How To Make Pineapple & Black Bean Salsa

It might surprise you to learn that the salsa most North Americans are familiar with is nothing like what most Latin Americans eat. (If that actually surprises you, you probably think General Tso’s Chicken is an authentic Chinese recipe.)

Once you get past the idea that salsa has to be in any way “authentic” you’re free to try some really interesting variations on the theme. This one was inspired by a request from DaisyDee after I made the pineapple fried in coconut oil.

Ingredients

2 cups diced fresh pineapple (see below)
1½ cups canned (or soaked) black beans
½ medium red onion, diced
2 fresh jalapeños, diced very fine
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
juice of ½ orange

Directions

NOTE #1: I used what was left of the pineapple fried in coconut oil that I made to put on ice cream. (Click that link for the recipe.) This recipe would work just as well with fresh pineapple.

NOTE #2: If you’re using dry black beans, click here for instructions on how to soak them. If you’re using canned, drain and rinse well. (Thanks to Ted for the reminder.)

NOTE #3: In Latin America “salsa” is used generically to mean “sauce”. If you want a specific kind you might ask for “salsa roja” (red salsa, tomato based) or “salsa verde” (green salsa, tomatillo based). For a good list of other types of salsas, check out this list from The Nibble.

Now that that’s out of the way …

Dice the onion fairly small, and the jalapeño very small.

(Click here for tips on how to dice onions and jalapeños. Remember that the heat in the jalapeño is mostly carried in the white membrane. Trim that out for less heat.)

Now add the juice from the orange.

There’s a reason I do it in this order.

Slicing the onion can make you cry, which would make you want to rub your eyes. You don’t want to do accidentally do that after handling jalapeños, so do the onion first.
The orange juice will clean the onion and jalapeño off your hands, so do that last.

Now add the pineapple, beans, cumin and salt.

Check out the fried pineapple recipe for links to two different ways to slice a pineapple.

Mix everything together and refrigerate for an hour before serving to allow the flavors to combine. Serve with chips, or as an accompaniment to meat or fish. I served it with pulled pork.