Equipment
Ingredients
Produce
- 250 g tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved
- 150 g fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced
- 50 g white onion, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic, peeled
- 10 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, leaves and tender stems
- 15 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
Flavor & Heat
- 30 g chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, roughly chopped
- 4 g kosher salt
- 15 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 26 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 3 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 147 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 83 mg
- Calcium
- 6 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 6 mg
- Phosphorus
- 12 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 5 mcg
- Water
- 35 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven broiler to high, approximately 230C or 450F, and place an oven rack in the upper third of the oven.
Place the prepared tomatillos, diced pineapple, chopped white onion, and garlic cloves onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat evenly.
Broil the mixture for 10 minutes, checking frequently and rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the tomatillos and pineapple show dark charred spots and have softened.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the roasted ingredients to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Transfer the cooled roasted ingredients, including any accumulated juices from the pan, into a food processor. Add the chipotle peppers, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and kosher salt.
Pulse the food processor 5 to 7 times until the salsa reaches a coarse, chunky consistency. Do not run the machine continuously to avoid creating a smooth puree.
Transfer the finished salsa to a serving bowl. Let it rest for 15 minutes to allow the smoke, sweet, and acidic flavors to meld together before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For a deeper, more traditional flavor profile, dry-roast the tomatillos, garlic, and onion on a cast-iron comal or heavy skillet until blackened, skipping the olive oil completely.
- Always taste your chipotle peppers in adobo before adding the entire amount, as the capsaicin concentration and smokiness can fluctuate significantly between different brands and batches.
- Letting the salsa rest in the refrigerator allows the natural pectin in the tomatillos to thicken the mixture while giving the volatile aromatic compounds time to stabilize and harmonize.
- Choose a fresh pineapple that yields slightly to pressure and smells fragrant at the base to ensure optimal sweetness and natural sugar caramelization during roasting.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight glass container to prevent flavor transfer.
Freezer: 3 months — Freezing will alter the texture, making it slightly more watery upon thawing. Drain excess liquid before serving.
Troubleshooting
Salsa is too spicy
Cause: Chipotle pepper heat levels can vary significantly, or too much adobo sauce was included
Fix: Blend in an additional 50g of diced pineapple or a teaspoon of agave nectar to balance the heat
Prevention: Start with half the recommended amount of chipotle peppers and taste before adding the rest
Salsa is too watery
Cause: Tomatillos released excess water or pineapple was overly ripe and juicy
Fix: Strain briefly through a fine mesh sieve to remove excess liquid
Prevention: Ensure tomatillos are properly roasted to evaporate some internal moisture before blending
Cultural Context
Salsas pairing tropical fruit with savory, spicy elements have deep roots in coastal and southern Mexican culinary traditions where these ingredients grow abundantly side by side. The use of tomatillos provides a traditional indigenous Mexican base with bright acidity, while the chipotle introduces the signature smoke of dried jalapenos, a technique originally utilized by the Aztecs for long-term ingredient preservation. This fusion highlights the Mexican mastery of balancing sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavor profiles in a single condiment.
