The BEST Restaurant-Style Home Canned Salsa

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A Tangy, Flavorful Staple for Your Pantry

When it comes to enjoying homemade salsa, there’s something incredibly satisfying about making your own. Not only do you get the perfect balance of heat and flavor, but you also know exactly what’s in it—no preservatives or artificial additives. Plus, making a large batch and canning it means you can enjoy that fresh, zesty taste all year round. If you’ve ever wondered how to recreate that beloved restaurant-style salsa at home, this recipe will help you do just that—plus give you a way to preserve it for months to come!

What Makes It “Restaurant-Style”?

Restaurant-style salsa typically has a smoother texture and is a bit more liquidy than the chunky salsas you might find at home. It’s often made with ingredients like tomatoes, onions, cilantro, garlic, and a mix of peppers, with a slight tang from lime juice or vinegar. The secret to its signature taste is in the balance of ingredients and the way they’re blended. While chunky salsas are delicious in their own right, restaurant-style salsas are perfect for dipping and make an excellent addition to tacos, grilled meats, topping for nachos, or even My “famous” Pork Carnitas.

This particular recipe for restaurant-style canned salsa is not only delicious, it is FAST and simple. No blanching, peeling or coring tomatoes; all your ingredients go right into the blender or food processor. You can even use a large bowl, pot and immersion blender.

You can even enjoy this salsa FRESH, right after blending and skip the canning all together.

Ingredients for Home Canned Salsa

To make salsa that not only tastes amazing but also stores well in your pantry, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Tomatoes: Use ripe, firm Roma or plum tomatoes. They have fewer seeds and a firmer flesh, which helps create that smooth, not-too-watery consistency.

Onions: White or yellow onions work best for that sweet, mild flavor.

Jalapeños: Fresh jalapeños give it a nice kick without overwhelming the flavor. Feel free to adjust the number based on your spice preference.

Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves add depth to the flavor.

Cilantro: Adds that fresh, herby note that’s so characteristic of restaurant-style salsa.

Lime Juice: When making salsa for FRESH EATING, freshly squeezed lime juice brings brightness and tanginess.

However, for canning, acidity safety purposes, you must use bottled lime juice in this recipe. If you don’t choose to home can this recipe, fresh squeezed PLUS some lime zest is AMAZING!

Sugar: A small amount of sugar balances out the acidity and brings out the sweetness of the tomatoes.

Salt: Essential for enhancing all the flavors.

Cumin: For seasoning. Cumin is rich, hearty, earthy with a hint of citrus. It is a flavor that must not be left out of Mexican cuisine.

The Canning Process:

Home canning may seem intimidating at first, but once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s fairly straightforward. Here’s how to make your salsa and preserve it for future use:

Step 1: Add your salsa ingredients to blender/food processor: 

Prepare your tomatoes by rinsing them in cold water then cutting out the blossom and branch end spots (no need to core), just cut them in halves or quarters, whatever will fit in a large 9 cup blender or food processor. 

Add lime juice to blender with tomatoes and give it a quick pulse to get it started. 

Check your measurment on the blender and and add more tomatoes until you reach about the 6-3/4 cup mark. 

Wash, peel and half or quarter onions then add them right to the blender. 

Peel garlic and toss them in blender as well. 

Slice jalapenos down the center, remove stem. If you like a hotter salsa, leave seeds and ribs inside the jalapeno, otherwise remove them. Add the jalapeño to the blender. (Start with 1 jalapeño for mild and you can always taste and add more if you like it hotter. All jalapeños are a bit different so tasting is a must.)

Step 2: Blend your Salsa

Add cilantro, sugar, salt and cumin and pulse then blend your salsa to the consistency you like. 

TASTE your salsa at this point and adjust seasonings. For canning safety, you really can’t add more tomatoes or onion but YOU CAN adjust sugar, salt and dried seasonings to taste. Feel free to add another jalapeño or two depending on level of heat. I always recommend tasting with a chip to get the salt just right. 

If you choose not to can your salsa. . .

You can totally stop right here and enjoy it fresh or even freeze it in containers or ziplock bags.

Step 3: Cook the Salsa

Pour your blended salsa mixture into a large pot and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Let come to a bubble a cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. This helps concentrate the flavors and ensure everything is evenly mixed. If you like a thicker salsa, you can simmer your salsa longer.

Step 4: Prepare Your Jars

Sterilize your canning jars and lids by placing them in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Once sterilized, remove them from the water and set them aside to dry. It’s important that your jars are hot when you fill them to prevent cracking.

Step 5: Can the Salsa

Carefully ladle the hot salsa into the prepared jars, leaving about a half-inch of headspace at the top. Use a clean, damp cloth or paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars before placing the lids on top and securing with metal rings.

Step 6: Process the Jars

Place your filled jars into a canning pot or water bath canner, or even steam canner ensuring the jars are fully submerged in water. Bring the water to a boil and process the jars for 15-25 minutes depending on your elevation. This ensures the salsa seals properly and is safe for long-term storage.

Processing times based on elevation: For half-pints or pints process for 15 minutes if you are <1,000 ft elevation, 20 minutes if you are at 1,000-6,000ft OR 25 minutes if you live above 6,000 ft. 

Step 7: Let it Cool

Once your jars are processed, carefully remove them from the water and allow them to cool on a clean towel or cooling rack. You’ll know the jars have sealed when you hear a “pop” sound as the lids contract.

Step 8: Store and Enjoy

Once your salsa jars are completely cool, check the seals by pressing the center of each lid—if it doesn’t pop back, your jar is sealed! Make sure to label your jars with date and contents, remove rings and store. Store the salsa in a cool, dark place. It should last for up to a year. After opening, refrigerate and consume within a few weeks.

Tips for Success:

Adjust the Heat: If you prefer a milder salsa, remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeños before adding them. For a spicier salsa, add more jalapeños or even a few hotter peppers, like serranos or habaneros.

Consistency Matters: If your salsa is too runny, you can simmer it for a bit longer to reduce the liquid. If it’s too thick, add a little extra vinegar or lime juice to thin it out.

Customization: If you are eating your salsa fresh, feel free to get creative with your salsa. Some people add bell peppers, roasted tomatoes, or even a pinch of cracked pepper for a different flavor profile. You do have to be somewhat careful with the tomatoes/other veggie ratios to ensure proper acidity. In canning recipes, adjusting salt sugar and dried spices does not effect the safety of your product.

CAUTION:

Wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch your face while handling or cutting hot peppers. If you choose not to wear gloves, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face or eyes.

Hey there my friends!

Canning your own salsa is a rewarding way to preserve the taste of summer and bring a burst of flavor to your meals year-round. This recipe gives you that irresistible restaurant-style salsa with just the right balance of heat, tang, and freshness, while also providing you with jars of goodness that can sit on your shelf until you’re ready to enjoy them. Whether you’re making a big batch for a family get-together or just keeping a few jars on hand for impromptu nacho nights, homemade canned salsa will quickly become one of your pantry staples! Let me know if you make this recipe and I’d love for you to share it and tag me on Instagram!

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The BEST Home Canned Restaurant Style Salsa

Yield: about 4 pints

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Restaurant style salsa differs from regular in that it is typically blended and less chunky. It is also packed with FRESH flavor and for me that has to be lime, cumin and cilantro. Those flavors taste so good together and make this flavorful salsa simply THE BEST! Eat it fresh right after blending or cook it up and can it as instructed. Either way. . . so so good.

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Ingredients

• 6 cups blended tomatoes
• 1-4 medium sized jalapeños
• 1 handful (about 1/2 cup) fresh cilantro (or 4 tablespoons dried cilantro)
• 1 large (about 1 cup) sweet onion
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 3/4 cup BOTTLED lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

Instructions

Add your salsa ingredients to blender/food processor:

1. Prepare your tomatoes by rinsing them in cold water then cutting out the blossom and branch end spots (no need to core), just cut them in halves or quarters, whatever will fit in a large 9 cup blender or food processor.
2. Add lime juice to blender with tomatoes and give it a quick pulse to get it started.
3. Check your measurment on the blender and and add more tomatoes until you reach about the 6-3/4 cup mark.
4. Wash, peel and half or quarter onions then add them right to the blender.
5. Peel garlic and toss them in blender as well.
6. Slice jalapenos down the center, remove stem. If you like a hotter salsa, leave seeds and ribs inside the jalapeno, otherwise remove them. Add the jalapeño to the blender. (Start with 1 jalapeño for mild and you can always taste and add more if you like it hotter. All jalapeños are a bit different so tasting is a must.)
7. Add cilantro, sugar, salt and cumin and pulse then blend your salsa to the consistency you like.
8. TASTE your salsa at this point and adjust seasonings. You can't really add more tomatoes or onion but YOU CAN adjust sugar, salt and seasoning to taste. Feel free to add another jalapeno or two depending on level of heat. I always recommend tasting with a chip to get the salt just right.

Cook your salsa to prepare for canning.

1. Pour your blended salsa into a large saucepan or pot and bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring.
2. Reduce heat and simmer salsa for an additional 5 minutes, stirring as needed to prevent scorching.
3. If you like a thicker salsa, you may simmer longer until more liquid is evaporated.

Prepare for canning your salsa:

1. Prepare half-pint or pint canning jars by cleaning and sterilizing as you normally would.
2. Fill the hot salsa into prepared hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. If needed, remove air bubles and re-adjust headspace to 1/2 inch. Wipe rims and jars with dampened clean paper towel.
3. Apply lids and bands to your jars.
4. Process in a boiling water canner or steam canner. For half-pints or pints process for 15 minutes if you are
5. Let cool, undisturbed for 12-24 hours then check seals, label, remove rings and store.

Notes

CAUTION: wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch your face while handling or cutting hot peppers. If you choose not to wear gloves, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face or eyes.

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