Fresh Pineapple Salsa is easy to make and a favorite Summertime recipe! Made with pineapple, jalapeno, red onion and lime, this easy summer salsa is sweet, spicy and tangy. Perfect to add to fish tacos, chicken or just eat with chips!
With spring in full bloom and summer knocking on our door, there’s no better time than now to break out the must have recipes that remind you what this time of year is all about.
I’m talking about long days at the beach, backyard BBQs with friends and tropical drinks poolside. Nothing brings all of those things into focus like this recipe for Fresh Pineapple Salsa.
This easy pineapple salsa screams ‘summertime’. This fun and fresh party appetizer is sweet but spicy, chunky yet delicate… it’s a crowd pleaser through and through.
I usually make this pineapple jalapeno salsa to be served on top of chicken, fish tacos or as a garnish for my Diablo Bang Bang Shrimp Wraps and my Grilled Pork Tacos .
But to be honest, more times than not, I turn and my bowl of pineapple salsa is GONE! VANISHED!
Then I am forced to walk through the house on a scavenger hunt to find my husband and my stolen bowl of tropical happiness.
If I am quick enough, he hasn’t had time to eat it all and there is still some sweet, spicy chunks of salsa left.
If I’m having a slow day, more will need to be made before dinner can be served.
Yup, it’s THAT good!
Why THIS is the Best Salsa
- This is such an easy recipe to throw together. Literally, 5 minutes and 5 ingredients and you are DONE!
- Sweet chunks of fresh pineapple paired with spicy red onion and jalapeno then mixed with a bit of cilantro (or parsley) and then lime juice for tang. It gets no better!
- Perfect to add to fish tacos, grilled chicken, salmon or just to eat with a bowl of tortilla chips.
- Refreshing sweet and colorful, this easy pineapple salsa recipe is a must have for all summer get togethers.
To make this easy pineapple salsa recipe, you will need:
- Fresh pineapple – fresh pineapple is best for this recipe but you can use canned in a pinch.
- Red onion – savory and a bit spicy, the red onion plays nicely against the sweetness of the pineapple.
- Jalapeno peppers – adds a bit of spice to to the party!
- Cilantro (or parsley) – every summertime salsa needs a bit of cilantro but if you aren’t a fan, parsley can be substituted.
- Lime – the tang and acidity from fresh limes takes this pineapple salsa to the next level!!
Do you see that ingredient list??? Fresh, healthy and sooooo irresistible!
How to make Pineapple Salsa
This is a quick one, kids, so keep up.
To make this Pineapple Salsa recipe, start with your pineapple.
If you buy a whole pineapple, cut off the top and rough sides first and then core your pineapple. Once that is done, chop your fruit into bite-sized pieces and put into a large bowl.
Next, seed and dice your jalapeno along with your cilantro.
Dice your red onion into small pieces and add everything to your serving bowl and then add the lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Stir everything together and let is sit in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Pro Tips for Perfect Salsa
- Use a small food processor to chop and dice your salsa ingredients. Saves you a ton of time and trouble.
- Don’t like cilantro? No worries! Substitute the cilantro in this summertime salsa recipe with fresh parsley.
- If you want to add even more to this pineapple salsa recipe, stir in fresh tomatoes, mango or even diced red pepper for more flavor and color.
- Not trying to tackle cutting up a whole pineapple on your own? Purchase pre-cut fresh pineapple from the produce department of your local grocery store.
Uses for Pineapple Salsa
- Perfect as a party appetizer, serve up alongside Easy Homemade Salsa, Chipotle Tomato Salsa and Chipotle Corn Salsa.
- Fish tacos
- Grilled chicken
- Easy grilled pork tacos
- Nachos
- To be eaten straight out of the bowl with a fork when no one is watching
- Tortilla chips
Canned or Fresh Pineapple for Salsa?
Sometimes it’s hard to find fresh pineapple.
You absolutely can use canned pineapple in this Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa recipe but canned pineapple can sometimes be a bit watery so use it only in a pinch.
Just substitute the fresh pineapple for same amount of canned pineapple chunks called for in the recipe.
Another tip is to purchase pre-cut fresh pineapple from the produce department of your local grocery store. Saves you time from having to cut up a whole pineapple.
How Do You Peel a Pineapple?
Place the pineapple on its side and using a large, sharp knife, cut off the top and bottom.
Stand the pineapple upright and cut skin from pineapple lengthwise until all the skin has been cut away.
Chop pineapple in half or into slices or into whatever shape / size you need.
How Spicy is Pineapple Salsa?
As written, this recipe is well balanced and not too over the top spicy so that not everyone will enjoy it. If you are hesitant about the spice level, only use half a jalapeno pepper.
ENJOY!!
If you’ve tried this Pineapple Salsa recipe, please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you it came out in the comments below.
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Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
- 3 cups pineapple
- 1/3 red onion diced
- 1 jalapeno ribs and seeds removed, diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 2 limes juiced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut off the top and rough sides off your pineapple and then core it. Once that is done, chop your fruit into bite-sized pieces and put into a large bowl.
- Seed and dice your jalapeno along with your cilantro. Dice your red onion into small pieces and add everything to your serving bowl and then add the lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Stir everything together and let is sit in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use a small food processor to chop and dice your salsa ingredients. Saves you a ton of time and trouble.
- Don't like cilantro? No worries! Substitute the cilantro in this summertime salsa recipe with fresh parsley.
- If you want to add even more to this pineapple salsa recipe, stir in fresh tomatoes, mango or even diced red pepper for more flavor and color.
- Not trying to tackle cutting up a whole pineapple on your own? Purchase pre-cut fresh pineapple from the produce department of your local grocery store.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in May of 2018 but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions and tips in April of 2020.
Love it! Thinking of using it for fish tacos, could it work?
Hi Claudia .. Absolutely!!! I actually first wrote the recipe to go with my Bang Bang Shrimp recipe and it’s a perfect pairing with fish / fish tacos.
Oh yes, there is nothing I don’t like about this salsa. I get greedy around a ripe mango anyway so I doubt I’d be sharing this lol 😉
Haha Jo… I will tell you, I am not even kidding when I say I have to track down where my husband is in the house to find the bowl of salsa before he eats it all in one sitting.. no chips! .. just eating the salsa with a fork! … so you are not alone and I won’t tell on you if you don’t share 🙂
I live in a major pineapple growing area, so I am always looking for new ways with it. Salsa, is such a great thing to have in the fridge, such flexibility. Nice recipe.
Thank you Mark .. How lucky you are to have them so accessible!! … Pineapples and mangos are always a must have in my refrigerator.. I’m pretty sure my husband would go through withdrawals without them 🙂
I’ve just realised I haven’t made a fresh fruit salsa in ages… and yet it is so good with fish which I have often. I think I’ll have to rectify that soon! Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks Amanda! This Pineapple Mango Salsa is perfect on fish .. I use it often as a topper when I make my sriracha mahi.
Ummm, this salsa is making me hungry even though I just ate dinner!!!
Hahaha Sam… thanks!! .. Cyber food teasing is always the goal 🙂