Instantly Elevate Store-Bought Salsa With This Unexpected Fruit Addition

Store-bought salsa is often a safety net, a dependable landing spot whenever your cookouts and picnics need a flavorful side, or an impromptu craving has you rummaging through the fridge with a bag of chips late at night. You know exactly what you're getting most of the time: tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, cilantro, and that typical tangy spice. Finding tropical fruits like pineapple, grapefruit, or mango, though? That's unexpected, and it's exactly why adding these fruits to the mix is one of the best ways to add more flavor to store-bought salsa.

Fruity salsa is hardly a new concept. Still, the allure remains ever-exciting as you switch up the choices and discover all the ways different fruits interact with this Mexican staple. Each one brings new nuance to the table, playing into the push-and-pull flavor dynamic that shifts constantly between sweet, sour, tangy, and spicy. Use your store-bought jar as a base for creating a pineapple salsa, taking on the fruit's sweet vibrancy and tart brightness, making your supermarket find taste like summer in a bowl. 

Grapefruit offers its signature citrus magic — fragrant and zesty, laced with a bitter edge — that cuts right through the familiar tangy intensity of any store-bought salsa, despite how many options are on the market. And you certainly can't go wrong with mango, its rich, floral sweetness perfectly complementing the tomato base. Once you start exploring the potential, there's no stopping at just these few choices. Experiment with any fruit that comes to mind and make that store-bought salsa your own.

Finely chop the fruits into bite-sized pieces, and they should fit right into your salsa. During the summer, you might have the itch to toss them on the grill beforehand, and as long as you don't mind a bit of extra work, this is a great way to layer your salsa with a smoky undertone and the most gorgeous caramelized complexity. Whichever way you choose to use the fruits, make sure to add them right before you serve the salsa. The longer they sit, the more juices they will release, slowly rendering the crunchy bits to soft mush, which can be a deal-breaker for those who like their salsa chewy and chunky.

Of course, the most important step starts at the very beginning, with choosing the right fruits. Tropical varieties shine beside summery seafood dishes. Lay spoonfuls over grilled fish or into fish tacos, and those dishes are pure masterpieces. Pineapple, mango, and even a refreshing watermelon salsa, can all double as a side salad should your meal ever call for anything light and flavorful. Other summer harvests, such as peach, apricot, and berries, are also marvelous.

When winter rolls around, a fruity revamp can help the salsa fit seamlessly into any seasonal occasion. Just imagine a Thanksgiving dinner with persimmons and pomegranate salsa on the side, and sprinkles of cinnamon lacing in that cozy warmth. An apple salsa mixed with fresh chili peppers will light up the most ordinary pork dishes at your Christmas party, and those seared salmon and sea bass on your weeknight dinner rotation? They will be much better with a citrusy salsa.