This Pineapple Mango Salsa is full of fresh and delicious flavors. It is perfect with chips, but you will love it on top of fish tacos, shrimp tacos, or our amazing chicken tacos.
Mexican-inspired food is one of my very favorites. I could eat my weight in tacos, chips, guacamole, and of course, margaritas. I will never tire of making new salsas for dipping chips and topping tacos, and this pineapple mango salsa does not disappoint.
Made with fresh pineapple and fresh mango, this isn’t just a beautiful salsa to look at, it bursts with fresh flavor. You will love the way the different ingredients come together in this perfect salsa recipe.
Mango Pineapple Salsa Ingredients
The flavor combination of these ingredients is so refreshing and delicious. For the full recipe including all measurements, be sure to scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Pineapple: Not only does fresh pineapple bring a better flavor to the salsa, it will hold up better than canned pineapple that has been sitting in juice. See my steps for how to cut pineapple below.
- Mango: Makes up the other part of the base of the salsa. Like the pineapple, fresh mango is preferred. See my tips for cutting a mango below. If you can’t find fresh mango, you can use frozen mango that has been thawed.
- Jalapeño: Adds some crunch and flavor without making the salsa spicy. I share how to control the heat of jalapeños in recipes and how to cut them below.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds a rich flavor that complements the other ingredients. Look for a bunch of cilantro with leaves that are bright green and perky.
- Red onion: Adds some crunch and sweet onion tang.
- Lime juice: Balances the sweetness of the fruit. I always recommend freshly squeezed lime juice, but bottled would work in a pinch.
- Kosher salt: See my note in the recipe card if you use table salt instead.
How to Make Pineapple Mango Salsa
Similar to Pico de Gallo but with fresh fruit instead of tomatoes, this easy pineapple mango salsa recipe comes together in just a few simple steps. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Prepare the ingredients. Peel and dice the pineapple and mango into small, bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro.
- Put it all together. Squeeze the juice of one lime over the mixture. Season with salt and gently toss the ingredients until everything is well combined.
- Taste and season. Add more salt or lime juice as needed after you taste the salsa.
Choosing a Pineapple
When choosing a pineapple for this fresh fruit salsa recipe, here are a few things to look for. First, the fruit should be more yellow than green on the outside. The more yellow it is, the more ripe it will be. The leaves should be mostly bright green and fresh; avoid any pineapples with leaves that are brown and wilted. Feel the pineapple, it should give a little when you push on it. If it is really mushy or really hard, keep moving.
How to Cut a Pineapple
If cutting up a fresh pineapple intimidates you, follow these steps! Learning how to do this is very simple, and once you do it, you will get fresh pineapples all the time! See my post for how to cut a pineapple for step-by-step details and photos.
- Cut the top and bottom off. Using a sharp knife, slice off the top and bottom of the pineapple. This creates a flat surface to work with.
- Remove the outer skin. Stand the pineapple upright on one of the flat ends you just created. Starting from the top, carefully slice downwards, following the curve of the pineapple and removing the tough outer skin. Continue rotating the pineapple and slice until all the skin is removed.
- Remove the core. Cut the pineapple in half and then into quarters. Cut the core out of the pineapple by slicing down the tip of the quartered chunk.
- Finish dicing. At this point the pineapple is ready to enjoy. Since we want it finely diced for this recipe, you will need to do some additional cutting. Cut the pineapple into spears and then dice them into small pieces for the salsa.
How To Cut A Pineapple
How to Cut a Mango
Follow these steps for cutting mangos for salsa. I share detailed steps and more photos in my mango salsa recipe.
- Cut the sides off of the mango. Get as close to the pit as possible without cutting into it. This will leave you with a total of three pieces.
- Score the mango. Take the sides and cut lines horizontally then vertically in the fruit. The goal is to cut the flesh of the fruit without cutting through the skin.
- Flip it inside out. Flipping the mango skin inside out makes it really easy to cut the mango away from the skin. Then do this with the other half.
- Cut away from the pit. Cut off the remaining mango flesh away from the pit. Once the mango is cut away from the skin and the pit, dice it all into small pieces.
Cutting Jalapeños
A fresh jalapeño pepper adds a great flavor profile to this sweet salsa without adding much heat. Most of the heat from the pepper lives in seeds and membranes, which we are removing for this recipe. To easily and safely cut your jalapeño, wear gloves and follow these steps:
- Slice each side off of the jalapeño (four sides total, like a rectangle), separating the seeds and membranes that should be attached to the stem.
- Discard the seeds and ribbing.
- Cut each strip of pepper into thin slices, then dice them into small pieces.
- Thoroughly wash your hands.
Tips and Tricks
- Cut everything into small, even-sized pieces.
- Whenever possible, use fresh ingredients. Fresh ripe mango and pineapple are your best choices for this recipe, though frozen and thawed mango and pineapple are good second choices.
- Make the salsa the day before you plan to serve it so that it can sit in the refrigerator overnight. This isn’t mandatory, but does allow the flavors to combine.
How to Serve
Serve the fresh pineapple mango salsa immediately as a refreshing dip with tortilla chips, or use it as a topping for grilled fish or chicken. You can also spoon it over tacos, salads, or quesadillas for an extra burst of flavor. Here are some of my favorite recipes to enjoy with it:
- Tostadas: This is such a simple but delicious recipe. And this salsa would be perfect on top.
- Grilled Chicken: This recipe is typically served with pineapple salsa, but this salsa would be a fantastic swap over these marinated and grilled chicken breasts.
- Grilled Steak: It would also be amazing over this flank steak recipe.
Storing Pineapple Mango Salsa
This salsa is best when it can sit in the refrigerator overnight for the flavors to combine. Store the leftover salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Give it a stir before serving and enjoy chilled or at room temperature.
Other Homemade Salsa Recipes
With its vibrant colors and refreshing flavors, fresh pineapple mango salsa is a must-have addition to your summer menu. Here are some other delicious salsa recipes to try.
If you give this mango pineapple salsa recipe a try, let me know what you think by leaving a comment. I hope you love it!
Pineapple Mango Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups pineapple diced small (about half a small pineapple; read how to cut a fresh pineapple here)
- 2 cups mango diced small (about two mangos; read how to cut mangos here)
- 1 jalapeño diced fine (read my tips for dicing jalapeños here)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro diced
- 1/2 small red onion diced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (if using table salt, start with half)
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together. For the best flavor, store in the refrigerator overnight.
- Enjoy with chips or on top of tacos. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Notes
Sheila @ Sweet Baked Life says
How refreshing for the summer! Love pineapple and mango together!