Looking for a fresh starter or add-on to your meal? This Fresh Pineapple Pico de Gallo is the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, bringing tons of vibrant flavor and color to any dish.
It comes together so quickly and easily and uses simple yet impactful ingredients that make this Tex-Mex inspired dip a go-to in my house as an appetizer or as a taco enhancer (see also: Fish Taco Sauce).
As a multitasking mom with a preference for super-flavorful food, I love a fresh and dynamic recipe like this that I can prep at the start of the week and keep on hand to up-level my tacos, sandwiches, bowls, or snack time throughout!
Salsa vs. Pico de Gallo
The biggest difference between Pico de Gallo and salsa is the consistency. Salsa is generously blended more finely and has a soupier consistency, whereas Pico de Gallo is made up of more solid chunks.
Salsa also often has ingredients that are cooked, while Pico de Gallo is always raw and fresh.
Pico de Gallo is considered a salsa, but not all salsa’s are Pico de Gallo’s. This Pineapple Pico de Gallo can also pass as Pineapple Salsa.
Pineapple Pico de Gallo Ingredient Highlights
This recipe calls for 1 cup of diced pineapple which you will get from about ⅓ of a fresh pineapple. You can buy a whole pineapple and slice it yourself, or you can buy the pineapple already cored or even already diced.
¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper makes this Pico de Gallo moderately spicy, so adjust to your taste accordingly. The cilantro is optional! If you’re a cilantro hater don’t fret, this recipe is plenty flavorful with or without it.
Pineapple Pico de Gallo Tips and Tricks
How to Cut a Pineapple into a Serving Bowl
Here’s a fun party trick! Serve your Pineapple Pico de Gallo in a pineapple. It’s super simple. Slice the pineapple in half lengthwise right next to the leaves.
Keep the half with the leaves still attached to work with to carve out your bowl and set the other half aside. Use a sharp knife to slice a rectangular shape in the pineapple, leaving about an inch of space on each side.
This rectangle will act as a guideline for coring out the flesh to create your serving bowl. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh and core, so you are left with a hollow pineapple half.
You can then cut the tough core out and slice the flesh into chunks and save for later.
What people are saying: One community member reached out to me with some great advice after making this recipe: before slicing and scooping your pineapple, take a thin slice out of the bottom side so that it sits flat and doesn’t roll all over the table while you’re working with it. Thank you, Donna!
How to Make Pineapple Pico de Gallo
Cut the rind off the pineapple and dice. Cut the tomato around the core and dice that, too. Peel and dice the onion and chop the cilantro. Add it all together with the lime juice and seasoning.
I highly recommend using a citrus squeezer so you can squeeze the juice directly into your Pico de Gallo without worrying about the seeds falling in. It will also help extract the most juice from your lime.
If you don’t have a citrus squeezer, just be sure to squeeze the juice into a separate bowl first so you have a chance to remove any seeds if need be.
Add the seasonings, stir, and let it sit for a few minutes so the flavors meld together. Then taste and add more seasoning if need be.
How to Serve Pineapple Pico de Gallo and Store Leftovers
This Pineapple Pico de Gallo is absolutely bursting with flavor, and has a super-fresh, fruit-forward and juicy finish. This makes it a delicious dip for tortilla chips all on its own. However, this salsa is also a great accompaniment to a number of other dishes!
Here are some of my favorites:
This pineapple Pico de Gallo will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days. The longer it sits, the more the flavors have a chance to meld together, so this recipe is great to make ahead of time!
It can be enjoyed cold right out of the refrigerator or at room temperature. It can stay on the counter at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
Fresh Pineapple Pico de Gallo
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEIngredients
- 1 cup diced fresh pineapple (1 fresh pineapple = approx. 3 cups diced)
- 1 cup diced tomato (1 Beefsteak or slicing tomato = approx. 1 cup diced)
- 1 cup diced red onion (½ red onion = approx. 1 cup diced)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (1 lime = approx. 2 tablespoons juice)
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prep all your ingredients by dicing tomato, pineapple, and onion and chopping your fresh cilantro.1 cup diced tomato, 1 cup diced fresh pineapple, 1 cup diced red onion, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- To a large mixing bowl, add the diced tomato, pineapple, onion, and cilantro. Squeeze the lime juice on top and sprinkle on the cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Stir and taste to adjust spice and salt levels.2 tablespoons lime juice, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Serve cold or at room temperature with tortilla chips or on a sandwich, in a wrap, or on Fish Tacos!
Pro Tips
- Parsley can be substituted for the cilantro if you’re not a cilantro fan or just left out altogether.
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper makes this Pico de Gallo moderately spicy, but you can add more or less depending on your desired spice level.
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