Contents

Grilled Pineapple Salsa Recipe: Your Ultimate Summer Flavor Companion

Ignite your taste buds this summer with our incredibly flavorful Grilled Pineapple Salsa Recipe! Sweet, smoky, and with just the right kick of spice, this vibrant salsa is a versatile delight. Perfect as a refreshing dip with chips, or as a sensational accompaniment to tacos, grilled meats, and seafood. Get ready to elevate your outdoor dining experience!

The Irresistible Allure of Grilled Pineapple

The first encounter with grilled pineapple is often a revelation. There’s a certain magic that happens when the natural sugars of a juicy pineapple meet the fiery kiss of the grill. The fruit caramelizes beautifully, developing a golden-brown hue and a concentrated sweetness that is simply unparalleled. This process also infuses the pineapple with a subtle smokiness, adding an extra layer of complexity that transforms it from a simple fruit into a gourmet experience.

For many, grilled pineapple becomes an instant summer staple, often served as a light and refreshing dessert, perhaps drizzled with a decadent chocolate hazelnut spread for an extra touch of indulgence. However, the true versatility of this grilled gem shines brightest when it’s paired with more savory elements, as demonstrated in this exceptional Grilled Pineapple Salsa Recipe. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy the season’s bounty, moving beyond traditional desserts and bringing a fresh, tropical twist to your savory dishes.

Mastering the Art of Grilling Pineapple

Grilling pineapple is surprisingly simple and quick, making it an ideal addition to any summer meal preparation. Achieving that perfect balance of tender, caramelized fruit with a light char requires just a few minutes per side on a hot grill. While you might brush pineapple with butter or sprinkle it with sugar for a dessert application, for this savory salsa, a simple brush of extra virgin olive oil is all you need. The olive oil prevents sticking and helps in achieving a beautiful char without adding conflicting flavors.

To ensure uniform cooking and those coveted grill marks, you have a couple of options. Many grilling enthusiasts, including myself, find a high-quality nonstick grill mat incredibly useful. These mats allow vegetables and fruits to cook evenly and develop excellent char marks without the worry of sticking to the grates. If you’re grilling directly on the grates, it’s crucial to ensure they are meticulously cleaned and thoroughly oiled before placing the pineapple. This preparatory step is key to preventing the delicate fruit from tearing or sticking.

Given pineapple’s high sugar content, it caramelizes rapidly, so close attention is paramount. Keep a watchful eye to prevent the natural sugars from over-developing and burning. The ideal grilled pineapple will be lightly charred and tender, yet still retain a slight crispness in its center, offering a delightful textural contrast. You can choose to grill cored pineapple rings or wedges. Personally, I find that pineapple rings tend to cook a bit more evenly, making them my preferred choice for consistency in this salsa.

How to Slice a Pineapple Like a Pro

Preparing a fresh pineapple might seem daunting, but it’s a straightforward process that yields superior flavor compared to pre-cut options. Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to peel, core, and slice a whole pineapple, ensuring perfect rings ready for the grill:

Start by placing the pineapple on its side on a cutting board. With a sharp chef’s knife, carefully slice off the leafy green “crown” at the top.
Next, trim about a half-inch slice from the bottom of the pineapple. This creates a stable, flat base.
Stand the pineapple upright on its newly flattened bottom. Using your knife, follow the natural contour of the fruit, cutting downward to remove the thick, spiky skin from top to bottom. Aim to remove as little flesh as possible while getting rid of all the tough skin.
Once peeled, you’ll notice small dark spots, or “eyes,” embedded in the pineapple flesh. Use the tip of your knife or a small paring knife to carefully cut them out. You can make V-shaped grooves around them or simply scoop them out individually.
Lay the pineapple on its side again and cut it into slices of your desired thickness, typically about ½-inch thick for grilling.
Finally, use a small round cookie cutter (about 1-inch in diameter) to remove the fibrous core from the center of each slice. This step ensures uniform grilling and a more pleasant eating experience.

For those who love kitchen gadgets, specialized pineapple corer/slicers can simplify this process even further, making quick work of preparation. These tools are excellent for achieving perfectly uniform rings with minimal effort. While not necessary, they can be a fun and convenient addition to your culinary arsenal.

Crafting the Best Grilled Pineapple Salsa Recipe

Transforming grilled pineapple into an unforgettable salsa is where the magic truly unfolds. Once your pineapple is beautifully charred and cooled, dice it into bite-sized pieces. This forms the sweet, smoky foundation of your salsa. To this, we add diced grilled bell peppers and jalapeños, introducing more smoky depth and a customizable hint of heat.

A key technique that elevates this salsa is grilling the lime halves before juicing them. This simple step imparts a subtle smoky flavor to the lime juice, creating a harmonious link with the grilled pineapple and peppers. The bright, acidic notes of the lime are softened and deepened by the grill, resulting in a more complex and integrated flavor profile.

While most components benefit from grilling, I prefer to keep the red onions raw. Their crisp texture and sharp, pungent bite offer a crucial contrast to the softer, sweeter grilled elements, providing a refreshing zing in every spoonful. The final dressing for this exceptional salsa brings together extra virgin olive oil, a touch of honey for natural sweetness, and a dash of ground cumin. This combination creates an unexpectedly sophisticated blend of sweet and savory flavors, allowing the unique characteristics of the grilled fruit and vegetables to shine through in a truly distinctive way.

What Goes Perfectly with Pineapple Salsa?

The versatility of this Grilled Pineapple Salsa knows no bounds. We adore serving it simply with lightly-salted tortilla chips; blue corn chips, in particular, offer a slightly nuttier flavor and striking visual appeal. It’s an ideal appetizer for patio gatherings, poolside parties, or any casual summer get-together, pairing wonderfully with a classic margarita, a crisp ice-cold beer, or your favorite refreshing mocktail.

Beyond chips, this tropical salsa acts as an exceptional condiment that can elevate a wide array of dishes. It’s a fantastic match for grilled meats and seafood. Imagine spooning it over perfectly grilled pork chops, succulent sliced pork tenderloin, or tender grilled chicken breasts. Its vibrant flavors also complement delicate white fish like cod, halibut, or mahi-mahi beautifully, adding a burst of freshness and a touch of sweetness.

For an authentic Mexican-inspired feast, this pineapple salsa is an absolute game-changer. Serving carnitas tacos? This salsa is undeniably the perfect accompaniment, cutting through the richness of the pork with its bright, tangy, and smoky notes. It also pairs wonderfully with shrimp tacos, fish tacos, or even as a fresh topping for chicken or steak fajitas. Don’t limit its use to just main courses; try it as a vibrant side dish for rice and bean bowls, or even layered into savory wraps and sandwiches for a surprising flavor boost.

Its refreshing qualities also make it a surprising but delightful addition to breakfast or brunch. Spoon a little over scrambled eggs, or alongside a savory breakfast burrito for a unique twist on your morning meal. The possibilities are truly endless, making this recipe a must-have in your summer culinary repertoire.

More Irresistible Recipes for the Grill:

Grilled Guacamole
Bacon Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Grilled Meatball Subs
Grilled Shrimp Scampi
Honey Mustard Grilled Pork Chops

Cheers to a season filled with delicious grilling and unforgettable flavors!

Pin Recipe
Print Recipe

Grilled Pineapple Salsa Recipe

by Amanda Biddle

This sweet, smoky pineapple salsa is a refreshing summer snack or condiment. It can be prepared a day in advance of serving and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. We enjoy this salsa best at room temperature.

Yields approximately 3 cups of salsa.

Prep Time:
1 hour 10 minutes

Cook Time:
20 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour 30 minutes

Servings:
24 servings (2 tablespoons salsa)

Ingredients

1 large pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 red bell pepper, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
1 jalapeño pepper
1 lime, halved
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for grilling
1 teaspoon honey
½ to 3/4 teaspoons ground cumin (to taste)
½ cup chopped red onion
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Tortilla chips, for serving

Instructions

Heat grill to a medium-high flame. Oil the grates well or line with a nonstick grilling mat.
Lightly brush pineapple slices, bell peppers, and the cut side of the limes with olive oil. Season generously with a few pinches of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Grill the ingredients. Place the lime halves cut-side down. Grill until char marks appear and the pineapple and peppers have begun to soften. This typically takes 3-4 minutes total for the limes, 3-4 minutes per side for the bell peppers, and 5-8 minutes per side for the pineapple (watch the pineapple carefully to prevent burning). Remove all grilled items from the grill and let them stand until cool enough to handle.
Once cooled, cut the grilled jalapeño pepper in half lengthwise and remove the seeds (leave seeds in for a spicier salsa). Chop the grilled pineapple and peppers into bite-sized pieces. You should have approximately 2 cups of pineapple and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of red bell pepper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon grilled lime juice (freshly squeezed from the grilled halves), honey, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the chopped grilled pineapple, grilled peppers, raw red onion, and fresh cilantro, tossing gently to combine all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and cumin if desired.
Allow the salsa to rest, covered, for at least an hour in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld and deepen. Stir well before serving at room temperature for the best flavor.

Notes

The total time listed includes an hour for the flavors to meld, which is highly recommended for optimal taste. The actual hands-on cooking time for this Grilled Pineapple Salsa is only about 30 minutes!

Nutrition Estimate

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

About our recipes

Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.

★ Like this? Rate and comment below! ★

Originally published May 28, 2016. Post last updated April 30, 2018 with photos and additional commentary.