blending for the best texture.
Step One: Prepare Tomatoes
Peeling the tomatoes is optional. I skip this step because a high-powered blender creates a smooth salsa without the extra work.
Cut the tomatoes into quarters and use your fingers to scoop out the seeds, or gently squeeze them over the sink or trash.
Step Two: Layer and Blend
Add juicy ingredients (like tomatoes and lime juice) first to help everything move easily without over-blending. Then add in the onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, and salt.
Pulse several times or until the desired consistency is reached. You can keep it chunky or aim for smooth.
Step Three: Rest Before Serving
Let the salsa rest for at least 10 minutes (20 is even better), then taste and adjust with more salt or lime juice if needed. The flavors become noticeably brighter as the salsa rests.
Then serve with a side of chips and watch your salsa disappear.
Recipe Modifications
Whether you want a chunky fresh salsa, a smooth blender salsa, or something right in between, this recipe gives flexibility. I even include an option to swap fresh tomatoes for canned ones.
- Use Canned Tomatoes. Replace the fresh tomatoes with one 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes, DRAINED. Fresh ingredients (like onion, cilantro, lime) keep it bright.
- Mild Salsa: Use no more than half of a seeded jalapeño
- Hot Salsa: Increase the jalapeño amount or replace it with a serrano pepper. I still recommend removing the seeds and ribs of the pepper(s) to prevent an overly spicy result.
- Add a Bell Pepper: If you like the flavor of green bell peppers, add one chopped, seeded green bell pepper to the blender along with the onions.
- Optional Additions: Add 1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for smoky salsa or stir in up to 1 teaspoon of cumin for Tex-Mex flavor.
Storage Tips
- Store Fresh Salsa: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Stir before serving and, if needed, strain over a fine-mesh strainer to remove excess moisture.
- Freeze: Freezing is possible but alters the fresh texture. Frozen salsa works best in soups, taco meat, enchiladas, or casseroles.
Serving Suggestions
Nothing beats chips and salsa, especially when the salsa is freshly prepared. It is perfect for any taco night, a must for Cinco de Mayo parties, and a great way to season a variety of dishes. Try using it in the following ways:
- Along with Tacos: Top Cauliflower Tacos, Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos, or Breakfast Tacos with a dollop of salsa.
- As a Topping: Add a layer of salsa to the top of a Refried Bean Taco Dip or Mexican Lasagna.
- In Cooking: Use this salsa to build fast flavor with minimal ingredients in recipes like Instant Pot Chicken Tacos, Copycat Chipotle Sofritas, Instant Pot Taco Lasagna, Crockpot Salsa Chicken, Turkey Taco Skillet, and Shredded Chicken Tacos.
- As a Dressing: Mix a bit of sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt, with fresh salsa for a simple dressing perfect for a taco salad.
Blender Salsa FAQs
A food processor fitted with an S-blade will work just as well as a blender to make this homemade salsa. Remember to pulse in short bursts to preserve some texture.
Yes! Drain off a 28-ounce can of whole, peeled tomatoes in place of the fresh tomatoes.
No! If you have a high-powered blender or are not sensitive to texture, skip peeling your tomatoes. It will save you about 10 minutes of prep. If you DO want to peel your fresh tomatoes, the process is easy. Score the skin lightly, drop the tomatoes in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, transfer to an ice bath, and then the skins should slide right off.
As written, no. To safely can salsa, you must have enough acid and need to cook the salsa first.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Easy Blender Salsa
Video
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds fresh tomatoes, ~4 average vine-ripened tomatoes
- ½ small Vidalia onion, peeled & roughly chopped
- 1 small jalapeño, seeds removed and cut in half
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- ½ bunch cilantro, stems removed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 medium lime
Instructions
- Optional Step: If desiring to remove the skin of the tomatoes, bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Score the top of the tomatoes by cutting an "X" on the top of the tomato. Drop tomatoes into boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Remove tomatoes with slotted spoon and place into an ice bath. Once cool enough to handle, remove tomatoes from ice bath and use fingers to easily peel off the skin.
- Cut tomatoes into quarters and gently squeeze out seeds over a bowl, sink, or garbage.
- Place seeded, quartered tomatoes in blender or food processor fitted with an S-blade. Add the lime juice, jalapeño, onion, garlic, cilantro, and salt to the blender. Pulse the mixture together several times, until the ingredients are broken down to your desired consistency.
- Let sit for 10-20 minutes, then give the salsa a taste. If needed, add additional salt to make the flavors pop. If the salsa tastes too acidic, stir in a pinch of sugar. Serve as desired or refrigerate to enjoy later.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Two questions here. Does this freeze and how much salt can be omitted? Need a low sodium salsa desperately! Is there something I can use in place of salt? I have no talent in using spices, to say the least. I hav followed you for yea4s an love your site. If you ever get bored (hah), please start a low sodium section!
Hi Kathy! I am thrilled you enjoy my recipes so much! I do try to add lower sodium options--sorry there was not one on this recipe. I would personally start with 1/8 teaspoon and increase the lime and cilantro slightly. A pinch of cumin or garlic powder will help too.
Delicious, especially during midsummer’s tomato season. I’m using the bounty of local vine ripened tomatoes. They tend to produce a more watery salsa,even after de-seeding, than Roma tomatoes. I process them without the added lime juice and gently press on the sides of the strainer to further drain. I add the lime juice after draining. So fresh tasting, and vastly superior to the cooked taste of jarred commercial salsas.
Thanks for sharing, Laurie! Great tip to strain a bit more after blending then add the lime juice.
Can I water bath canning this resipe
My mom use to can this recipe every summer. However, we had to cook the salsa before canning. I have not done this personally, but here are directions on how to can salsa.
First, I have always been intimidated to make homemade salsa, maybe just because of the thought of not having enough time. This is super easy and super quick to make. I First made this recipe 3 weeks ago and, needless to say, I have made it 3 more times since then! The whole family loves it and my husband said it's "award winning". The perfect balance of flavor and the amount of cilantro in it is just right. Even my 7yr old niece loved it. I will never go back to jar salsa. Thank you for such a great recipe! I am loving all of your recipes we have tried so far.
I absolutely LOVE hearing this, Sheena! Thank you for sharing 🙂
You can't go wrong with a blender salsa! This was the perfect taste and texture. Absolutely loved it!
I made some but Its got more of a tomato taste how do I get rid of that
Hi Marilyn! Tomato salsa will have a tomato taste, but to brighten it up, add in the juice of 1 more lime and a 1/2 teaspoon additional salt. You can also add in another diced onion and/or additional cilantro if you like.
This is our favorite!! We make it every week, almost! It can go with so many things & my kids love it for an after school snack with chips. It's so good!!
Love hearing this, Kristyn! Thank you for taking the time to share.