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ComfortFood

Jalapeno Pineapple Salsa

Jalapeno Pineapple Salsa
Emma, comfort food enthusiast and recipe creator

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Recipe tested & approved
A fresh, tangy salsa blending pineapple chunks with jalapenos, lime zest, and yogurt. Spicy, sweet, with a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. Balanced salt and sugar create a layered flavor. Quick to whisk together and chill briefly for flavors to meld. Versatile for chips, tacos, or grilled meats. Yogurt swapped for cream cheese to add richness, smoothing the sharpness while holding body. Adjust heat by using milder peppers if needed. Lime juice brightens, pineapple’s tropical sweetness cuts through spice. Serve chilled. Chunky texture preferred but pulse to balance contrast. Ideal for summer grilled dishes or as a lively condiment.
Prep: 6 min
Cook: 0 min
Total: 6 min
Servings: 4 servings
#salsa #Mexican #spicy #pineapple #appetizer #condiment #summer #grill
Chopped jalapenos were always too fierce until I found dosing and pairing with pineapple crucial. The sugar tang from pineapple—fresh is best—calms the fire but you need more depth beyond just fruit. Lime zest? Game changer. Tossed cream cheese for yogurt a couple times; cream cheese adds fatty balance and thicker consistency without the tangy funk yogurt sometimes has. This salsa’s not something you can puree into oblivion—texture is key here. Warned by past gloppy batches. Quick to whip, almost no cook time—real flavor punch comes from resting those ingredients together for a while, bite changes and softens. Versatile as hell too—chips, grilled chicken, fish, slathered on sandwiches. And don’t shy from adjusting jalapeno—you want heat shadow but not engulfing. Easy to eyeball, better than any measurement.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks, with juice
  • 1 medium jalapeno pepper, deseeded for less heat or left whole
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened (substitute for yogurt)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

About the ingredients

Fresh pineapple chunks give best flavor release here—canned pineapple adds too much liquid and some bitterness. If you only have canned, drain thoroughly and reduce lime juice slightly so it doesn’t water down salsa. Jalapenos vary wild in heat; start one seeded pepper and add more on future attempts. Using cream cheese instead of yogurt keeps mixture thicker and more clingy to chips—some might want to keep yogurt for tang but cream cheese survives cold storage better without separating. Sugar offsets the acid and spice but adjust based on pineapple ripeness, skip if very sweet. Red pepper flakes add subtle background heat—don’t confuse with jalapeno bite. Lime zest is key for freshness; no substitute. Salt rounds out all flavors; kosher preferred for better dissolve. Alternatives like a pinch of smoked paprika can add a smoky nuance if you want a twist.

Method

  1. Throw pineapple chunks, including juice, into food processor.
  2. Add jalapeno—start with half if unsure about heat; deseed if you want it milder.
  3. Add lime juice and zest. Zest adds sharp brightness; don’t skip.
  4. Drop in cream cheese instead of yogurt. Gives thicker, richer mouthfeel, less tangy edge.
  5. Sprinkle sugar over ingredients; balances pineapple’s tartness and jalapeno’s heat.
  6. Season with salt and crushed red pepper flakes for gentle heat layering.
  7. Pulse about 15 quick taps—don’t overblend. You want small chunks, texture visible.
  8. Scrape sides, pulse a few more times if chunks need breaking up but watch that you don’t liquefy.
  9. Transfer salsa to bowl; cover and chill minimum 25 minutes to let flavors marry.
  10. Stir well before serving; should feel creamy with fruity pockets and warm tingle.
  11. If too thick, loosen with splash of cold water or extra lime juice.
  12. Keep refrigerated and consume within 3 days; pineapple enzymes break down texture after too long.

Cooking tips

The food processor—use sparingly. Overpulsing kills texture and turns salsa into syrup. Go for pulsed bursts; look for rough chop consistency not puree. Scraping down the bowl mid-way ensures even chopping and flavor blending. Timing is flexible—30 minutes chilling is minimum, but up to 1 hour is better for flavor melding and texture integration. Stir before serving; you want everything distributed but with chunky contrasts feeling fresh. If salsa thickens too much when chilled, a splash of water or extra lime juice loosens it up without watering down the flavor. Keep refrigerated. The enzymes in pineapple will eventually start breaking down the creamy base and change the texture, so don’t prepare too far ahead. Great to plan as a quick condiment or last-minute topping due to short prep.

Chef's notes

  • 💡 Pulse food processor carefully—fast bursts only. Watch texture closely. You want chunks, not puree. Too many pulses make syrup. Stop to scrape, get all edges. Texture in salsa isn’t smooth sauce; it’s bite and contrast. Chunkiness holds cooling cream cheese and pineapple juice without turning watery.
  • 💡 Jalapenos vary wild in heat; start small then test. Deseed to cut bite if needed but keep some seeds for smoky heat. Add whole pepper if sure. Red pepper flakes add mild background fire, not upfront burn. Layering like this keeps salsa complex. Cream cheese tames sharpness, balances heat with fatty softness.
  • 💡 Fresh pineapple chunks are key—retaining juice fattens flavor, but canned means drain thoroughly and reduce lime juice so no runny mess. Lime zest is non-negotiable. It wakes everything up sharply, bright citrus punch that juice alone can’t. Skip zest and salsa tastes flat, missing in depth.
  • 💡 Chill minimum 25 minutes; longer up to 1 hour better. Flavors marry, soften jalapeno edge, and sugar balances acidity over time. Cream cheese firms up chilly texture, making dip cling well. If too thick after chilling, loosen with tiny splash cold water or extra lime juice, careful not to dilute taste or texture.
  • 💡 Salt matters—kosher salt preferred for dissolving evenly without harshness. Sugar offsets acidity and spicy heat but adjust based on pineapple ripeness; very sweet pineapple might mean skip sugar. Smoked paprika optional for subtle smoke layer; adds complexity without shouting spice. Keep simple if unfamiliar.

Common questions

How to reduce jalapeno heat?

Deseed pepper or start with half, add more later. Use milder peppers if needed. Red pepper flakes add gentle heat layer. Cream cheese cools burn but won’t remove all heat. Taste as you go.

Can I use canned pineapple?

Yes but drain well, remove excess liquid or salsa gets watery. Reduce lime juice slightly to avoid thinning. Fresh pineapple preferred for brightness. Texture changes if too soft or syrupy canned.

Why does salsa get watery after chilling?

Pineapple enzymes break down cream cheese and release juice. Overprocessing also causes liquid. Pulse just enough to break chunks but keep texture. Chill less or serve soon for better consistency.

How to store leftovers?

Keep refrigerated in airtight container. Use within three days to avoid texture breakdown. Stir before serving to redistribute juices and creaminess. Don’t freeze; texture and flavors degrade badly.

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