You can make this Fresh Blueberry Salsa in 15 minutes! It's sweet, savory and delicious! Serve it with tortilla chips or over fish, chicken or pork.
I'm completely addicted to this Fresh Blueberry Salsa. I'll eat it until my teeth turn blue...then I'll eat some more!
Do you love blueberries as much as I do? I enjoy them in Blueberry Pie with Sugar Cookie Crust, Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins, and Easy Lemon-Blueberry Pancakes.
It's nice to have a savory blueberry recipe (with a bit of sweetness!) in my repertoire.
Here's what you need to know to make this Fresh Blueberry Salsa.
Recipe ingredients
It starts with fresh blueberries, of course. You'll want them ripe, juicy and sweet for best results.
But, if it's off season, and your blueberries aren't sweet enough, you'll need to add extra sugar to taste. A bit of apple and apple sauce provides some natural sweetness as well.
The savory factor comes from the red onion, red pepper, jalapeรฑo, plus some hot sauce to give it a little kick. But no worries -- you can adjust the heat to your liking.
And I love cilantro, but if it's not your thing, you can omit it. Just don't skip the lime juice, which provides a nice, bright accent!
How to make blueberry salsa
See the blueberry salsa recipe card at the end of this post, but here's an overview:
- Cut up the apple, red pepper and jalapeรฑo and add them to a bowl with the other ingredients and two cups of the blueberries.
- Stir the ingredients, then add them to a bowl of a food processor (affiliate link).
- Press pulse briefly up to three times, just until the mixture is cut up. Do not let the food processor run for more than a few seconds, or you'll end up with all liquid. (Ask me how I know!!)
- Drain any excess liquid by placing the salsa in a fine-mesh strainer.
- Stir in the remaining cup of whole blueberries. Chill for one hour.
Recipe tips
- To make this spicy hot, include some jalapeรฑo seeds.
- Stir and taste the salsa before serving so you can adjust the seasonings as needed.
- If your blueberries aren't sweet enough, you'll need to add more sugar.
- If you want to tone down the heat, add more sugar and extra blueberries or apple pieces.
Frequently asked questions
Serve this as an appetizer dip with tortilla chips or as a topping for grilled chicken, pork, salmon or other fish. The salsa tastes best chilled, but you also could serve it at room temperature.
No, this recipe has not been tested for canning purposes. It would not be safe to preserve it by canning. Here is some information about canning homemade salsa.
I hope you enjoy this fresh blueberry recipe as much as we do. It's perfect for summer gatherings. You can add it to your 4th of July menu or for Memorial Day as red, white and blue salsa!
More recipes like this
- Salsa Salmon with Lime and Balsamic Vinegar
- Italian Strawberries with Sugar and Lemon
- Guacamole with Cherries and Gorgonzola
- Cream Cheese-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Jalapeรฑos
Enjoy!
If you try this Fresh Blueberry Salsa recipe, be sure to leave a comment and rating!
Fresh Blueberry Salsa (Sweet & Savory)
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh blueberries (divided use)
- โ of a medium red apple
- ยฝ of a red bell pepper
- โ cup chopped red onion
- 1 jalapeรฑo
- โ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- โ teaspoon salt (Or more to taste. See notes.)
- ยผ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar (Or more, if your berries aren't sweet enough.)
- tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- Rinse blueberries and remove any stems. Pat them dry. Place two cups of the berries in a medium bowl. Reserve the remaining cup of blueberries for later.
- Rinse an apple and pat it dry. Without peeling the apple, use a small knife to slice off large pieces around the core. Chop up โ of the apple and add it to the bowl with the blueberries.
- Rinse a red pepper and cut out the stem. Cut the pepper in half and remove the membrane and seeds. Chop up half of the pepper and add it to the bowl.
- Peel and chop a small red onion until you have โ cup. Add it to the bowl.
- Rinse the jalapeรฑo and cut off and discard the stem. Cut the jalapeรฑo in half. You can use some or all of the seeds if you want a hotter salsa, or discard them for a more mild salsa. Chop up the jalapeรฑo, adding it to the bowl. Don't touch your face after handling the jalapeรฑo, because it will sting. Wash your hands well afterward.
- Rinse the cilantro and shake off the water. Use scissors to cut off some leaves until they measure โ cup. Add the cilantro to the bowl.
- Add the lime juice, applesauce, sugar, hot sauce, salt and black pepper. Toss everything with a spoon to mix it. Add the mixture to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a chopping blade (or add it to your blender). Gently and briefly pulse the mixture one or two times. If needed, pulse it again, just until everything is chopped. (Be careful not to let the food processor or blender run too long, or you'll end up with all liquid.)
- Drain any excess liquid in a fine mesh strainer and return the chopped salsa to your mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining cup of whole blueberries. Refrigerate the salsa for an hour before serving, ideally. Give it another stir and taste it to see if it needs any sugar or seasonings.
- Serve it with tortilla chips or use it as a topping for grilled salmon, chicken or pork. Refrigerate any leftovers for up to four days.
Video
Notes
- To make this spicy hot, include some jalapeรฑo seeds.
- If serving as a topping (without salty chips), you'll need to add more salt.
- If your blueberries aren't sweet enough, you'll need to add more sugar.
- If you want to tone down the heat, add more sugar and extra blueberries or apple pieces.
- This recipe has not been tested for canning purposes, so it would not be safe to can it.
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: Adapted from this Yummy Fresh Cranberry Salsa at Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Originally published on June 8, 2015 as "Red, White and Blueberry Salsa" and updated now with new photos and text.)
Spring Davis says
This is such an interesting twist on salsa! I can't wait to try it out.
Mamma C says
Hi Spring - We just made this again for the 4th! It's so good with tortilla chips and wonderful on salmon. Enjoy!
Ella says
can I omit the jalapeno and hot sauce? or would it ruin the whole dish..i'm a scaredy cat when it comes to spicy food, even just a bit...what's a good substitute? maybe garlic..or anything else? thanks
Mamma C says
Ella, I know what you mean. I can only handle moderate heat. You might want to try the salsa without the jalapeno and hot sauce and see how you like it. If it needs a little something, you could try red pepper flakes, if you have them. Also, some hot sauces are more mild than others. I use Frank's RedHot Original, which is not nearly as hot as Tabasco. (I can't handle Tabasco at all.)
Jessica DeMay says
This sounds so good!! Sweet, spicy, savory- what a fun dip!!
Mamma C says
Yes, it's all of the above and one of my favorites! Thanks, Jessica!
Cheryl "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser says
Why yes I do actually enjoy squeezing my limes and lemons. I go to great length to extract all the juice! Hee-Hee-you just make me laugh my friend. Love the fruit of course and who would not love those adorable tortilla cups too. Your forever Florida Bud. Cheryl
Mamma C says
Hahaha! I can think of so many things to say, but all of them are inappropriate. Thanks, Cheryl!