Fresh Pineapple Salsa

I'm a sucker for a good fresh salsa. Especially one that's sweet and spicy.

This fresh pineapple salsa is just that. Made with fresh pineapple, red onion, bell pepper, roasted habanero pepper, lime juice, fire roasted tomatoes and cilantro, it's packed with delicious flavor.

Kind of makes it hard to stop eating it (oops!).

Even though I love this homemade pineapple salsa scooped onto tortilla chips, it's really good on fish, grilled chicken or shrimp tacos too!

Andddd the flavors only get better the longer it sits so making it a day ahead adds to it's deliciousness.

Pretty much the perfect party appetizer if you ask me, especially with Cinco de Mayo around the corner ;).

• fresh pineapple (canned does not cut it in this recipe!)
• habanero peppers
• bell pepper
• red onion
• garlic
• fire roasted tomatoes
• fresh lime juice
• fresh cilantro
• salt

Let's talk habanero peppers quick.

Normally, salsa uses jalapeno peppers but in this pineapple salsa I like to use habanero peppers because they have a fruity/floral flavor and more heat to them.

Roasting the habanero really brings out their flavors, taking our fresh salsa up a notch ;).

I am not a huge fan of spicy, so this salsa has the perfect amount of heat for me; I'd say it's a "medium heat salsa".

Of course if you don't like spicy, simply omit the peppers all together. Or if you love spicy, add more!

1. Place about 1 cup of the pineapple, garlic, and about half of the remaining ingredients in a molcajete (mortar and pestle) or in your food processor.
2. Combine the ingredients just until they are semi-pureed. You still want it to be somewhat chunky and there should be a lot of juices.
3. Add the mixture to the rest of your ingredients and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon to combine.
4. Season with more salt, cilantro or lime juice if needed.

• Molcajete or mortar and pestle: This is great when making salsa, guacamole, pesto or even just for grinding whole spices! Although it's not necessary to make this salsa, it really gets the most flavors out of the ingredients.

• Citrus Squeezer:This is one of my most used kitchen tools. It makes squeezing those lemons, limes or oranges so much quicker and easier without worrying about seeds. Plus you get the most juice out using one of these bad boys!

• tortilla chips
• fish or shrimp tacos
• over grilled chicken
• over salmon
• Crockpot Chipotle Barbacoa (Mexican shredded beef) Tacos