Move over pico de gallo! This fresh pineapple salsa is here to make your next taco night one to remember.
It’s a bright and refreshing mix of fresh pineapple chunks, diced red onion and tomatoes, and plenty of lime.
But that’s not all! The cilantro and jalapeños bring a wallop of herby goodness with a fiery kick you’ll swoon over.
Ingredients for Pineapple Salsa
Pineapple salsa is fresh, tasty, and so easy to make.
Serve this at your next game day, over these tasty shrimp tacos, or at game night, and watch it disappear!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Fresh Pineapple – Fresh is best if you can get it. Unfortunately, canned or frozen pineapple can water down the salsa. If you can’t get fresh fruit, look for pre-cut pineapple in the produce fridge.
- Roma Tomato – Remove the seeds so the salsa stays nice and crisp.
- Bell Pepper – Red or orange are best as they are the sweetest. They add a fabulous crunch, too.
- Red Onion – I always add peppery red onion when making homemade salsa. It adds a sharpness that balances the flavors really well.
- Jalapeño – For a spicy kick! Remove the seeds and membranes so it’s not too hot.
- Cilantro – It adds flavor and freshness. Feel free to adjust the amounts as you desire – or leave it out if you really hate it. But in that case, I recommend adding fresh parsley in its place.
- Lime Juice – Squeeze it fresh for the best flavor.
- Seasonings – You only need salt and pepper for this recipe. But I almost always add a bit of garlic powder, too.
How To Make Pineapple Salsa
The beauty of homemade pineapple salsa is how easily it comes together. Just dice, mix, and chill.
Here are the basic steps:
1. Dice the ingredients and juice the lime. One key aspect of pineapple salsa is evenly diced elements. You don’t want huge chunks of red onions or thick slices of pepper. Instead, make sure everything is around the same size – and small!
2. Mix, taste, and adjust as needed. Mix everything in a bowl and taste a spoonful. Then, adjust where you think is needed.
3. Chill, serve, and enjoy! Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Then serve as an appetizer with chips or as a side on Taco Tuesday!
Tips for the Best Pineapple Salsa
Never made fresh salsa before? No worries! I have a few quick tips to ensure your dish is perfect.
- Select the best pineapple. A ripe pineapple should have bright green leaves and give just a little when you squeeze it. It should have no moldy or mushy spots. Most importantly, it should smell like pineapple.
- Cut all ingredients to the same size. I recommend dicing them as small as you can. This means you get plenty of every ingredient in each bite.
- Add extra sweetness. Drizzle a little honey over the salsa when you add the lime juice. Or better yet, agave syrup!
- Grill the pineapple first. This is a bit bougie, but man, oh man! Grilling adds a delectable caramelized, smoky flavor that takes your salsa to the next level. Check out this air fryer pineapple too. It’s not charred, but it’s to die for.
- Make it creamy! Add a spoonful of mashed avocado just before serving for a creamy texture.
How To Store
This salsa is best enjoyed the day it’s made. That way, everything is crisp and fresh.
But if you want to make it ahead or have leftovers, here’s how to store it:
To Store: Place the fresh salsa into an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Note: This salsa does not freeze well. Everything will turn to mush after thawing, so always make it fresh.
What to Serve with Pineapple Salsa
Serve this delicious pineapple salsa with anything you enjoy eating with salsa! Here are some of my favorite options:
- With Chips! This one is obvious. You can’t have chips without salsa, right? I love these homemade air fryer tortilla chips.
- With Tacos. Try this delicious salsa with delicious, meaty tacos or even vegan tacos.
- Over Rice. Pineapple salsa + this tasty Chipotle cilantro lime rice = a super flavorful lunch or side dish.
- With seafood. Any white fish will do! Or try it with this punchy Cajun shrimp recipe.
- With chicken. This easy salsa will jazz up any chicken dish – like this air fryer chicken breast recipe. And, of course, it is also really yummy with chicken fajitas!
- With red meat. It tastes wonderful with shredded beef, pork chops, or carnitas.
More Taco Toppings You’ll Love
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Chipotle Guacamole
Refried Beans
Corn Salsa
Fresh Pineapple Salsa
6
servings10
minutes30
minutes40
kcalIt’s time to upgrade your next Tex-Mex night with this fresh pineapple salsa recipe. It’s colorful, textural, and ideal for tacos, nachos, and more.
Ingredients
1 cup fresh pineapple, diced (about 1/2 medium fruit)
1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced (or to taste)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice or juice of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the diced pineapple, tomato, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro in a medium bowl.
- Pour/squeeze the lime juice over the pineapple mixture, and season with salt and pepper.
- Taste and adjust as needed. Feel free to add more lime, salt, or jalapeños.
- Cover and chill the salsa for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve cold with tortilla chips, tacos, or grilled chicken.
Notes
- Add 1 tablespoon of honey or agave for sweetness.
- Adjust the heat with extra jalapenos – or leave them out for something mild.
This salsa is magnificent! The flavor was tremendous as an addition to our shrimp tacos as well. I chop by hand, and prep time was 50 minutes. Even with the Holy Grail of choppers, 10 minutes is terribly misleading. I suggest an adjustment is necessary.
Julie, you’re in good company here. I’m a terrible chopper. (Not saying you are! Just fully aware that I am.)
I know there are probably chefs out there who can prep ingredients like this in 10 to 15 minutes. (In fact, my gramma is one of them. Watching her slice cucumbers and onions is like watching a ninja doing a magic trick. Awe-inspiring.)
But I’m not and probably never will be one of them. The last time I made homemade salsa, it took me a good 30 minutes to chop and dice everything. I’ve simply resigned myself to the fact that recipe prep times will never reflect how long it actually takes ME to prep ingredients. :-p
Glad you enjoyed the salsa, though. I love it, too. The perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy.