Pineapple Salsa (with Candied Bacon Chips)

Easy pineapple salsa that takes 5 minutes to make. Plus, we show you how to make candied bacon chips to scoop it with. 

• Go directly to the Recipe Card or
• Read on for relevant tips and step by steps pics and video (2 mins)

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Psst. Pineapple salsa has a certain digestive power that makes it a very desirable ally to various cuts of meat. Read on to find out why it is a must have accompaniment to all kinds of grilled meats (hint: it will help you digest proteins better). 

What You Need to Make Pineapple Salsa

All it takes is a few easy to find ingredients, a cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife. 

Gather these ingredients:

• fresh, ripe whole pineapple (or peeled and sliced fresh pineapple spears)
• red onion
• jalapeno pepper (or poblano)
• red bell pepper (or thinner skinned sweet red pepper)
• cilantro
• lime juice (from fresh fruit)
• salt and pepper

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How to Make Pineapple Salsa

Composing a salsa is all about balancing flavor, sweetness, acidity and heat. Texture and color also play important roles and this salsa is exemplary of all the relevant criteria.

Step 1. Peel the fresh pineapple, then cut and dice enough to fill 3 cups. Place it in a mixing bowl. 

Step 2. Dice the bell pepper, red onion and jalapeno, chop the cilantro and add them to the pineapple. 

Step 3. Squeeze lime juice – start with half a lime, you can always add more after you taste it.

Step 4. Mix the ingredients, season with salt and pepper and taste to determine if anything needs adjusting. 

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We list serving suggestions and customization tips and ideas for this pineapple salsa below.

But first – if you have extra fifteen minutes after you mix the salsa, consider how easy it is to 

Make Candied Bacon Chips 

They really are a must try. Outright delicious on their own and they pair superbly with the flavors of the salsa.

Start by slicing thick cut bacon in about three inch long pieces and arrange it on parchment paper lined baking sheet. 

Place the bacon in a 350 F pre-heated oven and keep it there for 7 minutes. Take it out and sprinkle it with brown sugar.

Place it back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until it looks nicely cooked and most of the fat has been rendered. Once out of the oven transfer the bacon chips to a paper towel lined plate to drain. 

As soon as they cool off – serve them with the pineapple salsa. And a beer of course – see below for suggestions. 

Pineapple Salsa (with Candied Bacon Chips)

Yield: 6

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Pineapple salsa composed to hit all the right notes. Balanced sweetness, heat and acidity. Gorgeous colors and tasty crunch. Pair with a tropical fruit flavored IPA and don't forget to bake some candied bacon chips to scoop with:). 

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Ingredients

PINEAPPLE SALSA

• 1 whole pineapple
• 1 medium-sized red bell pepper,, finely diced
• 1 medium-sized jalapeno, seeds and inner ribs removed, , finely diced
• 1 medium sized red onion,, finely diced
• cilantro, to taste, , finely chopped
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1/2 lime, juice of

CANDIED BACON CHIPS

• 1 lb thick cut bacon, (optional)
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar, (optional)

Instructions

PINEAPPLE SALSA

1. Peel, cut and dice a fresh pineapple - measure out 3 cups and freeze the remaining quantity if not going to use immediately for something else. * 
2. In a medium-sized bowl combine the diced pineapple, red pepper, jalapeno, red onion and finely chopped cilantro. **
3. Season with salt and pepper, add lime juice and mix everything well. 

CANDIED BACON CHIPS

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Cut the bacon slices in about 3 inch long pieces. Arrange over a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes. 
2. Remove from oven and sprinkle with brown sugar. Place back in oven and cook for seven to ten more minutes or until completely cooked (most of the fat rendered). Depending on the thickness and fat content of your bacon this time will vary. 
3. Carefully transfer candied bacon onto paper towel, let cool off and serve immediately with the pineapple salsa and tortilla chips. 

Notes

*Frozen pineapple pieces can be used to make a pineapple slushie.

**If you prefer spicier salsa do not remove the inner ribs and/or leave a few of the jalapeno seeds.

This salsa is best eaten fresh, shortly after it was made. See tips under recipe card.

Nutrition data is for the pineapple salsa only, per serving. 

Note that the optional candied bacon chips are not the dehydrated type of bacon chips. These are simply chips alike candied pieces of bacon and are best eaten as soon as they cool off. Really tasty!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6 Servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 91Sodium: 110mgCarbohydrates: 23.2gFiber: 2.3gSugar: 16.9g

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Pineapple Salsa Tips

• Resist the temptation to use canned fruit. Not only will it not taste fresh, but the texture will be soft and soggy – not even close to the real deal.

• Resist the temptation to prepare a large batch and store it in the fridge for a couple of days. While such a strategy implies obvious convenience it goes against the main reason of preparing fresh, from scratch salsa. The best salsas pack a crunch, its ingredients contribute fresh flavors and it is vibrant. You do not want dull colors and less than perfect texture (diced pineapple can quickly soften and deteriorate).

• If you really wanted to speed up the beat of this salsa increase the acidity by adding a splash of orange juice or white wine vinegar. Lime juice may not be acidic enough for your taste and acidity does promote flavor perception. So go ahead and experiment.

One Delicious Salsa, Many Versatile Uses

This is probably the most exciting part about this salsa. It can go so many places.

Besides a tasty chips companion this is a great pineapple salsa for pork (like these easy cast iron skillet pork chops), fish, tacos, chicken, salmon, ham, hot dogs etc.

Health Benefits of Pineapple Salsa

Collectively, the ingredients that go in this delicious bowl have numerous health benefits. But the one that stands out and makes the salsa such a great partner for grilled meats comes from pineapple and has to do with digestion.

As I mentioned in our recipe for Tacos al Pastor raw pineapple contains a combination of powerful protein breaking enzymes known as bromelain. The actions of those enzymes make them an excellent meat tenderizer, but ingested together with meat they also aid the body digest consumed proteins.

So not only does this salsa belong with grilled meats, it can also make you feel good about scooping it up with the candied bacon ‘chips’ (which have rendered most of their fat).

Craft Beer Pairings

We are publishing this recipe mostly because we love how it pairs with American IPA’s especially those who have pronounced tropical leanings.

Whether the style is a juicy NEIPA or West Coast, when the flavors and aroma of the finishing hops are of pineapple, citrus and other tropical fruit an incredible salsa dance of the senses awaits you.

About Salsa in General

As you noticed, this is a tomato free salsa. Contrary to popular belief salsa does not have to include tomatoes.

Salsa simply means sauce translated from Spanish. The word was applied to a homogeneous mixture of chilies, tomatoes and spices prepared by the Mayans and then the Aztecs to flavor meats, as a condiment.

The Spanish had not seen tomatoes prior to exploring the lands that comprise today’s territory of Mexico so they described the tomato based mixture of the indigenous people as a salsa. Hence today’s assumption that a salsa must contain tomatoes and be spicy.

Modern day salsas are typically a combination of raw or raw and cooked ingredients, while sauces are made of cooked ingredients. Salsas have varying textures, whereas sauces are characterized by a homogeneous consistency.

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Twists on Pineapple Salsa

Feel free to add diced fresh tomatoes if you’d like to.

Fancy a spicier pineapple salsa? Go for it. Use more jalapenos (and leave more of the ribs/seeds) or why not finely diced habanero? A pinch of cayenne? Use your imagination.

How about grilled pineapple salsa? We recommend a 50/50 grilled to fresh combo. Better overall texture and you will keep the protein breaking action (bromelain stops functioning at higher temperatures).

Add another tropical fruit such as mango to bring even more sweetness or drizzle with agave or hot honey.

IPA in your salsa? It actually can taste really good. Add about a tablespoon of hazy NEIPA with tropical notes and low bitterness and enjoy the bouquet of aromas with every bite.

Other Pineapple Recipes You Might Like

Pineapple Shrimp IPA Teriyaki Skewers

Pineapple Sherbet & Pineapple IPA Sorbet 2 in 1

IPA Pineapple Popsicles with Hops Salted Caramel

Pineapple Slushie