Kelly JensenThis papaya salsa recipe is loaded with fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, and red onions for a great sweet & spicy dish. It’s great as a dip for chips, or to top roasted chicken, baked fish, or with bean and rice tacos.
This sweet & spicy salsa is made with ripe and juicy papaya, chopped red onion, jalapeno peppers, and herbs. An easy & tasty salsa recipe that requires no cooking! Great for summer BBQs, cookouts, or potlucks.
This sweet and spicy salsa gets a 10/10 for unbelievable flavor! When I have guests over for a summer barbecue, I always make fresh salsa (my pineapple pico de gallo is another favorite!) and this papaya salsa is a total crowd pleaser.
I absolutely love the sweet, tart, and juicy texture you get from fresh ripe papayas. They are perfect for breakfast bowls, for smoothies, and for adding to fruit salads. You can find papaya all year in the grocery store, so this salsa can be made any time of year.
This Papaya Salsa with Cilantro & Lime Recipe Is
- Bright
- Fresh
- Spicy
- Herby
- A Great No-Cook Recipe
- Perfect for Summer Entertaining
- Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Raw Vegan, & Dairy Free
Easy Appetizers with Papaya
This papaya salsa recipe makes a perfect appetizer or starter for your next gathering. With it’s sweet and spicy flavor combo, everyone will want to dig into this delicious salsa. It’s great with chips and gives a tropical kick to normal salsa recipes.
This recipe can be made in about 20 minutes, including any prep! That makes it an ideal appetizer you can get on the table fast. Browse all our easy tasty appetizer recipes for your next party favorite.
What’s In This Papaya Pico De Gallo Salsa?
I cook with fresh produce from my garden and from Misfits Market– they sell fantastic produce at a discounted price. We get Misfit boxes every other week and love picking out favorite produce for delivery. Get $10 off your first box here!
- Papaya – Fresh, ripe, sweet papaya is a fantastic addition to jazz up your salsa. It’s great with lime and cilantro, making it fantastic to dip!
- Onion – I used a red onion, but you could use white or yellow!
- Limes – freshly juiced!
- Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I like to use this fruity olive oil which has a fantastic flavor.
- Jalapeno Peppers – or a less spicy alternative, see note below!
- Cilantro – optional, if you like cilantro. If you don’t like cilantro, then use parsley instead so you still get some great herby flavor.
- Salt & Pepper
A Note For More/Less Spicy Salsa
This recipe is what I could consider “medium” spicy salsa – it definitely has heat, but it’s not overpowering. For a less spicy version, use only 1 jalapeno, or replace it with a milder green pepper such as poblano or bell pepper. For a spicier version, include the jalapeno seeds in the salsa for a fiery flavor.
How Do I Make Salsa with Papaya?
- Prep your papaya: slice it in half lengthwise and scoop out the inner seeds by using a spoon. Remove the skin, and finely dice the soft inner flesh of the papaya. Set aside.
- Finely dice the red onion and jalapeno peppers, and mince the garlic. You can do this by hand, or by pulsing the ingredients in a food processor (I’ve made this recipe with both methods, but I like the texture of hand-chopped. It only took me about 5 minutes longer than using a food processor – but up to you, whatever is easy!). Add the papaya, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and lime juice. Pulse again until your salsa reaches the desired consistency.
- If the salsa is watery (which it can be, depending on the ripeness of the papaya you use), you can choose to drain the salsa before serving.
- Garnish with fresh cracked pepper, and enjoy as a dip or as a topping for fish tacos, chicken, or burritos.
A No Cook Tropical Salsa for Summer
This no-cook papaya cilantro salsa is a quick and simple recipe. I love a good no-cook recipe for those days when I’m not feeling like standing around the stove, or for summer nights when it’s too hot to cook. I have a whole collection of recipes that require zero cooking at all, check them out here!
This salsa comes together in about 15 minutes, and doesn’t require the stove or microwave to make. Just use a few fridge & pantry staple ingredients and you have an easy meal ready in no time. And very little to clean up afterwards… an added bonus!
More Fresh Party Appetizers You’ll Love!
Tajin Fruit Salad Recipe (Gluten Free, Vegan)
Summer Berry Salad with Honey-Lemon Dressing Recipe
Peach Bruschetta with Goat Cheese and Honey
Spicy Pineapple Salad with Jalapeno and Lime Recipe
Mini Caprese Skewers Recipe (No Cook Vegetarian Appetizer)
Share this Sweet and Spicy Tropical Salsa Recipe
As always, if you make this easy papaya salsa recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipes!
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Papaya Salsa with Cilantro & Lime
Equipment
- Food Processor (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 large papaya
- 1/2 large red onion chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 jalapeno peppers stems and seeds removed *see note for spiciness
- 1 cup fresh cilantro diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 limes juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- freshly ground Tellicherry Black Pepper for garnish
Instructions
- Prep your papaya: slice it in half lengthwise and scoop out the inner seeds by using a spoon. Remove the skin, and finely dice the soft inner flesh of the papaya. Set aside.
- Finely dice the red onion and jalapeno peppers, and mince the garlic. You can do this by hand, or by pulsing the ingredients in a food processor (I've made this recipe with both methods, but I like the texture of hand-chopped. It only took me about 5 minutes longer than using a food processor - but up to you, whatever is easy!). Add the papaya, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and lime juice. Pulse again until your salsa reaches the desired consistency.
- If the salsa is watery (which it can be, depending on the ripeness of the papaya you use), you can choose to drain the salsa before serving.
- Garnish with fresh cracked pepper, and enjoy as a dip or as a topping for fish tacos, chicken, or burritos.
Notes
*A Note For More/Less Spicy Salsa
This recipe is what I could consider "medium" spicy salsa - it definitely has heat, but it's not overpowering. For a less spicy version, use only 1 jalapeno, or replace it with a milder green pepper such as poblano or bell pepper. For a spicier version, include the jalapeno seeds in the salsa for a fiery flavor.Save on Fresh Groceries & Pantry Staples
I love shopping for fresh produce through Misfits Market. They sell fresh produce, pantry staples, and fantastic groceries (even wine!) at a discounted price. Choose your favorite seasonal produce, enjoy delivery right to your door, & $10 off your first box by clicking here. Getting groceries online has turned out to be a huge time and money saver for us. If you haven't tried a produce box yet, I highly recommend trying one out!Nutrition
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My first use of papaya and boy was it good