Pineapple Salsa
This fresh Pineapple Salsa is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy, with juicy pineapple bits, cilantro, red onion, jalapeño, and a pinch of salt and citrus for zest. A delicious and unexpected appetizer, it also makes a super topping for your next taco or burrito bowl night. Especially good with pork or shrimp!
This pineapple salsa is a favorite of ours for summer entertaining, for sure, but it also makes regular appearances at taco night! It has the most delicious mix of sweet, juicy pineapple with a little tang of cilantro and red onion, plus the merest smidge of a jalapeño’s heat. I love that it spices up the usual spread, yet is pretty approachable for the moderately adventurous child.
For the not-so-adventurous child, it’s easy to leave some pineapple plain, too. Definitely speaking from experience there. 🙂
Related: Balsamic Strawberry Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients & Substitution Notes
Here are a few notes and shopping tips about the ingredients you’ll need. Find full amounts in the print-friendly recipe card below.
- Pineapple. Buy a whole pineapple, or buy it pre-cubed to save time. I won’t tell. Even if you do buy pre-cubed, you’ll probably want to chop it into smaller pieces for the sake of a dip-able salsa, but this still saves a lot of time versus coring and peeling a whole fruit.
- Fresh cilantro. Pull most of leaves off and discard the stems for the best texture. Simply omit if cilantro tastes soap-y to you.
- Red onion.
- Jalapeño.
- Fresh lime juice.
- Kosher salt. Flaked sea salt also works great.
Mix these together and you’ll have a salsa that’s so much more than the sum of its parts.
Tips and Tricks for Success
Like most salsas, this is pretty straightforward to make, but a few tips can ensure you get the best results first time and every time.
- Dice the pineapple into even, very small cubes. This is the most tedious part, it’s true, but worth doing for the sake of an easy-to-eat finished product.
- Don’t write off the jalapeño pepper. If you take out the ribs and the seeds, this is really a very small amount of pepper in the context of a large amount of sweet fruit. Even if you’re a heat skeptic, give it a try, even in one portion of the salsa, and see what you think.
- Sample and salt to taste. The amount of salt you’ll want in the finished product really varies a lot to personal taste, and also might depend on whether you plan to serve this as a topping over meat or as a snack with already-salted tortilla chips. Do yourself a favor and take the time to sample a bite, then mix in more salt if needed. Remember, you can always add more — you can’t take it out.
- Use fresh lime juice. Bottled citrus can have its place, but for the freshest, most vibrant taste in a salsa like this, squeeze that fresh lime.
Pro Tip
The right kitchen tools make certain tasks simple and painless: a hand-held citrus press is inexpensive and worth every inch of space it takes up in your drawer.
Serving Suggestions
Obviously you can serve this with chips or crackers for a fun addition to any party spread, but think outside the box with it, too. It’s delicious served as a condiment alongside grilled shrimp, pork chops, or chicken breasts. Our favorite of all time, however? Pairing this salsa with Instant Pot carnitas! So, so good.
Storage
Pineapple salsa keeps reasonably well in the fridge for a day if you have some leftover, but it’s really got the best texture when served right away.
Related Recipes
Other favorite salsas and dips include a 5-minute restaurant-style blender salsa, homemade guacamole, white bean sun-dried tomato dip, garlic rosemary white bean dip, and this irresistible chipotle street corn dip.
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Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 cups pineapple diced into small pieces
- 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Combine pineapple, jalapeño, cilantro, onion, salt, and lime juice in a small bowl. Be sure everything is chopped into relatively even, small pieces. Stir well to combine. Sample and add extra salt and/or lime juice to taste. Serve with chips, over tacos, etc.!
Notes
- Storage: This keeps reasonably well in the fridge for 1-2 days, but really has the best texture right away.
- Useful Tools (affiliate links): Citrus Press | Mixing Bowls | Ceramic Knives
- Recipe: Adapted from Pinch of Yum.
