For those of you planning your fourth of July menus, I have just what you need.

Grilled Pineapple Chipotle Salsa 

Makes about 3 cups of salsa, or two standard mason jar sizes 

Ingredients

• 1 pineapple
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1/2 a red onion, diced
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo, diced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cut the top and bottom off pineapple, then remove the external skin. Cut into 3/4 inch disks, and place on grill over medium heat. Grill for five minutes per side or until caramelized. Dice once the pineapple has cooled.
2. Place the 2 red bell peppers (still whole) on the grill over high heat, and cook each side for three minutes or until as much of the skin is charred. Once down, place the peppers in a bowl, cover them with foil, and let them sit for 5-10 minutes. When ready, take the charred skin off, de-seed, and dice.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix the grilled and diced pineapple, the grilled and diced bell peppers, and the rest of the ingredients as listed above.
4. For best results, let sit for a couple of hours before serving. Enjoy!

This is our absolute favorite homemade salsa. We prefer to make homemade salsas so we can control the sodium level as well as what ingredients are used. And to be honest, we’ve yet to try a jarred pineapple salsa that compares with this one.

The flavors in this recipe are just summer perfection and a fun spin on a regular tomato based salsa. The pineapple is by far the key component, and caramelizing it brings a level of sweetness that contrasts nicely with the smokiness of the chipotle peppers. The cilantro and lime also bring a fresh balance to the dish.

Grilling is such a big part of summer barbecues and the 4th of July, and I think the pineapple and chipotle combo just makes people think of summer. It’s one of those dishes that brings back a fun summertime memory as you eat it.

The other thing about this dish is that it is super versatile. We like to serve it as a snack or appetizer with pita chips or celery sticks. We’ve also incorporated it into dinners by topping cod or haddock with it, including it in taco nights, or making lettuce wraps. It pretty much goes well with fish, chicken, or steak. I’m also guilty of eating it by the spoonful, and Tim likes it on his toast in the morning!

If chipotle isn’t your thing, you could sub a jalapeno pepper or two. You’ll lose the smoky flavor, but it’s still delicious! You can also increase or decrease the amount of smokiness to the dish by adding or removing the chipotles. Finally, if you aren’t a cilantro person, just use parsley or another herb instead. We’re just obsessed with cilantro.

Hope you guys love it and give it a whirl this weekend! If you do, make sure to snap a pic and tag me @fitnessandfeta on social media. Would love to see how it turns out.

Readers, let’s chat! Do you make homemade salsa? What is your absolute favorite kind? Do you prefer tomato based salsas or something else? What fun foods are you guys making for the 4th this weekend? 

For other 4th of July recipe inspiration, you may be interested in:

• Almost Mediterranean chickpea salad
• Red, white, and blue salsa
• Tasty grilled corn salsa
• Caprese party skewers
• Summer squash and zucchini ribbons
• Red, white, and blue cheesecake bites
• Heirloom tomato caprese salad
• Grilled chicken pesto burgers
• Festive food for the fourth