Spicing Things Up
One of my favorite sauces of all time is the Roasted Pineapple Habanero Glaze from Robert Rothschild. I found it at Costco years ago and quickly fell in love.
Unfortunately, however, the first ingredient in the glaze is sugar…no wonder I like it so much!
Since I try to be more conscious of my added sugar intake these days, I wanted to make something similar, but in a slightly healthier whole food plant-based version.
Enter this Homemade Pineapple Habanero Salsa!
It packs the perfect punch of sweet & spicy with the combination of fresh pineapple and habanero peppers.
Adjust to your liking
Of course, we all have different tolerances for heat and spice when it comes to food, so be sure to adjust this recipe to fit your personal taste.
If you prefer mild salsa, start with just one jalapeno and only one or even half a habanero pepper.
Consider adding a poblano pepper or anaheim pepper in place of the hotter peppers for an even milder salsa.
Remember, it’s much easier to add more heat later on than it is to try to dampen the heat after the food has already been made.
Here’s the Scoville Chart for your reference:
Source: www.normexgroup.com
Serve your pineapple habanero salsa with chips and guacamole, tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, or whatever Mexican dish is calling your name!
I served mine with very minimalistic vegan black bean tacos:
corn tortillas
black beans, strained and rinsed
red cabbage
pineapple habanero salsa
sliced avocado
cilantro
lime
I also whipped up a quick vegan cilantro-lime crema to go with it. Perhaps I’ll share this recipe next time!
Homemade Pineapple Habanero Salsa, Vegan, GF
Ingredients
1 cup pineapple, chopped
1/2 white onion, diced
2 tomatillos, halved
2 jalapeno peppers, halved, seeds removed
1-2 habanero peppers, halved, seeds removed
1 ghost pepper, halved, seeds removed (optional)
1 clove garlic, peeled, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp oregano
Salt & pepper, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil, as needed
Water, as needed
Optional toppings: lime, fresh cilantro
Instructions
Prep your fruit & veggies
Heat a pan over medium-high heat, add oil
Once oil is hot, add all fruit and veggies and stir
Add oregano, salt, and pepper
Saute about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally
Remove from heat when veggies are browned to slightly charred, allow to cool for several minutes
Once cooled, transfer to a blender and blend to desired consistency, adding water to thin out as needed
Top salsa with lime and/or fresh cilantro if desired
Serve and enjoy!
