If you are looking for easy persimmon recipes, you’ll love the bright, fresh flavors of this simple Persimmon Salsa recipe. The slight sweetness of firm Fuyu persimmons, onion, tomato, fresh lime juice and a little heat from fresh chili pepper, turns a simple fruit salsa into a great appetizer or snack served with tortilla chips or a great side dish to serve with many main dishes.
Easy Persimmon Salsa Recipe
Supermarkets and farmer’s market are stocked up with lovely persimmons this time of the year. Similar to pico de gallo but with a hint of sweetness like mango salsa, small pieces of crisp Fuyu persimmons add freshness and a hint of sweetness to this healthy snack.
The different flavor pops – tangy, savory, sweet and spicy, makes this Fuyu persimmon salsa interesting and such crowd pleasing dish. Served with crispy tortilla chips, this is a great addition to your Superbowl party menu or the perfect side dish to pair with grilled meats, fish tacos and more.
What You’ll Need to Make Persimmon Salsa?
- Persimmons: To make salsa, the non-astringent and seedless Fuyu variety is the one to get. They have a round squat shape reminiscent of mini pumpkins. When choosing persimmons, pick ripe ones that feel firm to the touch and are shiny and free of blemishes. Stay away from super hard or extra soft persimmons which most likely are too ripe to chop up.
- Onion: Red onion adds color and a little bite. yellow, brown or white onions can be used.
- Fresh Chiles: Jalapeños or serrano peppers are usually what I use for salsa or pico de gallo. If you love spicy food you can use spicier chiles like habaneros.
- Cilantro: Adds freshness and flavor to this salsa. If you don’t like cilantro, use fresh parsley or fresh basil.
- Lime Juice: Use fresh lime juice or fresh lemon juice. The bottled juice tastes nothing like real citrus juice.
- Tomato: A must when making pico de gallo or Mexican salsa
- Pomegranate: The ruby-red pomegranate arils are a winter favorite and for good reason. Pomegranates are packed with antioxidants and all sorts of anti-inflammatory properties. as an added benefit, it adds great texture and flavor to this crowd-pleasing veggie appetizer.
Popular Additions and Substitutions
- Use brown or yellow onions.
- Use fresh lemon juice if you don’t have fresh limes handy.
- Skip the pomegranate arils and add chopped dried cranberries or cherries.
- Add small pieces of orange, apples and/or kiwi.
How to Make Persimmon Salsa?
- First, chop the persimmons into small dice. Persimmons like tomatoes, don’t need to be peeled when using them for salads or salsas.
- Cut the red onion, jalapeño and tomato. I like chopping everything into smaller pieces, including the fresh cilantro, that way when scooping with a crispy tortilla chip, you get a small bit of every ingredient all in one bite.
- Place all ingredients in a bowl and season with fresh lime juice, salt and black pepper. Serve.
Tips for Making the Best Persimmon Salad
- Make the salsa at least an hour before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld together.
- Chop ingredients into small uniform pieces. Smaller pieces are easier to scoop up!
- If your onions seem a bit strong or potent, place them in a small fine mesh sieve/colander. Add a generous amount of salt to the onion and give them a quick stir. Let the salted onions sit for about 2-3 minutes, then rinse them under cold running water. The strong taste will vanish like a magic trick. Another option, is to soak the onions in cold water for 30 minutes (who has time for that?).
- It’s best to chop the ingredients by hand. A food processor can make everything a bit mushy.
- If you prefer a sweeter salsa, add a bit of honey or sugar to the mixture. If using sugar, allow the salsa to sit for at least 20 minutes so then sugar can drawout some of the natural sweetness of the persimmons.
What are Persimmons?
Persimmons are an edible fruit with shiny, tight skin that originated in China. These days is not uncommon to find a persimmon tree in many Asian countries as well as in the US (especially in California). This autumn and winter fruit come in many different varieties. The two most popular varieties are astringent persimmons, such as the Hachiya persimmon, which is inedible until fully ripe and extremely soft; and the non-astringent variety known as Fuyu persimmons, which are similar in texture to tomatoes, and can be eaten hard or soft, with or without the skin just as you would eat a tomato or an apple – right off the tree.
What Does Persimmons Taste Like?
Persimmons are mildly sweet and slightly tangy with notes of honey and cinnamon when fully ripe. The texture is similar to the texture of an apricot. When unripe, they are sour and bitter as they contain many tannins. Make sure you eat persimmons that are orange in color and fully ripe, the unripe ones can leave a bad taste in your mouth.
Can You Eat Persimmons Raw?
Yes, you can eat persimmons raw and with the skin on. Persimmons are sweet when ripe but astringent and sometimes bitter when not fully ripe.
Serve fresh persimmon salsa with these delicious dishes:
- Blackened Salmon
- Beef Taquitos (Baked or Air Fried)
- Baked Chicken Breast
- Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
- Fish Tacos
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Persimmon Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 Fuyu persimmons diced (about 2 cups)
- 1/4 cup red onion finely diced
- 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper seeded and finely diced
- 1 small tomato finely diced (with some of the seeds removed)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
- Fresh lime juice about 2 teaspoons or more to taste
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the diced persimmons, diced onion, diced jalapeño , tomato and cilantro in a medium bowl. Add the pomegranate seeds (arils) and lime juice. Toss to combine. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve with tortilla chips, pita chips, quesadillas or tacos. It can also be served as a side dish with grilled meats, fish, etc.
Recipe Notes
- If possible, make the salsa at least an hour before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld together.
- Chop ingredients into small uniform pieces. Smaller pieces are easier to scoop up!
- As an appetizer, serve with tortilla chips or pita chips.
- As a side dish, serve it with grilled meats, pan seared fish or tofu.
- Leftovers can be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
- You can use fresh lemon juice instead of fresh lime juice.
- Instead of fresh cilantro, use fresh basil or parsley.
- This recipe yields about 2 1/2 cups (depending on the size of the persimmons). The nutrition facts reflect the amount of calories in 2 1/2 cups.
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