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    Urban Bliss Life » Blog » Whole30 Salsa: Restaurant-Style Salsa in Just 15-Minutes

    Published: January 9, 2018 / Updated: March 2, 2020 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Whole30 Salsa: Restaurant-Style Salsa in Just 15-Minutes

    41 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Whole30 Salsa

    This Whole30 Salsa recipe is full of flavor and deliciously addictive! Perfect with chips, tacos, nachos, huevos rancheros, served simply over chicken, and more! And it takes just 15 minutes to make!

    Whole30 restaurant-style salsa and chips

    My name is Marlynn, and I have a salsa addiction.

    I love, love, LOVE salsa! Not the spicy kind, mind you. But I like salsa over EVERYTHING. I'd choose salsa over ketchup any day.

    Over the years, I've experimented with several different salsa styles and ingredients. Here's what I've found to be the secret to homemade restaurant-style salsa.

    Making Whole30, Restaurant-Style Salsa at Home

    Quality ingredients are, as in most recipes, essential.

    Tomatoes don't grow year-round here, and it was a really odd season last year. So, the recipe I am sharing today calls for canned fire-roasted tomatoes. It's important that you get the fire-roasted tomatoes, as these will have been canned and roasted at the peak of their freshness. They will also have that beautiful, slightly charred look and rich roasted flavor, compared to the brighter regular diced or stewed tomatoes.

    If you DO have fresh, organic Roma tomatoes in season when you are making this recipe, then by all means, feel free to use those instead! Fresh roasted Roma tomatoes are soooo delicious, and make an amazing base for this salsa.

    Whole30 salsa ingredients

    The ingredient list for my restaurant-style salsa is SO simple, and ingredients are Whole30 compliant.

    It consists of:

    • canned fire-roasted organic tomatoes (or fresh Roma tomatoes if they are in season)
    • cilantro
    • jalapeño
    • white onion
    • red onion
    • spices
    restaurant-style salsa food processor

    Regarding spices, I prefer cumin, salt, and pepper. You can always add in some cayenne pepper or paprika if you'd like.

    Whirl them all together in a food processor or blender, and BOOM: Whole30 salsa that takes like it's from a restaurant, in 15 minutes!

    Now, I do call this 15-minute Salsa, because it may take you longer to chop the onions. It really takes closer to 10 minutes.

    restaurant-style salsa close up

    I love this salsa because it's packed with flavor, and easy to customize the heat to your personal preference. If you like it spicier, add more jalapeño. 

    I am a garlic fiend, so sometimes I will throw in an extra clove of garlic. Once you make this restaurant-style salsa, feel free to experiment with other add-in ingredients that you might like.

    restaurant-style salsa and chips

    Salsa is so versatile, which is one of the many reasons I love it so. I use this restaurant-style salsa with:

    • standard chips & dip
    • over scrambled eggs in the morning
    • as a base of Mexican-style dairy-free pizza (try it!)
    • with tacos, burritos, and quesadillas
    • as the sauce for making fresh taco pasta (as opposed to making it with Taco Tuesday leftovers)
    • and so much more!

    What would YOU also use this salsa for?

    Whole30, Restaurant-Style Salsa Recipe

    homemade restaurant-style salsa in a bowl with lime.

    Whole30 Restaurant-Style Salsa

    5 from 6 votes
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 5 mins
    Total Time: 15 mins
    Recipe by Marlynn Schotland
    15-Minute Restaurant-Style Salsa is fast, easy, and so delicious!
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 21kcal
    PRINT PIN RATE

    Ingredients

    • 2 14 ounce cans of fire-roasted tomatoes, slightly drained
    • 3 garlic cloves peeled
    • 1 Tablespoon diced and seeded jalapeno
    • 1 cup cilantro leaves de-stemmed and roughly chopped
    • ½ cup diced white onion
    • ¼ cup diced red onion
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    Instructions

    • In a food processor, pulse all ingredients together until you reach your desired consistency.

    Notes

    If you like your salsa chunkier, drain more of the water out of the canned tomatoes.
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment! Then snap a pic of your dish and share it on social media. Tag @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 21kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 587mg | Potassium: 98mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 322IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.

    PIN IT: 

    Whole30 Salsa

    Need more inspiration for football Big Game parties? Watch my BEER + FOOD PAIRING segment on KGW-TV:

    and get my Instant Pot BBQ Ribs Recipe

    Instant Pot BBQ Ribs

    « Instant Pot BBQ Ribs with Homemade BBQ Sauce
    Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Loaded Nachos »
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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Amy says

        January 01, 2023 at 3:03 pm

        5 stars
        So delicious, Marlynn. Every time I make this people ask for the recipe. As always, thank you!

        Amy

        Reply
        • Marlynn Jayme Schotland says

          January 05, 2023 at 2:21 pm

          So glad to hear you love it and others do too! Thanks, Amy!

      2. Marie Anderson says

        April 24, 2018 at 8:05 am

        5 stars
        WOW, this salsa is really I love because it healthy and delicious. Hey Marlynn I like your share all delicious recipe.Thank you for share it.

        Reply
      3. Sharon says

        January 10, 2018 at 3:34 pm

        5 stars
        Hi, what a fantastic recipe, great work.

        Cheers Sharon...

        Reply
      4. Meg says

        January 10, 2018 at 1:06 pm

        This sound sgreat and I love the photo! One trick I've used to calm the sometimes sharp onion flavor is to salt the diced onion and let it sit for a half hour or so, then rinse it off. I like how the resulting onion flavor incorporates itself into the dish. Thanks for posting - I'm definitely going to try this (likely with an immersion blender because I'm without a food processor these days).

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          January 16, 2018 at 10:07 pm

          I'll have to try that! Thanks, Meg!

      5. Megan Joy says

        January 10, 2018 at 12:46 pm

        This looks so yummy! We eat a ton of salsa but I never thought about just making it myself. So simple!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          January 16, 2018 at 10:06 pm

          Super simple! Thank you!

      6. Create/Enjoy says

        January 09, 2018 at 8:28 pm

        Oh, yum!!!! That sounds great! Homemade salsa is always SO much better than a package!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          January 16, 2018 at 10:04 pm

          I agree! Thanks!

      7. Erin @ Platings and Pairings says

        January 09, 2018 at 4:36 pm

        Oohh - This salsa looks so amazing and I love that you can just blend and go!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          January 16, 2018 at 10:04 pm

          Thanks, Erin! :)

      8. Catherine @ Ten Thousand Hour Mama says

        January 09, 2018 at 2:26 pm

        Homemade salsa is so easy to make! I'm a total salsa snob—90% of the storebought stuff is just terrible. I usually stick to one brand I love (shout out to Emerald Valley!) but now I want to make some of my own!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          January 16, 2018 at 10:03 pm

          I agree! Don't love store bought. It's definitely worth it to take a few minutes to make your own :)

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      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

      More about me →

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