Add some tropical vibes to your next dinner or gathering with this fresh and tasty Pineapple Salsa! It’s packed with sweet and savory flavor, it’s great as a dip or topping for tacos, chicken and fish, and it’s so easy to make!

Pineapple salsa in a white bowl

As the saying goes, homemade is always best…and that’s especially true when it comes to salsa. I’ve purchased store bought salsa in the past and realized immediately that it just doesn’t have the fresh flavor that homemade salsa has.

It’s a true upgrade for chips, tacos, grilled meats and more, and I’ll be making my own from here on out.

While I love the savoriness of my tomatillo salsa, I have a thing for sweet and savory flavors. This Pineapple Salsa recipe is one of my go-to’s — it’s tangy and sweet with a little kick of heat, and it appeals to pretty much everyone.

If you love mango, my mango salsa recipe is a must-try!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

  • Pineapple salsa is sweet and savory with a bit of spiciness from jalapeño pepper, and it’s bursting with fresh flavor.
  • It’s perfect served as a dip, or as a topping for tacos, chicken, fish and more.
  • It comes together quickly and may be made entirely in advance.
  • Post includes step-by-step instructions on how to cut a pineapple quickly and easily.

Recipe ingredients

This pineapple salsa recipe includes a few simple ingredients that may be customized a number of ways as outlined in the ingredient notes below.

The fresher the ingredients, the better your salsa will taste!

Pineapple salsa ingredients

Ingredient notes

  • Pineapple. The pineapple is the star of this salsa, so using fresh pineapple is very important. Pre-cut pineapple may be used as a timesaver, but it’s very easy and more cost effective to cut it yourself. See my instructions on how to cut a pineapple below!
  • Jalapeño. The jalapeño adds just a touch of heat that compliments the sweetness of the pineapple perfectly. If you like your salsa really spicy, consider adding more to crank up the heat.
  • Red bell pepper. Substitute with tomato if you don’t have red bell pepper on hand.
  • Red onion. The red onion adds nice color and flavor, but it may be substituted with whatever type of onion that you have on hand.

How to cut a pineapple

Pre-cut pineapple is a big timesaver, but it in the end it’s best to buy a whole pineapple and cut it yourself as outlined below:

  • It’s more cost effective. You’ll get more pineapple for less money, and you can use leftovers in tropical fruit salad, piña coladas or freeze it for smoothies!
  • The freshness is guaranteed when you purchase a whole pineapple. Pre-cut pineapple may have been sitting around a while, and it may have added preservatives as well.

Cutting a pineapple is very easy following the step-by-step instructions below:

How to cut a pineapple collage
  1. Lay the pineapple down on a cutting board.
  2. Using a serrated knife, cut the top off of the pineapple.
  3. Cut the bottom off of the pineapple.
  4. Stand the pineapple upright and remove the skin by cutting it off from the top down. Try to cut enough off to remove the eyes at the same time.
  5. If any eyes remain, remove them with a paring knife or an appropriate tool.
  6. Cut the pineapple in half by cutting from the top down.
  7. Cut each half in half and remove the core from each piece. This may be done by standing each piece upright and cutting from the top down, or lay them on their sides and remove the core by cutting at an angle.
  8. Chop the pineapple into bitesize pieces.

How to make this recipe

This pineapple salsa recipe is extremely easy to make. It requires a bit of chopping, but it comes together quickly.

Pro tip: Prep the pineapple and veggies in advance until you’re ready to assemble the salsa, or make the entire recipe ahead of time.

How to make pineapple salsa
  1. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well to combine.
  2. Let stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes in order for the flavors to marry. Serve and enjoy!
Pineapple salsa with chips, lime wedges and cilantro

FAQs

Does salsa just mean sauce?

The word salsa refers to sauce in Mexican cooking. It is widely used as a dip or as a topping for tacos, enchiladas, and meats.

How do you remove pineapple eyes?

The best way to remove the eyes from a pineapple is by cutting enough of the outer skin of the pineapple off so that the eyes are removed at the same time. If you miss some, simply remove using a paring knife.

Do you have to remove the core of the pineapple?

The core of the pineapple is edible, but it’s hard and it can be difficult to chew. I highly recommend removing the core when cutting the pineapple.

How long will fresh salsa last in the fridge?

Fresh salsa will keep in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Serving suggestions

Pineapple salsa is extremely versatile and may be served a number of ways. There’s no wrong answer!

Recipe notes

  • Pro tip:  The pineapple is the star, so fresh pineapple is best.  See instructions on how to cut a pineapple in the post, or purchase pre-cut pineapple as a timesaver.
  • Pro tip: Prep the pineapple and veggies in advance until you’re ready to assemble the salsa, or make the entire recipe ahead of time.
  • While pineapple salsa is best enjoyed the day it is made, leftovers are still delicious and will keep in an air tight container for 3-5 days.
  • If you like your salsa spicy, add more jalapeño or a spicier chili pepper.
  • This recipe is great as a dip or condiment for tacos, chicken and fish!
Bowl of pineapple salsa on a platter with chips

More dip recipes you’ll love:

If you try this recipe I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and rating below, or tag me at @flavorthemoments on Instagram!

Pineapple salsa in a white bowl

Pineapple Salsa Recipe

Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 0 mins
Resting time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
This Pineapple Salsa recipe is so fresh and tasty that you'll never buy store bought salsa again! It's sweet and savory, and perfect as a dip or topping for tacos, grilled chicken and fish!
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh pineapple chopped into small chunks
  • 1 small red bell pepper seeded and chopped
  • 1 small jalapeño seeded and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions 

  • Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well to combine.
  • Let stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes in order for the flavors to marry. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Pro tip:  The pineapple is the star, so fresh pineapple is best.  See instructions on how to cut a pineapple in the post, or purchase pre-cut pineapple as a timesaver.
  • Pro tip: Prep the pineapple and veggies in advance until you’re ready to assemble the salsa, or make the entire recipe ahead of time.
  • While pineapple salsa is best enjoyed the day it is made, leftovers are still delicious and will keep in an air tight container for 3-5 days.
  • If you like your salsa spicy, add more jalapeño or a spicier chili pepper.
  • This recipe is great as a dip or condiment for tacos, chicken and fish!

Nutrition

Calories: 44kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 1g, Sodium: 148mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 7g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Appetizers
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Marcie
Keyword: pineapple salsa, pineapple salsa recipe
All recipes and images © Flavor the Moments.
Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

**This post was originally published in July 2014. The text and photos have been updated to include more recipe information and step by step photos.

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