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Home » Papaya Salsa

Papaya Salsa

by Mike Hultquist · Feb 15, 2016 · 8 Comments

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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 Recipe

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.

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Papaya Salsa

A recipe for sweet and spicy salsa made with fresh papaya, jalapeno, cayenne peppers and more.
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Calories: 42kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 4
Tap or hover to scale
5 from 1 vote
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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

Calories: 42kcal   Carbohydrates: 8g   Protein: 1g   Sodium: 7mg   Potassium: 255mg   Fiber: 1g   Sugar: 4g   Vitamin A: 1000IU   Vitamin C: 31mg   Calcium: 20mg   Iron: 0.3mg
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

 

Categories: Appetizers Tags: cayenne peppers, Chili Pepper Madness, chili pepper recipe, game day and superbowl parties, jalapeno pepper, mexican, salsa recipe, tailgating

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Chad says

    May 30, 2022 at 1:24 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      May 30, 2022 at 6:08 am

      Chad, I usually only post pH of hot sauces. You can easily check with a good pH meter. I use Thermoworks. Best!

      Reply
  2. Big D of Loveland says

    July 06, 2019 at 9:48 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      July 06, 2019 at 9:51 am

      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/

      Reply
  3. Michelle B. says

    October 26, 2018 at 10:26 am

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 26, 2018 at 1:03 pm

      Awesome, Michelle. Thanks! Super happy you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  4. Whitlyn says

    February 23, 2018 at 2:12 am

    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.

    Reply
  5. Lydia Rose says

    May 04, 2016 at 9:52 pm

    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.

    Reply

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