14 Taco Salsa Recipes to Spice Up Appetizers, Main Dishes, & Dips (2024)

14 Easy Mexican Dishes for Bold Flavors in 30 Minutes or Less

Grilled Strawberry Salsa Fresca

Instead of tomatoes, try grilling up some strawberries to make this fresh taco salsa recipe. Combined with jalapeño, onion, garlic, and lime, bring the perfect amount of tang and spice to every bite. Enjoy with chips or serve alongside grilled chicken.

Classic Salsa Verde

Bring bold flavor to your homemade traditional taco salsa by broiling tomatillos, serrano, and poblano chile peppers to get a bit of char. A quick blend of garlic, salt, and a hint of sugar gives the salsa a savory-sweet finish. Stir in a bit of onion and cilantro before diving in chip first.

Salsa Picante

Picante means "spicy" in Spanish, and this tomato salsa recipe delivers the heat. Use a couple of jalapeño or serrano peppers if you really want to set your mouth on fire. All the salsa ingredients are chopped super tiny, making it even easier to scoop up a big bite with your chips.

Avocado-Poblano Salsa

This colorful salsa recipe will be the star of your next taco night. It's got broiled poblanos for a nice smoky spice and avocado for a cool, creamy finish. If you want to make this homemade taco salsa ahead, leave out the avocado and stir in the fresh fruit just before serving.

Pico de Gallo

This zippy salsa is a favorite for good reason. Pico de gallo is usually a little less spicy than classic Mexican salsa, which makes it great for topping taco recipes, quesadillas, and burritos. This simple recipe calls for just four ingredients, making it a cinch to chop and toss together just before dinner.

Pineapple Salsa

Give classic salsa a sweet spin by swapping juicy pineapple for tomato. You still use the other taco salsa ingredients like onion, cilantro, and jalapeño, but pineapple makes it fruity and appealing to any of the tomato-averse people in your life. To make this salsa recipe even easier, use canned diced pineapple to eliminate one prep step.

Chunky Homemade Salsa

If you want to make salsa for the first time, this classic tomato version is the ticket. It's chunky, packed with peppers, and makes a big batch, so there's plenty to go around. This homemade recipe is cooked on the stove top to really develop the flavors. It looks and tastes like a better version of what you'll find in the jar at the store.

Salsa with Dried Chiles and Tomatillos

This taco salsa recipe gets its heat from guajillo chile and chile de arbol. The tomatillos bring a bright, slightly tart flavor to the salsa. Keep a jar in the fridge for easy snacking for up to a week.

Quick Fruit Salsa

Kiwi in salsa? We promise it's delicious. You might think of fresh salsa recipes as appetizers, but this fruity version can easily become a sauce for your favorite grilled meats. And if you're not a fan of cilantro, this salsa recipe uses basil for a change of pace.

Strawberry Rhubarb Salsa

Utilize in-season produce in this vibrant red fruit salsa. Sweet and a bit tangy, this salsa recipe makes six half-pint jars, so can them now and enjoy them later. Try dipping them with cinnamon-dusted baked pita chips for a perfect pre-dinner snack.

Spicy Black Bean Salsa

Heartier than your average taco salsa recipe, this appetizer features fiber-rich black beans. The zip is courtesy of lime juice and jalapeño. You can stir together this simple dish in less than 20 minutes, but it's most flavorful if it chills for a few hours before serving.

Black Bean-Mango Salsa

This fresh mango salsa recipe introduces tropical fruits to your family in an approachable way. It just may be their new favorite salsa recipe. As a bonus, it gets more delicious as the flavors meld, so it's an ideal make-ahead party dip.

Roasted Salsa Roja

Have a large tomato haul from the garden? Utilize three pounds of the fruit to make this roasted salsa recipe. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, and onion before popping them under the broiler for less than 10 minutes to achieve a deeper flavor.

Salsa Mexicana

This delicious authentic Mexican salsa recipe comes from Gabriela Cámara, the chef behind celebrated restaurants in Mexico City and San Francisco. The recipe calls for serrano chiles, which can have a stronger spice than jalapeños—depending on your tolerance, you can leave the seeds in our out to boost the heat.