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This sweet and spicy pineapple pico de gallo is a fun twist on your traditional salsa. With just a handful of ingredients, you can have this easy pico de gallo salsa recipe ready to enjoy in only 15 minutes. Naturally vegan and gluten free too!It might seem complicated to make your own salsa at home, but it's actually so so simple! 7 ingredients and 15 minutes is all you need to make this delicious, refreshing pineapple pico de gallo salsa that tastes way better than the store bought version!
Juicy, sweet pineapple and spicy jalapeno come together in the perfect balance to make this fresh salsa recipe. There is no added sugar like some other salsa recipes and the level of heat can be adjusted to taste.
Fresh fruit salsas are great because they pair savory flavors with lighter fruit flavors that tends to pair perfectly with simple tortilla chips or your favorite Mexican dishes.
Made with simple ingredients and fresh produce, this pineapple salsa is the perfect way to upgrade a meal with a tropical twist!
👩🏽🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Healthy appetizer or snack
- Perfect dish for your next taco night
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free
- Customize to your spice level
- Sweet & spicy take on traditional pico de gallo
- Quick and easy
- Great source of Vitamin C
- Tropical touch with vibrant colors
- Healthy alternative to store bought salsas
- Best pico de gallo recipe you'll ever make!
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🥘 Ingredients
Get the full ingredient list for this pineapple pico de gallo recipe and step-by-step instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Tomatoes: Make sure you use freshly ripe tomatoes. A nice crisp texture enhances this chunky salsa. I like using roma tomatoes because they tend to have a really sweet flavor and not too many seeds.
- Diced Pineapple: Get a fresh whole pineapple or small cubes of pre-cut pineapple, then dice them into smaller pieces. Make sure you get a nice ripe pineapple for the perfect sweetness. If you're using a whole pineapple, you'll need a very sharp knife to dice it properly.
- Red Onion: Make this recipe even faster by grabbing a container of pre-diced red onion from the produce section of your grocery store. You can use white onion if you would prefer.
- Jalapeno Pepper: Jalapeño peppers are what bring the heat to this salsa. Make sure you get fresh jalapeno, not pickled, for this recipe. You can control the spiciness of your jalapenos to an extent by making sure all the seeds are removed before adding the jalapenos to this recipe.
- Cilantro & Salt: Fresh cilantro brings a mild nutty, tangy, citrus-like, and spicy flavor to this side dish. It's not required, but it's a great addition if you like cilantro. Salt helps highlight the other flavors in this recipe - use it as needed to taste.
- Lime Juice: Fresh zesty lime juice ties this sweet pico de gallo with pineapple together for a final crisp and refreshing flavor.
📖 Variations
- Apple Pico De Gallo: Instead of pineapple, use the same amount of finely diced apple in this Mexican pico de gallo recipe.
- Serrano Peppers Pico De Gallo: Serrano peppers are a spicier option if you like even more heat than what jalapenos have to offer. Start with a little bit and add more to taste. You can add it instead of or in addition to the jalapenos.
- Pineapple Mango Pico De Gallo: Add some mango to this homemade pico de gallo recipe for even more tropical flavor!
- Habanero Pico De Gallo: Turn up the heat even more with habanero peppers. These are even higher on the Scoville scale than the serrano or jalapeno peppers, so be careful with them! You can use them instead of or in addition to the jalapenos. And remember, a little bit goes a long way!
🔪 Instructions
Prep Tomatoes: Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds.
Dice Tomatoes: Finely dice the tomatoes, pineapple, red onion and jalapeno. Add to a mixing bowl.
Mix Remaining Ingredients: Add the rest of the ingredients to the large bowl and gently mix. Taste, and season with additional salt if needed.
Refrigerate & Serve: Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance the flavors. Serve this fresh pineapple pico de gallo with your favorite tortilla chips.
❓Recipe FAQs
CAN PICO DE GALLO BE FROZEN?
Yes, you can freeze pico de gallo, but I don't recommend it. Once thawed, the flavor will still be great, but the texture will be different. It won't have the crisp texture it has when it's fresh, and will be mushy.
For that reason, if you do decide to freeze and defrost it, I recommend blending it completely into a salsa once it's defrosted so you don't run into textural issues.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SALSA AND PICO DE GALLO?
Pico de gallo is a type of salsa, but the main difference is that pico de gallo is always made with fresh, whole ingredients, has a chunkier texture, has less liquid than salsa, and is not blended. For that reason, pico is often referred to as "salsa fresco", which means "fresh salsa."
Salsa typically has more liquid than pico, it is sometimes blended or added to a food processor for a different, thinner/smoother consistency and also may have some cooked ingredients. Salsa can contain added sugars as well.
WHAT DOES PICO DE GALLO LITERALLY MEAN?
Translated in Spanish, pico de gallo means "beak of rooster." It's said that the name came from the small pieces of this recipe originally being eaten by pinching between the thumb and finger, making the shape of a rooster's beak.
IS IT HEALTHY TO EAT PICO DE GALLO?
Yes! Pico de gallo is a healthy snack or addition to your meals. It's made with fresh ingredients from whole plant foods that have all kinds of health benefits. This pico de pina is super healthy for you, as a huge serving has only 27 calories and 4 grams of natural sugars from the pineapple, and zero added sugar.
HOW TO SERVE PICO DE GALLO?
This homemade pico de gallo pineapple recipe and its tropical flavors is a perfect topping for chips, tacos, nachos, or burrito bowls. It goes with pretty much anything!
HOW TO STORE FRESH PICO DE GALLO?
Store this pineapple pico recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It tastes even better the next day after the juices marinate together. Leftovers are the best way to enjoy this recipe!
💭 Expert Tips
- To avoid watery pico de gallo, make sure to seed your tomatoes and drain any extra juices before dicing them and mixing them with all the other ingredients.
- To calm down the heat in this pico de pina recipe, use only 1/2 a jalapeno, or remove all the seeds from your jalapeno before dicing. You can also add a little extra lime juice if needed.
- Be sure to wear gloves when handling spicy peppers and avoid touching your eyes.
- Cut everything the same size: Be sure to dice the tomatoes, pineapple and onion the same size for consistency and so that each bite has a similar balance of flavors.