Sweet Apricot Salsa

I stumbled upon this apricot salsa recipe last summer when I had a bunch of ripe apricots sitting on my counter, and let me tell you, it’s become my go-to dip for every backyard gathering since. The sweetness of the apricots paired with fresh jalapeño creates this amazing sweet-and-spicy combo that has everyone asking for the recipe. Trust me, once you try this fruity twist on traditional salsa, you’ll be making it all season long!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 100-130
• Protein: 2-3 g
• Fat: 0-1 g
• Carbohydrates: 26-32 g

Ingredients

• 1 cup apricots (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 cup tomato (diced)
• 1/4 cup onion (finely minced)
• 2 tsp jalapeño (seeded and minced)
• 3 tbsp cilantro (freshly chopped)
• 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp smoked paprika

Step 1: Prepare All Ingredients

• 1 cup apricots, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 cup tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup onion, finely minced
• 2 tsp jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 3 tbsp cilantro, freshly chopped

Dice the apricots into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside.

Dice the tomato into similar-sized pieces.

Finely mince the onion and seeded jalapeño (I like to remove the jalapeño seeds and white membrane to control the heat level—this keeps the salsa flavorful without overwhelming heat).

Chop the fresh cilantro and have all ingredients measured and ready before combining.

Step 2: Build the Salsa Base

• prepared tomato from Step 1
• prepared onion from Step 1
• prepared jalapeño from Step 1
• prepared cilantro from Step 1
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice

In a medium bowl, combine the tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, salt, red wine vinegar, honey, and lime juice.

Stir well to combine, allowing the salt to begin dissolving and the lime juice to start breaking down the onion slightly, which mellows its raw bite.

This layering of flavors before adding the apricots helps everything marry together beautifully.

Step 3: Add the Apricots and Spices

• prepared apricots from Step 1
• salsa base from Step 2
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp smoked paprika

Gently fold the diced apricots into the tomato mixture, along with the ground cumin and smoked paprika.

Stir gently to distribute the spices evenly without breaking down the apricots or tomato pieces.

The cumin adds warmth and the smoked paprika brings subtle depth—I prefer folding rather than stirring vigorously to keep the salsa chunky and fresh.

Step 4: Let Flavors Meld

• finished salsa from Step 3

Allow the salsa to sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving.

This resting time lets the apricots soften slightly and all the flavors blend together, creating a more cohesive and balanced salsa.

The longer it sits, the more the sweet apricots integrate with the savory and tangy elements.

Step 5: Taste and Adjust

• finished salsa from Step 4

Before serving, taste the salsa and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Add a pinch more salt if it needs depth, or a squeeze of fresh lime juice if you want more brightness and acidity to balance the apricots' natural sweetness.

Step 6: Serve

• finished salsa from Step 5

Transfer the salsa to a serving bowl and enjoy with tortilla chips, tacos, grilled chicken, fish, or any dish that could use a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy boost.

Sweet Apricot Salsa

Delicious Sweet Apricot Salsa recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2.5 cups of salsa

Calories: 115

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup apricots (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 cup tomato (diced)
• 1/4 cup onion (finely minced)
• 2 tsp jalapeño (seeded and minced)
• 3 tbsp cilantro (freshly chopped)
• 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp smoked paprika

Method

 

1. Dice the apricots into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside. Dice the tomato into similar-sized pieces. Finely mince the onion and seeded jalapeño (I like to remove the jalapeño seeds and white membrane to control the heat level—this keeps the salsa flavorful without overwhelming heat). Chop the fresh cilantro and have all ingredients measured and ready before combining.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, salt, red wine vinegar, honey, and lime juice. Stir well to combine, allowing the salt to begin dissolving and the lime juice to start breaking down the onion slightly, which mellows its raw bite. This layering of flavors before adding the apricots helps everything marry together beautifully.
3. Gently fold the diced apricots into the tomato mixture, along with the ground cumin and smoked paprika. Stir gently to distribute the spices evenly without breaking down the apricots or tomato pieces. The cumin adds warmth and the smoked paprika brings subtle depth—I prefer folding rather than stirring vigorously to keep the salsa chunky and fresh.
4. Allow the salsa to sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving. This resting time lets the apricots soften slightly and all the flavors blend together, creating a more cohesive and balanced salsa. The longer it sits, the more the sweet apricots integrate with the savory and tangy elements.
5. Before serving, taste the salsa and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add a pinch more salt if it needs depth, or a squeeze of fresh lime juice if you want more brightness and acidity to balance the apricots' natural sweetness.
6. Transfer the salsa to a serving bowl and enjoy with tortilla chips, tacos, grilled chicken, fish, or any dish that could use a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy boost.