Fruit Salsa

Fruit salsa is a sweet, fresh twist of the original kind. Paired with cinnamon chips, this unique appetizer, or fruit-filled dessert, is sweet and light, without a hint of savory spice.

While traditional salsas contain tomatoes, onion and chile peppers (as do other fruit-based salsas), this take on salsa is all fruit, with a bit of added sugar for sweetness and tart lemon juice to brighten everything up. Paired with crispy tortillas dusted with sugar and cinnamon, it’s a healthy after-school snack or a refreshing summer dessert, and it will have your guests coming back for a second dip.

Fruit Salsa Ingredients

• Strawberries: Ruby-red strawberries are sweet and just firm enough to dice up easily as the base fruit for this salsa.
• Oranges: Diced-up oranges add a touch of acid and a lot of juice to bring everything together, similar to tomatoes in traditional salsa.
• Kiwifruit: Green kiwis add a pop of fresh, green color and texture to the recipe.
• Crushed pineapple: No extra dicing is needed, just pop open a can of pineapple to add sweetness and tropical flair.
• Lemon juice: Bright lemon juice balances the flavors and keeps any fruit from potentially browning.
• Sugar: Just in case your fruit isn’t the sweetest, the sugar adds a little insurance. It also helps the fruit macerate, keeping the salsa extra juicy.

Cinnamon Chip Ingredients

• Tortillas: Packaged tortillas make it a snap to make your freshly baked chips.
• Butter: Melted butter adds richness and allows tortillas to turn golden brown as they bake.
• Sugar: Like a riff on cinnamon sugar toast, sugar helps the chips get crispy and sweet.
• Cinnamon: Without the spice of cinnamon, these chips would be super-sweet without any complexity. Cinnamon warms up the flavor.

Directions

Step 1: Combine fruit salsa ingredients

Add the first six ingredients, strawberries, oranges, kiwi, crushed pineapple, lemon juice and sugar, to a large bowl. Gently stir and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Step 2: Prepare cinnamon chips

Brush tortillas with melted butter and cut each into eight wedges. Spread out on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle them with sugar and cinnamon.

Editor’s Tip: A pizza cutter makes quick work of cutting tortillas, and you can cut two at a time if you stack them.

Step 3: Bake cinnamon chips

Preheat oven to 350°F and bake tortilla chips until crisp, about 5 to 10 minutes. Offer the chips alongside a bowl of fruit salsa.

Recipe Variations for Fruit Salsa With Cinnamon Chips

• Use your favorite fruit: While we love the original fruit recipe, feel free to switch it up to what you have or what your guests love! Try stone fruits for summer (peaches, plums, cherries), go full-on tropical with mango and papaya and diced green apple for an extra crunch.
• Try a different dipper: If you don’t want to make freshly baked cinnamon chips, there are great store-bought varieties, and even cinnamon graham crackers. Alternatively, use purchased pie crust the same way you’d use tortillas (brush with butter, sprinkle with sugar and spice, and bake).
• Switch the citrus: Like limes more than lemons? Replace the lemon juice with freshly squeezed lime juice.

Can you make fruit salsa or cinnamon chips ahead of time?

Fruit salsa is best used as soon as possible. As the fruit and sugar sits, it will get very juicy and eventually mushy. Cinnamon chips can be made two to three days ahead of time and stored at room temperature in an air-tight container or zipper-top bag.

Tips for Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

How important is it to finely chop the fruit?

This is a key step because it’s what makes this a fruit salsa recipe instead of fruit salad. It also makes it easier to scoop up with a chip.

Is this different than the mango salsa I’ve had from the store or restaurants?

Yes, mango salsa is often a sweet and savory affair, combining fruit with elements like red onion, jalapeno, and fresh cilantro. This fruit salsa is sweet and bright, not savory or spicy.

What else can I eat with fruit salsa?

Just think of fruit salsa as a finely chopped fruit salad. If you run out of chips, it will be delicious in a yogurt parfait, or to top oatmeal or cottage cheese.