Pineapple salsa is a fresh & juicy addition to summer gatherings. Or keep some in the refrigerator for quick snacking with a handful of tortilla chips.
It only takes 10 minutes to make. Plus, it’s easy to adjust the recipe to fit your preferences! Vegan & gluten-free.
When the weather is hot, humid, and sticky, I like to break through it with hydrating fruit like pineapple.
And although, you can certainly eat it all on its own, it’s a fun change of pace to use it as a base for salsa.
Tomato salsa is a mainstay throughout the year.
But during warm weather months, fruity dips like this one or peach & black bean salsa come out to play.
They’re terrific on their own with chips. Or use them as a topping on tacos, taquitos, and nachos.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
Pineapple: You’ll need 3 ½ cups of pineapple, which is basically one pineapple peeled & cored. Or you can buy it already chopped.
For best results, choose fresh pineapple, not canned.
Onion: I recommend a white or yellow onion, but any type will work here.
Garlic: Choose a small clove, so that the flavor doesn’t overwhelm.
Cilantro: Look for fresh leaves that aren’t brown or wilted.
Lime juice: Freshly squeezed is best.
Jalapeños: Use fresh or pickled jalapeños.
Salt: Just a pinch brings the flavors to life.
Step by step instructions
Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
To make this easy pineapple salsa recipe, combine the following ingredients in a medium bowl:
- Pineapple
- Chopped onions
- Minced garlic
- Chopped cilantro
- Chopped jalapeños
- Lime juice
- Pinch of salt
You can eat this salsa right away. But the flavors really taste best when they’ve had a chance to marry.
All of that sweet, juicy pineapple mellows the onion. And the garlic finds a way to meander through the salsa. Plus, the heat intensifies a little.
So this is a good dip to make ahead of time before a vegan potluck, party, or cookout.
Can I use the food processor?
Yes!
If you’d like all of the ingredients to be more uniform in size & perfectly combined, put the ingredients into a food processor instead of a bowl.
Pulse it a few times, stopping a couple times to scrape down the sides for even mixing.
The food processor breaks up the salsa into even smaller bite-sized portions that fit nicely onto tortilla chips.
Just be careful not to over blend. (Nobody wants a salsa smoothie!)
Make it your own
Make pineapple salsa your own by tweaking the recipe to suit your flavor preferences.
- Add diced orange, yellow, or red bell pepper for color.
- Use red onion instead of yellow for more bite.
- Add seeded & diced tomato for a classic salsa experience with a twist.
- Throw in drained & rinsed black beans for an extra punch of protein.
- Incorporate a dash of cumin (up to ½ teaspoon) for more of a savory edge.
- Add a splash or two of hot sauce for more heat.
- Spoon in diced avocado for a dose of creamy & fatty goodness.
- Score one half of the pineapple shell carefully. Then use it as a bowl for your pineapple salsa.
Serving ideas
Pineapple salsa is delicious with any of these dishes.
- Tortilla chips
- Taquitos: baked taquitos with sweet potatoes or vegan taquitos with jackfruit
- Tacos: sweet potato tacos, jackfruit carnitas tacos, black bean tacos, raw tacos, or vegan walking tacos
- Vegan bean burritos or vegan burrito bowl
- Veggie fajitas
- Build-your-own vegan nacho bar
- It also makes a great addition to a tiki party!
Storage instructions
Store pineapple pico de gallo in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
It will keep for about 4 days.
📖 Recipe
Pineapple salsa with jalapeño
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups chopped pineapple chopped small to medium (Roughly 1 pineapple, peeled & cored)
- ½ cup chopped onions chopped small
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ cup loosely-packed cilantro roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons chopped jalapenos fresh or pickled (Or to taste)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine pineapple, onions, cilantro, lime juice, 1 to 2 Tablespoons of chopped jalapeno (or to taste), and a pinch of salt.* Fully combine all of the ingredients. Taste & adjust with more lime juice, salt, or jalapeno. (Keep in mind that the heat will intensify a little as the salsa sits.)
- You can serve the salsa & eat it right away. However, it tastes best after the flavors have had time to mingle and marry. Cover the salsa & refrigerate for 4 or more hours for the best flavors. Serve with tacos, nachos, or tortilla chips for dipping.
johanna @ green gourmet giraffe
I love fresh pineapple and this looks like a really refreshing addition to a meal – Actually I think it would be a nice topping for avocado on toast for a really simple way to serve it.
Cadry
What a great idea, Johanna! I eat avocado toast all year ’round, but that sounds like a delicious way to push it into summer flavors.
Shell
This looks like something I could eat with a spoon! Perfect for the hot summer days that are around the corner.
Cadry
Yes, tropical fruits are especially good on these balmy summer days!