Recipe Summary
Cooked pumpkin salsa with tomatoes, jarred jalapenos, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Serve with pork, chicken or tortilla chips. Refrigerate leftovers; do not home-can.
Pumpkin salsa gets its warmth from cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, with chopped jarred jalapenos and red pepper flakes for heat. Fresh and canned tomatoes cook in a saute pan with pumpkin puree. Spoon it over pork tacos or serve it with chips, and keep leftovers refrigerated.
Dinner, undressed.
Seven dinners worth slipping into something comfortable for. Free, in your inbox.
Little Figgy founder Stacey Doyle’s pumpkin enthusiasm ran from pie and silky soups to silly faces carved for the front stoop. For this salsa, it went in a savory direction: pumpkin with chilies and what she called a “mad pile of jalapenos.”
Storing pumpkin salsa safely
Divide the cooked salsa into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours of cooking, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 F. Don’t leave the pan on the counter until it’s completely cool. Keep your refrigerator at 40 F or below. These are the FDA’s food-storage guidelines.
Use the refrigerated salsa within 3-4 days, following the USDA’s guidance for cooked leftovers.
Do not home-can this pumpkin salsa. The National Center for Home Food Preservation does not recommend home canning pureed pumpkin, and a salsa needs a tested process for its particular recipe. Canning instructions for pineapple-papaya salsa don’t apply here.
Stacey hadn’t tried freezing this salsa when readers asked about it. We can’t promise how its texture will hold up after freezing.
Serving it
Stacey liked serving it over shredded pork tacos. Use leftover pork roast, heat it with caramelized onions, then spoon on the salsa. Her finishing touch was hot pickled okra right on top for a little bite.
You can also serve it with chicken or tortilla chips. If you like cilantro, add a small handful, freshly chopped. Stacey preferred to scatter it over the taco instead of mixing it into the salsa.
Pumpkin Salsa
Ingredients
Method
- In a saute pan, heat Olive Oil over medium heat. Add chopped fresh Tomatoes, Onions and Garlic and saute until onions start to turn translucent.
- Add in the drained, chopped (canned) Tomatoes, Pumpkin puree, Salt, Sugar, chopped Jalapenos and remaining spices.
- Cook for 8 – 10 minutes. Divide into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours of cooking, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 F. Don’t wait for the salsa to cool completely on the counter. Store covered in the refrigerator at 40 F or below and use within 3-4 days. Do not home-can this salsa.
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Related Recipes
Could I can this?
Editorial correction from the Little Figgy team (October 17, 2026): The canning advice in the original reply below is withdrawn. Do not home-can this pumpkin salsa or use the pineapple-papaya salsa’s canning instructions for it. Salsa needs a tested process specific to its recipe, and the National Center for Home Food Preservation does not recommend home canning pureed pumpkin. Refrigerate this salsa promptly at 40 F or below and use within 3-4 days, following general USDA guidance for cooked leftovers. The original reply remains below as part of the discussion history.
Historical reply, superseded by the correction above:
This is officially an award winning Pumpkin Salsa! I won a spicy pumpkin dish competition at work!
I honestly only like pumpkin pie, but this looks good! My husband would love it
How much salsa does this recipe make?
How many ounces when it’s all done?
After being given several pumpkins from a friend I was looking for different ways to fix the pumpkin. I love salsa and took a chance and low and behold I was in luck. I used fresh cooked pumpkin instead of the canned as well as some tomatoes I had canned over the summer. I had no jalapenos left over but did have a can of rotel tomatoes with jalapenos which did the trick. I made it for a halloween gathering but can’t wait to try it on chicken or pork. It really is a great combination and another wonderful addition to my salsa making expeditions. Not being able to can the salsa I just might have to make another couple of batches and freeze them to have this goodness in the winter or maybe next summer.
I honestly only like pumpkin pie, but this looks good! My husband would love it
It’s surprisingly good Jasmine. Thank you 🙂
Oh I love all things pumpkins and a salsa Oh I can only imagine how good this is! Adding to my must try list this month.
Yah Ellie! Thank you and I hope you enjoy 🙂
I am so intrigued by this. I’m always looking for new ways to use pumpkin. I’ve got to try it!
Thanks Allison! It’s one of my favorite ways to use pumpkin and also makes for a great gift from the kitchen. Hope you enjoy 🙂
I am so incredibly excited for all the pumpkin. This looks fabulous. My favorite burrito place makes a fantastic pumpkin salsa.
Thank you Jenna! I love everything about pumpkins and I completely understand 😉
How much salsa does this recipe make?
How many ounces when it’s all done?
Hi Samara! After cooking it down a bit, I usually have about 4 1/2 cups or 34 – 36 oz. Hope that helps!
This is officially an award winning Pumpkin Salsa! I won a spicy pumpkin dish competition at work!
OMG, Yah! Thank you for taking a chance on my recipe and congratulations on winning!
Where do I find the nutritional info for this recipe .. or can you tell me please per recipe
Hello Kim! I’ve added the nutritional information above for you. Thank you for asking and hope you enjoy!
i just made this salsa, what a idea for salsa, I tried it immediately while it was still warm, I can not wait to try it cool and cook with it. I also think that I will freeze some as well to use later in meals. Thank You!
You are so welcome and THANK YOU! Let me know how it freezes. Enjoy!
After being given several pumpkins from a friend I was looking for different ways to fix the pumpkin. I love salsa and took a chance and low and behold I was in luck. I used fresh cooked pumpkin instead of the canned as well as some tomatoes I had canned over the summer. I had no jalapenos left over but did have a can of rotel tomatoes with jalapenos which did the trick. I made it for a halloween gathering but can’t wait to try it on chicken or pork. It really is a great combination and another wonderful addition to my salsa making expeditions. Not being able to can the salsa I just might have to make another couple of batches and freeze them to have this goodness in the winter or maybe next summer.
Brilliant! I’m so glad you found this recipe. I think freezing the salsa is a great idea, I just might do that myself. Glad you enjoyed!
Going to try this salsa sounds good why don’t you think that it could not be canned?
Editorial correction from the Little Figgy team (October 17, 2026): The canning advice and four-month storage claim in the original reply below are withdrawn. Do not home-can this pumpkin salsa. Refrigerate it promptly at 40 F or below and use within 3-4 days, following general USDA guidance for cooked leftovers. The National Center for Home Food Preservation does not recommend home canning pureed pumpkin. The original reply remains below as part of the discussion history.
Historical reply, superseded by the correction above:
A pumpkin salsa sounds seriously delicious. Never tried a salsa like this before! Great recipe.. thanks for sharing it!
Thank you Thalia! It’s surprisingly tasty.