Fresh pineapple salsa is easy to prepare! A vibrant blend of sweet pineapple, tomatoes, jalapenos, lime juice, red onion, and cilantro delivers big flavor. A great addition to top on grilled meat or served as a light appetizer with chips.
This delicious pineapple salsa recipe highlights fresh and colorful ingredients combined to add bold flavors to any dish. It’s the perfect condiment to accompany grilled chicken or fish, or served as a quick appetizer with crunchy tortilla chips that guests will devour!
When the pineapple is mixed with ripe tomatoes, spicy jalapeno, and freshly squeezed lime juice, culinary magic happens. What’s even better is the salsa not only tastes great, it’s a wholesome snack or topping that delivers beneficial nutrients in each bite!
Fresh pineapple can typically be found year-round at grocery stores. However, the peak season for pineapple is from March through July. To take advantage of this golden-colored sweet and tangy tropical fruit, add it as the star of homemade salsa!
Let’s practice knife skills! As it may be easier to grab a can of diced Dole pineapples, I challenge you with learning how to cut a pineapple. Although the task may seem a little daunting, I assure you, you will be surprised how easy it is.
I only recommend canned pineapples that have been picked and processed at its peak when you’re in a pinch for time or ripe pineapples are not available.
Ingredients for a fantastic pineapple salsa
- Ripe pineapple (fresh or canned) diced to 1/4-inch.
- Fresh Roma tomatoes diced to 1/4-inch.
- Diced jalapenos, add more or less depending on the desired spice level.
- Crisp red onions and a subtly sweet and pungent depth to the salsa.
- Freshly squeezed lime juice, add the zest for extra flavor and aroma!
- Chopped cilantro leaves for herbaceous notes.
That’s it, so easy! To switch things up, I’ve even added red bell peppers or diced avocado, similar to my mango salsa recipe.
This pineapple salsa reminds me of sitting on the beach on a tropical island in the Caribbean! It celebrates the seasonal summer flavors, any time of the year.
The sweet, savory, tangy and spicy flavors are harmoniously balanced together. It’s a guilt-free condiment loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients for a yummy low-fat snack or topping. It’s an especially exciting condiment to add to Whole30, and Paleo diets, when just eating proteins and vegetables gets a little mundane.
I can’t wait for you to try this pineapple salsa to spice up the weekly dinners or add it to celebration menus as a festive appetizer.
More Mexican recipes
How to pick a pineapple
When shopping for pineapple, it may be difficult to tell if it will be sweet and have a golden colored flesh. Some things to look out for is to give it a smell, if it has a fresh and sweet aroma, that’s a good indicator of ripeness. Pineapples are typically picked at their peak depending on the grower and don’t ripen much after, which means color may not be the main factor. Some green pineapples are ripe too! Make sure the leaves look fresh, and the shell is firm and not too soft.
Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced pineapple, cut into ¼-inch cubes
- 1 cup diced tomatoes, ¼-inch dice
- ¼ cup diced red onion, ¼-inch dice
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, packed, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons minced jalapenos
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine pineapples, tomatoes, red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice and minced jalapenos.
- Gently stir until all ingredients are combined.
- Serve salsa immediately.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Recipe Yield: 4 cups
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Angie says
This recipe is fantastic and so simple! I love the acidity of fresh pineapples. I can’t tolerate spicy foods, so I subbed equal amounts of yellow, red, and orange bell peppers for their subtle flavors and more color. I love this as a healthy dip, and oh my is it mind blowing on top of a shredded pork sandwich!
I’m thinking you could take this salsa up a notch by grilling the pineapple, onion, and peppers just to get some grill marks and smokiness on them. I’m telling you, it’s 4am and this recipe has me wanting to light the grill right now.
Jessica Gavin says
I’m loving the idea of grilling the pineapple to add flavor dimension to the salsa!
Cindy says
I’ve made this salsa twice. It is fabulous.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback, Cindy! Do you use it as a dip or topping, perhaps both?
Cheryl says
Hi Jessica, just made pineapple salsa, so easy and sooo good. Now I’m gonna make the blackened chicken. It looks so yummy!!!
Judy says
Hi Jessica,
I always heard if the pineapple leaves pull off easily that is a sign of ripeness too. This is going to be a favorite I can tell
Thank you
Judy
Jessica Gavin says
Great tip Judy! Yes, I know you will enjoy it!
KG30 says
How can the bitterness of red onion be prevented? I have tried red onion in recipes only to find they add a bad bitter flavor and I switched to only sweet onions for everything.
Jessica Gavin says
To tame the pungent taste of raw onions, you can soak the chopped onions in a mixture of water and baking soda (1 tablespoon baking soda per 1 cup cold water) for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse before using. This will neutralize the sulfenic acid from the onions, before the harsh tasting thiosulfinates form (which taste bitter).