Easy Homemade Raspberry Salsa Recipe

Tart, sweet, and delicious—this easy homemade raspberry salsa recipe has it all! It has seven simple ingredients and uses frozen or fresh raspberries for a flavorful salsa dip or condiment that takes minutes to make. 

Inspired by my mango salsa fresca recipe and the blackberry salsa I made for white bean tostadas, I made another fruit salsa. What's that rumble from the freezer? A bag of frozen raspberries was calling. 

The hint of raspberry sweetness, a little added coconut sugar, and vibrant color are so fresh and delicious! This salsa dip is worthy of your best tempeh tacos, refried black bean tostadas, or grabbing a big bowl of tortilla chips for your next party. 

⭐ Why You'll Love This Recipe

• A healthy, fat-free recipe with no additives or added oil.
• Naturally vegan using coconut rather than refined white sugar (that might not be vegan).
• Make a day ahead and let the flavors build.

📋 Ingredients and Notes

Raspberries. You'll need 2 cups of frozen or fresh raspberries. In anticipation of making salsa, I added a bag of frozen raspberries to an airtight container and thawed them overnight. 

Jalapeno peppers. Use 1-2 fresh chili peppers. Deseed and remove the yellow core for less spicy flavor. You can use other red or green chilies, or mild peppers if desired. Leave them out if you like mild salsa, or substitute with spicy chipotle chili powder, black pepper or a few red chili flakes. 

Coconut sugar. Tart raspberries need a little sweetener. Date sugar is a good substitute. You can also use maple syrup or date paste. 

Cilantro. It's salsa and that usually means cilantro. If you don't like the flavor, chopped parsley is a good option. 

Red onions. I like sweet onion in salsa, but you can use shallots, yellow, or green onions if that's what you have. 

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.

📖 Instructions

Start with fresh or thawed, frozen raspberries. Drain them with a mesh strainer to reduce the excess moisture. Save that juice and make a delicious smoothie with it if you like. Add them to a medium bowl with the rest of the ingredients. It's that simple!

🔪 Pro Tips

Mash fresh raspberries using a fork or potato masher or pulse them a few times in a food processor. Longer if you want raspberry sauce rather than chunkier salsa. 

How to thaw frozen berries

Add frozen berries to an airtight container or covered bowl and thaw in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours or overnight. 

Place the berry container in another bowl of hot water for quicker results. Don't submerge the berries. 

Use the defrost setting on your microwave for the best, quickest defrost method.

Denise's Tip: Running warm or hot water directly over frozen berries can diminish their juices and flavor. 

🍴 Serving Suggestions

I recently discovered that raspberry salsa is a delicious way to liven up stuffed zucchini boats. It's also a great addition to Mexican bulgur bowls and a flavorful way to garnish Instant Pot brown rice and French lentils.  

🌡️ Storage

Leftover salsa should be stored in an airtight container or covered bowl in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Warm it to room temperature and stir before serving. I don't recommend freezing salsa (of any kind) because it is too watery after thawing. 

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