This pineapple salsa is made with Hatch green chiles - it's sweet, smoky, and has a touch of heat. It's excellent with burgers, over fish or chicken, or served with chips for an amazing summer appetizer.

Green bowl filled with pineapple green chile salsa.

Salsas made with fresh, sweet summer fruit are some of 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, like Poblanos and Anaheims, work well too.

While the serving possibilities are endless, sweet pineapple salsa with chiles is amazing just alongside a bowl of salted tortilla chips.

Ingredient Notes

A few hatch chiles on burners with a hight blue flame.

Whole peeled pineapple on black background with leaves behind it.

(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. Unlike most peppers, Hatch Chiles are (almost always) marked “mild, medium or hot” in grocery stores. Choose the amount of heat you want in your salsa. I usually use medium for this pineapple salsa recipe. Substitutions: Good Hatch chile substitutions are Poblano or Anaheim chiles.
Hatch chile powder (mild or hot) or Ancho chile powder - Either of these will add a smoky flavor to the salsa.
fresh ripe 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. Substitutions for 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 pineapple, 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 - Try to choose onions that are firm, heavy for their size and without bruises. Substitutions: 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.
fresh cilantro and basil - Look for bright green, perky bunches without yellow or brown leaves. You can use either cilantro or basil if you prefer. If you're not a fan of one, just leave it out. Adding a little fresh mint to the mix is also delicious.
extra virgin olive oil - I like this one.
black pepper - Preferable freshly ground.

(See recipe card below for quantities.)

How to Make Pineapple Salsa with Hatch Green Chiles

- Combine the roasted chiles, pineapple, onion, cilantro, basil, oil and Hatch Chile (or Ancho) powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

--> Here's How to Roast and Peel the Chiles <--

Chopped ingredients for pineapple salsa in a glass bowl - red onion, pineapple, grenn chile, cilantro, basil, and chili powder.

Pineapple green chile salsa in a glass mixing bowl with a spoon.

Recipe Tips. 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. Unless you prefer a smoother, more sauce-like consistency, I don't recommend using a food processor.

Variations

Spicy version. Use the hot Hatch chiles and to really dial it up, do not remove the seeds. (You can also use a jalapeño pepper, serrano, or a habanero, like I do in my mango salsa.)
Tangy version. Add a splash of fresh lime juice.
For an earthier flavor. Add a teaspoon of ground cumin.

Serving Suggestions

Big turkey burger filled with melting cheese and pineapple salsa.

As an appetizer or snack served with salted tortilla chips.
On burgers. (Check out the Pineapple Turkey Burger above.)
Added to sandwiches, wraps, and fish tacos.
I love it mixed into a lemony guacamole.
Spooned over fish, chicken, or pork.
With chicken or fish. It's fantastic with my Tequila Marinated Chicken.
It's delightful mixed into summer salads with Mexican Black Beans.
Try swapping out the pineapple chunks for this salsa in my Quinoa Shrimp Bowl. It's one of my favorite combinations.

Green bowl filled with pineapple green chile salsa with purple cloth and whole Hatch chiles in the background.

Fresh salsa and chips are the quintessential appetizer to serve for casual summer entertaining. Here are a few more favorites . . .

More Summer Salsa Recipes

Making it Ahead

The fresher the better, but this pineapple salsa will keep well for a couple of days in an airtight container in the fridge. If a lot of liquid collects, just drain some off before serving.

I hope you love this salsa as much as my family and I do!

Hatch Green Chile Pineapple Salsa Recipe

Valentina K. Wein

*Makes about 4 cups

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 20

Roasting Chiles 20

Total Time 55

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings

Calories 24 kcal

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 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

*You can substitute Hatch with Ahaheim or Poblano chiles.

Nutritional information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an estimate.

NUTRITION

Keywords party food, tropical fruits

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