This Spicy Rhubarb Salsa features familiar salsa flavor but with the addition of tart rhubarb. Perfect on top of grilled chicken or fish!
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A Spicy Spring Salsa
Search the term “rhubarb”, and you’re likely to find a long list of mouthwatering cakes, crisps, muffins, and other sweet baked goods. But what about using rhubarb in a savory way? Although it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when pondering what you’ll make with Spring’s first harvest of rhubarb, a savory recipe could be the thing that turns rhubarb-haters the other way.
This Spicy Rhubarb Salsa features a few classic flavors from traditional salsa like onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and cumin. The addition of tart rhubarb adds new texture and flavor, yielding a salsa that’s perfect for topping chicken or fish, just as it’s great for munching on with tortilla chips. Read on to learn how to make it!
What Is Rhubarb?
Rhubarb is a leafy perennial vegetable that grows in the Spring. While its stalks are edible, the leaves and roots are poisonous and are not to be eaten. It’s commonly used in baked goods such as pies, cakes, muffins, and tarts.
When eaten raw, rhubarb has a sour taste to it, and it very crunchy. It is most commonly cooked, yielding a pleasant sweetness which is why it so frequently is used in desserts.
Although a beautiful harbinger of spring in the north, other parts of the United States consider this vegetable more of a weed. In Minnesota, many people grow rhubarb in their gardens, but once the season is begins, you will be able to find it in many grocers.
What’s In Rhubarb Salsa
- Blanched Rhubarb
- Onion
- Cilantro
- Garlic
- Jalapeno
- Cumin
- Lime Zest and Juice
- Salt
- Agave Syrup
- Apple Cider Vineager
How To Make Spicy Rhubarb Salsa
- Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a simmer. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice and water.
- Once the water is simmering, add the rhubarb. After 10 seconds, remove the rhubarb immediately and transfer it to the ice bath. Once cool, drain the rhubarb and blot with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible.
- To make the salsa, combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss completely to combine. Sample for taste, adding more salt, agave, or apple cider vinegar as needed to your liking.
- Enjoy immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Salsa will keep in refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Tools To Make Spicy Rhubarb Salsa
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Spicy Rhubarb Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 cups rhubarb, chopped into a 1/4 inch dice
- 1/2 cup white onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp jalapeno, minced
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp agave syrup
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a simmer. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice and water.
- Once the water is simmering, add the rhubarb. After 10 seconds, remove the rhubarb immediately and transfer it to the ice bath. Once cool, drain the rhubarb and blot with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible.
- To make the salsa, combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss completely to combine. Sample for taste, adding more salt, agave, or apple cider vinegar as needed to your liking.
- Enjoy immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Salsa will keep in refrigerator for 2-3 days.