You're in for a real treat with this salmon with pineapple salsa recipe. It's the perfect combination of savory and sweet with just a bit of spicy. It's easy to make for a satisfying dinner and you can enjoy it any time of the year.
Recipe Price: $17.07* for wild salmon | Per Serving: $4.27 | Makes: 4 Servings
Pineapple is such a great tropical fruit that is packed with vitamin C, and in fact, when paired with the raw red bell pepper, this dish contains more than 80% of your daily recommended vitamin C!
We like it in sweet and savory dishes and are definitely a pineapple-on-pizza family. For more ways to cook with pineapple try these sheet pan chicken lettuce wraps or these pineapple chicken fajitas next. But first let's dive into this salmon and pineapple recipe!
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What is Salmon with Pineapple Salsa?
This salmon pineapple recipe dish combines salmon with a soy (or tamari) and maple glaze. The salmon is served with a generous portion of pineapple salsa with tons of color and flavor. We like it with cauliflower rice or regular rice!
Why You Will Love This Salmon with Pineapple Salsa
- Easy Salmon Recipe: Pineapple salsa salmon is simple and quick! I often make the salsa earlier in the day and then this dish comes together in less than 10 minutes!
- Great Flavor. The lightly sweet and savory sauce makes a delicious maple-glazed salmon that pairs perfectly with the fruity and spicy pineapple salsa!
- Seasonal Favorite You Can Enjoy Year Round. The fruit salsa screams summer, but obviously canned pineapple is available all year and salmon is a popular choice for January. That make this dish perfect year-round!
Ingredients
Here's a look at the main ingredients you need to make this pineapple salmon recipe. It's pretty straight-forward and everything should be easy to find in regular grocery stores.
- Pineapple: I have tested this salmon pineapple salsa recipe with fresh pineapple, frozen pineapple that's been thawed, and canned pineapple in juice. All work equally well to make the pineapple salsa for salmon.
- Salsa Veggies: Red onion and jalapeño are classic salsa ingredients but I've also added red bell pepper for a splash of color and some cucumber for crunch. Use English or Persian cucumbers which are generally crunchier and have less seeds than your standard cucumber.
- Fresh cilantro and lime juice: For flavoring the pineapple salsa. If you don't like cilantro you can always use flat leaf parsley instead or omit it. You will also need a bit of extra lime juice for the salmon sauce.
- Tamari: Or soy sauce for a salty-savory punch to marinate the salmon.
- Maple syrup: This adds a hint of sweetness to the sauce. You can substitute three tablespoons of pineapple juice for the maple syrup and water if you prefer a natural sweetener. (Both work well, but if you use fresh pineapple you may not have any juice!)
- Oil or ghee: Needed for cooking the salmon in the skillet. I like a high heat oil here.
- Salmon: I am using wild-caught salmon with the skin-on. It's a healthy and more sustainable option but it's also more expensive. There are a variety of more affordable salmon options as low as $5.99 per pound if the wild caught is out of your budget.
- Rice: This is totally optional and is for serving on the side. You can serve this with white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice. Try it with this cilantro lime rice!
- Garnish: I recommend having extra cilantro and lime juice for garnishing. Avocado is also great here, especially if you want something to mellow out the heat in the salsa.
Dietary Modifications and Variations
- Paleo: If you serve this with cauliflower rice instead of white or brown rice this dish is Paleo.
- Whole30-approved: Serve it with cauliflower rice and use pineapple juice instead of maple syrup and this is a whole 30-approved dinner!
- Vegetarian: This dish is not vegetarian. Feel free to make this using tofu, chickpeas, or you could make homemade vegan salmon if you’d like.
- Low FODMAP: This recipe may be tolerated on a Low FODMAP diet, depending on your fructose (pineapple) tolerance. I would skip the red onion but otherwise follow the recipe as written.
- Change the Fruit: You can also make a salsa for the salmon with peaches or fresh mango by simply using the same amount of fruit in place of the pineapple.
- Spicy: The pineapple salsa is going to be mild if you remove the seeds and membrane of the jalapeño, but will be spicy if you include it! (Depending on the spiciness of your peppers.) You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper or some Sriracha to the salmon sauce for more heat.
How to Make Salmon with Pineapple Salsa
- Mince the red onion and place it in a small bowl. Cover the onion with water and let it sit for about 10 minutes to reduce the sharp bite of the onion.
- Prep all the vegetables as noted in the recipe card. Drain the water off the minced onion.
- Combine the salsa ingredients in a large bowl with a pinch of salt. Feel free to add any pineapple juice that has accumulated in the bowl. Set this aside, but stir it occasionally to ensure all of the ingredients are spending time in the juices.
- Mix together the soy sauce, lime juice, maple syrup, and water in a small bowl.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil or ghee to the pan when it's hot and swirl it around. Add the salmon a piece at a time skin side down (if using skin-on). Season each with a pinch of salt and cook for about 4-5 minutes. You’ll know the salmon is done when the bottom is a bit crispy and it is lifting from the skillet.
- Flip the salmon using a metal spatula or fish spatula. Cook for another 4 minutes on the other side, or until your desired doneness. Add the sauce to the skillet and cook until the sauce has become thick and somewhat syrupy. You can spoon this over the top of the salmon to ensure even flavor!
PRO TIP: To achieve the best and crispiest results use a stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast iron skillet to cook the salmon.
- Serve the salmon with a generous serving of the pineapple salsa and a side of rice. Drizzle a spoonful of the sauce over each plate. Add some additional cilantro for garnish, and a few slices of avocado if you’d like, and enjoy!
How to Store
- Storing Leftovers: Place the leftover salmon in an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator and consume it within 1-2 days for optimal freshness. Place any leftover pineapple salsa for fish in a separate container store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The texture of the salsa may change over time, and it's best when consumed fresh.
- Freezing: Wrap the salmon tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in a resealable labeled freezer bag. It will last for 2-3 months when stored properly. Do not freeze the fruit salsa.
- Reheat: To reheat the salmon, you can warm this in your air fryer for a few minutes, or warm the salmon up in the oven separately on 325ºF for 6 minutes or so.
Serving Suggestions
This dish is easy enough to prepare for a simple weeknight dinner but also works great for a dinner with friends on the weekend.
- Grain Side Dish: Choose any of the rice options in the recipe card or you may consider serving it with coconut lime quinoa or another type of whole grain.
- Light Salad: It's also great with a simple salad such as mixed greens with a lemon basil dressing or a summer vegetable salad.
- Enjoy Leftovers: If you don't want to reheat the salmon you can also flake it up and add it to a burrito bowl with some of the leftover pineapple salsa.
Expert Tips
- Choosing Salmon: Most salmon we have access to has been previously frozen - which is perfectly fine! I recommend the highest quality salmon you can afford, such as Sitka Seafood, Moink (affiliate link) Salmon, or Vital Choice Seafood. If those are out of your budget, any frozen salmon from the grocery store will probably be tasty here.
- Cooking the Salmon: You want to cook it long enough for it to flake easily with a fork without it being dry. If using wild salmon (which is lower in fat), cooking it with the skin on helps to retain moisture. If you like it medium rare - medium you can aim for an internal temperature around 130° - 145° F.
- Prepare the Salsa First: Even better - make it earlier in the day. An hour in the refrigerator before serving can significantly enhance the taste.
- Salting the Salmon. Be sure to only add a small pinch of salt at a time as gluten-free soy sauce is quite salty!
FAQs
Absolutely YES. The majority of the omega-3 fatty acids in salmon are actually found in the skin! Sure you can if you want. In this recipe I recommend cooking the skin-side of the salmon first giving it a crisp texture and helping to keep the fish moist. If you don't like salmon skin, it's also fairly easy to remove after cooking if you prefer not to eat it. (source)
I recommend cooking the salmon with ghee or oil rather than butter. Butter has a much lower smoke point and may begin to burn at the high heat you want to use for cooking the salmon.
Yes, pineapple on its own is very high in sugar and large servings aren’t tolerated by some people with IBS, SIBO, and diabetes. However, this recipe packs in the fresh pineapple flavor with just 1 cup of chopped pineapple, making it a great fit for nearly all diets and health conditions. If you'd like to keep the sugar/carb content low, I recommend serving this with cauliflower rice.
More Salmon Recipes
Salmon with Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
For the Pineapple Salsa
- ¼ medium red onion about ¼ cup minced
- 1 cup chopped pineapple
- ½ large red bell pepper
- ½ English cucumber 1 cup chopped, 5 oz
- 1 jalapeño pepper with or without seeds & membrane
- 4 Tablespoons cilantro chopped
- 3 Tablespoons lime juice from about 1-2 limes
- 1 Pinch of salt as needed
For the Salmon
- 1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1-2 teaspoons oil or ghee
- 16 ounces salmon or 4 salmon filets. I prefer skin-on, but either will work.
- 1 Pinch salt
For Serving
- 2 cups cooked white rice or cauliflower rice or brown rice, for serving
- Optional garnish: cilantro lime juice, avocado slices
Instructions
Make the Salsa
- First, finely mince the red onion and place it in a small bowl. Cover this with water and set aside for about 10 minutes to reduce the sharp potency of the onion.
- Cut up the pineapple into small chunks, about ½ an inch, and add to a bowl, saving any juice that accumulates on your cutting board. Finely chop the bell pepper and the cucumber. For the jalapeño, remove the stem and cut it in half lengthwise, then, optionally, remove the seeds and pith from one half. (Remove all the seeds and pith to make it less spicy, or leave all the seeds and pith in to make it extra spicy.) Finely chop fresh cilantro until you have about 4 Tablespoons, and juice 1-2 fresh limes until you have 3 Tablespoons. (You will also need 1 Tablespoon of lime juice for cooking the salmon).
- After the red onion has soaked for about 10 minutes, drain the water out using a fine mesh strainer. Combine the salsa ingredients in a large bowl with a pinch of salt. You can also add any pineapple juice that has accumulated, and set aside. You can stir this occasionally to ensure all of the ingredients are melding together.
Make the Salmon
- In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients - soy sauce, lime juice, maple syrup, and water. (See notes for using pineapple juice here instead.)
- Bring a skillet - stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast iron is ideal here - to medium-high heat. Once very hot, add the oil or ghee, swirl around, and immediately place the salmon fillets, one-by-one, into the hot skillet, skin-side down (if using skin-on). Season each with a pinch of salt and cook for about 4-5 minutes. You’ll know the salmon is done when the bottom is a bit crispy and it is lifting from the skillet. (See notes)
- Carefully flip the salmon using a metal spatula or fish spatula. Cook for another 4 minutes on the other side, or until your desired doneness. (The internal temperature for medium-rare salmon is about 130ºF.) Add the sauce to the skillet and continue to cook, rotating the skillet a bit if needed, for another 1-2 minutes or until the sauce has become thick and somewhat syrupy. You can spoon this over the top of the salmon to ensure even flavor!
Serve
- To serve: add a small scoop of your rice of choice to a plate, along with a generous serving of the pineapple salsa. Top with the salmon and drizzle a spoonful of sauce over each plate. Add some additional cilantro for garnish, and a few slices of avocado if you’d like, and enjoy!
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