Strawberry Salsa

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This fresh strawberry salsa is sweet, spicy, and perfect for summer! Made with juicy strawberries, lime, and a kick of jalapeño, it’s great with chips or as a topping for grilled meats.

I don’t know about you, but the second strawberries start showing up at my local fruit stand, I go into full-on berry mode. There’s just something about those bright red baskets of sun-ripened berries that scream summer in the best possible way.

Between baking up desserts like these strawberry turnovers, blending up a quick strawberry raspberry smoothie or making these yogurt parfaits for breakfast, and even making fresh salads like this strawberry goat cheese salad, I’m doing my best to work strawberries into just about everything I can.

But sometimes, especially when it’s too hot to bake and I want something snacky – I like to take them in a more unexpected direction.

Enter: strawberry salsa.

Now I realize that fruit in salsa might feel like a bit of a leap for some people – but hear me out. I became a fruit salsa convert when I made this peach mango salsa last year. It just works out so well with strawberries too!

The strawberries are sweet and juicy, the jalapeño adds just enough heat (without knocking you out), and fresh lime and herbs keep everything bright and balanced. It’s the kind of snack that makes you want to grab a chip and go back for another scoop… and then another… and then maybe just eat it with a spoon straight from the bowl.

This strawberry salsa is also one of my favorite warm-weather “recipes” to throw together when I don’t really feel like cooking. It takes maybe 10 minutes total, doesn’t require turning on the stove, and instantly makes whatever you’re serving – grilled chicken, fish tacos, your fifth bowl of tortilla chips as an appetizer feel a little fancier (without trying too hard).

So if you’ve got some strawberries lying around in the fridge and want something fresh and fun to do with them? This is it. Try this easy strawberry salsa recipe!

Ingredient Notes

Strawberries

You’ll want ripe, sweet strawberries for this recipe – nothing too firm or underripe. Look for berries that are bright red all the way through and give off that classic summery strawberry smell. Chop them small so they mix evenly with the other ingredients and scoop easily onto chips.

Jalapeño Pepper

This is for that little spicy kick in your strawberry salsa! I just use one but you can definitely use more jalapenos or a serrano pepper depending on how spicy you want it.

Removing the seeds and white membrane will keep it milder – leave them in for extra kick. If you’re not into heat at all, feel free to start with just half a pepper or skip it altogether.

Cilantro

Fresh cilantro adds that herby brightness that makes salsa so good. If you’re one of those people who think cilantro tastes like soap (hi, I see you), you can swap it out for fresh herbs like parsley, fresh basil, or even mint for a different twist.

Shallots

I like to use shallots in this strawberry salsa recipe but you can definitely use red onion as well. Shallots have a milder flavor, but finely diced red onion gives a nice little bite and some extra color.

If raw onion is too strong for you, soak the chopped bits in cold water for a few minutes first to mellow them out.

Fresh Lime Juice

Lime juice pulls everything together and balances out the sweetness from the strawberries. I like to use a generous amount – start with 3 tablespoons and adjust to taste.

Tajin

Lastly, I love to sprinkle on a bit of Tajin – a Mexican chile-lime seasoned salt available in most supermarkets, at the end for an extra boost of spicy tanginess to bring out all the sweetness in those strawberries. This is optional, but highly recommended!

Step by Step Instructions

1. Start by dicing up the strawberries, jalapeno, shallot, and cilantro.

1. In a medium bowl, add all the chopped ingredients, lime juice, and salt, and stir to combine.

Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Your strawberry salsa is done!

Recipe Tips & Suggestions

Hull the strawberries well. I don’t always find this to be necessary with in-season local strawberries that are ripe, red, and juicy throughout, but if you’re using off-season strawberries with a lot of white inside, you will definitely want to hull them. Don’t just remove the green tops – use a paring knife or huller to scoop out the pale, firm core inside. It’s often bland and throws off the texture.

Balance the flavors. Depending on how sweet your berries are, a tiny splash of maple syrup or honey can round things out (start with ½ teaspoon).

Avoid a soggy salsa. If your strawberries are super juicy, you can gently pat them dry with paper towels before adding them to the bowl.

Sub in with produce of your choice. Sub in half mango, peaches, or pineapple and some lime zest for a tropical blend. Toss in some diced avocado for a creamy twist, or add in other vegetables like bell peppers!

Serving Suggestions

There’s nothing wrong with diving into this strawberry salsa with a giant bowl of tortilla chips (honestly, highly recommended). But if you want to branch out a bit, here are a few fresh ways to enjoy it:

Top your tacos. Spoon this salsa over chicken tacos or fish tacos for a fruity-savory combo that totally works. It’s also great on shrimp or crispy tofu tacos.

Pair it with grilled mains. This would be amazing on top of this grilled balsamic chicken, or any grilled meat.

Spoon it over grilled salmon for a fresh, sweet-savory topping. It pairs especially well with blackened or smoky flavors.

Drizzle with balsamic glaze and pair with creamy burrata and some toasted baguette if you’re going a little fancier.

Add it to a grain bowl. Build a bowl with quinoa, black beans, tomatoes, roasted veggies, and a big scoop of strawberry salsa. Bonus points if you add avocado or a drizzle of lime crema!

Add to a brunch board with goat cheese, crostini, and salty prosciutto – it’s especially good in a “sweet meets savory” setup.

Storage Instructions

You can store your strawberry salsa leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. The berries will soften and release more juice the longer it sits, but it’ll still be tasty.