Each bite of this pineapple salsa recipe is an explosion of sweet, savory, salty and spicy! Eat with chips or spoon over grilled fish.

Pineapple Salsa

Need an appetizer to impress? Try this Pineapple Salsa! It’s one of the best ways to use a fresh pineapple (other than eating it in chunks off the cutting board, of course). The zing of the lime and heat of the jalapeno are the ideal pairing for this sweet fruit. Grab a juicy, ripe pineapple for this one: scoop it up with chips and each bite is an explosion of sweet, savory, salty and spicy.

Ingredients in pineapple salsa

Salsa simply means “sauce” in Spanish, and refers to a wide variety of sauces that can be made with or without tomatoes. The most popular is the classic tomato salsa, but some of the more interesting salsas are spins with alternative ingredients like mango salsa or peach salsa.

There are many variations on pineapple salsa, depending on the cook. But it often follows the template of a mango salsa and includes the following ingredients:

  • Ripe pineapple
  • Red pepper or tomato
  • Red onion
  • Cilantro
  • Jalapeño pepper
  • Lime juice
  • Salt
  • Sugar (optional)
Pineapple Salsa

How to cut pineapple

The most time spent in this pineapple salsa is cutting the pineapple! In fact, this salsa recipe does require quite a bit of chopping. It may feel like it takes forever, but it’s worth it! The most challenging part is how to cut a pineapple. Here’s the easiest way to tackle this spiny fruit (or see the video below):

  • Place upside down 30 minutes (optional): Use a large chef’s knife to cut off the top of the pineapple. Turn the pineapple upside down and place it on a plate; allow it to rest 30 minutes. Since pineapples are stored stem side up, gravity makes the juices run to the bottom. Resting the pineapple upside down for 30 minutes helps the juices to run back down and distribute for evenly juicy pieces.
  • Slice off the skin: After 30 minutes, cut off the other end of the pineapple. Remove the skin of the pineapple by slicing it off, following the shape of the pineapple.
  • Cut into quarters and remove the core: Slice the pineapple in half lengthwise. Lay down each pineapple half on the flat cut side, and cut it in half lengthwise again. Remove the core by cutting it out at an angle.
  • Cut chunks, then dice: Slice each quarter in half lengthwise, then turn it and slice in the other direction to create pineapple chunks.

Make a double batch for a crowd

This pineapple salsa recipe makes 2 cups, which is about 4 small servings or 2 medium servings. If you’re serving a crowd, you’ll want to double the recipe for a party-sized batch! This will use approximately an entire fresh pineapple.

The reason we didn’t make the recipe for these quantities? Well, it does take quite a while to finely dice an entire pineapple. It’s also easy to press the 2x button in the recipe below to double the quantities!

Ways to serve pineapple salsa

The best way to serve pineapple salsa is simply with chips, in our opinion. Even better, make it with warm, salty homemade tortilla chips! Here are our top ideas for how to serve pineapple salsa:

Pineapple nutrition facts

Why eat fresh pineapple? There are so many great things about this tropical fruit. Here are a few reasons to spend your time chopping it into pineapple salsa (source):

  • Pineapple is low in calories. 1 cup pineapple chunks has 80 calories.
  • Pineapple is especially rich in Vitamin C: 1 cup provides 131% of your daily value.
  • Pineapple contains disease-fighting antioxidants that may reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Pineapple salsa recipe

More pineapple recipes

Want to use up the rest of your pineapple? Here are a few more great pineapple recipes to choose from:

This pineapple salsa recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Pineapple Salsa

Easy Pineapple Salsa


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cups 1x

Description

This pineapple salsa recipe is easy and is a burst of tropical, fresh flavor! Eat with chips or spoon over grilled fish.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups finely diced fresh pineapple (about 1/2 medium fresh pineapple)*
  • ½ cup diced red pepper or diced tomato
  • 1/2 large red onion
  • ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 jalapeño pepper
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 pinches sugar (optional based on ripeness)
  • Tortilla chips, for serving

Instructions

  1. Finely dice the pineapple, following How to Cut a Pineapple. Dice the red pepper and red onion. Chop the cilantro
  2. Remove the stem, seeds, and ribs of the jalapeño pepper and mince half of the pepper. For a spicier variation, add the seeds and/or the other half of the pepper. 
  3. Mix all ingredients together, then add the lime juice and kosher salt. Taste and add a few pinches sugar if desired to bring out the flavor of the pineapple (depending on the ripeness of the fruit). Serve immediately with chips, or wait 5 minutes to let the flavors meld. Also serve over grilled fish, or with shrimp or chicken.

Notes

*Double these quantities for a party-sized salsa (and allow ample time for chopping!). Press the 2x button for an easy way to double the ingredients. 

  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Chopped
  • Cuisine: Mexican inspired
  • Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Pineapple salsa, pineapple salsa recipe

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Meet Sonja and Alex Overhiser: Husband and wife. Expert home cooks. Authors of recipes you'll want to make again and again.

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