What Is Blueberry Salsa?

Blueberry salsa is a fresh, spicy-sweet salsa that includes blueberries as the main ingredient. Many blueberry salsa recipes include traditional salsa ingredients, like tomatoes and hot chili peppers, but others replace these ingredients with fruit. Homemade blueberry salsa can be a seasonal addition to a summer buffet spread, an unusual taco topping, or simply a low-calorie snack to enjoy with tortilla chips.

Recipes for blueberry salsa often call for chopped white onions, jalapeno peppers, red onions, and lime juice. Some of the blueberries may also be chopped, so their juices combine with the other flavors in the salsa. Everything is typically stirred together and allowed to rest for several hours, sometimes even overnight. The longer the salsa is allowed to marinade in its own juices, the more blended the flavors will become.

Those who don't like spicy salsas may want to replace the jalapenos and chilies with yellow or orange bell peppers. Not only are the colors festive, but the sweetness of these peppers may also compliment the sweetness of the blueberries. Some non-spicy recipes also include honey or sugar to help the salsa taste fruitier.

Cooks preferring very hot salsa may want to double the amount of hot peppers and add a dash or two of their favorite hot sauce to the mix. This may require the cook to double the amount of blueberries in the mixture as well, to balance the extra spice. Very sweet blueberries typically work well in especially spicy salsa mixes. A palm-full of chipotle powder may also add a spicy flavor without making the heat overwhelming.

Some cooks may not relish the idea of mixing blueberries with tomatoes and bell peppers; these individuals may replace a few of the vegetables in this salsa with other fruits. Pineapple, mango, papaya, strawberries, and even shredded coconut could all make delicious additions to blueberry salsa. To prevent the salsa from tasting too much like a fruit salad, the cook should typically choose two fruits to accompany the blueberries and fill in the rest of the salsa with hot peppers and sweet onions.

The acids and sweetness in blueberry salsa not only compliment tortilla chips, they may also go well with pork, chicken, or fish tacos. The sweetness of the berries could bring out the flavors in honey barbecued pork or underscore the meatiness of garlic marinated chicken. Salmon, shrimp, crab, and fresh tuna generally taste hearty and fresh when paired with spicy and sweet flavors.