Name: Smoked salmon with pineapple salsa
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 6 ounces (or 170 grams) smoked salmon (in slices); 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin); 1 tablespoon capers (chopped); 1 teaspoon pink peppercorns; salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste); 1 cup (6 ounces or 170 grams) fresh pineapple; 2 tablespoons spring onion (chopped); 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar; 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin); ½ teaspoon honey; ½ teaspoon paprika powder

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This smoked salmon with pineapple salsa dish is a fusion of flavours, where sweet and tart meet salty and smokey. The pineapple salsa provides a burst of tropical flavours which works great in combination with the smoked salmon. This exotic pineapple salmon recipe is such an easy dish to prepare, coming together in only 10 minutes. A recipe to impress, as an appetizer, or served as a light meal.

long pineapple salsa with smoked salmon on 2 plates in pink with spring onion and capers

Pineapple salmon ingredients

Note: All the exact quantities of the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Smoked salmon: I use store-bought pre-sliced smoked salmon which works great for this salmon recipe. Cold-smoked salmon has a preference here.
Pineapple: This recipe calls for using fresh pineapple to get that wonderful tropical sweet, tart flavour. Core and peel the pineapple and cut into cubes of about 1 cm or half an inch. As an alternative use canned pineapple, but keep in mind that the flavour won’t be the same.
Olive oil: Use extra virgin olive oil for both the pineapple salsa and as a final drizzle over the dish.
Balsamic vinegar: A spoonful of balsamic vinegar lifts up the already fabulous taste of the fresh pineapple as it highlights the fruity and tart flavour.
Spring onion: Add chopped spring onion to the pineapple salsa and use a handful to sprinkle on top as a garnish.
Honey: Depending on how sweet the pineapple already is use more or less honey to highlight the sweetness. As an alternative use maple or agave syrup.
Paprika powder: A sprinkle of paprika powder provides sweet and fruity notes which adds extra flavour to the dish. Add a bit of heat with some cayenne pepper or chilli flakes. But don’t overdo the heat as it will overpower the milder taste of the smoked salmon.
Capers: The tangy and lemony taste of capers pairs perfectly with smoked salmon and fresh pineapple and brings all the flavours to a perfect balance. I use a jar of capers preserved in brine.
Pink peppercorn (optional): Pink pepper berries or pink peppercorns not only add a lovely vibrant colour to the dish but also a unique flavour. Just be careful with allergies! More information can be found here.

honey pineapple with smoked salmon on 2 pink plates with pink pepper, capers and spring onion

How to make salmon with pineapple

This recipe is fairly easy to prepare, as long as you have all the ingredients. Start by peeling the pineapple and remove the core. Chop the pineapple into cubes of about 1 cm or half an inch. The smaller the better as otherwise the pineapple bits will be too large compared with the salmon and overpower the dish.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the pineapple marinade, which are olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and paprika powder. Mix in the chopped pineapple and the spring onion and leave to stand until ready to serve.

Arrange the salmon on individual plates. You could also serve as a sharing dish in which case you can arrange the slices of salmon on a larger serving dish. Pile the pineapple salsa in the middle on top of the salmon. Garnish with the pink peppercorn, capers, freshly ground pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Depending on the saltiness of the salmon add flaky sea salt or Maldon salt flakes to taste.

close up long view smoked salmon slices with pineapple salsa on a pink plate

How to serve

This smoked salmon with pineapple salsa can either be served as an appetizer, as a first course of a larger meal or even as a light meal by itself. Serve with slices of French loaf or baguette and a glass of crisp white wine.

It’s a perfect dish to serve as a refreshing appetizer for a summer garden party or barbecue, on individual plates or for sharing. It can even be served as an elegant tropical dish for a festive meal, during Christmas time, New Year or Easter.

With the leftover pineapple, consider making these lovely grilled pineapple spears.