Close-up of strawberry salsa in a wooden bowl with a tortilla chip, featuring chopped strawberries, orange bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro.

This strawberry salsa is everything a summer appetizer should be—bright, juicy, and just spicy enough to keep everyone reaching for another scoop.

It comes together in minutes with ripe strawberries, crisp bell pepper, a touch of jalapeño, and fresh lime. Naturally gluten-free and make-ahead friendly, it’s one of my favorite warm-weather recipes for BBQs, taco night, or patio snacks with a margarita in hand.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

  • Ready in 10 minutes – No cooking, no complicated prep. Just chop, stir, and serve.
  • Versatile for entertaining – Serve it with chips, spoon over grilled chicken, or add it to tacos for a bright, flavorful topping.
  • Naturally gluten-free – Made with real ingredients and safe for celiac guests—no swaps or special products needed.

Searching for ways to serve this strawberry salsa? Serve with tilapia fish tacos, serve with peach mango salsa and black bean corn salsa to make a salsa bar with tortilla chips, or spoon it over some air fryer chicken thighs for a summer twist!

Ingredients

Entertaining Tip

For the best texture, make this salsa 30 minutes ahead and chill it. The flavors meld, the lime works its magic, and it gives you one less thing to do when guests arrive.

Ingredient Notes

  • Strawberries – Use in-season, ripe but firm berries for the best texture. Frozen strawberries aren’t recommended—they release too much moisture once thawed.
  • Jalapeño – One small jalapeño gives this salsa a nice kick without overpowering it. Want less heat? Remove the seeds and ribs. Want more? Add another or try a serrano pepper.
  • Bell pepper – I use orange or yellow bell pepper for a pop of color and sweet crunch. Red works too. Avoid green—it’s too bitter here.
  • Red onion – Finely diced red onion adds bite and brightness. If yours is extra sharp, soak the diced onion in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow the flavor.
  • Cilantro – Totally optional. If you’re cooking for a cilantro-sensitive crowd, just skip it or swap for a little fresh mint or parsley for a twist.
  • Lime juice – Fresh is best. It balances the sweetness and keeps the salsa vibrant.
  • Salt – Don’t skip it! A pinch of salt brings out the natural sweetness in the strawberries and ties everything together.

For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe, and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.

Jump to the Recipe Card

Recipe FAQs

Can I make strawberry salsa ahead of time?

Yes! This salsa actually gets better after 30–60 minutes in the fridge, as the flavors meld. Just give it a stir before serving and enjoy within 24 hours for best texture.

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Fresh strawberries work best for salsa. Frozen berries tend to release too much liquid as they thaw, which can make the salsa watery and dull the texture.

Expert Tips

  • Dice everything evenly. Uniform pieces = better flavor distribution and prettier presentation (especially important if you’re serving this as part of a party spread).
  • Taste and adjust. Strawberries vary in sweetness, so don’t be afraid to tweak the lime or salt right before serving to balance the flavor.
  • Let it sit (but not too long). About 30–60 minutes in the fridge helps the flavors meld, but after a few hours the berries start to break down. This is a make-now, serve-soon situation.
  • Style it like a pro. Serve in a shallow bowl, top with a few extra chopped strawberries and a sprinkle of flaky salt, and surround it with lime wedges or gluten-free chips for a wow-worthy appetizer.

Storage instructions

Fridge: Store leftover strawberry salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The flavors will mellow over time, but the strawberries will start to soften after day one.

Best texture window: This salsa is at its peak within the first 24 hours. After that, it’s still tasty—but the berries get a little more jammy. Give it a quick stir before serving to refresh the texture.

Freezer: Not recommended. Fresh strawberries don’t hold up well after thawing, and the salsa will turn mushy.

Close-up of a tortilla chip being dipped into strawberry salsa with chopped strawberries, orange bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and fresh cilantro in a wooden bowl.

More gluten-free salsas and dips to try

All Dips
Close-up of strawberry salsa in a wooden bowl with a tortilla chip, featuring chopped strawberries, orange bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro.
No ratings yet

Strawberry Salsa

This fresh strawberry salsa is sweet, spicy, and perfect for summer entertaining. With juicy strawberries, jalapeño, lime, and cilantro, it's naturally gluten-free and ready in just 10 minutes. Serve it with chips, over grilled chicken, or as a bright taco topping. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh strawberries - hulled and diced
  • 1 cup orange bell pepper - diced, about 1/2 large bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/4 cup red onion - diced very small
  • 1/2 jalapeño - seeds and ribs removed, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

**Use the toggle button above to turn the instruction photos on and off!

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix together ingredients until combined.
  • Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Use fresh strawberries: Frozen strawberries aren’t recommended—they release too much liquid and will make the salsa watery.
  • Adjust spice to taste: Remove jalapeño seeds for less heat, or add more for a spicier salsa.
  • Make-ahead tip: This salsa tastes best after sitting for 30–60 minutes, but is best enjoyed within 24 hours.
  • Serving ideas: Serve with tortilla chips, spoon over grilled chicken or fish, or add to tacos.

Nutrition

Calories: 20kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 602IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.2mg
A hand holding a tortilla chip topped with fresh strawberry salsa over a wooden bowl filled with chopped strawberries, orange bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro.

Made this strawberry salsa?

I’d love to hear how you served it! Leave a star rating and comment below—it helps more gluten-free food lovers find the recipe!

I'm Megan: a gluten-free food blogger from Chicago and lover of all things food, showing you gluten-free can be easy and delicious, too. Let's make gluten-free stress free together!

6 Comments

  1. This salsa looks fantastic, and I love all the bright, cheery colors!! I’ll definitely have to try this sometime soon! Sticking the SD card in the CD drive doesn’t seem too bad – I can see how it could happen, especially if you’re kind of distracted. My recent “really really really stupid” moment was when my boyfriend and I locked both sets of keys in the car, WITH the dog inside, at the drop-off zone at the airport. Ugh.

    Reply

    1. I’m a big fan of bright colors in my recipes 🙂 it just makes me want to eat it so much more ya know? Thank you for sharing your “really really really stupid” moment with me! That makes me feel better that I’m not the only one to do silly things!

  3. This looks summer-fresh and healthy! If only I could find fresh Jalapeno’s here in NL! Thanks for the inspiration!!!

    Reply

    1. Thanks Jocelyn! So fun to chat with readers across the world – this is why I love blogging 🙂 whenever I don’t have jalapeño peppers on hand, I just leave them out of this recipe. Doesn’t have that extra “kick” of spice but still really tasty!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.