This avocado pineapple salsa started life as the topping for my al pastor pork tacos, and it was so good I couldn’t keep it locked inside one recipe. Juicy pineapple, soft avocado, sharp lime, shallot, herbs, and a little heat if you want it. It takes about 10 minutes and there’s no cooking involved. Which is almost the best thing about it.
The pineapple and avocado together give you something that’s both fresh and a little creamy. Spoon it over tacos, rice bowls, grilled chicken or fish, or honestly anything that feels like it could use some brightness.
why you’ll love this salsa
This salsa is what I keep in my back pocket all summer, grilling or not.
- Ready in 10 minutes, no cooking
- Fresh, sweet, sharp, and creamy all at once
- Works with tacos, grilled meat, fish, rice bowls, or halloumi
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free
- Keeps for a day if you prep the pineapple and shallot ahead
Ingredients you’ll need
- Fresh pineapple – firmer and brighter than canned; drain well if you use canned
- Ripe but firm avocado – too soft and it’ll smear rather than hold in pieces
- Shallots – milder and less sharp than white or red onion
- Lime zest and juice – both; the zest adds so much fragrance
- Fresh herbs – coriander (cilantro) for classic taco flavors, parsley if you want something milder
- Chili flakes or fresh diced chili – optional but lovely against the sweet pineapple
- Olive oil and salt
How to make pineapple & avocado salsa
Time needed: 10 minutes
This is a fresh, chunky salsa made with finely diced pineapple, avocado, shallot, lime, herbs, olive oil, and optional chili. It’s best served shortly after mixing, while the pineapple is juicy and the avocado still holds its shape.
- Dice everything finely
Finely dice the pineapple, discarding the tough core and the woody eyes, then dice the shallot and avocado.
- Make the salsa
Add the pineapple to a bowl with the shallot, olive oil, salt, chili flakes, lime zest, and lime juice. Stir gently – the pineapple will start releasing a little juice.
Fold through the diced avocado, then stir through the herbs. - Taste & serve
Taste before serving and adjust with more lime or chili if needed.
flossie’s notes
Dice everything on the smaller side if this is going into tacos. Smaller pieces mean you actually get pineapple, avocado, lime, and herbs in every bite rather than a mouthful of one thing.
I have tried using a vegetable dicer for the pineapple, to get uniform pieces, but didn’t quite work, it was crushing the fruit, so it’s best to dice it by hand with a sharp knife.
Nutritional benefits
Avocado adds fiber and healthy fats, pineapple brings vitamin C, and every herb and allium in the bowl counts toward your plant variety for the week. Feed those friendly gut bacteria happy!
Servings
This recipe yields 4 portions, enough for a small family.
Serving ideas
I made this first for al pastor pork tacos, where the pineapple and lime cut through the rich, spiced pork really well. But sometimes, I just serve a few spoonfuls next to grilled pork chops and mash.
Or often add this sweet juicy salsa to my black bean fajitas, chicken and halloumi skewers, smashed burger tacos, or grilled chicken supreme.
It also works with grilled chicken, fish tacos, shrimp, halloumi, burgers, black bean tacos, or a rice bowl with beans and corn.
Storage and make-ahead
This salsa is best eaten fresh, while the avocado still looks bright and the pineapple has a juicy bite.
To prep ahead, dice the pineapple and shallot first, then add the lime, herbs, avocado, and olive oil just before serving.
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day, but the avocado will soften and may darken slightly.
This salsa takes about 10 minutes and makes almost everything better. Tacos are the obvious starting point, but once you’ve made it you’ll find yourself spooning it over grilled chicken, fish, rice bowls, or halloumi just as readily. If you give it a go, let me know what you served it with – I’d love to hear.
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Avocado Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 slices fresh pineapple finely diced, tough core discarded
- 1 avocado finely diced
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 1 lime zest and juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp crushed chili flakes or finely diced fresh chili, optional
- 2 tsp freshly chopped parsley or coriander
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Dice the pineapple, shallot and avocado
- Finely dice the fresh pineapple, discarding the tough core.
- Dice the shallot very fine.
- Dice the avocado in small cubes.
Mix the salsa
- Add the pineapple to a bowl with the shallot, olive oil, salt, chili flakes, lime zest, and lime juice.
- Gently fold through the diced avocado.
- Stir everything gently, the pineapple will release a little juice.
- Stir through the chopped parsley or coriander.
Taste and serve
- Add a little more lime juice if the pineapple is very sweet, or another pinch of chili flakes if you want more heat.
Notes
This is best served fresh. To prep ahead, dice the pineapple and shallot first, then add the lime, herbs, avocado, and oil just before serving. Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. The avocado will soften and darken a little, so fresh is best.
