This grilled pineapple salsa is easy to make with fresh taste and a hint of sweet and smoky flavor. Dip with tortilla chips, use in tacos or top grilled meat and seafood!
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Easy Grilled Pineapple Salsa
I love grilling out with friends and family in the summer and this grilled pineapple salsa is a tropical explosion of flavors from the smoky charred pineapple to the vibrant bell pepper and zesty lime. It’s an irresistible combination of sweet and spicy notes!
This fresh pineapple salsa recipe is absolutely tantalizing and full of flavor. If you’ve never had grilled pineapple before, it’s easy and gives the fruit the most wonderful taste. Serve it as an appetizer or top your grilled chicken, fish or pork.
Pineapple Salsa Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Pineapple: The sweet and tart flavors of this tropical fruit really shine after a quick sear on the grill.
- Red onion: Grilling lets the onion caramelizes a bit and let some sweetness come through.
- Bell pepper: The necessary crunch and freshness of this pepper pulls it all together.
- Cilantro: A much-needed herb that adds brightness to the salsa.
- Lime Juice: The glue that pulls it all together and gives a necessary touch of acid.
- Salt + Pepper: The traditional seasonings that accentuate the natural flavors.
Choosing the Perfect Pineapple to Grill
Wondering how to pick a pineapple that’s super juicy and sweet? Below are a few tips that will help you out:
- Color: A ripe pineapple will have a bright yellow color from top to bottom. If the color is green, it isn’t ripe enough. If the color is orange, it has most likely spoiled.
- Texture: You want the texture of your pineapple to be on the softer side. It should give in a little when you press on it.
- Smell: Make sure to smell the bottom of the pineapple before putting it in your cart! It should smell sweet and bright.
How to Make Grilled Pineapple Salsa
- Grill. Quickly grill the pineapple and onion. Let cool completely before chopping into bite-sized pieces.
- Stir. Toss together pineapple, onion, bell pepper, cilantro, lime, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Chill. Cover and place in the fridge to cool before serving.
Tips + Variations
- Make it spicy. To add heat, mix in some chopped jalapeno. You can even grill the pepper as well to give it a nice char.
- Chop, chop, chop! To get the most goodness in each bite, you’ll want to make sure that you chop all of the ingredients into small, evenly-sized pieces.
- Add avocado. For a fun twist, stir in 1 avocado cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Grill the onion. Add the onion on the grill since it’s already fired up. It will get a nice caramelized and charred exterior, resulting in terrific flavor.
- Non grill method. Although I highly recommend grilling the pineapple/onions for extra flavor, you could skip this part if preferred. Trust me though, it’s worth the extra step!
What Goes with Pineapple Salsa
- Hot dogs: It makes a wonderful hot dog topping along with a drizzle of BBQ sauce. It’s like a Hawaiian hot dog!
- Fish: It tastes great served with grilled salmon, shrimp skewers or fish tacos.
- Chicken: Keep it simple and serve with grilled chicken breast or chicken kabobs. Yum!
- Pork: Pork and pineapple is such a delicious combination! Try serving with kalua pork, sweet pork tacos or pork chops.
- Salads: Serve on top of a taco salad, fajita salad or Mexican salad
- Chips: Serve as an appetizer along with ceviche and homemade tortilla chips.
Storing Leftovers
This recipe tastes best served the first day. The pineapple has the most flavor immediately after grilling and the veggies are still crisp and delicious. You can definitely store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, however the salsa may soften a bit and get a little watered down due to the juices from the pineapple.
Love salsa? Try these other favorites like avocado salsa recipe, black bean salsa and fruit salsa!
Other Easy Salsa Recipes
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Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 pineapple , peeled and sliced in circles (for the grill)
- ½ red onion , sliced (for the grill)
- ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1-2 limes , juiced
- Salt , to taste
- Ground black pepper , to taste
- Jalapeno , finely diced, optional
Instructions
- Heat the grill to medium-heat. Place the pineapple and onions onto the grill and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until light grill marks appear. Remove from the grill and let cool.
- Once cooled, chop the pineapple and onion into 1/4-inch pieces and place in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the bell pepper, cilantro, and lime juice. Add salt and pepper, to taste. For a little heat, add jalapeno. Stir together until combined.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
You can still get the grilled flavor by searing the pineapple and onion on the stovetop. Simply place a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Coat in oil and add pineapple and onion. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Sadly, I wouldn’t recommend it. Canned pineapple tends to contain too much moisture for good grilling and doesn’t end up working as well in the salsa. I would suggest sticking with the fresh.
No. Fresh fruit salsa is not recommended to freeze as it will turn mushy when thawed.
If you would like to sprinkle it with salt that works! Just a tiny bit can help enhance the flavors in a sweet n’ salty way!
Categorized as: Appetizers, Cinco De Mayo, Dairy-Free, Dips, Gluten-Free, Grilling, Mexican, Nut-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole 30
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I love that some of the ingredients are grilled! What a difference it makes! This will be great on some tacos!
This is the easiest salsa to make & the flavors burst in your mouth! The pineapple adds a ton of taste!
This really is packed with so much flavor. I love that you grilled the pineapple too!
BEST PINEAPPLE SALSA!! I MAKE THIS FOR EVERY SUMMER BBQ!
Such a great idea to grill the pineapple for this salsa! Really adds so much flavor.
I love this pineapple salsa – the grilled pineapple is so good!
Grilling the pineapple makes this salsa the best!
I love pineapple salsa! It is so refreshing & has so much flavor. It’s a nice change from regular pico de gallo.
So fresh and perfect for summer! Loved this tortilla chips and guacamole!
How creative is this salsa for the hot dogs. I never had the two together. I’m so into the flavors of this lovely summer salsa!!
I LOVE the look of this dog topped with this delicious pineapple salsa – yum!
This looks especially amazing because of the GRILLED pineapple!!
This looks incredible! What great flavors all together in each bite. I am a fan!
That salsa is so up my alley! I love the idea of putting it over hotdogs. Such a fun summer meal!
I don’t think I’ve ever tried hotdogs and pineapple together, but the more I think about it, the more I want to – this sounds delicious!
This will bring me back to the tropics! Pineapple Salsa looks amazing!
Delicious!