As a salsa lover, you’ve probably wondered where your favorite Mexican restaurant gets their delicious, authentic salsa. Is it made fresh in-house with secret recipes? Or is it store-bought? The answer may surprise you.
In this article, we’ll explore the various ways Mexican restaurants source their salsa ingredients. We’ll also provide tips on how you can make fantastic salsa at home. Read on to become a salsa expert!
Making Salsa From Scratch
Many authentic Mexican restaurants pride themselves on making salsa completely from scratch. This ensures maximum freshness and allows them to craft unique flavor profiles. Here are some of their secrets:
Chopping Fresh Vegetables
Most salsa recipes start with fresh ingredients like tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, garlic, and cilantro. Skilled salsa makers finely chop or dice each ingredient by hand. This allows flavors to mingle and provides texture.
Roasting Vegetables
Some restaurants roast veggies like tomatoes, onions, and peppers before blending. Roasting caramelizes natural sugars and adds smoky depth. Try charring tomatillos, poblanos, and onions under the broiler for extra flavor.
Pounding Ingredients in a Molcajete
A molcajete is a traditional Mexican mortar and pestle made of volcanic rock. Many restaurants use this ancient tool to grind ingredients into a rustic texture. The coarse paste infuses salsa with more flavor.
Adding Signature Spices
Cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and chili powder are common spices. But creative salsa makers experiment with additions like cloves, cinnamon, coriander, and epazote. Try spiced variations like salsa roja, salsa verde, and habanero salsa.
Squeezing in Lime Juice
A squeeze of tart, fresh lime juice right before serving balances out salsa’s richness. Lime adds a tangy zing that really makes the flavors pop.
Making Small Batches
Authentic restaurants make salsa in small batches throughout the day for maximum freshness. Limited quantities also allow meticulous seasoning adjustments.
Trying Out Pre-Made Options
While homemade is best, some busy restaurants supplement with pre-made salsas. High-quality brands like Frontera, Desert Pepper, and Mrs. Renfro’s offer convenient options for extra variety.
Tips for Homemade Salsa
With simple techniques and fresh ingredients, you can easily replicate your favorite restaurant-style salsas:
Pick Ripe Tomatoes
Choose firm, aromatic tomatoes at their peak for best flavor and texture. Plum tomatoes have thick walls that hold up to chopping.
Roast the Veggies
Charring veggies under the broiler or on the grill adds delicious smokiness. Let them cool before blending.
Use Both Seeds and Flesh
For the deepest and most complex flavor, use all parts of peppers and tomatoes – including seeds, ribs, and juice.
Pulse for Texture
For chunky restaurant-style salsa, pulse ingredients in a food processor. Be careful not to over-blend into a puree.
Season to Taste
Start with a pinch of salt and lime juice. Then tweak
Make it Spicy!
For addictive heat, use a mix of jalapeños, serranos, habaneros, and arbol chiles. Control the burn by removing seeds and ribs.
Stick to Fresh Herbs
Cilantro adds freshness. Try other herbs like oregano, marjoram, cumin, and epazote. Dried herbs lose potency.
Let the Flavors Develop
Allow salsa to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes so flavors can meld together. This yields the best results.
The Convenience of Pre-Made Salsas
With rising demand, many Mexican restaurants supplement homemade salsa with convenient pre-made versions. Some benefits of using store-bought salsa include:
Reliable Consistency
Brand-name salsas deliver predictable
Increased Variety
Pre-made salsas allow restaurants to offer more styles, like mango, verde, chipotle, and corn. Great for fajitas, tacos, and quesadillas.
Cost Savings
Store-bought salsa is affordable and eliminates waste from chopping excess fresh ingredients. Ideal for high-volume restaurants.
Storage and Shelflife
Pre-made salsas last weeks refrigerated or months frozen. Far longer than fresh homemade versions.
Minimal Labor
Employees don’t have to spend time chopping and blending. Just open the jar and serve!
High Food Safety
Reputable salsa brands adhere to strict food safety protocols during canning and pasteurization. Reduces contamination risks.
Range of Heat Levels
Bottled salsas let customers choose their preferred
Familiar Brands
Patrons recognize and trust major salsa brands like Tostitos, Chi-Chi’s, Pace, Newman’s Own, and Herdez.
Where to Find Quality Store-Bought Salsa
If buying pre-made for your restaurant, look for these signs of fresh, authentic flavor:
Check the Ingredients: Focus on brands with more vegetable content versus fillers like tomato puree, corn syrup or starch.
See How It’s Packed: Salsas sold refrigerated typically have less processing and preservatives.
Know the Source: Salsas made in areas like Texas and California use local produce and traditional techniques.
Select Smaller Operations: Boutique brands or privately owned companies tend to use higher quality ingredients.
Read Reviews: Check trusted sources to learn about flavor profiles and customer satisfaction.
Compare Nutrition Facts: Choose options with fewer calories, sugar, sodium, and preservatives per serving.
Shop Specialty Stores: Latino and international markets offer more authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex styles.
Buy Local: Purchase pre-made salsa from restaurants, delis or brands in your area. Supports small business!
How Restaurants Use Pre-Made Salsa
Even restaurants dedicated to homemade salsa get creative with pre-made versions:
As a Base: They start with bottled salsa and customize it with signature spices and garnishes.
For Volume: They make small batches of fresh salsa and supplement with pre-made as needed.
For Variety: They use it to offer diverse styles like mango, verde, and smoky chipotle.
For Convenience: They keep it on hand as a back-up for peak periods.
For Cost Savings: They use it in dishes where freshness isn’t as critical, like burritos.
For Shelflife: They use it as needed to avoid waste when fresh salsa inventory expires.
For Custom Orders: They offer it as a milder alternative for patrons who don’t like spicy options.
For Safe Handling: They rely on the safety of bottled salsa for large-scale prep and catering.
As Inspiration: They sample different brands’ flavor profiles before developing new recipes.
The Reality: It’s Often a Mix!
The truth is most Mexican restaurants take a balanced approach to salsa sourcing. Here are common practices:
- Making small daily batches of 2-3 signature styles fresh in-house. This ensures constant freshness.
- Complementing homemade salsas with additional pre-made varieties for more choice. Great for appetizer samplers!
- Relying on trusted brands during high-volume periods when kitchen capacity is maxed out. Provides flexibility at peak times.
- Keeping back-up cases of bottled salsa for unpredictable crowds or staffing issues. Useful as an emergency Plan B!
- Using pre-made for catering, events, and take-out. Easier to transport and store.
- Buying quality local or regional brands to support small business. And for authentic flavors!
The Verdict? Fresh is Usually Best!
So in summary, while pre-made salsa can be an efficient option, homemade generally delivers more complex flavor. Here’s a quick recap of the pros and cons:
Homemade Salsa Advantages:
- Maximum freshness and flavor
- Unique flavor combinations
- Texture from hand-chopping
- Control over ingredients and
spice levels - Pride and bragging rights!
Pre-Made Salsa Advantages:
- Affordable and convenient
- Wide range of styles and heat levels
- Consistent results and shelflife
- Time savings for employees
- Food safety
The next time you dig into salsa at your favorite Mexican spot, take a moment to appreciate all the care and craftsmanship that goes into it! Salsa is much more complex than many realize. Now that you know where restaurants get it and how it’s prepared, go enjoy some homemade-style salsa and margaritas!
