A recipe for sweet and spicy salsa made with fresh papaya, jalapeno, cayenne peppers and more.
Sometimes all it takes for a recipe to come together is the inspiration of a single ingredient. In this case - the PAPAYA.
As we were walking through the local farmers' market, all manner of fresh foods found their way into our shopping bag.
Chili peppers of all sorts, avocados, potatoes, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, and a single super ripe papaya. Such a gorgeous fruit.
Papayas are mild but slightly sweet, with the consistency of a ripe mango and an almost buttery texture. They aren't quite as sweet as melon, and perfect for salsa, IMO.
So! Papaya Salsa it is, my friends. Something simple and something super easy to serve up at a party or an impromtu gathering. Salsa is always a hit for parties, pretty much a no-brainer, and I should emphasize that salsa making truly is relatively easy to do.
Salsa is essentially a mixture of chopped fruits and vegetables with other herbs and seasonings. From there you can serve it up fresh or cooked, blended or unblended. It all depends on the final goal you have in mind.
This is a cooked down version, with everything tossed into a hot pan, then blended in a food processor. You can always make yours a bit chunkier by processing only half of the mixture, or only processing it a little bit. Or, go as smooth as you'd like.
Even consider adding a bit of water for more of a table sauce. Either way, it tastes great! Look at the consistency. I want to dive right in there!
Papaya Salsa Ingredients
- Olive Oil.
- Onion. Chopped.
- Jalapeno Peppers. Chopped.
- Red Cayenne Pepper. Chopped.
- Garlic Cloves. Chopped.
- Papaya. Peeled, seeded and chopped.
- Tomatoes. Chopped.
- Cilantro. Chopped.
- White Vinegar.
- Salt.
Papaya Salsa - The Recipe Method
Heat a pan to medium heat and add olive oil.
Add onion and chili peppers and cook to soften.
Add garlic and cook another minute, stirring.
Add papaya, tomatoes and cilantro. Stir and cook to soften everything.
Add vinegar and salt. Reduce heat and simmer.
Transfer the batch to a food processor and process to form your salsa. It can be as thick or thin as you’d like.
Adjust for salt, cool and serve!
Patty's Perspective
LOVE this stuff. This salsa was so flavorful and unique that I wanted to keep it all to myself and make it my dinner. We served it as an appetizer. Too bad there was all this other great food coming! So, I had to share.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Salsa is essentially a mixture of chopped fruits and vegetables with other herbs and seasonings. From there you can serve it up fresh or cooked, blended or unblended. It all depends on the final goal you have in mind.
- You can always make your salsa a bit chunkier by processing only half of the mixture, or only processing it a little bit. Or, go as smooth as you'd like. Even consider adding a bit of water for more of a table sauce. Either way, it tastes great!
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Papaya Salsa in an airtight container in the fridge may allow to keep it for up to 2-3 days (3-5 days if the salsa has not been opened yet). To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate your salsa promptly.
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Papaya Salsa
Ingredients
- Splash of olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers chopped
- 1 long red cayenne pepper chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic chopped
- ½ papaya peeled, seeded and chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ cup white vinegar
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a pan to medium heat and add olive oil.
- Add onion and chili peppers and cook about 5 minutes to soften.
- Add garlic and cook another minute, stirring.
- Add papaya, tomatoes and cilantro. Stir and cook about 5 minutes to soften everything.
- Add vinegar and salt. Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the batch to a food processor and process to form your salsa. It can be as thick or thin as you’d like.
- Adjust for salt and cool.
- Serve!
Nutrition Information
Maja says
Oh no! mine turned out tasting only of vinegar & peppers. I should've gone with my gut and just add a bit of lemon juice and not almost the whole 1/2 cup at once.
Is European vinegar just more acidic? 1/2 cup seems a bit much, now that I have time to think about it 🙂
Maybe I'll try to salvage it by making another batch and mixing, even though I was just trying to get rid of an unwanted papaya 🙂
Mike Hultquist says
Maja, you can mix other fruits/vegetables/peppers in to balance that out as well.
Robert says
Sounds like I have to try this one. Question is: Will it last in the refer. for how long?
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy! This will last a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Robert says
Thanks for your help I'll give it a shot.
Mac says
Great recipe Mike, I had made some pulled jerk pork shoulder the day before and wanted something different from coleslaw. I only had small red and green Thai chilis. I used 4 of each for an 8 person portion and used 6% white wine vinegar. Reheated the pork, used the salsa when still hot to top the pork in a bun, awesome. I'm looking forward to seeing how the flavour develops when cold.
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it, Mac! Nice!
Mac says
BTW, check out the amazing health benefits of papaya seeds, https://pharmeasy.in/blog/health-benefits-of-papaya-seeds/
remember no more than 1 tsp per day, cheers.
Mike Hultquist says
Cheers, Mac!
Chad says
Was thinking. It would be awesome, if you posted the PH of each recipe. Perhaps, you don't worry about it. However, if you do, I know I'd be very thankful.
Mike Hultquist says
Chad, I usually only post pH of hot sauces. You can easily check with a good pH meter. I use Thermoworks. Best!
Big D of Loveland says
Incredible recipe.
Simple and delicious. My first time ever making salsa and I surprised myself with how it turned out. Didn't have any chips so I fried up some corn tortillas and made my own, I think they ended up tasting better than store bought chips. Would recommend.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, Big D! Glad you liked it! Nice with the homemade tortilla chips, too. I have a recipe for that, too! https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/cooking-with-chili-peppers/how-to-make-homemade-crispy-tortilla-chips/
Michelle B. says
WOW! I just made this... I made a small batch I just eyed the ingredient amounts, Since it turned out so good.... I'm making more right now. Unfortunately I didn't have a fresh cayenne pepper. I just used a big jalapeno and left the seed in .... a nice amount of heat. I will definitely make this salsa again and again and again...... I like how it looks like a tomato salsa but "surprise"
Super yummy!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Michelle. Thanks! Super happy you enjoyed it!
Whitlyn says
I would like to make this but do not know if to use green or ripe papaya
REPLY: Whitlyn, it is best to use ripe papaya. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Lydia Rose says
OMG, what a beautiful sight. A feast for the eyes as well as the tummy. I can almost taste it.
Wal-Mart has papaya but I have never bought one
I don't know when they are ripe and ready to use. I am absolutely going to try to make this salsa.
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
And now, with your permission, I am going to explore your site.