• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Slow Cooked Eats logo
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Appetizer and Snacks

    Restaurant Style Crockpot Salsa Recipe

    Published: Jun 22, 2023 by slowcookedeats

    PinterestFacebookRedditBluesky
    Jump to Recipe
    Pinterest Hidden Image

    The perfect easy restaurant style crockpot salsa recipe - medium spice level, hardly any chopping, using all fresh ingredients (nothing from a can). Cooking salsa in a crockpot makes for wonderfully balanced flavors. Bonus: leftovers can be frozen too! 🙂

    A white tray with tortilla chips scattered around a black bowl of red salsa.Pin
    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love Restaurant Style Salsa in Crock Pot
    • Crock Pot Salsa Ingredients
    • How To Make Crockpot Salsa
    • How to Serve Restaurant Style Salsa
    • FAQ's
    • 📖 The recipe.
    • More Crockpot Recipes
    • 💬 What readers are saying.

    Why You'll Love Restaurant Style Salsa in Crock Pot

    Perfectly blended flavor. Making salsa in your crockpot allows the flavors to meld and blend together wonderfully. It's very easy to customize this to your tastes - milder, spicier, tangier, etc. Check out the Substitution and Variation section below.

    Super Easy! Hardly any chopping, no standing over a hot stove. Dump the tomatoes in practically whole - and walk away. Come back later, blend it, and freshen up with cilantro, lime, and green oinons.

    Crock Pot Salsa Ingredients

    Ingredients needed for making crockpot salsa on a white board.

    Here are the ingredients you will need to make this crockpot salsa:

    • Roma Tomatoes: roma tomatoes have a firmer denser texture and hold up well when slow cooking
    • Beefsteak Tomatoes: while softer, they add more juices to the salsa.
    • Jalapeno: this recipe is closer to a medium spice level - depending upon how large and potent your jalapenos are. If you are unsure or like it mild, use 1 jalapeno or 2 with the seeds removed.
    • Yellow Onion: I used a yellow onion, but a white may be used. A sweet onion will lend a sweet taste to your salsa.
    • Green Bell Pepper
    • Fresh Lime Juice: freshly squeezed lime juice is always best.
    • Fresh Cilantro: it is preferable that you use only the leaves, but a few stems are okay. Half will be blended, and the half will be added after cooking.
    • Cumin
    • Garlic Cloves
    • Green Onion
    • Salt and Pepper: add at the end and season to taste a little at a time.

    For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!

    Be sure to save this pin to Pinterest! 🙂

    A black bowl of crockpot salsa on a white platter with chips.Pin

    Variations and Substitutions

    Here are some suggestions for customizing your crock pot bbq shredded chicken:

    • Increase acidity by adding more lime juice.
    • To make spicier salsa add more jalapenos or a hotter green chili such as habanero. If you need it spicier after cooking, add finely chopped fresh jalapenos, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce.
    • Reduce acidity by adding small amounts of sugar.
    • To make very mild salsa, halve the jalapenos and remove the seeds before cooking. 
    • 1 (15-ounce) can of diced tomatoes, may be used in place of 1 large tomato, regular or fire-roasted tomatoes work well. 

    How To Make Crockpot Salsa

    Here's how to make this easy slow cooker salsa recipe. For full instructions, see the recipe card below. Enjoy!

    Adding all the salsa vegetables into a black oval crock pot.
    1. Place tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, green bell pepper, cumin, and garlic in the crockpot.
    Cover the slow cooker then testing softness of the vegetables with a fork.

    2. Slow cook until the vegetables are very tender.

    Adding in fresh cilantro and then blending in a blender.

    3. Let salsa cool. Add half of the fresh cilantro leaves. Transfer to a blender or food processor and pulse until desired consistency is reached.

    Stirring in final fresh ingredients together with the blended salsa.

    4. Add remaining cilantro leaves, lime juice, and green onions. Salt and pepper to taste.

    How to Serve Restaurant Style Salsa

    There are several ways you can serve your delicious restaurant style salsa! 

    Meal idea! Make an easy crockpot salsa chicken by adding 4 chicken breasts and 1 cup salsa to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours until the chicken can be easily shredded. Mix together, add extra salsa if needed and serve in taco shells or on buns.

    Use salsa as a dip for tortilla or corn chips.

    Top fish, grilled or roasted chicken, pork, and steak. Use as a condiment on tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and more!

    FAQ's

    How to store it

    Store cooled crockpot salsa in air-tight containers or jars in the fridge for up to 5 days. The salsa can also be frozen for up to 5 months.

    Can I freeze salsa?

    You can freeze this salsa recipe, yes. Once cooled, transfer to a freezer-safe container. Fill the container, leaving 1" of head space at the top. Label and freeze for up to 5 months. Thaw salsa in the refrigerator.

    Can I use a pressure cooker to make salsa?

    Yes, you can use your pressure cooker on the slow cooker setting (high) or you can pressure cook it on high for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally.

    What is the difference between salsa and restaurant style salsa?

    Salsa is chunkier in consistency and is most often made with diced raw ingredients. Restaurant style salsa (salsa roja) is actually cooked to blend the flavors, blended until almost smooth, then cooled before serving.

    📖 The recipe.

    Dipping a tortilla chip in a black bowl of red homemade crockpot salsa.

    Slow Cooker Salsa Recipe

    The perfect easy restaurant style salsa recipe - medium spice level, hardly any chopping, all fresh ingredients (nothing from a can). Leftovers can be frozen too!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    Author Kori
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 4 hours hrs
    Total Time 4 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
    Course Slow Cooker Appetizers
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 10
    Calories 35 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 roma tomatoes (tops removed)
    • 2 beefsteak tomatoes (tops and hard core removed)
    • 1 large yellow onion (coarsely chopped)
    • 2 jalapenos (tops removed; for mild salsa remove the seeds)
    • 1 green bell pepper (coarsely chopped)
    • 4 cloves garlic (peeled)
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • ½ bunch fresh cilantro leaves
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice
    • 3 green onions (sliced)
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Place whole tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, green bell pepper, and garlic in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or until all the vegetables are very tender.
    • Let the salsa cool slightly. Add half of the fresh cilantro leaves. Transfer to a blender, food processor (or use an immersion blender) and pulse until desired consistency is reached (do not overfill, work in batches if needed).
    • Add remaining cilantro leaves, cumin, lime juice, and green onions. Salt and pepper to taste.

    Notes

    • Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
    • VARIATIONS: 1 (15-ounce) can of diced tomatoes may be used in place of 1 large tomato, regular or fire-roasted tomatoes work well. 
    • TIPS: To make spicier salsa add more jalapenos or a hotter green chili such as habanero. If you need it spicier after cooking, add finely chopped fresh jalapenos or cayenne pepper to taste. Reduce any acidity by adding a small amount of sugar. Increase acidity by adding more lime juice.  To make very mild salsa, halve the jalapenos and remove the seeds before cooking. 
    • SERVING SUGGESTIONS:  Serve with tortilla chips, or use as a condiment for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and more. 
    • STORAGE: Store salsa in airtight containers for up to 5 days in the fridge, or you can freeze for up to 5 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 35kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 2gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 125mgPotassium: 351mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1120IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg

    © 2025 Slow Cooked Eats

    More Crockpot Recipes

    • Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
    • Easy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip
    • 3 Ingredient Rotel Dip Crock Pot Recipe
    • Easy Crockpot Candied Spiced Nuts Recipe
    • Copycat Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Crockpot Recipe
    • Italian-Style Slow Cooker Vegetable Casserole
    • Classic Crock Pot Puttanesca Sauce
    • Baked Ziti in Crock Pot with Ricotta and Sausage
    PinterestFacebookRedditBluesky

    More Slow Cooker Appetizer and Snacks Recipes

    • An oval white slow cooker with cheesy crockpot pizza dip with pepperoni and fresh basil.
      Pepperoni and Cheese Crockpot Pizza Dip
    • Crockpot little smokies in a white slow cooker sprinkled with brown sugar.
      3 Ingredient Brown Sugar Smokies Crock Pot Recipe
    • Hot slow cooker buffalo chicken dip in a white oval crock pot.
      Easy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip
    • Looking down on a white bowl of a variety of brown roasted nuts that have been candied.
      Easy Crockpot Candied Spiced Nuts Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Image of Kori Butler Slow Cooked Eats founder.

    Hi, I'm Kori! I am a busy full-time working Mom who also balances a husband and 3 kids! The crock pot was literally how I fed my family almost every weeknight - for YEARS! Seriously.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Chicken gnocchi soup in a white bowl and in a black crockpot.
      Chicken and Gnocchi Soup Crockpot Recipe
    • Chicken tortilla soup in a white bowl garnished with tomato, avocado, and tortilla chips.
      Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup in Crock Pot
    • Two white bowls and a black oval crock pot with beef stew.
      Easy Beef Stew Crock Pot Recipe
    • Pumpkin puree in a clear plastic storage container and an oval white crockpot.
      Crock Pot Pumpkin Puree
    • A slice of crockpot peca pie with vanilla ice cream on a scalloped plate.
      Crockpot Pecan Pie
    • A collage of nice easy crockpot meals in white dishes.
      Easy Slow Cooker Meals
    • Visit our sister site Seeking Good Eats!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Information

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About
    • Contact

    Copyright © 2025 Slow Cooked Eats

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.