Sweet and spicy fruit salsa takes just 15 minutes to make, and is packed with vibrant flavor from a combination of sweet and tangy fruit, onions, jalapenos, lime, and an easy garlic salt seasoning blend. Pair it with everything from fish tacos to cinnamon sugar tortilla chips!
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Recipe for Fruit Salsa
Fruit salsa is one of the easiest, yet most delicious, dips you can make at home! This straightforward recipe can be adjusted to use your favorite fruits, from pineapple salsa to mango salsa, peach salsa, watermelon salsa, and more.
Our fruit salsa is a pineapple salsa recipe, but you can swap out the ingredients and tailor the flavors to your preference. This means customizing the level of heat and sweetness to make the perfect fruit salsa recipe for your tastes!
We love serving this easy recipe for fruit salsa with everything from salmon and fish tacos to pork chops, chicken, salty tortilla chips, and even cinnamon chips (our favorite).
What You Need to Make Fruit Salsa
Fresh fruit salsa is super easy to make at home, and can be changed up however you like. Here are the basics you need:
- Fruit: Use your favorite fruits. Pineapple, mango, and peaches are great choices because they taste amazing with savory foods, but experiment and find your favorite! Try watermelon and strawberries, too!
- Onions: Onions add a savory flavor to balance the sweetness. You can use any variety, but we're using red onions. Learn how to dice onions with our step-by-step guide.
- Citrus: A squeeze of citrus, like lime juice, makes the salsa really pop. You might not need it if you're using very acidic fruits like pineapple, so taste test before adding any citrus.
- Heat: Adding some spice is optional, but awesome. It balances the sweetness. You can use jalapenos, poblanos, other hot peppers, or cayenne.
- Herbs: Fresh herbs make the salsa taste bright and fresh. Fresh mint and cilantro go really well with fruit, but you can also use parsley.
- Seasonings: A little bit of garlic powder deepens the flavors, and a pinch of salt brings all the flavors together.
Fruit
Although our photos feature pineapple salsa, you can use any fruit you like best to make your fruit salsa. Try mango, like our Mango Pico de Gallo, peaches, strawberries, watermelon, or even kiwi to make fruit salsa. Even apples (especially granny smith apples) and berries like raspberries and blueberries can be used for fruit salsa!
Get creative with different fruit combinations, and have fun! You can even grill your fruits ahead of time for a little bit of charred flavor in your salsa. Peaches, pineapple, and watermelon are especially good grilled. Just let them cool before mixing with the other ingredients and serving.
No matter which fruit you choose to use, it's best to make sure you chop them into evenly-sized pieces.
Citrus
Citrus is a key element to fruit salsa. The most commonly used citrus for salsa is lime, but you can use other citrus too, such as orange or lemon juice. All citrus juice should be fresh from the fruit for best flavor. You can add a little zest by grating the citrus, too, if you like!
Onions
We prefer to use red onions for our fresh fruit salsa. The tangy bite of red onion contrasts beautifully with sweet fruit.
However, you can also feel free to use other varieties of onion, such as yellow onions, white onions, or even green onions. Make sure to dice onions finely, as they have a strong flavor and you don't want to overpower the other ingredients in your salsa.
Seasoning
Thanks to the strong flavors in this fruit salsa recipe, you don't need to use a lot of seasoning. We're using a simple mixture of kosher salt and garlic powder.
Kosher salt or sea salt work best, as they have a much better flavor than fine table salt. Garlic powder will add a garlicky flavor to the salsa, without the need for fresh garlic. However, if you really like garlic, you could always use fresh minced garlic instead. For best results, only add a little at a time and taste test to be sure.
Hot Peppers
Jalapeno is the most common choice for adding a little heat to salsa, but you can also simply sprinkle in some cayenne if you would prefer not to use peppers. Other options include poblano peppers or anaheim peppers for a mild salsa, and serrano peppers or aji limo peppers for a salsa with more spice.
The Key to Making the Best Fruit Salsa
Above all else, the key to making a great fruit salsa recipe is to taste test. Until you know exactly the balance of flavors you prefer, be careful how much of each ingredient you're adding.
You can adjust the balance of fruit, onions, and peppers, but once you add seasoning, fresh garlic, or citrus juice, it's much more difficult to salvage the flavor if you wind up making a salsa you don't enjoy. So, taste test!
Pineapple Salsa Recipe Ingredients
- Pineapple: Use fresh pineapple for best flavor and texture. You can find whole pineapple in grocery stores with the core already removed. All you need to do is dice it!
- Red Onion: Red onions are our go-to. The beautiful color and mild flavor of red onions makes them perfect for using in salsas and salads. Make sure to finely dice the onions.
- Jalapeno: Wear disposable gloves when handling the peppers. Don't touch any sensitive areas such as your eyes after handling jalapeno peppers. Wash your hands well after handling the peppers!
- Garlic Powder: Adds a garlicky flavor to the salsa without the need for fresh garlic. If you prefer a stronger garlic flavor, use a teaspoon of minced garlic in place of garlic powder.
- Kosher Salt: Avoid fine table salt and instead use kosher salt or sea salt flakes. This will give you the best flavor in your fruit salsa!
- Lime Juice: Lime is the perfect addition to fruit salsa!
- Cilantro (Optional): Use parsley if you are not a fan of cilantro. Alternatively, you can leave it out completely!
How to Make Fruit Salsa
Step 2
Combine 2 cups fruit, ¼ cup red onion, 2 Tablespoons diced jalapeno, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, and the juice of ½ a lime in a bowl.
Step 1
Stir to mix. Give it a taste and adjust the flavors to your liking. Add cilantro if using, and gently mix through.
Recipe Tips
- Taste test and adjust flavors according to your preference.
- You can use any fresh fruit you prefer, but we highly recommend using fresh fruit, and not frozen or canned.
- Unlike fruit salad, you want fruit for salsa to be diced finely. Make sure to cut your ingredients into a fine dice.
What to Serve with Fruit Salsa
Storage Instructions
- Store leftover fruit salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 2-3 days.
FAQ
Fruit salsa is typically made without tomatoes. But, you can follow our air fryer tomato salsa recipe for a salsa using tomatoes or try our Mango Pico de Gallo.
We know how it goes; not everyone likes cilantro. If you're not a cilantro fan, you can either leave it out entirely, or replace it with fresh parsley or even Thai basil.
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Fruit Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh pineapple diced
- ¼ cup red onion finely diced
- 1 jalapeño seeded and finely diced (about 2 tablespoons)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- juice from ½ lime
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Combine 2 cups fresh pineapple, ¼ cup red onion, 2 tablespoons 1 jalapeño (diced), ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and the juice from ½ lime in a bowl and stir to mix. Give it a taste and adjust flavors to your liking.
- Add ¼ cup fresh cilantro if using, and gently mix through.
Notes
- Taste test and adjust flavors according to your preference.
- You can use any fresh fruit you prefer, but we highly recommend using fresh fruit, and not frozen or canned.
- Unlike fruit salad, you want fruit for salsa to be diced finely. Make sure to cut your ingredients into a fine dice.
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