Give Your Salsa Extra Flavor And Color With Dragon Fruit

We all know the classic makings of salsa — tomatoes, onions, cilantro, chili peppers, and lime juice. Is that all there is to this Mexican staple though? Of course not. There's a great variety of ingredients you can add for unexpected twists that will make salsa even more captivating than it already is. While herbs and spices are always great choices, there's room for something different, like dragon fruit. This tropical specialty may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but that's all the more reason to try it.

Salsa is laden with savory and tangy notes, made more memorable by a spicy kick that brings life to anything it's paired with. Dragon fruit, however, is sweet and light, and depending on the variety, sometimes a little sour, too. When mixed together, this combination gives you a little of everything, from big, bold flavors to a delicate undertone, all woven together in perfect tandem. The first bite doesn't quite catch you off guard but still delights the taste buds with a subtle surprise.

If you happen to be using red or pink dragon fruit, there's a visual bonus as well. They offer a burst of vivid, deep fuchsia, bringing visual pink zing to your rustic red salsa, that you can't help but notice. This is a salsa that looks as good as it tastes.

Although all similar in their base flavor, different varieties of dragon fruit may offer different sweet tones. Generally speaking, the darker ones (like red and pink) have a more vibrant sweetness whereas the white will be milder and slightly sour. Any of them can be used for making salsa. It all depends on your personal preference or what you can find in the store or market.

Branching beyond the usual tomato-based salsa, you can also experiment with fruit salsa. Expand the tropical treat into pineapple salsa or mango salsa by adding cubes of dragon fruit. You can even combine all of these fruits in one bowl and have yourself a flavor-bursting tropical salsa. A chunky chopped salsa like pico de gallo is the perfect kind to add diced dragon fruit to.

Once your salsa is ready, the serving possibilities are prolific. Tortilla or pita chips are, as usual, perfect accompaniments. If that's gotten too repetitive for you, how about serving the salsa as a side with seafood like white fish or scallops? That combination makes for a sophisticated main course packed with fresh flavors. Of course, when laid over grilled proteins like chicken or even pork chops salsa can steal the show. And we can't forget about tacos, either. It may not seem like too much of a change considering how chaotic tacos already are, but with this spruced-up salsa, best believe your tacos will be even more amazing than usual.