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4.5 from 6 votes

Ensalada de Frutas con Chile - Spicy Mexican Fruit Salad

A spicy Mexican fruit salad recipe with salt, lemon and chile de árbol by Tori Avey. Cinco de Mayo or summer salad.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 12 side servings
Calories: 52 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dried chile de árbol
  • 12 cups fruit in 1-inch chunks - a combo of watermelon, cantaloupe, mango, papaya, pineapple, orange, coconut, jicama, cucumber
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
  • salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Toast the dried chile de árbol peppers in a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes till fragrant and toasted-- the seeds should turn golden. Careful not to let the chili toast too much or burn.
  2. Take the toasted chile peppers out of the skillet, leaving the loose seeds behind to discard.
  3. Combine the toasted peppers and 1 tsp salt, then make the toasted chiles into powder. You can use a mortar and pestle to grind the chiles and salt to a powder-- this will take 10 minutes or so and a lot of elbow grease. Or, you can grind the peppers and salt together in a spice grinder. Either way, be careful not to inhale the powder-- it's really spicy and will make your nose burn! Also don't touch your eyes while working with the chiles and chile powder.
  4. In a salad bowl, toss the cubed fruit with fresh lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Add additional salt or lemon juice to taste, if desired.
  5. Serve fruit salad alongside the toasted chile powder. Guests can sprinkle the chile powder onto their individual salad serving to taste. Younger and spice-sensitive guests may prefer the salad without the spicy powder, and people like varying degrees of spiciness, which is why the chile powder is traditionally served on the side. You may have some chili powder left over, which you can use for future fruit salads, or to sprinkle on chicken or fish-- anywhere you need a salty, spicy kick! Also, Sandra recommends drinking the juice at the bottom of the fruit salad bowl because it is delicious. :)

Notes

  • You will also need: Skillet, spice grinder or mortar and pestle, salad bowl

Nutrition Information

Calories 52kcal (3%) Carbohydrates 13g (4%) Protein 1g (2%) Sodium 2mg (0%) Potassium 206mg (6%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 10g (20%) Vitamin A 1275IU (26%) Vitamin C 15.4mg (17%) Calcium 11mg (1%) Iron 0.5mg (3%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12side servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 52

% Daily Value*

Calories 52kcal 3%
Carbohydrates 13g 4%
Protein 1g 2%
Sodium 2mg 0%
Potassium 206mg 4%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 10g 20%
Vitamin A 1275IU 26%
Vitamin C 15.4mg 17%
Calcium 11mg 1%
Iron 0.5mg 3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.