A little taste of SoCal—no plane ticket required. This Copycat El Torito Salsa Recipe brings the fresh, zesty flavors I crave on every Disneyland trip straight to my kitchen back home in Boston.
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Copycat El Torito Salsa Recipe
A fresh, restaurant-style salsa inspired by my favorite Southern California stop—perfect for chips, tacos, or recreating that vacation feeling at home.
Any time I travel to Southern California for a Disneyland trip, I make it a point to stop at El Torito in Anaheim. There’s just something about their fresh salsa and warm chips that feels like the perfect end to a park day. I’ll usually grab a pint to bring back to the hotel and snack on all night.
Back home in Boston, we don’t have El Torito—so when the craving hits, this copycat salsa is my go-to. It’s bright, slightly chunky, fresh, and incredibly close to the original. If you love their salsa as much as I do, this recipe is for you.
Ingredients (Serves 8–10)
- 5–6 plum tomatoes, deseeded and quartered
- ½ yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 2 green onions, roughly chopped
- 1 serrano chile, seeds and membranes removed
- 1 jalapeño, with seeds and membranes
- 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ½ cup canned diced tomatoes, with liquid
- ⅓ cup water
Directions
- Add plum tomatoes, onion, green onions, serrano chile, jalapeño, lime juice, salt, cumin, and Mexican oregano to a food processor. Pulse until chunky. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
- Add cilantro and canned diced tomatoes to the food processor. Pulse until smooth. Add water and pulse again until well combined.
- Pour the blended mixture into the large bowl and stir thoroughly to combine.
- Transfer salsa to an airtight container and refrigerate for 1–2 hours before serving.
Serve immediately with tortilla chips, tacos, or your favorite Mexican dishes. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
This salsa brings me right back to those Southern California trips—sunny days, Disneyland nights, and chips and salsa on the hotel bed. It’s proof that sometimes all you need is a good recipe to travel without leaving home.