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Home » Recipes » Condiments

Citrus Salsa (with Grapefruit)

Published: Mar 24, 2019 · Modified: Jan 23, 2024 by Christina Koncker · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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Refreshingly light, tart, and spicy, this Citrus Salsa is an easy, no-cook salsa perfect for scooping up with tortilla chips or pairing with fish.

It’s been Spring for about 5 minutes here in Minnesota. And Spring brings cravings for all things light and refreshing - and this Citrus Salsa is checking all the right flavor boxes. Light, check. Tart, check. Spicy, check!

AND, you don’t have to cook it! Can I get a win-win?

Grapefruit Salsa

This Grapefruit Salsa is fantastic paired with simply seasoned Air Fryer Walleye and Grilled Chicken Thighs. The acidity of citrus-forward salsa balances well with lighter proteins like fish and the smokiness of grilled proteins like chicken.

Jump to:
  • What is a no-cook salsa?
  • How to Make Citrus Salsa
  • What should I serve with Citrus Salsa?
  • Substitutions
  • Recent Recipes on Midwexican
  • Citrus Salsa (with Grapefruit)

What is a no-cook salsa?

Answer: your bestie! A no-cook salsa is a beautiful thing in that, as the descriptor indicates, you don't have to cook it. This means you can whip together a lovely fresh salsa in minutes. And typically with minimal prep and minimal ingredients.

Jalapeno, onion, white grapefruit, lime, and a sprinkle of salt are all you need for this no-cook Citrus Jalapeno Salsa. Should you feel so inclined, you can also add some fresh herbs, like parsley or cilantro. The result is an amazingly refreshing salsa with a wonderful zing thanks to the jalapeno.

How to Make Citrus Salsa

INGREDIENTS  

  • 1-2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
  • 1 small onion, finely diced (I used a white onion)
  • 1 white grapefruit
  • 1 lime
  • salt, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon parsley or cilantro, chopped optional

INSTRUCTIONS 

Peel and segment the white grapefruit and lime into sections, making sure to remove the skin, pith, and membranes. Chop the citrus sections into small pieces. Admittedly, I haven’t yet mastered the fruit segmenting thing, so I used my fingers to remove the skin, pith, and membranes from the fruit.

Add the white grapefruit and lime pieces, diced jalapeno, and diced onion to a bowl and stir to combine.

Sprinkle with a few dashes of salt, then taste. Add more salt if desired.

Refrigerate until ready to use. Let sit for at least an hour or two, but ideally 24 hours, before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld.

The salsa will be quite juicy, so strain before serving.

Hint. Save the juice after you strain the salsa to use as a marinade.

What should I serve with Citrus Salsa?

This Citrus Salsa recipe is perfect for scooping up with tortilla chips or pairing with delicate proteins like fish - everything from cod to swordfish to salmon. It's also fantastic with grilled fish and grilled chicken.

After letting the salsa hang in the fridge for 24 hours to let the flavors meld, I decided to grill up a few chicken thighs to make a refreshing salad, using the salsa as the ‘dressing’ to tie it all together. Do that, because it's simple and amazing.

Citrus Salsa

Substitutions

Here are some quick substitutions that will give you a fantastic citrus salsa outcome.

  • Instead of jalapeno, use whatever hot pepper you wish, like thai chilis or milder poblanos.
  • I used white onion, but red or yellow would work as well. Or get fancy and add shallot.
  • I used white grapefruit, but pink grapefruit also works beautifully. You could also branch out and try using a similar citrus, like a pomelo.
  • Feel free to swap the lime for a lemon.
  • Instead of parsley, fresh mint would be beautiful, as would a little bit of fresh tarragon.
  • On my to do list is to try adding in some fresh avocado (which I would add just before serving) and well as incredibly fresh tomato.
Citrus Salsa
Citrus Salsa with Grilled Chicken

Genius hack alert!

You’re going to need to strain the salsa before serving, as there will be excess juice from the grapefruit and lime. BUT, instead of tossing the juice, use it as a marinade! I marinated the above-pictured chicken thighs for 20-30 minutes in the extra Grapefruit Salsa juice. Then I seasoned the marinated chicken thighs with salt and pepper before cooking on a cast iron grill pan.

Citrus Salsa

So say hello to spring with this refreshingly no-cook grapefruit salsa.

If you're a salsa fan like me, give these other homemade salsa a go:

  • Spicy Pico de Gallo
  • Cucumber Pico de Gallo
  • Roasted Green Tomato Salsa
  • Roasted Garlic Guacamole

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Citrus Salsa (with Grapefruit)

Christina Koncker
Refreshingly light, tart, and spicy, this Citrus Salsa is an easy, no-cook salsa perfect for scooping up with tortilla chips or pairing with delicate proteins like fish.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course condiment, Snack
Cuisine Mexican-American
Servings 4
Calories 14 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1-2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
  • 1 small onion, finely diced (I used a white onion)
  • 1 white grapefruit
  • 1 lime
  • salt, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon parsley or cilantro, chopped optional

Instructions
 

  • Peel and segment the white grapefruit and lime into sections, making sure to remove the skin, pith, and membranes. Chop the citrus sections into small pieces. Admittedly, I haven’t yet mastered the fruit segmenting thing, so I used my fingers to remove the skin, pith, and membranes from the fruit.
  • Add the white grapefruit and lime pieces, diced jalapeno, and diced onion to a bowl and stir to combine.
  • Sprinkle with a few dashes of salt, then taste. Add more salt if desired.
  • Refrigerate until ready to use. Let sit for at least an hour or two, but ideally 24 hours, before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld.
  • The salsa will be quite juicy, so strain before serving.

Notes

I like it spicy, so I used 2 jalapenos, and it definitely had quite a bite! But if you prefer a milder salsa, just use one jalapeno. You could also replace the second jalapeno with a quarter of a finely chopped green bell pepper.
I seasoned the chicken simply after removing it from the marinade, with salt and pepper on each side. After bringing my cast iron grill pan to medium-high heat, I grilled the chicken thighs for a few minutes on each side. I’m not going to provide exact cooking times as they may vary, depending upon the size and thickness of each chicken thigh. I use a cooking thermometer to test for doneness, aiming for an internal temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit (the chicken will continue cooking as it rests). Once the desired doneness is achieved, I remove them from the grill pan and let them rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 14kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 0.4gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.02gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 57mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 134IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 0.2mg
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Christina from Midwexican

About Christina

I'm a Minnesota native who can't get enough of south-of-the-border flavors. My recipes combine comforting Midwestern eats with bold Mexican and Tex-Mex flavors. If you love comforting food, bold flavors, and - most importantly - tacos! then you'll love what I'm cooking!

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