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?
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.
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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.
Citrus Salsa Recipe
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.
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.
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.
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:
Citrus Salsa (with Grapefruit)
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.
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