Persimmon Salsa

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Just because tomato season is over doesn’t mean you can’t have fresh salsa. If you love fruit salsa, you need to try this persimmon salsa! It’s delicious on everything from tacos and chips to grilled pork chops.

We eat a lot of salsa down here. I mean, a lot. In the land of the breakfast taco (and lunch and dinner taco), it’s actually hard to avoid salsa.

When you want something a little different from classic salsa roja, turn to fruit salsas. Sure, tomatoes are also a fruit, but more “classic” fruits add a layer of sweetness to salsa that plays well with the savory onions, peppers, and spices.

I’ve made Pumpkin Persimmon Walnut Bread, Persimmon Sweet Potato Soup, and Persimmon Chocolate Cake with them. They’re versatile little fruits — I liken them to apples or peaches in their usefulness.

Persimmon is a great ingredient to turn into salsa. Lightly floral and honey in flavor, they’re the perfect fall fruit for peach lovers, and work so well in savory recipes.

key ingredients for persimmon salsa

Persimmons: Persimmons are squat, sweet orange fruits that come into their own in fall. For this recipe, you’ll want Fuyu persimmons, which look a bit like a tomato. Unlike their Hachiya cousins, you can eat Fuyu persimmons while they are crisp or soft. I’ve made this recipe with both stages of ripeness—it just depends whether you want a more pico de gallo-style chopped salsa or a saucier dip.

Jalapeño: I usually use jalapeño in salsa in order to not make them too spicy for the whole family. Keep the seeds in if you want it hotter, or consider swapping with serrano peppers.

Cilantro: Don’t skip the fresh cilantro, even if you have the soap gene like I do. It’s essential for salsa for that clean, zippy burst.

how to make persimmon salsa

The salsa comes together in a flash, with the hardest part being getting the flesh out of the persimmons. If they are firm, you can slice off the tops and peel them like an apple, then dice.

If your persimmons are super ripe, you can easily scoop the flesh out with a spoon. (Be sure to remove any seeds.) A melon baller is also a great tool for this, because then you don’t need to worry about peeling!

When you’re preparing the persimmons for persimmon salsa, don’t worry about any dark flecks you see in the fruit, as in the photo below. It’s completely normal!

After cutting/scooping the persimmon and chopping the other ingredients, pile it all into a food processor ^*. Pulse a few times until you have the texture you like. Chunkier is great for serving over meats, and smoother is ideal for dipping.

The sweetness of persimmons varies based on ripeness, so be sure to taste your finished persimmon salsa before serving and adjust seasonings.

We enjoyed this persimmon salsa over a pair of gorgeous coppa pork chops from my local butcher, so if tacos aren’t your bag, keep the recipe in your pocket for grilled meats, or just serve with chips.

(Although you really can’t go wrong with persimmon salsa on chicken tacos, in my opinion.)

more persimmon recipes

If my persimmon salsa recipe has you craving more persimmon recipes, not to worry!

In addition to my persimmon recipes above, you should check out Persimmon and Pumpkin Pudding Cake, Persimmon Ginger Gin Fizz, and Persimmon Apple Cider Mimosa from some of my fellow bloggers.

Enjoy this salsa with tacos, homemade tortilla chips, or over your favorite grilled meats or seafood.

This recipe was originally posted October 30, 2013 and last updated December 6, 2018.