Hatch Green Chile Salsa with Pineapple is sweet and smoky with a touch of heat. We love it on burgers, over fish or chicken, or served with chips for an amazing summer appetizer.

Salsas made with fresh, sweet summer fruit is the best! And pineapple adds a special, tropical and tart flavor that goes well with so many foods.
Use Hatch chiles when they're in season (late July through August), but other green chiles work well too (See Substitutions below.)
While the serving possibilities are endless, Green Chile Salsa with Pineapple is amazing just alongside a bowl of salted tortilla chips.
The Ingredients
(I often suggest brands I love and use — these are only suggestions and this is not a sponsored post.)
- Hatch chiles - Mild, medium or hot. (See Recipe Tips below.)
- Hatch chile powder (mild or hot) or Ancho chile powder - Either of these will add a smoky flavor to the salsa.
- fresh pineapple - Choose a pineapple with bright green leaves and lots of yellow in the skin. It should be firm with a slight amount of give when pressed gently.
- red onion - Try to choose onions that are firm, heavy for their size and without bruises.
- cilantro - Look for bright green, perky bunches without yellow or brown leaves.
- basil - Again, look for bright green, perky bunches without yellow or brown leaves.
- extra virgin olive oil - I like this one.
- salt
- black pepper - Preferable freshly ground
(See recipe card below for quantities.)
Substitutions
- Hatch chiles. Good Hatch chile substitutions are Poblano or Anaheim chiles. You can also use green bell peppers.
- Fresh pineapple. Fresh pineapple is best but to save time (or when it's not summertime), substitute the fresh pineapple with canned or frozen. If you use canned, it should be canned in its own juice, not syrup, well drained, and cut into smaller pieces. Frozen pineapple should be thawed, well drained, and cut into smaller pieces.
- Red onion. Red onions add a touch more sweetness than other onions, which is delicious in most salsa recipes. For a sharper flavor, also use yellow or white onions, or for a more mild flavor, you can substitute it with shallots.
- Cilantro and basil. You can use one or the other if desired -- and if you're not a fan of one or the other, skip it. Adding a little fresh mint to the mix is also delicious.
- Spicy version - Use the hot Hatch chiles and to real dial it up, do not remove the seeds.
Recipe Tips
- Unlike most peppers, Hatch Chiles are (almost always) marked “mild, medium or hot” in stores. Choose the amount of heat you want in your Hatch Chile Salsa. I usually choose medium for this recipe.
- It's a good idea to roast the chiles ahead of time. You can do this up to a few days in advance and refrigerate them until you're ready to make the salsa.
How to Make it
(More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)
- Combine roasted Hatch Chiles, pineapple, onion, cilantro, basil, oil and Hatch Chile powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serving Suggestions
- As an appetizer or snack served with salted tortilla chips.
- On burgers. (Check out the Pineapple Turkey Burger below.)
- In sandwiches and wraps.
- With chicken or fish. It's fantastic with my Tequila Marinated Chicken.
- It's delightful mixed into summer salads.
- Try swapping out the pineapple chunks for this salsa in my Quinoa Shrimp Bowl. It's one of my favorite combinations.
Fresh salsa and chips are the quintessential appetizer to serve for casual summer entertaining. Here are a few more favorites . . .
More Summer Salsa Recipes
- Roasted Tomato Poblano Salsa
- Plum Salsa with Grapes
- Strawberry Avocado Salsa
- Watermelon Cucumber Salsa
- Summer Peach Salsa
- Avocado Mango Salsa with Chipotles
Making it Ahead
The fresher the better, but Pineapple Hatch Green Chile Salsa will keep well for a couple of days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. If a lot of liquid collects, just drain some off before serving.
Enjoy every last scrumptious bite of this Hatch Green Chile Salsa with Pineapple.
Green Chile Salsa with Pineapple Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds mild Hatch Chiles (click here for How to Roast & Peel Peppers)* roasted, peeled, seeded, finely chopped
- 1¼ cups finely chopped fresh pineapple (click here for How to Cut a Pineapple)*
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, washed, dried
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil washed, dried
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Hatch Chile powder or Ancho chile powder
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the roasted Hatch Chiles, pineapple, onion, cilantro, basil, oil and Hatch Chile powder in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix to blend, and then season to taste with salt and pepper. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)
- You can serve this right away, or for best results, let it sit for at least an hour, so the flavors blend together.
NOTES
NUTRITION
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David
It has been great seeing Hatch chiles at our farmers market for the past several weeks... As soon as I saw the first ones, I knew we would be hearing from you with some great new recipes!
valentina
Awww thanks, David. I've gotten sort of a late start this year. One more recipe coming in a couple of days and then a big roundup. This year I'm hoping to roast and freeze -- though I love them best right off the fire. 🙂 xo
Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction
This salsa looks absolutely delicious and so flavourful!
valentina
Thanks, Marsha! 🙂
Lisa
This sounds amazing! And like you, I'd be happy with a bowl of this salsa and a spoon! ?
valentina
Right!?!? 🙂
Dahn @savor the Best
This looks really yummy, I love hatch chilies. Great combination of flavors, this is definitely a must try.
valentina
Thanks so much. Hope you love it!
Molly Kumar
OMG, this sounds Awesome!! I can absolutely see myself devouring this with tons of chips.
valentina
Thank you! Yes, so yummy with lightly salted, slightly warm chips. Not to be too specific. 😉
Holly
This salsa sounds like everything I've always wanted!! Sweet, savory, spicy, earthy... amazing! I'm curious did you use the hot, medium or mild version for your salsa? I'm looking forward to your hatch chile turkey burger recipe - yum!
valentina
Hi Holly! Thank you! I used mostly mild and a couple medium b/c I knew my kids would be having some. A little heat goes a long way for them. My preference would be all medium. Excited to share the burger. 🙂
Kerstin
Love your recipes! I'll be buying a big batch of roasted Hatch chilies this year for the first time. Do you know how long the roasted chilies keep in the fridge? I know I can freeze them, but wondering how long they keep refrigerated.
Thank you!
valentina
I think about 4 days in the refrigerator. (You might be able to leave them longer, but the flavor will be better the sooner you eat them.) ENJOY!