Pineapple Corn Salsa (fresh, healthy and so easy!)
Let’s make pineapple corn salsa! Sweet, spicy, tangy and the perfect compliment to fish tacos, burrito bowls, tostadas, grilled chicken or salmon. This easy salsa recipe is like a bite of sunshine- offering so much flavor with just a handful of simple ingredients.
- 1 My thoughts on this pineapple corn salsa:
- 2 What you will need to make this fresh pineapple salsa:
- 3 Equipment you will need:
- 4 How to make:
- 5 Okay, so what should I serve this pineapple corn salsa on?
- 6 FAQs
- 7 If you love this easy pineapple salsa recipe you’ll love these other flavor-boosting condiments:
- 8 Pineapple Corn salsa (fresh, healthy and so easy!)
My thoughts on this pineapple corn salsa:
- I’m not sure I should be calling it a salsa? It’s really more like a pico de gallo. Finely chopped veggies and pineapple come together in a half condiment/half lettuce-less salad type of situation. Call it what you want, I NEED a big pile of this type of salsa on my fish tacos.
- The versatility is endless. I love coming up with different styles of chunky pico vibes- strawberry jalapeño salsa, pineapple corn salsa, mango radish salsa, nectarine avocado salsa. Seriously, you will be shocked at how amazing a fresh fruit can transform a salsa into something magical.
- I’ve made this with both frozen corn and fresh corn off the cob and both ways are delicious. I’m a little bit of a snob and would highly recommend using fresh pineapple instead of canned pineapple.
What you will need to make this fresh pineapple salsa:
You can find the fresh ingredients to make this spicy pineapple salsa at any regular grocery store.
Corn: You will need 1 cup corn kernels- roughly the amount from 1-2 ears of corn. I like to use the frozen roasted corn from Trader Joe’s. Canned corn will also work in a pinch, make sure to give it a good rinse.
Pineapple: fresh, juicy pineapple is a big hit in my house. I buy a whole pineapple, use about a third of it for this recipe and then chop and store pineapple slices in the fridge for easy snacking.
Jalapeño pepper: jalapeño offers mild heat without being overwhelming. You can also use serrano peppers or Fresno chiles for comparable results.
Red onion: I love the pungent, strong flavor of red onion in a fresh salsa like this one! You can use yellow onion or sweet onion if that’s what you have.
Cilantro: it’s a slight sin to have pico de gallo without fresh cilantro in my opinion, BUT if you’re a cilantro hater, just leave it out or sub in green onion.
Lime: fresh limes give a big bright boost of acidity and tanginess. If you use bottled lime juice, I recommend you get REAL lime juice (aka not citric acid!)
Agave: just a little drizzle of agave reinforces the sweetness from the pineapple and corn, even more balance. You can also use honey, brown sugar or orange juice.
Olive oil: a splash of olive oil increases the cohesion of the salsa. From a nutrition perspective, the olive oil increases the absorption of the invaluable nutrients in the fruits and veggies in this salsa.
Salt and pepper: to lift all the other flavors!
Equipment you will need:
- Cutting board
- Chef knife
- Paring knife (this is helpful for cutting the mushy spots out of a pineapple if needed!)
- Medium-size bowl
How to make:
Chop the pineapple, onion, jalapeño and cilantro. I like to cut everything in pretty small pieces and aim for mostly uniform size (the pineapple chunks will be a little bigger than the veggies and that’s okay).
In a medium bowl combine the corn, pineapple, jalapeño, cilantro and red onion and toss. Add the lime juice, agave, olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips or piled high on your meal of choice.
Okay, so what should I serve this pineapple corn salsa on?
- Fish tacos (my favorite way)
- In a burrito bowl with shredded pork carnitas and cilantro lime rice
- On a chipotle salmon rice bowl
- Scooped up with tortilla chips
- Piled high on nachos
- As an accompaniment for grilled chicken, grilled salmon or shrimp skewers
- Serve over black beans on crispy corn tortillas
So many delicious options!
FAQs
Slice it and store in the fridge for snacking, make a blueberry pineapple smoothie or Hawaiian nourish bowl or sesame crunch salad.
I do think it is best freshly made but yes, you can. Store prepped or leftover salsa in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2-3 days.
For a spicier salsa you can add more jalapeno pepper or add a pinch of red pepper flakes or spoonful of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo. For less/no heat use red bell peppers or green bell peppers instead of jalapeño peppers.
If you love this easy pineapple salsa recipe you’ll love these other flavor-boosting condiments:
I hope you enjoy this pineapple corn salsa as much as we do!
Print
Pineapple Corn salsa (fresh, healthy and so easy!)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: N/A
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Chop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Sweet corn and juicy pineapple combined with spicy jalapeño, pungent red onion and fresh cilantro to make a truly irresistible pico de gallo that is incredible eaten straight up or paired with countless types of meals,
Ingredients
- 1 cup grilled or roasted corn (I like to use the frozen roasted corn from Trader Joe’s)
- 1 cup pineapple, finely diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 jalapeno, finely minced
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon agave
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
In a medium bowl combine the corn, pineapple, jalapeño, cilantro and red onion and toss. Add the lime juice, agave, olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Season with another small pinch of salt, if needed, per your taste.
Notes
Refer to the blog post above for ideas on what to serve this pineapple corn salsa on and ingredient substitutions.
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 76
- Sugar: 8.2 g
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Fat: 1.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.7 g
- Fiber: 1.9 g
- Protein: 1.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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This is SO good! I’m eating with with chips while cooking the fish for the tacos!
yummmmm! Thanks for sharing Catharine, so glad you love it!
Do you cook the frozen corn and cool it prior to making the salsa?
Nope, you can just let it come to room temp or run it under warm water to thaw it quickly! Frozen corn is blanched (aka mostly cooked) before freezing so no need to cook it!
Omg-YUM. Will make this again.