This fresh Pineapple Salsa is delicious, easy to make, and is the perfect addition to so many different recipes from chicken to tacos!
I am totally in love with this easy Pineapple Salsa recipe! It is full of fresh, bright flavors. It is easy to make. And you are going to love it on top of so many different things, or just with chips!
PINEAPPLE SALSA INGREDIENTS
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this delicious salsa. Make sure you head to the bottom of the post for measurements and the full printable recipe.
- Fresh Pineapple
- Jalapeños
- Red Onion
- Cilantro
- Lime Juice
- Salt
This recipe is very similar to my Pico de Gallo, except we are using pineapple instead of tomato. It’s got a great salty sweet vibe going.
WHY FRESH PINEAPPLE
This recipe starts with fresh pineapple because it will hold up better in the salsa. Because canned pineapple has been sitting in juice, it just won’t work as well.
There are lots of recipes where the pineapple doesn’t need to be firm – like my Hawaiian Chicken. Canned pineapple is great for those.
But in this recipe, it is the star of the show, and we need it to stay solid and easy to scoop with a chip.
HOW TO FIND A RIPE PINEAPPLE
- Look at the leaves. It should have mostly green fresh leaves. If the majority are brown and wilted, keep walking.
- Squeeze the pineapple. It should have a slight give to it, not too firm or too soft.
- Smell the bottom. You want it to have a slightly sweet smell.
- Look at the eyes (the hexagon looking shapes on the skin). The eyes should be bigger, yellow and green, free from mold, and consistent in size.
If your pineapple isn’t quite ripe when you buy it, store it on the countertop for a day or two. Keep an eye and a nose on it to determine when it is ripe.
When you are ready to make this salsa, you can read my instructions on How to Cut a Pineapple.
HOW TO CUT JALAPEÑOS
I LOVE fresh jalapeños in recipes. I think they make a great addition. To cut them, follow these steps:
- Slice the jalapeño length wise.
- Rather than going right down the middle, aim to take off just one side.
- Work your way around the jalapeño, cutting off the sides.
- Now cut the sides into strips and dice those strips.
By working this way, you avoid the ribs and the seeds of the jalapeño, which are the spiciest parts. But if you want more heat in your salsa, throw them all in!
Did you buy an extra jalapeño? Use it to make yourself a Jalapeño Margarita! They are amazing.
HOW TO STORE CILANTRO
Another great ingredient in this recipe is the fresh cilantro!
To store fresh cilantro, make sure the leaves are dry. I like to separate out the bunch, and dry all the leaves when I get home from the store.
Then give them a fresh cut, put them in a glass with water, and cover with a dry, clean produce bag from the grocery store.
If you are someone who can’t deal with the taste of cilantro, just leave it out! You should definitely still make this recipe.
Looking for another great way to use your cilantro? Make some easy Cilantro Lime Rice.
ADDING DARK RUM
That’s right, my friends! You can add rum to this!
Throw in 2 ounces of rum at the end, for a fun little twist on this recipe. It turns it into a great party dip!
USING AND STORING
This salsa can be kept in an airtight container for up to three days. It will taste best the day it is made, but could be made the night before in a pinch.
My Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa would be great on my Chicken Tacos, but I have another great recipe coming soon for it!
OTHER GREAT DIPS
If you are looking for other great dip recipes, try these!
If you try this recipe or any of my others leave a comment and let me know what you think!
Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 cups diced pineapple diced (about 1 small pineapple)
- 1 large jalapeno minced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- 1/2 medium red onion diced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces dark rum optional
Instructions
- Combine the diced pineapple, minced jalapeno, chopped cilantro, and diced red onion in a large bowl.
- Add the lime juice and salt. Stir to combine. Taste and add more cilantro, salt, or lime juice to fit your taste.
- Stir in rum if desired.
- Eat right away, or store in an airtight container for up to three days.
- While this recipe is best right away, it can be made the day before.
Don says
thank you lisa
love your recipes
Thank you so much Don!
Carl Pirro says
Salsa was great. Thank you Lisa.
I’m so happy you liked it Carl!
Mary Loveland says
I totally love pineapple, especially if you can find an organic one! However, the smell of cilantro makes me gag and I simply cannot eat any kind of pepper unless it is chopped so small you can barely see it. What can I substitute? You can also guess it makes things VERY difficult to cook!