13 Essential Summer Salsa Recipes You Need To Spice Up Your Cookout

Summer is just around the corner and that means the season for salsa is coming! With all the fresh produce cropping up in our backyards and on produce shelves at the grocery store, it's the perfect time of year to make fresh, homemade salsas. (Not that we need another excuse to eat it.) 

One of the best snacks to indulge in when the weather is nice is the classic chips and salsa. There's nothing quite like the taste of blended spicy onions and sweet tomatoes in our favorite fresh salsas. It's been proven that spicy foods are good for your health, which is an added bonus, and making your own salsa at home means you won't be eating all the extra sugars added as preservatives in store-bought salsas!

In addition to delicious traditional tomato salsas, there are a variety of ingredients and spices you can add to shake up your recipe, like fresh pineapple, mangoes, and peppers. Another positive aspect of making salsa yourself is that you'll have plenty of leftovers!  In search of the perfect salsa for serving with chips, topping your seared skirt steak, or as a flavorful garnish for grilled fish, check out our roundup of 13 essential salsa recipes you need to add a punch of flavor to your summer cooking. 

Salsa recipes don't have to be tomato-based. Try Alison Sweeney's blueberry pineapple iteration for a refreshing and simple take on fruit salsa. This fresh fruit salsa uses a lot of the same ingredients as tomato-based salsas, with jalapeños, lime juice, cilantro, and onions — just substitute the tomatoes for fresh fruit. — Alison Sweeney

For Alison Sweeney's Blueberry Pineapple Salsa recipe, click here.

This salsa uses a favorite Southern ingredient, black eyed peas, to add texture to fresh blend of tomatoes, onions, and mango salsa. — Angela Carlos

For the Blackeye Peas & Mango Salsa recipe, click here.

Ch-ch-ch-chia salsa! This salsa is the one that will impresses everyone you make it for. Pair it with corn chips and guacamole and you'll be the hostess with the most. It's pretty to look at and incredible to indulge in.

For the Chia Salsa recipe, click here.

Yum! Trust me, the pomegranate is just what you need to pump up your summer. Add this salsa to the top of your meat, fish or poultry and it will add a flavor to your life that you didn't even know you were missing. This salsa is diced up deliciousness.

For the Cucumber Pomegranate Salsa recipe, click here.

This salsa provides the crunch you've been craving! The texture and taste of the grilled corn and pepper adds zest to your summer party. The best part is that it can be served so many different ways. Enjoy it as an appetizer, a salad, or a side dish with a grilled meat this summer at a BBQ.

For the Fire Roasted Poblano & Corn Salsa recipe, click here.

Fresh and flavorful is the only way to describe this salsa. Give this fuel to your spring and summer cravings for salsa. It has everything you could ever want salsa to have: tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, lime, and onion. For those who like it spicy, you will be delighted as it contains Tabasco sauce!

For the Fresh Tomato Jalapeño Salsa recipe, click here.

Nothing adds flavor to food like a little bit of char. Give your salsa a smoky kick by charring the tomatoes, peppers, and onion under a broiler before using them to make this easy salsa. Serve it with crunchy tortilla chips for the perfect good-for-you snack. — Brenda Novak

For the Grilled Tomato Salsa recipe, click here.

Mango madness is upon us! This salsa takes Kesar mangos from India which complements one another with the variation of sweet and spicy. (Which is everything you could want in a salsa.) Switch up your summer salsa with this exotic type. The Indian Mango Salsa will leave you feeling amazing!

For the Indian Mango Salsa recipe, click here.

Fruit of the summer! This salsa is the perfect recipe for an appetizer at your summer party or barbecue. It's fairly simple as well! Dice and chop up all of your fruit, and butter your tortilla chips with a dusting of cinnamon on both sides. The preparation time of making the chips and salsa will be worth it once you and your guests indulge!

For the Mixed Fruit Salsa recipe, click here.

This salsa is the perfect combination of sweet and spicy and smoky. Enjoy this salsa while you picture yourself on a tropical beach somewhere. You can serve this salsa for your indoor and outdoor parties. It's extremely versatile. The caramelized pineapple creates a nice texture and taste.

For the Pineapple Maple Salsa recipe, click here.

Spice up your life with this salsa that blends simple ingredients you all love. You blend together Roma tomatoes, onion, and jalapeños with lime juice and garlic powder — it doesn't disappoint. In addition to the great taste of the tortillas, they are gluten-free, dairy-free and preservative-free.

For the Salsa Fresca Estilo Siete recipe, click here.

Summertime and salsa are sort of like peanut butter and jelly: They complement each other perfectly. When we think about salsa, we often think about it as zesty or spicy. This beautiful blend of berries and lemon juice is just the opposite: an ode to a dessert salsa that satisfies on every level. Plus, the cinnamon pita chips don't hurt, either. — Lauren Gordon

For the Sweet Berry Salsa With Cinnamon Chips recipe, click here.

Trust me, everyone will be green with envy for your tomatillo salsa! This is one salsa that gets better as it ages, so make sure you prepare an extra batch to save for later. Tomatillo salsa tastes like a party in your mouth. Enjoy this classic salsa for any occasion!

For the Tomatillo Salsa recipe, click here.