Easy and Refreshing Pineapple Pico de Gallo

If you’re looking for a healthy, flavorful, and easy-to-make recipe, Pineapple Pico de Gallo is the perfect choice for you. This recipe combines fresh ingredients, such as tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapeños, and, of course, pineapple, to create a sweetly refreshing pico de gallo. Use it as a dip or a topping for your favorite dishes.

One of the best things about Pineapple Pico de Gallo is that it’s incredibly versatile. You can serve it with tortilla chips, use it as a topping for tacos, or pair it with grilled chicken or fish. The possibilities are endless, and the flavors are always amazing.

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Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Love Pineapple Pico de Gallo
• Ingredients for Pineapple Pico de Gallo Recipe
• How to Make Pineapple Pico de Gallo at Home
• Ingredient Substitutions for Pineapple Pico de Gallo
• What is the Difference Between Salsa and Pico de Gallo?
• What does Pico de Gallo Stand For?
• What is the Difference Between Salsa Fresca and Pico?
• Is Pico de Gallo Inflammatory?
• Can You Eat Salsa on an Anti-inflammatory Diet?
• Is Pineapple Salsa Gluten Free?
• When is Salsa Not Gluten Free: Cross Contamination
• Is Pineapple Pico De Gallo Keto Friendly and Low Carb?
• Expert Tips
• Recipe Variations for Pineapple Pico de Gallo
• How Long Does Pineapple Pico de Gallo Last?
• Can You Freeze Pico de Gallo with Pineapple?
• Common Questions and Answers
• More Salsa Recipes

Why You’ll Love Pineapple Pico de Gallo

Pineapple pico de gallo is the perfect combination of sweet, spicy and savory. It will add a twist of bright and intense flavor to tacos, salads and more without compromising your health goals. This pineapple salsa recipe is:

• Gluten Free
• Dairy Free
• Soy Free
• Nut Free
• Paleo Friendly
• Vegan
• Vegetarian
• Raw
• Anti-Inflammatory
• Easy to Make
• Only Uses a Few Ingredients
• Takes 10 Minutes

Ingredients for Pineapple Pico de Gallo Recipe

• Red Onion
• Jalapeno
• Lime Juice
• Pineapple
• Chives
• Cilantro (optional)
• Salt

How to Make Pineapple Pico de Gallo at Home

• In a large bowl, combine the diced pineapple, tomatoes, red onion, chives, and jalapeño pepper.
• Add the cayenne pepper. Squeeze the lime juice over the mixture and sprinkle with salt. Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.

Ingredient Substitutions for Pineapple Pico de Gallo

If you don’t have all the ingredients for Pineapple Pico de Gallo, don’t worry! You can easily substitute some of them with other ingredients. Here are some ideas:

• Pineapple: You can use mango, papaya, or even peaches instead of pineapple.
• Tomatoes: You can use cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, or even canned diced tomatoes.
• Red onion: You can use white onion or scallions instead of red onion.
• Cilantro: You can use parsley or even basil instead of cilantro.
• Jalapeño pepper: You can use serrano peppers or even canned green chilies instead of jalapeño pepper.

What is the Difference Between Salsa and Pico de Gallo?

Salsa and Pico de Gallo are two popular Mexican condiments that are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. Salsa is a sauce made with tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, garlic, and other spices. It can be smooth or chunky, and it’s usually cooked.

On the other hand, Pico de Gallo is a fresh salsa made with diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapeño peppers, and lime juice. It’s never cooked, and it’s always chunky. Pico de Gallo is also known as “salsa fresca” or “fresh salsa.”

What does Pico de Gallo Stand For?

While fresh pineapple is preferred for the best flavor, you can use canned or frozen pineapple if that’s all you have on hand. Just be sure to drain the excess liquid if using canned pineapple and thaw the frozen pineapple before using it.

What is the Difference Between Salsa Fresca and Pico?

The main difference between salsa and Pico de Gallo is that salsa is usually smoother and more cooked, while Pico de Gallo is chunkier and never cooked.

Salsa can also have other ingredients, such as garlic, cumin, and vinegar, while Pico de Gallo usually only has the five basic ingredients mentioned earlier.

Is Pico de Gallo Inflammatory?

Pico de gallo is not inflammatory. If anything it will help with inflammation because it’s a healthy raw food. The only type of vegetable in pico that could produce an inflammatory response are the tomatoes. Tomatoes are a nightshade. Nightshades can irritate some people with autoimmune disorders.

The onions and garlic in pico de gallo have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties which also help fight inflammation.

Since the pico is raw it will have tons of live antioxidants in it which also fight free radicals and help reduce inflammation.

Can You Eat Salsa on an Anti-inflammatory Diet?

Yes it’s highly recommended that you eat salsa on an anti-inflammatory diet. Salsa has lots of anti-inflammatory properties as mentioned above. It’s a wonderful way to add flavor without compromising your health goals.

Is Pineapple Salsa Gluten Free?

Yes this pineapple salsa recipe is gluten free. Salsa is traditionally made from onions, garlic, herbs, tomatoes onions and some fruit. All of which are naturally gluten free. So most people with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance consider salsa to be universally gluten free.

When is Salsa Not Gluten Free: Cross Contamination

Even though salsa is universally accepted as gluten free, and therefore safe for people with celiac to eat cross contamination is a risk. Since pico de gallo is often served as a dip with chips or pita. People will likely be dipping their chips directly into the salsa. Ther are two types of tortilla chips used with salsa.

They are tortilla chips made from corn or from wheat. If wheat tortilla chips are being dipped into the pineapple pico de gallo then it has been cross contaminated with the gluten from the chip. If only corn tortillas were served with the salsa then it won’t have gluten in it.

Is Pineapple Pico De Gallo Keto Friendly and Low Carb?

Unfortunately pineapple pico de gallo isn’t keto friendly or low in carb. Regular pico de gallo is naturally keto and low in carb.

However, pineapples are high in sugar and carbohydrates. So the pineapple drives the carb count and sugar content of this pico recipe way up.

additionally there is no fat in pico de gallo. Traditional keto foods are high in fat. Though eating low carbohydrate fruits and vegetables is a great way to get the nutrients and fiber you need on a keto diet. Without proper fiber intake from vegetables a keto diet can lead to constipation.

But that doesn’t mean you cant enjoy a small amount of pineapple pico de gallo as a garnish atop chicken or fish on keto.

1/4 Cup of pineapple salsa has 8 grams of net carbs per serving.

Expert Tips

Here are some expert tips to make the best pineapple Pico de Gallo:

• Use fresh, ripe ingredients for the best flavor.
• Make sure to remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño pepper to reduce the heat.
• Use gloves when you handle the jalapeño pepper so that the oils don’t burn your hands. Make sure to wash your hands as soon as you are done cutting the jalapeño. If you touch your eyes with jalapeño oil on your skin it could burn.
• Cut all of the produce the same size for best flavor.
• The smaller you chop the fruit and vegetables the better the over all flavor will be.
• Don’t over mix the ingredients, or the salsa will become mushy.
• If you want to add some extra heat, you can leave the seeds in the jalapeño pepper or add some cayenne pepper.
• Let the salsa sit for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

Recipe Variations for Pineapple Pico de Gallo

Here are some recipe variations for Pineapple Pico de Gallo:

• Add some diced avocado for a creamier texture.
• Use different types of peppers, such as serrano or habanero, for a spicier salsa. If you use habanero you should blend it in the blender so that no one gets a big chunk of habanero in their mouth. That would burn like crazy!
• Add some diced cucumber or jicama for some crunch.
• Use different types of citrus, such as orange or grapefruit, instead of lime.
• Add some chopped mint or basil for a different flavor profile.

How Long Does Pineapple Pico de Gallo Last?

Pineapple Pico de Gallo will last for about 3-4 days in the refrigerator if stored in an airtight container. However, it’s best to eat it within the first day or two to ensure the freshest flavor.

The salsa will last for up to two hours out of the fridge. If you plan on leaving the salsa out of the fridge for longer if you are serving it at a party you should keep it on ice. Place the container of salsa in a bowl of ice.

Keeping the salsa cold will prevent bacteria from growing on it. Bacteria can lead to food borne illnesses like food poisoning.

Can You Freeze Pico de Gallo with Pineapple?

You can freeze Pico de gallo but I wouldn’t recommend it. Tomatoes tend to get mealy when they are frozen. The texture wouldn’t be right. If you would like to preserve the salsa for longer periods of time you could can the salsa.

Common Questions and Answers

Here are some common question and answers about pineapple pico de gallo.

Can I use frozen or canned pineapple instead of fresh?

While fresh pineapple is preferred for the best flavor, you can use canned or frozen pineapple if that’s all you have on hand. Just be sure to drain the excess liquid if using canned pineapple and thaw the frozen pineapple before using it.

Is pineapple pico de gallo healthy?

Yes, Pineapple Pico de Gallo is a healthy recipe that’s low in calories and high in vitamins and antioxidants. Pineapple is a good source of vitamin C, manganese, and bromelain, an enzyme that has anti-inflammatory properties. Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C and lycopene. Since the pico is raw the enzymes and vitamins from the salsa are alive and excellent for your health.

Can I make this pineapple Pico ahead of time?

Yes you can make pineapple pico de gallo a few hours ahead of time. In fact it will taste better if you make it ahead of time because the flavors will have a chance to meld. I wouldn’t make it more than 1 day ahead of schedule.

More Salsa Recipes