This is about the most basic you can get with salsa. As you can see, the cast of characters is almost embarrassingly simple. But for that same reason, I can basically always whip up a jar of salsa in a matter of seconds.

There’s nothing fancy about this but it makes a great salsa both for chips and dip and adding onto all your favorite Mexican foods. Give it a try, and maybe even adapt it to your tastes!

simple restaurant style salsa

makes about 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 1/2 onion, chopped

• 1 jalapeno, diced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 15-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes*

• 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles*

• 1 Tbsp (or more, to taste) chipotle pepper in adobo sauce"*

• salt to taste

• chopped cilantro, optional

• lime, optional

• sugar, optional

Instructions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until the salsa is your desired consistency. (You can also just mix it in a bowl but you might have some larger chunks.)

2. Salt to taste. Sometimes a pinch of sugar brings out the flavor. Definitely a squeeze of lime helps boost flavor, and for those of you who love cilantro, throw some in!

3. Keeps in the fridge for a week.

*A note about these ingredients:

• I have been able to find fire-roasted tomatoes and diced tomatoes with green chiles at basically every grocery store. If you can’t find fire-roasted, just get regular old diced - it might not have as deep a flavor but it won’t matter.

• As far as the diced tomatoes with green chiles, you can just broil a poblano until charred on all sides, peel the charred skin, chop, and throw it in.

• If you don’t have chipotle peppers, it’s not a big deal! However, I like to buy a big can and keep extras in my freezer for subsequent batches of salsa.