It’s salsa time! Savory and sweet pineapple corn salsa or pineapple pico de gallo is just what you need to serve with corn tortilla chips and air fryer pita chips. It also serves as a tasty topping for air fryer turkey burgers, carne asada tacos, and salad recipes.
Key Ingredients
- Onion: I enjoy the sharpness of red onions but substitute them with green onions, shallots, or white onions.
- Jalapeño: When preparing salsa for a large gathering, jalapeños are my go-to since they tend to be less spicy. Try serrano or habanero peppers if you want more heat.
- Cilantro: Finish the salsa with finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves.
- Lime: Include the fresh lime juice from one lime.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil works with the citrus to create a balanced dressing for the salsa.
- Pineapple: Peel and dice fresh pineapple into small, even-sized pieces. You can purchase cored and peeled pineapple from the grocery store, reducing the preparation time.
How do you know when a pineapple is ripe?
A pineapple is ripe and ready when it smells sweet, has a vibrant color, and a bright green crown. The outside of the pineapple should be firm but yielding.
- Corn: You need about one cup of corn kernels (1-3 ears). Use fresh, frozen, or canned corn – whatever you have available. Grilled corn gives the salsa a delicious charred flavor, or try the roasted corn from Trader Joe’s if you want a similar flavor without the extra work.
- Spices: Lightly season the pineapple corn salsa with salt and black pepper.
Additions and Substitutions
- Caramelize the ingredients. Grill the corn on the cob and pineapple before including them in the salsa for a sweet caramelized flavor.
- Reduce the heat. Replace the jalapeños with green or red bell peppers if you think the salsa will be too spicy.
- Sweeten the salsa. Diced pineapple naturally sweetens the sauce, but stir in a little agave nectar or honey for a sweeter dip.
- Mix it up. Experiment with mix-ins like avocado cubes, strawberries, Roma tomatoes, mangos, or black beans.
Prepare the Pineapple for the Salsa
1. Remove the top of the pineapple with a sharp knife.
2. Cut off the bottom of the pineapple to stabilize it so you can continue cutting safely.
3. Use the knife to cut down the sides of the pineapple, removing the skin.
4. Slice it into sections, avoiding the core.
5. Then, cut the sections into small, uniform pieces for the salsa.
How to Make Pineapple Corn Salsa
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Cut the pineapple, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro with a chef’s knife.
Preparation Tip
Tip: Chop the ingredients into small, uniform pieces (apart from the pineapple).
Step 2: Transfer the ingredients to a mixing bowl and add the corn, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine. Then, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
Expert Tips
- Uniformly chop the ingredients. Cut the ingredients as finely as possible with a chef’s knife for the perfect bite, or use a vegetable chopper to reduce the work. It’s okay for the pineapple pieces to be slightly larger.
- Let it chill. Refrigerate the salsa for at least one hour before serving it to let the ingredients combine.
Whip up the flavorful pineapple corn salsa and serve with with these dinner recipes!
Serving Suggestions
There are many ways to use pineapple corn salsa! Enjoy the salsa with chips as an appetizer for game day, or spoon it over jerk shrimp tacos, Instant Pot carnitas, roasted jerk chicken, and grilled bison steak.
It’s an excellent topping for air fryer chicken burgers, sesame salmon bowls, al faham chicken, or blackened mahi mahi tacos.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Can I make the recipe in advance? Pineapple corn salsa is best enjoyed fresh, but I recommend chilling it for 1-2 hours before serving. If you have a party or get-together, you can make the salsa a few hours beforehand.
- Storage: Store the leftover pineapple corn salsa in an airtight container for 2-3 days. The salsa may become more watery as the fruit and vegetables release moisture, but you can drain the excess liquid as needed.
- What can I do with the leftover pineapple? Blend the salsa into a smoothie or whip up a refreshing sorbet. You can also use leftovers in a fruit salad or parfait. Use it to top BBQ chicken crust pizza or prepare a stir fry with shrimp, chicken, fish, or tofu.
More Salsa Recipes:
Pineapple Corn Salsa
- 1½ cup pineapple, peeled and diced
- ¼ medium red onion, finely diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, stem and seeds removed, finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1½ cup corn kernels
- lime juice, one lime
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- Cut the pineapple, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro with a chef's knife.Tip: Chop the ingredients into small, uniform pieces (apart from the pineapple).
- Transfer the ingredients to a mixing bowl and add the corn, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine. Then, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
- Uniformly chop the ingredients. Cut the ingredients as finely as possible with a chef’s knife for the perfect bite, or use a vegetable chopper to reduce the work. It’s okay for the pineapple pieces to be slightly larger.
- Let it chill. Refrigerate the salsa for at least one hour before serving it to let the ingredients combine.