Fresh Blueberry Salsa (Sweet & Savory)

This Fresh Blueberry Salsa is sweet, savory and delicious! Serve it with tortilla chips or over fish, chicken or pork. I dare you to stop eating it!

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, jalapeño, 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:

1. Cut up the apple, red pepper and jalapeño and add them to a bowl with the other ingredients and two cups of the blueberries.
2. Stir the ingredients, then add them to a bowl of a food processor (affiliate link).
3. 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!!)
4. Drain any excess liquid by placing the salsa in a fine-mesh strainer.
5. Stir in the remaining cup of whole blueberries. Chill for one hour.

Recipe tips

• To make this spicy hot, include some jalapeño 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

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
• Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Cream Cheese and Jalapeños

Enjoy!

If you try this Fresh Blueberry Salsa recipe, be sure to leave a comment and rating!

Fresh Blueberry Salsa (Sweet & Savory)

This Fresh Blueberry Salsa is sweet, savory and delicious! Serve it with tortilla chips or over fish or chicken.

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 9 Makes 3 cups

Calories: 44kcal

Author: Mamma C

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 cups fresh blueberries (divided use)
• ▢ ⅔ of a medium red apple
• ▢ ½ of a red bell pepper
• ▢ ⅔ cup chopped red onion
• ▢ 1 jalapeño
• ▢ ⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• ▢ juice of 1 lime
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• ▢ ⅓ teaspoon salt (Or more to taste. See notes.)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sugar (Or more, if your berries aren't sweet enough.
• ▢ tortilla chips for serving

US Customary - Metric

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 ⅔ 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 ⅔ cup. Add it to the bowl.
• Rinse the jalapeño and cut off and discard the stem. Cut the jalapeño 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 jalapeño, adding it to the bowl. Don't touch your face after handling the jalapeño, 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 ⅓ 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 jalapeño 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

Calories: 44kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 16.7mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Tried this Recipe? Mention @cookingwithmammac or tag #CookingWithMammaC!

(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.)