This easy grilled pineapple salsa is made with all grilled ingredients, is perfectly balanced in flavor, and can be made ahead for easy entertaining.
As I mentioned in my recipe for grilled nectarines and burrata, I really love grilled fruit. There’s something that just screams summer about the combination of sweet, juicy fruit with the smoky, savory grill. So as promised, I’m bringing you another one of my staple grilled fruit recipes, this grilled pineapple salsa. We made this salsa for our recent Fourth of July BBQ, and paired it with some equally delicious spicy grilled chicken thighs. But you could serve this salsa with just about anything, from tacos to fish to simple tortilla chips. And it’s perfect for a BBQ party because you can make it in advance, leaving you time to hang out with your friends and family.
A BALANCED SALSA
They key to any kind of grilled fruit dish is balance. You’re already playing with opposite flavors by pairing sweet fruit with the smoky grill, and you’ll want to play up those flavors even more with the rest of the ingredients in your dish. And this grilled pineapple salsa does that in abundance. To play up the already existing sweetness, I added some sweet ripe tomatoes to this salsa. And then, just so things don’t get too sweet, I threw in some sharp red onion. But I also didn’t want this salsa to be only sweet-and-savory. The addition of lime juice and zest brings that sour acidic note. Loads of cilantro offset the other grilled ingredients with a pop of freshness. And a jalapeno brings that little kick of spice that every salsa should have.
And the best part is that I grilled practically all the ingredients in this salsa. I blistered the pineapple, tomatoes, onion and the jalapeno to perfection before dicing them up and throwing them together. That really drives home those grilled flavors, making this dish the absolute perfect summertime accompaniment when you’re really craving the flavors of the grill.
EASY ENTERTAINING
If you’re a frequent reader of my blog, you’ll know that while we love to entertain at my house, I also always want entertaining to be as easy as possible. I want to be able to provide my friends and family with really delicious food, but I also want to be able to enjoy their company. Make-ahead dishes are my staple, like these slow rise sticky buns that can be totally prepped the night before or these clementine possets that actually need a few hours in the fridge before they’re served. So while you could most definitely make this grilled pineapple salsa while all your guests are there for your BBQ, you can also make it the day before.
Simply grill up all your ingredients, dice them and toss with lots of lime juice, cilantro and salt, and your salsa is ready to go for the next day. And in fact, as the flavors of the salsa sit in the fridge overnight, it gets even better.
Grilled Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 lb pineapple chunks
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 jalapeno
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
- 1 lime, juiced and zested
- olive oil
- salt
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium.
- Prep your ingredients for the grill. Halve the jalapenos and remove the seeds and ribs if you want less heat. Halve the tomatoes and remove the seeds and liquid. Halve and peel the red onion (you'll only need half). Toss the jalapenos, onion, tomatoes and pineapple with olive oil and salt.
- Grill the jalapeno, onion, tomatoes and pineapple until they are softened and have nice grill marks, turning to grill all sides, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the grill and set aside to cool.
- Once cooled, break down your ingredients. Dice the pineapple, jalapeno, and onion. Remove the skins from the tomatoes (they should peel off easily) and dice as well. Combine in a bowl.
- To the bowl with your fruit and veggies, add the minced cilantro, lime juice and zest. Taste and season with salt or more lime as needed. Serve immediately, or store in the fridge overnight.
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