Fresh Restaurant-Style Salsa Recipe
A quick and easy fresh salsa recipe bursting with zesty lime, fresh tomatoes, and a touch of cumin, perfect for snacks, parties, and meals.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: About 2 cups (8 servings) 1x
- Category: Condiment
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 medium fresh tomatoes (vine-ripened or Roma)
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded for less heat or whole for more
- Juice of 2 medium limes (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Instructions
- Wash tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeño thoroughly. Core and roughly chop tomatoes into quarters (about 21 ounces). Finely chop the white onion (about 3.5 ounces). Mince garlic cloves and chop cilantro leaves and tender stems.
- Slice jalapeño in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds if milder salsa is desired. Roughly chop jalapeño.
- Combine chopped tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, garlic, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Add lime juice, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper.
- Pulse 5 to 7 times to reach desired texture. For chunkier salsa, pulse less; for smoother, pulse more. Avoid over-blending.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, lime juice, or jalapeño as desired. If too thick, stir in a tablespoon of cold water or olive oil.
- Transfer salsa to a bowl, cover, and let rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Give salsa a final gentle stir before serving. Use immediately or refrigerate up to 3 days.
Notes
Use ripe vine-ripened tomatoes for best flavor. Adjust jalapeño seeds to control heat. Pulse salsa to keep chunky texture; avoid over-blending. Let salsa rest 15-20 minutes for flavors to meld. Can substitute lemon juice for lime juice and shallots for white onion. Store in airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days. Avoid freezing to maintain fresh texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons (30 gr
- Calories: 15
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 230
- Fat: 0.5
- Saturated Fat: 0.1
- Carbohydrates: 3
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 0.5
Keywords: fresh salsa, restaurant-style salsa, homemade salsa, easy salsa recipe, zesty salsa, Mexican condiment