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This pineapple salsa only requires 6 ingredients and takes 15 minutes to make. It’s the perfect appetizer to serve with tortilla chips and is delicious on tacos and grilled meat!
This pineapple salsa is what I put out with a big bowl of tortilla chips all spring and summer. I’m a big tortilla chip girl and if there’s a bag in the house, this is my favorite thing to dip them in.
I use four jalapeños, which might sound like a lot, but it’s not about the heat. I usually take the seeds out to keep it mild. What I’m really after is the pepper flavor, because it balances out the sweet pineapple. If you don’t add enough, it’s just a bowl of fruit.
Once everything’s mixed, I let it chill for about 2 hours so all the ingredients have time to come together. Fresh pineapple is definitely best here, but if you can’t find one for the life of you, canned is the next best thing.
You’ll Love This Recipe for Pineapple Salsa!
- It’s quick, with only 6 ingredients. Pineapple, plum tomatoes, jalapeños, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice, plus a little salt. It’s about 15 minutes of chopping, and then it all goes in one bowl.
- You control the heat. As written, it’s fairly mild. Leave the jalapeño seeds in for a little kick, take them out if you’re sensitive to spice, or add a minced serrano if you want it really spicy.
- It’s easy to swap things. Canned pineapple works if you rinse and dry it first. You can also skip the onion, or use mango instead of pineapple for something closer to my mango salsa.
Pineapple Salsa Recipe Ingredients
- Pineapple (fresh is best, but you could also use canned if you’re in a pinch)
- Roma/plum tomatoes
- Cilantro
- Red onion
- Lime juice
- Jalapeños
I’ve served this salsa to friends and family on multiple occasions and it’s been a total hit every time. What’s not to love about fresh fruit paired with Mexican flavors?
How to Make Pineapple Salsa
Add diced pineapple, tomatoes, red onions, jalapeños, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to a large bowl. Toss to combine.
I usually serve it with some tortilla chips because I’m not the best planner, but if you’re having a barbecue or fun summer party, here are a few ways to use it!
What to Eat With Pineapple Salsa
- Homemade tortilla chips or baked tortilla chips
- Grilled meats like carne asada or pollo asado
- As a salsa on pork carnitas tacos, chicken carnitas tacos and tacos al pastor
Or you can just eat it by the spoonful. I’ve been known to do that.
Tips for Salsa with Pineapple
- Make sure to dice the pineapple into bite-sized pieces that are small enough to scoop with tortilla chips.
- This salsa is fairly mild. To make it spicier, I recommend adding in a minced serrano pepper. To tone down the spice, remove and discard the ribs and seeds of the jalapeños.
- This pineapple salsa will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
More Salsa Recipes
Homemade Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 medium pineapple, diced (about 4 cups)
- 4 plum tomatoes, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 4 jalapeño peppers diced
- 1/4 large red onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup minced cilantro
- 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Toss to combine.
- Taste and season with more salt, if necessary. Serve immediately or refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was first published in March 2018 and has been updated with new photos and more content.
Made this on a whim tonight, to go with our Hawaiian chicken tacos. Was amazing! So simple and quick, but tasted far from it! Will definitely make on a regular basis! Actually used canned “crushed” pineapple, and added some fresh minced garlic. Was perfect for topping and scooping!
Love the idea of Hawaiian chicken tacos! Such a good idea for the salsa! Happy you enjoyed it, Roberta. Cheers!
Can you substitute mango for the pineapple?
Yes!
Love it! Easy, fresh, budget friendly and delicious 😋
Thank you, Pricilla!
Would it be ok to omit the onion? How much would that affect the flavor?
Yes, you can definitely omit the onion. It can be too strong for some, so that should be okay.
Can you use canned pineapple and tomatoes?
Hi April. I think you can use canned pineapples, just make sure you rinse and dry them before dicing them. However, I wouldn’t recommend using canned tomatoes. They can be very soft and not as fresh tasting, so I would use fresh tomatoes if you can.
I have found petite diced tomatoes to be just as good as fresh tomatoes.
Has wanybody tried adding cucumber diced?
Approximately how many cups or servings did this recipe make? Thinking of making it for a work luau pot luck
It makes about 6 servings.
This salsa is really good but needs a lot more pineapple. I used 1 cup, not 1/4 cup that the recipe calls for . Also, unless you have a sous chef, this recipe takes about an hour to make, NOT 15 minutes!!! I don’t know about you, but I can’t possibly dice all those ingredients so fast.
A helpful tool is an alligator chopper. I use it all the time to dice onions, peppers, tomato, and potatoes.
The recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups of diced pineapple or 1/4 of the whole pineapple fruit, not 1/4 cup
Can you make this recipe ahead of time and let it sit (like maybe the day before)?
Thanks!
Absolutely! It should last in the fridge for about a week to a week and a half.
Nutrition Facts for we diabetics. Please please please.