Fresh Pineapple Salsa

Name: Fresh Pineapple Salsa
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 cups diced fresh pineapple (about 1 medium); 1 red bell pepper, chopped; 1/2 cup chopped red onion (about 1/2 small onion); 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro; 1 medium jalapeño*, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped; 3 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 1/2 limes), or more if needed; 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

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Looking for a fun, fresh party appetizer? This colorful pineapple salsa recipe will be a big hit. It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and 100% delicious.

Perhaps pineapple salsa sounds crazy at first glance, but it’s not when you think about it. Tomatoes are technically fruit, too, and they’re also sweet in flavor. If you don’t believe me, I dare you to give this pineapple salsa a try!

I originally adapted this recipe from my mango salsa recipe, and shared it in my cookbook. In the book, I called this recipe “pineapple pico de gallo” because its texture is more similar to traditional pico de gallo.

Unlike my favorite red salsa, you’ll dice the ingredients instead of blitz them together in a food processor. In fact, the smaller you dice the ingredients, the better your salsa turns out.

I’ve been craving this pineapple salsa lately, so I thought I’d share it on the blog, too. Salsa for everyone!

Pineapple Salsa Ingredients

Pineapple salsa is easy to make with basic fresh ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need from the store:

Pineapple: Fresh ripe pineapple, not canned or frozen (they’re way too watery).
Red bell pepper: Bell pepper adds some extra crunch and complementary sweetness.
Red onion: Onion’s pungent, savory flavors balance out the sweetness of the pineapple and bell pepper. I love the contrast of the purple color with the yellow pineapple and red bell pepper.
Jalapeño: Jalapeño also helps counter the sweeter flavors, and offers some spice that makes this salsa irresistible!
Cilantro: No salsa recipe is complete without fresh cilantro. If you dislike cilantro, I still think you’ll appreciate the end result since the cilantro is fairly minimal.
Limes: Sour lime juice brings it all together. If you’ve ever made salsa that tasted lackluster, it probably needed another burst of acidity.

How to Select Fresh Pineapple

Look for a pineapple with nice green leaves. It should yield slightly when you give it a squeeze, but not have any mushy spots. Lastly, give it a sniff at the base—it should smell lightly sweet.

If your pineapple is perfect when you bring it home from the store but you won’t be making salsa for a few days, store it in the refrigerator.

In a hurry? Buy pre-cut fresh pineapple from the produce department and dice it up yourself. It’s more expensive this way, but quicker.

Uses for Pineapple Salsa

Serve it with tortilla chips as a party appetizer, perhaps alongside guacamole or avocado dip and traditional red salsa or salsa verde.
Serve it on tacos. (Recipe coming tomorrow!)
Serve it with any fresh, Mexican-themed meal.
Serve it on lettuce (aji verde would make a great dressing) or treat it like a salad and eat it straight out of the bowl—it’s that good.

Craving more fresh salsas? Here are a few of my favorites:

You’ll find even more Mexican recipes here. Please let me know how you like this salsa recipe in the comments!

Fresh Pineapple Salsa

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Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 3 ½ cups 1x
Category: Salsa
Method: By hand
Cuisine: Mexican

★★★★★

5 from 24 reviews

This fresh pineapple salsa recipe will be a big hit at your next party! It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and 100% delicious. It’s easy to make, too. Recipe yields 3 ½ cups; double it if you’re serving a crowd (1 extra-large pineapple should be just right).

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Ingredients

3 cups diced fresh pineapple (about 1 medium)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
½ cup chopped red onion (about ½ small onion)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium jalapeño*, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
3 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 ½ limes), or more if needed
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

In a medium serving bowl, combine the pineapple, bell pepper, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño. Add the lime juice and salt, and stir to combine.
Season to taste with additional lime juice (for zing) and/or salt (for more overall flavor) if it doesn’t taste amazing just yet.
For best flavor, let the pico de gallo rest for 10 minutes or longer before serving. It’s best served fresh but keeps well, chilled, for up to 4 days.

Notes

Recipe originally published in my cookbook, Love Real Food.

*Spice level note: I would say that this salsa is well-balanced as written. If you’re worried about the spice level, though, use half of the jalapeño and be sure to remove the ribs and seeds. If you want spicier salsa, add up to two peppers, to taste.

Change it up: Pineapple alternatives include diced mango, strawberries, cucumber, melon, or, of course, tomatoes (the bell pepper is optional in those variations).

▸ Nutrition Information

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