Chili’s Salsa has always been a favorite, and this copycat recipe tastes just like it! Easy restaurant style salsa recipe made at home in just minutes!
Not gonna lie, even though it’s probably not cool to admit…I love Chili’s chips and salsa! The chips are so thin and salty, 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!
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 flavor salsa that takes minutes to whip up and doesn’t require a trip to the store!
And don’t freak out about the can situation! I know a lot of people hear ‘salsa recipe’ and instantly think of a ton of fresh produce. I am here to tell you that, in this instance (and possibly ONLY in this instance) homemade salsa from canned tomatoes just tastes better!
Table of Contents
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.
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.
How To Make Salsa Recipe:
Blend: You’ll need a can of whole, peeled tomatoes, an onion, some jalapeno, garlic, cumin, lime, salt, and cilantro.
Add everything to a blender or food processor and process until the mixture is mostly smooth. And if you are feeling bad about using canned ingredients, try balancing it out by using a fresh squeezed lime for the juice! It makes a big difference!
I love how quick this homemade Mexican salsa comes together, with just a few whirs in the blender to get the perfect consistency.
Serve: Once it’s blended to your preferred consistency, feel free to adjust the spiciness by adding more or less jalapenos, but keep in mind that this gets spicier after it’s sat for awhile.
For the best flavor, pop this in the fridge for a couple of hours. As I mentioned, it does get spicier the longer it sits.
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.
FAQ’s:
The texture is the main difference between the two salsas. Restaurant style salsa is much smoother and the ingredients are more finely chopped, thanks to a whirl in the blender or food processor. Chunky Salsa just has a chunkier texture.
You can absolutely skip the cilantro in this salsa recipe if it’s not a flavor you enjoy. You could also add in a small handful of parsley in place of the cilantro, if you still want some fresh herbs in your salsa.
Store your Chili’s salsa in the fridge, tightly covered, for up 5 days.
MORE RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
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!