Pineapple Salsa is a contemporary take on the classic Mexican sauce with the sweet tropical twist of pineapple. It’s totally a festival of flavors in your mouth with jalapenos, lime, chili, onions, honey, and cilantro. This recipe is super easy to make with lots of fun applications you could try right now.
What I love about pineapple is that it goes well with different dishes. It gives a refreshing flavor to the food that makes it even tastier. When cubed and mixed together with other herbs and spices, it turns any serving into a party. Now that’s real pineapple salsa goodness!
Today, we’ll talk about making this fresh chunky sauce for your next scrumptious dish.
Pineapple salsa welcomes summer with its bright, zesty flavors. Sweet, savory, and spicy, all mixed together to awaken your taste buds.
Pair this dish with grilled meat or fish or serve as toppings for flatbread and a dip for chips.
When you’re craving a refreshing appetizer on a warm summer day, this super easy pineapple salsa only takes a few minutes to put together; you won’t even break a sweat!
What is Pineapple Salsa?
Salsa literally translates as “sauce” from Spanish. The typical tomato-based version is usually served as a topping for meaty dishes with a slightly acidic flavor.
Pineapple salsa makes an even greater topping because of its more distinct sweet flavor with a higher level of acidity.
It is basically made up of almost the same ingredients but is based on a tropical berry. The key to making a perfect bowl of salsa is to use fresh pineapple and create the right proportions.
Do expect that your finished product will be a little watery because that’s how it’s supposed to be.
The sassy flavor of this salsa recipe makes it a great side for plain-tasting dishes. You can see this sauce often used on seafood or grilled meat.
What’s the Secret to the Salsa?
The secret to an awesome pineapple salsa finding a ripe, sweet, tangy pineapple. This superfruit is packed full of vitamins, minerals, and flavor! Salsa is not just delicious, but it’s also good for your health.
Every good sauce starts with fresh ingredients. Just ask any cook out there, and this recipe is no different. You can easily find all the ingredients in the fresh produce section of your local grocery store.
Pineapple Salsa Ingredients
There is no cooking involved in creating this, and we are using all fresh ingredients.
- Pineapples – you want your salsa to have chunky pineapple bits. Luckily, you can view this How to Cut Pineapple guide to make it perfect. I’ll even throw in this How to Pick a Pineapple cheat sheet for the best fresh pineapple.😉
- Red Onion – adds crunch and flavor, and the color adds pizazz. Dice this baby up and toss it in the bowl for that fresh salsa sensation. You can check this How to Cut Onions post as a reference.
- Lime Juice and Lime Zest – Talk about acidity! This little green fruit has it all. For this recipe, we’ll need both the juice and the zest.
- Cilantro – coarsely chopped is the perfect way to serve this leafy green. Its earthy flavor and citrusy bursts blend well with the pineapple and also latches on to the meat. A great tip would be not to leave this ingredient behind.
- Jalapeno and chili powder – This hot chili pepper surely packs a great deal of heat. Be careful when cutting these guys up because the capsaicin can stick to your hands and end up with tears in your eyes.
- Honey – We all need a little sweetness, and honey provides it naturally. The liquids of the other ingredients will dilute the thick honey base, which will nicely blend the flavors together.
- Salt and Pepper – you’re gonna need the ol’ salt and pepper to adjust the taste. Also, salt draws out the moisture from the pineapple, so you can easily get that zingy flavor.
Recipe Variations
There are different kinds of pineapple salsa that can vary depending on how you plan to use it. Some like it more traditional, and some want it not so spicy. It’s only a matter of adding, removing, or replacing some of the ingredients.
- The traditional way of serving this side dish is by including diced tomatoes in the recipe. This will enrich the whole serving by adding a pulpy texture, not to mention a lively red color.
- You can add an interesting twist by roasting or grilling the pineapple first, then chopping it up and throwing it into the mix.
- When I have a red bell pepper, I love to dice it up and boost the color appeal. Red peppers and yellow pineapple with the green cilantro is gorgeous. If you’d rather have it a little spicier, a red jalapeno will do the job nicely.
Serving Suggestions
Just like what I said above, this recipe goes perfectly well with plain-tasting meats. So here are some of the dishes you should try to use your homemade pineapple salsa on.
- Salmon Salad – Because of its naturally mild salty flavor, fresh salmon doesn’t have a strong taste, making it a great host for our sauce. The acidity of the pineapple salsa helps dissolve the fats of the fish.
- Tacos – Tacos are great food, but by adding a little pineapple twist to that, you’ll have a fresher overall taste. These are my favorite with a Jamaican twist.
- Salads – Salads are great for quick and healthy people on the go. Simply toss all the ingredients together, and you’ll have a sweet kick of freshness ready to be served. The Cajun Chicken Avocado Salad is perfect for experimenting.
- Pizza – I know that this is a controversial topic for everyone. Let’s all be open to all possibilities, so I’m recommending this as well. Give it a try. The first time I had pineapple on pizza, I was pleasantly surprised.
- Burritos – Everyone should try a burrito at least once in their lives and add in Pineapple Salsa to make it extra! My homemade tortillas make it easy to customize ingredients.
Other Great Salsa Recipes
If you loved this recipe, you’d surely love these other easy-to-make sauces.
- Mango Salsa – Fruity and spicy, you can use this tropical salsa anywhere you use pineapple salsa. It goes really well with pork.
- Grilled Pineapple Black Bean Salsa – A more substantial twist on pineapple salsa ramped up with black beans. You grill the pineapple for this one. If you’ve never tried grilled pineapple, you’re missing out.
- Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce – This versatile sauce, of course, is great on pizza. But it’s also a sauce you can throw together for a quick spaghetti dish or mini pizza on an English muffin.
- Chimichurri Sauce – Cilantro and parsley mixed with garlic and onion go great on beef, pork, or chicken. In the Caribbean, it’s served with tostones. Yum!
- Caribbean Pepper Sauce – This baby is HOT! But, oh so good. Habaneros with mango or pineapple is my idea of an awesome sauce.
How to Make Pineapple Salsa
The Pineapple
- Prepare the pineapple – Peel and cut the pineapple into cubes. (Photos 1-6)
The Rest of the Ingredients
- Prepare the rest of the ingredients – Dice the red onion and jalapeno. Chop up some cilantro.
- Mix them all together – Combine in a large mixing bowl the pineapple, red onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Squeeze in the fresh lime juice and honey. (Photos 7 & 8)
- Spice it up – Add the lime zest, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Let it chill – Cover and let chill for at least an hour in the refrigerator.
Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 large pineapple , diced
- 1 red onion , diced
- 2 tablespoons (10 g) jalapeno , small dice
- 3 tablespoons (3 g) fresh cilantro , chopped
- ½ cup (125 ml) fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons (4 g) lime zest
- 2 teaspoons (14 g) honey
- ¼ teaspoon (0.67 g) chili powder
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Tips & Notes:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pineapple, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, honey, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. The longer the better. Lasts in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Serve with broiled salmon
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
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