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Home » Sauces & Condiments

Kick-in-the-Face Kiwi Salsa Recipe

Published: Mar 1, 2021 · Modified: Dec 5, 2024 by Paula · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

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Kiwi Salsa is my new favourite winter pick-me-up. It's one of my all-time favorite kiwi recipes because it's so zingy and refreshing, easy to make, and jazzes up so many otherwise basic dinners. This kiwi salsa is officially part of my complete strategy for saying a big F-U to the cold weather blues.

I've had salsa on my mind a lot lately because as I'm writing this, we're nearing the end of winter. After months of dark afternoons and snow, rain, and general gloominess, I'm feeling ready to get outside, cheer-the-heck up, and get some bright sunny energy into my life in whatever way possible. This delightfully gingery Kiwi Salsa is one of the ways I'm doing that.

What you'll need to make this kiwi fruit recipe 🥝

This salsa is one of the best uses for kiwifruit IMO. Here's what you'll need:

  • Kiwi: Try to get nice ripe ones. You can use green or yellow kiwis here.
  • Ginger: This is a key ingredient. If you've never had kiwi and ginger together, you're in for a treat!
  • Lime: Nothing beats lime juice in any salsa recipe.
  • Shallot: I like the sweet mildness of shallot in this kiwi salsa recipe. But if red onion is what you've got, it'll work too.
  • Cilantro: I guess it's optional, but I think the savouriness of it plays off the sweet, tart kiwi really well. And I just love cilantro.
  • Salt: Just because.

How to make this Kiwi Salsa recipe

Putting this kiwi salsa together couldn't be easier.

Step 1 - Peel the kiwis and chop them into small cubes - about 1 centimetre each (or smaller).

chopped kiwi in a bowl
Here's the size of the kiwi cubes we're going for

Step 2 - Put the chopped kiwi in a bowl, and grate the ginger in using a Microplane or fine grater.

a piece of ginger about to go into a bowl of kiwi salsa.

Step 3 - Finely mince the shallot and add that to the ginger and kiwi.

Step 4 - Add the cilantro and the salt, squeeze over the lime juice and stir to combine.

kiwi salsa ingredients in a bowl.

Step 5 - Serve the kiwi salsa with fish, chicken, shrimp, over grilled halloumi, or just about anything you can imagine.

lettuce cups filled with poached prawns and kiwi salsa.
Poached shrimp and kiwi salsa nestled into some lettuce cups. Highly recommend!

Tips for success

These tips for success will help you make the best Kiwi Salsa:

  1. Try to find kiwis that are nice and ripe, but not too soft. If they're unripe, they'll be hard and sour. If they're too soft, you'll end up with a mushy salsa. Plus, if they're perfectly ripe, you can easily peel them with a spoon! (keep the spoon handy and you can use it to peel the ginger too!
peeled kiwis and their skins on a cutting board.

2. To get the most juice out of your lime, be sure to roll it on the countertop before you cut into it. More lime juice means more deliciousness (at least in my opinion).

Ways you can adapt this recipe

  • If you don't like cilantro, feel free to leave it out. A bit of parsley would be nice in it's place, or you can just go herb-free.
  • If you don't have shallots, feel free to use finely diced red onion, or the white part of green onion instead.

What goes well with this Kiwi Salsa?

This salsa is super versatile. Add a spoonful to the top of your grilled chicken, fish, halloumi cheese, or top your tacos or burrito bowls with it.

Storage tips

Make it, eat it. The end!

Just kidding. If you must, you can definitely keep this Kiwi Salsa in the fridge for up to a day, but if at all possible, I highly recommend eating it within an hour or so of making it. It's really important that the kiwi retain its firmness and integrity. The longer it sits, the softer it'll get, and the sadder you will be. (Kidding again. It's really no big deal.)

fresh kiwis ready to be prepared.

Frequently asked questions

What if I can't find kiwifruit?

The ingredients in this kiwifruit salsa could really act as supporting ingredients for any in-season, juicy, fresh fruit. Peaches or nectarines in summer? Yes. Persimmons in December? Definitely. Think of this as a fruit salsa framework.

What if I can't find shallots?

Use red onion or the white part of green onion. It'll be great!

Why isn't my kiwi peeling as yours does in the video?

Probably because it's underripe. If the kiwis are too firm, you can't really use that trick. Sorryyy!

My kiwis are definitely underripe. What do I do?

Add up to a teaspoon of honey or sugar to the salsa and allow it to sit for 20-30 minutes after it's mixed together. You'll never know the difference

Still Hungry?

If you like this kiwi salsa recipe, you might also like:

  • Smashed Cucumber Salad
  • Sweet Sambal Green Beans
  • Spinach Walnut Pesto

I hope you love this kiwi fruit salsa as much as I do! It is truly one of my favorite kiwi fruit recipes of all time. If you love it, please feel free to share this recipe with a friend. We could all use a little kick from time to time! If you tag me @howtomakedinner I'll be able to see your salsas, and I'd really love that.

kiwi salsa ingredients in a bowl.

Kick-in-the-Face Kiwi Salsa

This kiwi salsa delivers on so many levels. It's bright and refreshing, and it offers just the right amount of sweet and savoury. SO good.
4.63 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Sauces & Condiments
Servings 1 .5 cups
Calories 40 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 5 kiwis
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger about a 1-inch piece
  • ½ shallot
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Peel the kiwi and chop into small cubes, about 1 centimetre each
  • Transfer the kiwi into a medium-sized bowl, and grate in the ginger
  • Finely dice the shallot, and add to the bowl with the kiwi and ginger
  • Squeeze in the lime juice
  • Chop the cilantro and add to the bowl with the kiwi, ginger, and lime juice
  • Season with salt, and mix well to combine.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 40kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gSodium: 179mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Comments

  1. Tara Wagner says

    August 18, 2022 at 9:47 pm

    5 stars
    My husband loves this salsa! (I’m not a kiwi fan so I couldn’t say lol but he raves about it.) Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  2. Tara Wagner says

    August 18, 2022 at 9:48 pm

    5 stars
    My husband loves this salsa! (I’m not a kiwi fan so I couldn’t say lol but he raves about it.) Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Paula says

      September 11, 2022 at 4:54 pm

      I'm so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know 🙂

      Reply
  3. maureen says

    December 19, 2023 at 8:05 pm

    so easy to make. my family loved on chicken. love your comments in directions. no fuss no muss.

    Reply
    • Paula says

      December 20, 2023 at 5:09 am

      Wahoo! This is great to hear!

      Reply
4.63 from 8 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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Welcome!

Hey! I'm Paula. I'm a former pro cook that makes recipes and videos for deliciously non-fussy dinners (and sometimes breakfast, lunch, dessert, and snacks!)

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Lettuce cups filled with poached prawns and kiwi salsa. A bowl of kiwi salsa on the side.

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