Veggies roasted to perfection, sweet pineapple, and fiery habaneros make this Roasted Pineapple Habanero Salsa recipe the star of every party. It’s super easy to make, comes together in a flash, and promises to be addicting every time! Roasting the veggies adds a unique and mellowed flavor that tastes great on chips, tacos, bowls, and more.
Use fresh or canned pineapple for this recipe and adjust the spicy level to your taste! This post includes step-by-step instructions and answers to all your questions about how to make, store, and serve this salsa.
I first ate this salsa at the restaurant Salsa Brava in Flagstaff, Arizona. It quickly became a family favorite and a must-stop whenever we were in the area. Eventually (much, MUCH to our excitement) Salsa Brava was featured on the Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The salsa was a highlight of the episode and the chef published the recipe online shortly after - score!
Since then, we’ve made a few adjustments to the recipe to fine-tune the flavor and consistency. It’s a winner for chips and salsa and pairs incredibly well with carnitas, nachos, and Easy Chicken Tinga Tacos (Using Rotisserie Chicken). You really can’t go wrong with this recipe!
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Ingredients
- Roma tomatoes: Red, ripe, but still firm.
- Jalapeños: Cut off the stems, but leave the seeds. This is a spicy salsa, after all.
- Sweet onion: Just remove the ends and outer layer and cut into chunks.
- Cilantro: Gives the salsa a wonderful fresh flavor.
- Habaneros: Spicy, spicy, spicy! The best compliment to the sweet pineapple.
- Pineapple: Sweet, sweet, sweet! Fresh or canned both work well.
- Salt: Kosher is a good choice.
Helpful kitchen tools
White Taco Bar Condiment PlatterSalsa & Guac Bowl Set
13-Cup Food Processor
Cookie Sheets
How to make roasted pineapple habanero salsa
This salsa is SUPER easy. Start by roasting the tomatoes, jalapeños, and sweet onion. Line them up on a sheet pan and broil them on high (about 4 inches below the broiler) for 5 minutes. Flip them over and roast for another 5 minutes.
The goal is that the veggies are blistered and charred on both sides. This process mellows the flavor of the jalapeños, adds a bit of sweetness to the tomatoes, and gives the overall salsa a bit of smokiness.
Once the veggies are roasted, place them in a food processor with the cilantro, habaneros, pineapple, and salt. Pulse until your preferred salsa consistency.
The food processor may leak during this step. I use a large food processor, but if you are using a smaller one you can pulse ½ the ingredients at a time to prevent overflowing.
And that’s it! The salsa will still be warm, so allow it time to cool to room temperature or refrigerate if preferred. Or eat it warm if you just can’t resist!
Questions & Answers
For the BEST experience with this salsa, pair it with our favorite Easy Chicken Tinga Tacos (Using Rotisserie Chicken). It also goes great with ground beef tacos, grilled chicken tacos, or burritos. For parties or sports events, we usually just eat it with chips - super delicious!
Store your salsa in an air-tight container in the fridge. It should stay good for up to 5 days.
If you want to make this less spicy, adjust the amount of jalapenos and habaneros you add. You could also remove the seeds from both to decrease the spice. Just remember that this salsa also has pineapple in it, so if you remove too much spice it will be too sweet.
I always use canned pineapple in this recipe, but you can use fresh if you prefer. Make sure it is a sweet, ripe pineapple. Also, you will need to add pineapple juice to make up for the juice in the can. Start by adding ¼ cup, then add more if it is needed for the consistency.
More Mexican favorites
- Street Taco Sauce - A quick salsa made in the blender, then fried in a hot pan to bring out the best of Mexican flavors. This is an authentic, restaurant-style salsa.
- Shredded Honey Lime Chicken (using rotisserie chicken) - This is the easiest, most flavorful Mexican chicken. In under 15 minutes you have chicken for enchiladas, Mexican bowls, or burritos.
- Cheesy Refried Beans Casserole - Canned beans seasoned with spices and topped with a layer of cheese. Perfect for chips and dip, or as a side to your favorite Mexican main dish.
- Chicken Tortilla Soup - A warm, comforting bowl of smoky soup filled with tender chicken and Mexican spices. Easy, healthy, and delicious!
Tips & Tricks
- Cut off the thick stems of the cilantro before using. Cilantro stems are good in some recipes, but they make this salsa a bit woody. I cut off the stems just below the leafy greens.
- Smell the jalapeños to gauge the spiciness. Generally, the spicier they smell, the spicier they will be. The more you smell jalapeños, the more familiar you will become.
Recipe
Roasted Pineapple Habanero Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs roma tomatoes
- 4 jalapenos stems removed
- ¼ large sweet onion cut into 2 inch chunks
- 1 cup cilantro thick stems removed
- 2 habaneros stems removed
- 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks, tidbits, or slices in 100% juice
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Line tomatoes, jalapenos, and onions on baking sheet. Broil on high (about 4 inches below broiler) for 5 minutes. Flip the veggies and roast for 5 more minutes until they are blistered and charred.2 lbs roma tomatoes, 4 jalapenos, ¼ large sweet onion
- Place roasted veggies, cilantro, habaneros, pineapple, and salt in food processor. Pulse until desired consistency. (If using a small food processor, pulse half the ingredients at a time).1 cup cilantro, 2 habaneros, 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks, tidbits, or slices, 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- Allow to cool to room temperature or refrigerate if preferred.
Notes
- Cut off the thick stems of the cilantro before using. Cilantro stems are good in some recipes, but they make this salsa a bit woody. I cut off the stems just below the leafy greens.
- Smell the jalapeños to gauge the spiciness. Generally, the spicier they smell, the spicier they will be. The more you smell jalapeños, the more familiar you will become.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Maxie says
Can this salsa be canned or frozen?
Misty says
Hi Maxie! We have never canned or frozen this salsa, so I can not vouch for the results. Let us know how it goes if you try it!
Amanda says
Is there anyway to preserve the salsa longer? I know you mention it should be good for up to 5 days
Danielle says
I’m so sorry, but as far as I know there isn’t a way to preserve this. It really is best fresh. Hope you enjoy it!
Noba says
I have found it imperative to add cilantro ONLY to the amount you are going to immediately use. Add chopped cilantro to future uses at time of use.
In doing this… salsas can (and have) lasted 10-14 days.
The cilantro turns black (rots) and ruins the rest of the salsa.
Hope this helps.
Danielle says
I am glad that works for you, however we cannot recommend that anyone stores this for that long.
Leslie H. says
Whoa, the flavor in this salsa was addicting. We made it just for chips and salsa, but so can see why it would be great on tacos. I blended it in two batches because I have a small food processor. Worked great!
Misty says
Happy to hear you liked it! I really enjoy it on tacos too.
Norah W. says
Sweet and spicy! I don't add all the juice from the pineapple because I find it too liquidy for my taste. But otherwise delicious!
David says
Yes, please. I'd even eat this on cereal.
Kimberly Jones says
Haha! Same!