5-Ingredient Pineapple Salsa

(1)

It's colorful, crunchy, and not spicy—it has a delicious sweet-tart flavor.

Pineapple salsa
Photo:

Kelsey Hansen

Yield:
1 quart

Forget about all those tomato salsas you've loved, this pineapple salsa is sure to become your new favorite and go-to. It's fresh, crunchy, and has a bright acidity, with a balance of sweet and tart flavors. It makes a great partner for all kinds of proteins, from fish to chicken to pork, and of course, we recommend it as an appetizer or snack with plenty of chips.

If you've always been team tomato salsa, let us remind you that tomatoes are technically a fruit—we just choose to use them as a vegetable. Hopefully, that will help you get behind making this easy salsa with pineapple, because you really shouldn't miss out on this recipe.

8 Ways to Use Pineapple Salsa

It's versatile and plays well with everything from grilled chicken to breakfast eggs:

  • As a dip with chips
  • With grilled, sautéed, or breaded and fried chicken
  • On grilled or sautéed fish or shellfish (try it with shrimp!)
  • With grilled, roasted, or pan-fried pork chops or tenderloin
  • On eggs, whether fried, poached, or scrambled
  • As a taco topping
  • In a burrito bowl
  • On top of an otherwise not-so-exciting green salad

Why You Need to Use Fresh Pineapple

Frozen and canned pineapple are too soft and watery for this recipe, and the salsa will lack that essential fresh crunch. (You could use cut-up pineapple from the produce department of the supermarket if you want a shortcut.)

Ingredients

  • ½ large (or 1 small) pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced (about 3 cups)

  • 1 small red onion, diced

  • 1 small yellow or orange bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced

  • ½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint

  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Ingredients for pineapple salsa

Kelsey Hansen

  1. Prepare pineapple:

    Peel, core, and dice the pineapple. There should be about 3 cups.

    Cut pineapple

    Kelsey Hansen

  2. Make salsa:

    Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and let stand at least 30 minutes to let flavors develop. Serve or refrigerate.

    Ingredients of pineapple salsa

    Kelsey Hansen

    Pineapple salsa in bowl with wooden spoon

    Kelsey Hansen

Storing

If you want to make the pineapple salsa ahead or have leftovers, cover the salsa with plastic wrap and refrigerator for up to one day.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do you choose a pineapple?

    When choosing a pineapple at the grocery store, know that pineapples do not ripen once picked. Look for fruit that's heavy for its size, fragrant (it should smell sweet and slightly fruity), and golden in color. A bit of green is fine but avoid any fruits that are black or soft in spots.


  • What is pineapple salsa made of?


    Pineapple salsa is made with a variety of ingredients. There is always pineapple but the other ingredients vary. There is usually onion and often chile, such as jalapeno or habanero. Some pineapple salsa may use lime juice or another citrus juice. Fresh herbs like cilantro are often used in pineapple salsa. Other fruits, such as tomato or tomatillo may be added, or avocado or beans for a heartier salsa. 

Other Fruit Salsa Recipes to Try:

Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, July 2002
Updated by
Victoria Spencer
Victoria Spencer, senior food editor, MarthaStewart.com
Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.

Related Articles