Strawberry Salsa Recipe - Sweet and Spicy!

This Strawberry Salsa Recipe is sweet and spicy and totally addicting. You will love it on a salty tortilla chip or grilled chicken tacos. Fresh Fruit Salsa is my new obsession.

Ok, you've got to trust me on this one, Strawberry Salsa is so addicting that you will need a bowl all for yourself.

We are salsa fanatics at my house. In fact, my husband and sons would rather eat spicy chips and salsa for dessert instead of cookies or cake. I don't go that far... I am a sweet fan, myself. 

This Strawberry Salsa Recipe is perfect for all of us.

Is Strawberry Salsa Sweet or Spicy? 

When my friends hear that I am bringing this Strawberry Salsa Recipe to a party or girls night out, the first thing they ask is, "is it sweet or spicy?"

It's both! The salsa has natural sweetness and a little bit of tartness from the fresh strawberries but, it has a touch of spiciness from the jalapeño and the onion.

Serve it on salty tortilla chips for a perfect match. And brie... mmmm.

What to Serve with Strawberry Salsa-

It's not just for chips any more. I serve it on everything from chips to Bruschetta with Avocado for a light appetizer or party snack —it goes with any party from tailgating to baby showers.

It is delicious on Grilled Chicken Tacos  .     In fact, salsa means sauce so go ahead and spoon it over any of your favorite grilled meats.

And brie! Mmmm... brie. I love it on baked brie with garlic crackers. Delicious! 

What ingredients are in Strawberry Salsa?

• Fresh ripe strawberries- Go ahead and taste them. The strawberries should be sweet and slightly tart. If your berries are too tart, add a little more honey or a dash of sugar... a tiny dash. TIP: Frozen strawberries are too watery for this recipe, please use fresh strawberries.
• Fresh jalapeños or your favorite fresh chile- I use jalapeños most of the time. They are generally on the mild side and I like the bright green color with the bright red berries. Jalapeños are also very easy to find in most grocery stores. Other good chile choices a Habaneros (they are delicious with fruit!), Serranos (if you want a little more heat), and even half of a Hatch green chile or Anaheim chile if they are in season. Be careful! Hatch chiles are the only ones that are hot enough to make my nose run!
• Onion- Onions give that savory flavor. I use red onions because they are mild in flavor. You can also use white onions. Yellow onions tend to have a stronger flavor so, if you use yellow onions, you might want to use a little less.
• Cilantro- Cilantro give that really delicious Mexican Salsa flavor.
• Limes- Use both the zest and the juice of 1 lime. The tart, citrus-y flavor is perfect with the strawberries.
• Honey or Maple Syrup- Just a little drizzle will do. I use mesquite honey for that Southwest flavor.
• Mint- OPTIONAL! I really like mint with this strawberry salsa recipe. I mince it very, very fine and mix it in. Not everyone likes mint so, I often use half cilantro with half mint. It adds that "something-something" that makes people ask, "What is in this salsa? It's delicious!" Minced basil is also a good choice.

How to make a great fruit salsa

Strawberry Salsa Recipe is really easy to make. The only thing you need to know is how to do is chop and mince, in other words, chop things really, really small.

Choose the best ingredients available.

• First- Start with really fresh, ripe ingredients. This is a fresh salsa (no roasting or sautéing to develop flavor) so freshness is important.
• Choose blemish free fruits and veggies if possible. Cut away any spoiled spots and discard.
• Make sure the onion has good flavor and is not passed its "expiration" date. 
• Remove the stems and seeds from the jalapeños or chile. You can leave some seeds if you like your salsa really hot.

PRO TIP: 

If you cut the jalapeño or chiles in lengthwise to remove the seeds, you can also slice away the inner membrane of the chile. The membranes hold a lot of heat. Removing the inner membrane will make your chile or pepper a bright, vibrant color.

Mince your ingredients

• Yes! You can use a food processor for the jalapeño, onion and cilantro! I put them in all together (not the strawberries) and mince them into very small pieces.
• Chop the strawberries separately. I like the strawberries in bigger pieces than the onions and jalapeño.  PLUS, I take a few extra minutes to chop the strawberries by hand so they don't bruise.
• Place the strawberries in a large mixing bowl. and add the other ingredients to the strawberries in batches.

Taste as you go! When you stir in the minced jalapeno, onion and cilantro (mint or basil), reserve about ¼ of the onion and jalapeño. That way you can taste and adjust the strawberry salsa recipe as you go. If you have a really hot chile, add a little less. If the onion is really strong, don't put it all in. 

• Rinse and zest the lime BEFORE you juice it so that it is easier to handle.
• Stir the honey and lime zest and juice together before adding to the strawberry salsa. The lime juice will thin down the honey just enough to make it easier to mix in evenly.

Don't forget the salt! The pinch of salt is so important!

Here is what I used to make this recipe-

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You don't need a lot of fancy or expensive equipment to make this Strawberry Salsa Recipe. I used-

Zester- A zester is the only piece of kitchen equipment that may be considered a "specialty" item. I use a zester all the time so I call it vital. If you don't have one, no problem, just use the smallest side of your box cheese grater or leave the zest out. The salsa will still be delicious!

Sharp Knife- I used my favorite chef's knife to dice and mince all of the ingredients for this recipe. You can use any sharp knife that feels comfortable in your hand. Remember that a sharp knife is actually a safer knife.

Cutting Board- A wooden cutting board is a good choice, I use one often. To save on "clean up" time, I used a plastic cutting board that I can throw in the dishwasher.

Large Mixing Bowl- Any medium/large mixing bowl will do. If it is too small, stirring in the ingredients for the Strawberry Salsa Recipe can get messy. I use these "nesting" pryex bowls if I am going to serve in them. Pyrex can feel heavy so, for meal prep, I use these "nesting" stainless bowls. I fell in love with the stainless bowls in culinary school. They are lightweight and indestructible!

If you are looking for more sweet and spicy recipes, check out some of these-

Bacon Wrapped, Jalapeno Stuffed, Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers- Warning: You are going to need a bigger batch.

Pineapple Wontons with Togarashi -  I made these for a girl's camp with 150 people and they LOVED them. 

Grilled Mango with Honey and Pistachios- Mango on skewers with honey and chile powder... yum!

Pineapple Jalapeno Cheeseball- A retro-style appetizer that is so creamy and so delicious!

I hope you love this Strawberry Salsa recipe, we do!

If you have any questions about Strawberry Salsa Recipe or any Southwest recipe, you can leave a comment here on this post (or any post). You can "LIKE" Everyday Southwest's Facebook Page and leave a comment or question there, I will love to answer any question or comment.

I love hearing from you!

See you soon!

Sandy

Strawberry Salsa Recipe

5 from 9 votes

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Equipment

• Chef's knife
• Large mixing bowl
• Zester
• Cutting board

Ingredients

  

• 3 cups strawberries chopped
• 1 red onion minced
• 1 jalapeño seeded and minced keep some seeds if you prefer extra heat
• 1 large lime - zest and juice
• 4 tablespoons cilantro chopped
• Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

 

• Add all ingredients together in a large bowl and toss well to combine.
• Allow mixture to sit for a few minutes to marinate the flavors.
• Serve with chips and or use to top your favorite grilled meat.