This post may contain affiliate links. Read disclosure policy
Chili’s Salsa has always been a favorite, and this copycat recipe tastes just like it! Easy restaurant style salsa made at home in just minutes!
You know that moment when the waiter drops a basket of warm tortilla chips and that big bowl of salsa on your table at Chili’s? It’s basically the best part of the meal.
I’m convinced that salsa has some kind of magic in it because I always end up eating way more chips than I intended.
The chips are so thin and salty (here’s our best dupe for Chili’s chips – warm them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds for extra oomph), the salsa is the perfect texture with exactly the right amount of spice.
Honestly, Chili’s salsa is just irresistible, so it was only a matter of time before we shared a homemade version!
We actually make this with canned tomatoes. You’d expect fresh tomatoes to taste better, but in this instance (and maybe only this instance? haha), the canned tomatoes just work best.
Not a fan of the smooth restaurant style salsa? Try our pico de gallo instead!
what we love about this recipe:
Not only does this salsa taste just like it came from Chili’s, we always have the ingredients on hand since nearly everything comes from a can!
The result is a surprisingly fresh and flavorful salsa that takes minutes to whip up and doesn’t require a trip to the store!
What Readers are Saying!
“My favorite salsa to date! Will never buy store bought ever again. I make it extremely mild as I can not tolerate any heat, but even at that its still phenomenal! For anyone who wants to skip the cilantro, don’t do it! It pulls all of the flavors together and makes this salsa perfect! Thank you for another great recipe.” – Brandy H.
Ingredient Notes:
Tomato – We buy whole peeled canned tomatoes.
Jalapeno – We always have a jar of ‘tamed’ jalapeno slices in our pantry. Use fresh jalapenos for more of a spicy kick.
Cilantro – This one is optional! Chili’s doesn’t actually use cilantro, but it’s a must for me when I make it at home.
How To Make Chili’s Salsa Recipe:
Blend: You’ll need a can of whole, peeled tomatoes, an onion, some jalapeno, garlic, cumin, lime, salt, and (optional) cilantro.
Chili’s doesn’t use cilantro in their recipe, but I like to the bright zesty goodness it adds. Skip it to be more authentic.
Taste & Adjust: Dip a spoon in to taste the salsa and adjust the flavors. Not popping? An extra squeeze of lime juice or a hit of salt. Too mild? Throw in some more jalapeno and blitz again. Do keep in mind that as this sits in the fridge, the spice level does amp up quite a bit. I think the level of heat just about doubles after it’s sat in the fridge for a few hours.
That’s about it! This is a super simple salsa recipe.
Use this recipe to top my Fried Tacos or as a dip for these easy Homemade Air Fryer Tortilla Chips.
Storage:
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and give it a good stir.
More Mexican Inspired Favorites:
Roasted Tomatilla Salsa – If you’re looking for a way to use up some of your garden veggies, this is the best option! Everything gets roasted in the oven and then blended together for a super flavorful salsa verde.
Mexican Cornbread Skillet – Cornbread and taco ingredients get combined into a tasty skillet dish!
Mexican Cauliflower Rice – Low carb, healthy, and so flavorful!
Cream Cheese Salsa Dip – If you’ve never tried adding cream cheese to salsa, you should stop what you’re doing now and make it happen.
Taco Casserole – Getting tired of traditional tacos? You might like my taco lasagna!
Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos – one of our favorite recipes around here!


Restaurant Style Salsa
Ingredients
- 15 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons diced canned jalapeno
- 1/2 large onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cilantro optional
Instructions
- Add everything to a blender or food processor and process until mostly smooth.
- Taste and add additional salt or lime juice as desired. Add additional jalapeno as desired, keeping in mind that the salsa will get spicier the longer it sits.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Natanja || Home Baked Bliss says
I totally know what you mean with “canned sometimes tastes better”. It’s definitely true for some recipes! Love the look of this salsa! I could just dive right in (with a tortilla chip in my hand).
leslie says
You know that “Restaurant is spelled incorrectly in the photo….but the salsa recipe is great!,
Adina says
We don’t know much about salsa here in Germany, I have only had the bottled one, which is not exactly impressive. Yours looks great and I am sure it is so much better than the bought one. I will keep this in mind for the next time we have tacos or tortillas.
Carissa Nelosn says
I’m so excited this tastes better with canned tomatoes! I’m just lazy, so I love that laziness is rewarded in this recipe! Can’t wait to try it!
Mike from Chili Pepper Madness says
This salsa looks so inviting! I just want to dive into the whole bowl! Gimmee!
Terrell says
My sister is a huge baby and won’t eat a lot of things including mayonnaise, eggs, and chopped vegetables like onions, green peppers, etc. She will buy a jar of salsa, dip chips in them, and scrape the onions and such back into the jar. By the end of the jar, the “salsa” is a mess of dehydrated onions in a a thick paste of what used to be liquid. Gonna make this for her and see how she likes it. If this recipe is half as good as what your sense of humor seems to be, I think I can finally get her to stop with the irrational onion phobia.
Karly says
Haha! My husband is the same way. No chunks for him in his salsa! I don’t think he eats this one either, though so be warned. 😉
Alyssa says
i hate chunky salsa and I’ve had no luck finding a smooth store bought one. Gonna have to give this a try!
Karly says
@Alyssa,
Enjoy!
connie says
I have made this for a long time and I also love to put tiny pieces of avocado in it after it comes out of the blender…yummy
kenneth says
Just made this salsa and mmmmmmmmmmmmm delicious. I just added 2 cans of tomatoes cause i love tomatoes. This recipe is GREAT.
Nancy says
I made this salsa today and it’s delicious. I used a seeded fresh jalapeno and definitely used cilantro. It looks just like the picture and it’s great straight from the food processor, so I can’t wait to taste it later.
Julie says
Wow, this is easy! I agree with ‘ya gotta have the cilantro’!
Erin @ One Particular Kitchen says
I LOOOOOOVE This kind of salsa! Looks awesome!
Kristi says
I always thought that I like pico de gallo, and that was about it, but this salsa looks so good. I need to give it a try!
jules says
looks perfect…pinned for next salsa making day
Joanne says
there is definitely a time and a place for smooth salsa! I mean, it’s just so much easier to get onto the chips!