This easy Pineapple Salsa is the perfect healthy dip for chips, or serve it as a topping for grilled chicken or fish.
We love nothing more than making a meal out of chips and dip during the hot summer months. But since that’s kind of… not the healthiest, I like to at least make sure one of our dips is filled with fruit and veggies.
This pineapple salsa is an absolute favorite – and so easy to make, it is an absolute staple for us during hot days!
Jump to:
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes
- Pineapple: I love using fresh, but canned pineapple in juice works very well, too.
- Sweet peppers: If you don’t like green pepper, feel free to use two red instead. I would recommend adding a chopped green onion as well if you’re skipping the green pepper, just to get some of that sharper taste in there. Otherwise, I find the salsa a little too sweet.
- Cilantro: If you’re not a fan of cilantro, feel free to use chopped parsley instead.
- Lime juice: I use fresh lime juice because it helps keep the pineapple from browning better than bottled. Feel free to use bottled, but I would recommend you eat the salsa right away.
- Honey: I prefer using a mild, runny honey for this recipe. It mixes better into the dressing and doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Add heat: Feel free to add some de-seeded, chopped Jalapeño or chilies to the salsa for heat.
How to make Pineapple Salsa
Once you have all of your ingredients prepped, add them to a bowl.
(I have instructions for how to cut a pineapple and how to cut a bell pepper in those separate posts, if you’re new to cooking.)
Then, whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or measuring jug.
ingredients in bowl 
dressing mixed up
Then pour over the dressing and immediately toss to evenly coat all of the ingredients and mix everything well.
add dressing mix well
If you want to present this in a pretty way to serve for a party or special event, I recommend hollowing out half of a pineapple and spooning the salsa inside to serve!
I usually use a new pineapple and carefully hollow it out with a sharp paring knife, then chop and freeze it for smoothies. That way I don’t need to worry about being overly careful with getting the pineapple out intact enough to dice for the salsa, and can just focus on keeping my pineapple boat looking great.
Recipe tips
- You can dice your ingredients as chunky or as small as you like. I generally keep it chunky-style if I want to serve it as more of a side salad, and dice it finely if I want to serve it with chips as a dip. I took the photos for this salsa on two different days, the salsa in the pineapple is diced smaller and the salsa in the ingredient and step-by-step photos is cut chunkier.
- Pineapple browns over time after it’s cut, so please do not skip the lime juice in the recipe. It helps to keep the pineapple looking fresh.
- If you have picky eaters who will find a piece of onion the size of a breadcrumb, just serve chopped red onion on the side. Ask me how I know 🙈
- You can make the salsa up to 24 hours ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge. Keep in mind, it’s quite flavorful and your fridge will probably gather some smells while the salsa is in there.
Serving ideas
We love this as an appetizer or snack with chips. But it’s also a great topping for baked or grilled chicken or fish. We love it over Lemon Grilled Chicken, or Lemon Garlic Baked Cod!
And it’s also the perfect healthy side for my Coconut Oven Fried Chicken, or for Crispy Oven Fried Fish.
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Easy Pineapple Salsa
Recipe details
Ingredients
- 1 small pineapple chopped (about 3 cups)
- 1 small red pepper diced
- 1 small green pepper diced
- ½ red onion chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup lime juice from about 1-2 medium-large limes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add pineapple, both peppers, red onio and cilantro to a medium bowl.
- Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, honey, ground cumin and salt.
- Pour dressing over salsa ingredients in bowl and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24h before serving.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Pineapple: I love using fresh, but canned pineapple in juice works very well, too.
- Sweet peppers: If you don’t like green pepper, feel free to use two red instead. I would recommend adding a chopped green onion as well if you’re skipping the green pepper, just to get some of that sharper taste in there. Otherwise, I find the salsa a little too sweet.
- Cilantro: If you’re not a fan of cilantro, feel free to use chopped parsley instead.
- Lime juice: I use fresh lime juice because it helps keep the pineapple from browning better than bottled. Feel free to use bottled, but I would recommend you eat the salsa right away.
- Honey: I prefer using a mild, runny honey for this recipe. It mixes better into the dressing and doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Add heat: Feel free to add some de-seeded, chopped Jalapeño or chilies to the salsa for heat.
Recipe tips
- You can dice your ingredients as chunky or as small as you like. I generally keep it chunky-style if I want to serve it as more of a side salad, and dice it finely if I want to serve it with chips as a dip. I took the photos for this salsa on two different days, the salsa in the pineapple is diced smaller and the salsa in the ingredient and step-by-step photos is cut chunkier.
- Pineapple browns over time after it’s cut, so please do not skip the lime juice in the recipe. It helps to keep the pineapple looking fresh.
- If you have picky eaters who will find a piece of onion the size of a breadcrumb, just serve chopped red onion on the side. Ask me how I know 🙈
- You can make the salsa up to 24 hours ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge. Keep in mind, it’s quite flavorful and your fridge will probably gather some smells while the salsa is in there.
Nutrition
More recipe information
Recipe first published on 06/20/2019. Updated with better text, step by step photos and better recipe directions on 04/10/2021.
Mary says
This recipe is money! Served over shrimp and coconut rice, leftovers over salmon patties and with tortilla chips. Restaurant quality!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Mary!
Mary says
This recipe is money. Perfect with shrimp, served leftover salsa with tortilla chips and over salmon patties.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Mary!
Docmike says
Just like a restaurant would serve. Thank you.
Nora says
I’m so glad!
Stacey Sickinger says
Great over almond crusted halibut
Kathy Colwell says
Ate this on Mexican food night with chips as an appetizer and then ate it over fresh grilled redfish in the half shell the next night. It was so easy and so very tasty. I added a little bit of chopped spicy peppers (Tabasco peppers from our garden) for a little kick.
Nora Rusev says
Your serving suggestions sound delicious, Kathy. Thanks for the inspiration!