How to Eat Kumquats: Kumquat Jalepeño Salsa Recipe

For this super seasonal citrus I often get questions on how to eat kumquats and I’m quick to answer with this Kumquat Jalepeño Salsa Recipe. The bright orange fruit packs a fragrant and tart punch against the heat of the jalepeño pepper. A splash of honey and lime juice add just a hint of sweet flavor to create a balanced salsa that is perfect for your favorite fish taco. Scroll down to see how we prepare this salsa and print the recipe card to make this today. 

Kumquat Quick Facts

About the size of a grape, these small oval-shaped fruits are packed with vitamin C and afford a unique flavor for this tiny citrus fruit. One of the most interesting things to know about the Nagami Kumquat variety that we typically get in our weekly CSA box is that the peel of the small citrus fruit is also edible. That’s right. You can eat the entire fruit.

Fresh kumquats tend to have more tart flavors, which is why home cooks and chefs alike love to transform the golden orange kumquats into jams or a kumquat marmalade. You can even make a kumquat extract, candied kumquats using the peel of the kumquat, or a citrus curd using the juice of the little fruit. 

Why You’ll Love This Salsa Recipe

When kumquat season arrives, there are plenty of popular ways to enjoy whole kumquats with tangy flavor. My favorite way to enjoy the whole fruit has been in a salsa. The juicy flesh paired with the spicy edge of a diced jalepeño has become a delicious accent for our Taco Tuesday fare.

With a burst of flavor from the thin skin, these small fruits make a delicious salsa you’ll love for garnishing your favorite grilled fish taco. The best part? This salsa is ready in minutes and it’s super freezer friendly! 

Ingredients for the Kumquat Jalepeño Salsa

This Kumquat Jalepeño Salsa is ready in just 10 minutes and relies on a short list of ingredients: 

• 8 ounces kumquats: We’re using the organic kumquats we have been getting in our weekly CSA box. We’ll quarter the fresh fruits and diced them all up including the skin of the kumquat. The small size of the diced ripe kumquats will create a deliciously textured salsa with the right balance of tangy, spicy, and sweet. However, if you’re not subscribed to a CSA, you can also find these seasonal varieties of kumquats in peak season at your local farmers’ markets or gourmet food stores.
• 1 medium jalepeño: This affords the spicy edge to our tangy salsa. You have the option to use the seeds here if you like. Otherwise, remove them as you dice and add the finely chopped peppers to the bowl with the diced kumquat peels and fruit. 
• 1 small shallot: Next, I love the aromatic essence of shallot in this salsa and it pairs better than yellow onion or red onion. If you don’t have shallots on hand, I would definitely go the route of a finely minced red onion. Use about 2 tablespoons here if that’s the case. 
• Finely chopped cilantro: This salsa is kind of my spin on pico de gallo. Instead of tomatoes, we’ll use the yellow-orange fruit with the edible peel. The cilantro adds an herby essence to the salsa that I personally love. 
• Honey & Lime Juice: To counteract the tart flesh of the kumquats, the use of honey and lime juice creates a small simple syrup that balances the sweetest part of the fruit. 
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

How to Make the Kumquat Jalepeño Salsa

This salsa will take minutes to make. Here’s how we do it: 

• First, slice the kumquats in quarters. Remove any visible seeds and proceed to finely chop the citrus into 1/8 inch pieces. Add to the serving bowl of choice.
• Remove the stem and, if desired, the seeds of the jalepeño. Finely chop the pepper into equal sized pieces as the kumquats. Add to the bowl with the kumquats.
• Finely chop the shallot and cilantro and add them to the bowl with the jalepeño and kumquats.
• Next, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey and lime juice. Then whisk until honey dissolves. Add to the salsa. Season with kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste. Adjust taste as desired. Enjoy with crispy tortilla chips or garnish a freshly grilled fish taco.
• Store any leftover salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

A Salsa for Your Favorite Tacos and Tostadas

This Kumquat Jalepeño Salsa will become one of your new favorite kumquat recipes to have in rotation especially for Taco Tuesdays. This is the best salsa to make when these small citrus fruits are in season. Enjoy with a number of our favorite dishes like:

• Tacos with Potatoes with Mexican Chorizo
• Speedy Chicken Tostadas
• This Grilled Fish Taco Recipe Idea