Recipes Appetizers Dips Salsa 21 Vibrant Salsa Recipes By Food & Wine Editors Updated on March 11, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Aubrie Pick Oh salsa, let us count the ways we love you. Spicy or mild, smooth or chunky, smoky or fruity, crisp or creamy, salsa comes in so many iterations that we couldn't possibly pick a favorite. Whether you're looking to top your steak, dip your chips, fill your tacos, or sauce your chilaquiles, this collection of 21 flavor-packed salsa recipes is sure to have precisely what you're craving. We even have some unique riffs on the classics, like a pepita-sesame salsa macha, a pomegranate-pistachio salsa, and an avocado-green pea variation that's awesome with baked rice dishes. Keep scrolling to decide which one you'll make first. 01 of 21 Salsa Macha Jen Causey This outside-the-box salsa is made from a fragrant blend of toasted chiles, garlic, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Spoon it over Tuna-Avocado Ceviche, grilled fish, quesadillas, tacos, Mexican-style street corn, salad, pizza, or crusty bread. Get the Recipe 02 of 21 Tomatillo Salsa Cruda Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva 2021 F&W Best New Chef Fermín Núñez's raw tomatillo salsa combines tart, fresh tomatillos; jalapeño and serrano chiles; tender scallions; and pungent cilantro for a juicy, refreshing salsa perfect for topping tacos, eggs, or tortilla chips. Get the Recipe 03 of 21 Salsa Taquera Clay Williams Sweetness from the tomato and tang from the tomatillos complement the mellow (but not overpowering) onion and garlic flavors in this salsa. Soaking the jalapeños and chiles de árbol tempers their piquancy without dulling their flavors. Get the Recipe 04 of 21 Pomegranate Salsa with Pistachios Photo by Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This fresh pomegranate salsa combines charred onion and peppers, fresh herbs, and a tart sherry vinegar reduction in flavorful balance. With a nice crunch from the pomegranate arils and chopped pistachios, this salsa is equally suited for serving with chips or for spooning over chicken or fish. Get the Recipe 05 of 21 Habanero Salsa © Con Poulos Habanero chiles are incredibly fiery but their naturally fruity flavor is delicious with the orange juice in the salsa here. To make the salsa even sweeter (which helps balance the heat), Alex Stupak roasts the chiles and onions before blending with the other ingredients. Get the Recipe 06 of 21 Pico de Gallo Matt Taylor-Gross Pico de gallo is a traditional Mexican salsa with an emphasis on using the freshest ingredients. Tomatoes, white onions, cilantro, and lime juice are fairly standard; some versions, like this one, also contain green onions and jalapeño for an extra kick of flavor and heat. It's a versatile dish that can and should be enjoyed in limitless ways. Get the Recipe 07 of 21 Hatch Chile Salsa Victor Protasio Hatch chile fans flock to Hatch, New Mexico, every September for the pepper's namesake festival, and you can buy the chiles online year-round. To accentuate their medium-spicy, fruity flavor, we combine them with garlic, sweet onions, and tomatillos in this super-simple salsa that's great on a burger, enchiladas, or fried eggs. Get the Recipe 08 of 21 Salsa Criolla (Peruvian Red Onion Relish) © Kate Winslow Soaking red onion briefly in cold water helps temper its bite. Serve this fresh relish alongside grilled steak, roast chicken, over tacos, or anything that can use a little crisp piquancy. Get the Recipe 09 of 21 Salsa Negra © John Kernick Chef Carlos Salgado makes this smoky, spicy, rich salsa negra with black garlic and two types of dried chile. He also uses it to spike rice and beans, but you may want to put it on absolutely everything. Get the Recipe 10 of 21 Avocado and Roasted Tomatillo Salsa © Fredrika Stjärne Chef Tim Cushman purees avocados with roasted tomatillos, garlic, and jalapeño to create a tangy guacamole-like dip that's great with tortilla chips. Get the Recipe 11 of 21 Salsa Fresca Victor Protasio This fresh salsa from the Yucatán region of Mexico features crunchy, cool vegetables like jicama, cucumber, and radish. Or mix and match those vegetables with fresh chopped tomatillo, tomato, mango, or pineapple. Serve it as a refreshing side dish with grilled meat or as a colorful salad topper. Get the Recipe 12 of 21 Árbol Chile Salsa © Con Poulos Chef Alex Stupak's spicy, tangy salsa, made with 50 dried árbol chiles, is an amazing all-purpose hot sauce. According to Stupak, the salsa lasts indefinitely and even improves with age. Get the Recipe 13 of 21 Salsa Verde Cocida Clay Williams Cristina Martínez and Ben Miller of the beloved restaurant South Philly Barbacoa shared the recipe for this smooth salsa verde with serious depth of flavor. It packs a bit of piquancy from the jalapeños, but the heat is balanced by slightly sweet and tropical notes of green ground cherries, while epazote and cilantro give subtly earthy, pleasantly bitter flavors. Get the Recipe 14 of 21 Pepita-Sesame Salsa Macha Aubrie Pick Classic salsa macha is a combination of dried chiles, garlic, and peanuts. For her version, chef Traci des Jardins pairs sweet guajillo chiles with sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds, giving this salsa a subtle nuttiness and crunchy texture. Get the Recipe 15 of 21 Tangy Corn Salsa Greg DuPree Chef Maricel Presilla uses this crisp salsa to accent her Ecuadoran chowder (pictured above), as well as grilled chicken and fish. It also makes a great dip for tortilla chips. To turn up the heat, add one finely chopped fresh chile, such as cayenne or serrano. Get the Recipe 16 of 21 Grilled Tomatillo Salsa Verde © Helene Dujardin Lightly charring the vegetables before pureeing them gives this salsa verde an alluring smokiness; fresh cilantro and tart lime juice added at the end make all the flavors pop. Get the Recipe 17 of 21 Mango-Tomato Salsa © IAN KNAUER Fresh mangoes help balance the spiciness in this tropical salsa recipe. Get the Recipe 18 of 21 Salsa de Chile Fresco Asado (Roasted Fresh Chile Salsa) © Lucy Schaeffer You can think of this salsa as a not-too-smooth, fresh version of your typical rusty-orange hot sauce — fresh chiles replace dried ones, fresh lime juice replaces vinegar. In its pure simplicity (no additions, no riffs), this salsa is one of chef Rick Bayless' favorites, too. Get the Recipe 19 of 21 Avocado-Green Pea Salsa © Con Poulos This unusual, colorful salsa from chef Jose Enrique combines green peas and creamy diced avocado with a hit of lime. It's outstanding with baked rice dishes like arroz con pollo. Get the Recipe 20 of 21 Salsa Casera Victor Protasio Use this simmered, fresh tomato sauce for chilaquiles or huevos rancheros, or sauté a few spoonfuls to start your next pot of rice, beans, or braised beef. Make extra and keep it in your refrigerator to drizzle over meals and snacks all week. Get the Recipe 21 of 21 Four-Citrus Salsa © Lucy Schaeffer Juicy bits of orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime form the base of this vibrant salsa; green olive tapenade and sliced red onion add extra zestiness, which makes this salsa so good on everything from fish to avocado. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit