Salsa doesn’t always have to be spicy—it can be cooling and refreshing too. That’s why we love this avocado salsa recipe: It’s packed with refreshing vegetables that offer complex textures and flavors. Creamy, cooling avocado acts as a rich base, while bell peppers and frozen corn add natural sweetness. Salty olives add a sour, briny flavor that plays beautifully with the rich, fatty flavor of the avocado, all of which gets tossed in bright and zesty lemon juice and cider vinegar.
The best part? This quick recipe couldn’t get any easier. Simply prep and season the vegetables, then refrigerate and let all the flavors develop before serving. Be mindful to reserve the avocado until right before you’re ready to serve—keeping the avocado in one piece until it’s time to serve it helps preserve its green color and firm texture.
Ingredients for Avocado Salsa
- Avocados: Creamy, mild and packed with gorgeous green color, avocados are the base for this fun salsa recipe. The smooth texture complements the crunch from the bell peppers, onions and olives.
- Frozen corn: Although you could use either fresh or frozen corn in this recipe, using frozen cuts your prep time in half. Let the corn thaw before mixing with the other ingredients so any excess moisture drips out and doesn’t water down your salsa.
- Olives: Ripe olives are like briny little salt bombs, so they’re a great addition to the fresh bell peppers, sweet corn and creamy avocados. They add complex texture to the chunky salsa.
- Sweet red pepper: Bell peppers are crunchy and packed with earthy, sweet flavor, so they make a great addition to chunky salsas like this one. This avocado salsa recipe doesn’t pack a ton of heat—instead, the peppers serve as a source of sweet, refreshing crunch.
- Onion: Onions add distinct flavor and aroma to all kinds of sauces, soups and salads, and that’s especially true in this avocado salsa recipe. The bold flavor of raw onion is zesty and slightly sweet, which pairs perfectly with the creamy avocado.
- Garlic: This is a mildly flavored salsa that doesn’t pack a ton of heat, but it gets a zesty and bold bite from the addition of five garlic cloves.
- Lemon juice: Any salsa needs a bit of acidity, and lemon juice is key to adding bright citrusy flavor to this recipe. The acid in the lemon also helps preserve the green color of the avocados and prevents them from oxidizing and turning brown once cut.
- Cider vinegar: The bright, vibrant flavor from vinegar is a great way to offset the rich, fatty flavor of the avocado. We chose apple cider vinegar for this recipe because it’s sour and acidic with notes of fruity sweetness.
- Oregano: Minty, earthy and slightly astringent, a bit of dried oregano is a great way to add complex flavor here.
- Tortilla chips: Scooping salsa just isn’t the same without a sturdy, salty chip.
Directions
Step 1: Combine, season and chill
Combine the corn, olives, red pepper and onion. In another bowl, mix the next seven ingredients, then pour the combination over the corn mixture, tossing to coat. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
Step 2: Add avocado and serve
Just before serving, chop avocados and stir gently into the salsa. Serve with tortilla chips.
Avocado Salsa Variations
- Skip the olives and corn: If you’re not a fan of olives or frozen corn, feel free to skip them! Though both ingredients add bold flavor, they’re not absolutely necessary to the recipe and can be omitted.
- Add in more heat: This is a mild salsa, so you can add a few sources of heat if you like it spicy. Diced jalapeno, poblano or serrano peppers would make great additions, but dried chili flakes are a quick, easy option too.
- Roast the peppers in advance: This is a chunky, crunchy salsa, and a lot of the crunch comes from the bell peppers. If you’d like to add a deep, smoky and caramelized flavor, try roasting the peppers before chopping them. To do so, you can roast the peppers under the broiler or over an open flame, then peel the skins off with a paring knife.
How to Store Avocado Salsa
To store this avocado salsa, transfer it to an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid, then into the refrigerator.
How long does avocado salsa last?
Avocado salsa can last for two to three days in the refrigerator. Adding a bit of extra lemon juice can help the avocados stay a bit more fresh. If you’d like to make this in advance and store it in the refrigerator for an extra day or two, hold off on adding the avocados. Cut avocados can get slimy, mushy or brown if they’re left in the refrigerator for too long, so mixing the other ingredients first and adding the avocado just before serving will help it last longer.
Avocado Salsa Tips
What’s the difference between guacamole and avocado salsa?
Guacamole and avocado salsa have a lot of similar ingredients, but the key difference comes down to texture. Guacamole is typically a creamy dip, whereas this avocado salsa is on the chunky side. Instead of mashing the avocados and combining them with the other seasonings and vegetables, this recipe leaves the avocado in chunks and gently tosses the ingredients together.
What are some ways to use avocado salsa?
Although avocado salsa is a delicious dip to enjoy on its own, you can also serve this salsa over chicken tacos, enchiladas or a burrito bowl. If you’re looking for a hearty breakfast, try scooping this salsa on a toasted piece of sourdough bread as a fun and flavorful alternative to typical avocado toast. As another flavorful and nutrient-packed breakfast alternative, serve this salsa with a plate of scrambled eggs.
