Tag: salsa

Restaurant Style Mexican Salsa

After researching Mexican Restaurant Style Salsa recipes (the kind they usually bring to the table with tortilla chips), I found that most of them have the same basic ingredients, in the same amounts, with little variation:

Makes About 6 Cups:

Ingredients:

  • 28 ounce can whole tomatoes (peeled with juice)
  • 2- 10 ounce cans Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies)
  • 1/4 cup chopped onions
  • 1 clove garlic chopped finely
  • 1 Jalapeno or Serrano chopped finely (take seeds and veins out for less spiciness)
  • 1/2 cup cilantro chopped fine
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon raw sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Juice from 1/2 fresh lime

Makes About 3 Cups:

  • 2-8 ounce can of whole tomatoes
  • 1-10 ounce can of Rotel
  • 1/8 cup chopped onions
  • 1 small clove of garlic chopped finely
  • 1 Small Jalapeno or Serrano pepper chopped finely (take seeds and veins out for less spiciness)
  • 1/4 Cilantro chopped fine
  • 1/8 teaspoon raw sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt\
  • 1/8 teaspoon cumin
  • Small sqeeze from 1/2 fresh lime
  1. Mix in a bowl and then add the ingredients into a food processor.
  2. Pulse until you get the desired consistency. About 10 pulses will do.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

If you have budgetary constraints or want to keep it simple, I located a basic Mexican Restaurant Style Salsa recipe:

  • 1 – 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes (or use fresh tomatoes if you have them in the garden or on hand)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (not absolutely necessary)
  • 2-3 tablespoons of pickled jalapeno rings (add more for heat increase)
    Alternately, use fresh peppers if you can for a better, fresher taste. Take the seeds and veins out for less heat. We have them in the garden during growing season.
  • Cilantro to taste (they do sell dried cilantro – it does not taste like fresh, but will add flavor if fresh is unavailable)
  • Lime Juice – a squeeze or two of fresh to taste (you can use reconstituted in a bottle if that is what you have available)
  1. Combine ingredients in food processor or blender – blend well
  2. Chill covered until served

Mexican Hot Sauce

  • 1 cups dried hot red chili peppers (chopped fine – remove stems)
  • 1/8 cup dried onion flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 cups water
  • 1 – 8 oz can tomato sauce

Makes 12 ounces

  1. Bring all ingredients except tomato sauce to a boil
  2. Turn down heat and simmer for 10 minutes
  3. Remove from heat and let cool
  4. Place in blender with tomato sauce
  5. Blend until smooth (add water if too thick)
  6. Refrigerate if not using immediately