This Black Bean Pineapple Salsa is fresh, colorful, and has an amazing flavor. It is sweet and savory, crunchy and fresh, easy to make, and above all - healthy for you and your family!
This flavorful salsa is gluten-free and vegan / vegetarian. It makes an amazing appetizer, taco topping, or fun salad side dish.
Pineapple in salsa
If you love a combination of sweet & savory, juicy & just-slightly-spicy, and absolutely tasty, you're going to love this salsa! The fresh, juicy pieces of pineapple are absolutely perfect with the rest of the ingredients. By the way, check out this pineapple pico de gallo too!
Make this pineapple black bean salsa a day ahead if you want more infused flavors, or serve it immediately after preparing for a fresher, crisper salsa.
This Black Bean Pineapple Salsa is made of simple and affordable ingredients. Ready to make it??
Ingredients
- 1 14-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 14-oz can corn, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup pineapple, finely diced about the size of black beans
- 2 tablespoons red onion, finely minced (or use a yellow onion or a scallion, if you prefer)
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, minced (or more to taste!)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (from about ½ lime)
- ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste
- ½ jalapeño seeds removed, finely diced (or use less or more, depending on your spice preference!)
More black bean recipes to try: Black Bean Quinoa Burgers
Ingredient notes:
→ Black Beans: You can use canned black beans or home-cooked beans. If you are using canned, look for one that has minimal ingredients and preservatives. If you can find a brand that has beans, water, and salt (such as this one), that is great! If using homemade beans, use about 1 ¾ - 2 cups of cooked beans.
→ Corn: Same as for Black Beans 😉
→ Pineapple: Of course you can use canned pineapple to save time, but if you want to use a fresh pineapple, here are some tips for chopping it: To cut the pineapple, put it horizontally on a cutting board and cut the bottom and the top part off. The second step is to set it vertically and use a sharp knife to cut the skin off. Then, when done cutting the peel, lay it horizontally again, and slice into 4 quarters. Remove the inner core, and dice it into pieces. I like to dice the pineapple into small pieces that are about the same size as the corn and beans, so that everything is nice and uniform in every bite!
→ Red Onion: I like to use red onion in fresh dishes and salads. It is crispy and sweet, and it has a really nice color, too! But if you don’t have it at home, feel free to use any other kind. I “marinate” the red onion in lime juice for a few minutes while I prepare the rest of the salsa ingredients. This infuses the onion flavor into the lime juice (and therefore, into the whole salsa), and removes some of the sharpness from the raw red onion.
→ Cilantro: Use fresh! Cilantro is soooo good for your health! Some of the benefits of eating cilantro are: it rids the body of heavy metals, protects against oxidative stress, lowers anxiety, improves sleep, lowers blood sugar levels, and protects against cardiovascular disease... So be sure to include it in your diet (as long as you’re not one of those people who think that cilantro tastes like soap, in which case, skip it, or use fresh parsley instead.)
→ Lime Juice: Use freshly squeezed juice instead of the bottled stuff. That will add freshness to this dish. I love using this citrus squeezer when I need just ½ or 1 lime squeezed!
→ Jalapeño: If you want to spice it up, leave some of the pith or seeds in the jalapeño. More seeds = more spicy taste. To cut down on the spice, remove all the pith and seeds, or use less jalapeño! And if you have a few extra jalapeños on hand, try these beer battered fried jalapenos!
→ Optional ingredients: Add some diced fresh tomato to the salsa!
Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the red onion and lime juice while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Then add all the ingredients and mix. Season with additional salt, lime juice, or more jalapeno, if desired.
Super simple!!
Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 24 hours before serving. I do not recommend making this salsa more than a day in advance because the cilantro gets wilted. Of course, you can always stir in the cilantro fresh before serving.
Got extra pineapple? Make these easy Pineapple Puffs!
Make this kid-friendly:
Skip the jalapeños to make this a kid-friendly salsa. This salsa is an amazing recipe to get kids to eat healthy beans, corn, cilantro, and red onion because the sweet juicy pineapple gives the whole salsa a wonderful flavor that kids love!
Salsa serving ideas:
Serve this salsa with:
- pork tacos
- trout tacos
- baked tacos
- chicken quesadillas
- Cajun steak quesadillas
- a side dish for these Mexican-inspired taco burgers (sooo good!)
- rice and pulled pork
- baked tortilla chips (recipe coming soon!) as a snack or appetizer
- over grilled chicken
- over blackened salmon
- over blackened chicken
However you decide to serve this salsa, I hope you love it as much as we do!! If you end up making this recipe, please take a picture and tag me on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK. You can find me at @babaganoshblog on both. I love seeing your creations!
Other Mexican-inspired recipes you will love:
- Roasted peach tomatillo salsa
- Smoky charred corn salsa
- Mexican pasta salad - an awesome summer side dish or easy dinner!
- Easy shrimp and avocado tostadas
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Black Bean Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons red onion - finely minced (or use a yellow onion or a scallion, if you prefer)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice - (from about ½ lime)
- 14 oz can black beans - drained and rinsed
- 14 oz can corn kernels - drained and rinsed
- 1 cup pineapple - finely diced about the size of black beans
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves - minced (or more to taste!)
- ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper - or to taste
- ½ jalapeño seeds removed - seeds removed and finely diced (or use less or more, depending on your spice preference!)
Special equipment
Instructions
- Combine the finely minced red onion and lime juice in a large bowl and stir to cover most of the onion in the lime juice. Allow to marinate for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the same bowl and mix well. Season with additional salt, pepper, or jalapeño, if desired. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Nutrition
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.