Food & Cooking Recipes 30 Pineapple Recipes That Will Make You Fall for the Sweet, Juicy Fruit By Frances Kim Frances Kim Website Frances is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 26, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Don't be deterred by this fruit's prickly exterior; fresh pineapple is the perfect sweet, sunny treat to brighten up any day. Once rare in the United States, pineapple was served only on special occasions, so it became a symbol of hospitality. Because pineapple doesn't ripen further after being picked, select a ready-to-eat one. Look for fruit that's heavy for its size, with a rich, sweet fragrance. The leaves should be green and fresh-looking. If you can pull one from the center of the stem with only slight resistance, you'll know it's ripe. Ripe pineapple will keep at room temperature for about two days and in the refrigerator (either in a plastic bag or in the crisper) for about four days. The flesh could develop dark spots from temperature changes, so refrigerate pineapple that was bought chilled. To prepare, slice away the spiky skin to reveal the juicy golden flesh, and cut it into chunks or rounds. Use raw pineapple in smoothies or spritzes, like a Pineapple Highball or Crushed Pineapple-Rosemary Limeade. Bake it into desserts like an old-fashioned Pineapple Upside-Down Cake or a gorgeous presentation of Caramelized Pineapple with Vanilla Ice Cream. It's also wonderful for savory fare: An enzyme in pineapple breaks down protein molecules, making it a great meat tenderizer in marinades. It's delicious when grilled for Pork-and-Pineapple Tacos, or served alongside these tropical Mexican inspired Spicy Shrimp Fajitas with Grilled Pineapple Pico. Plus, it pairs well with fresh herbs, soy sauce, or chile peppers. Here are our best recipes highlighting the tropical fruit, so go ahead and start cooking. 01 of 30 Baked Pineapple Kirsten Francis All you need are a handful of ingredients to make this showstopping dessert; it's guaranteed to transport you to the tropics. Sliced pineapple is baked in a brown sugar-butter glaze and served with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate summer treat. View Recipe 02 of 30 Hummingbird Carrot Cake Chris Simpson Inspired by the Southern special made with banana, pineapple, pecan, and coconut, our recipe takes this cake to new heights—and new levels of sweetness—with carrots and canned diced pineapple for even more texture. View Recipe 03 of 30 Spicy Pork-and-Pineapple Stir-Fry Justin Walker Pineapple is the not-so-secret sweet ingredient in this takeout-inspired dinner. It's tossed along with pork tenderloin, red bell peppers, onions, and green beans, then coated with a thickened Sriracha sauce. View Recipe 04 of 30 Spicy Pineapple-Peanut Salad Lennart Weibull This is no ordinary side salad. Inspired by the flavors of south Asia, pineapple is topped with shallots, peanuts, Thai chile pepper, and fresh mint leaves. All of the ingredients are then drizzled with a simple rice-vinegar-and-olive-oil dressing. View Recipe 05 of 30 Tropical-Fruit Salad with Coconut Crunch Petrina Tinslay We eat with our eyes first—and this salad looks stunning and tastes spectacular. Fresh, juicy fruit including pineapple, strawberries, mangoes, and papayas are arranged on a platter and garnished with a coconut-poppy seed crunch sweetened with vanilla and honey. View Recipe 06 of 30 Pineapple Highball Kana Okada Making a homemade vanilla syrup is the sweet, special touch this tropical cocktail needs. When it's time to serve, just mix all the ingredients together for one drink in a glass and sip, sip, hooray! View Recipe 07 of 30 Grilled-Pork-and-Pineapple Tacos Sidney Bensimon The combination of tender, smoky pork and pineapple marries a classic Mexican bite with warm weather flavors. The ingredients list is short and sweet, too, which makes this great for weeknight dinners or easy backyard barbecues. View Recipe 08 of 30 Old-Fashioned Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Bryan Gardner Perhaps the first dessert that comes to mind when you think of the succulent yellow fruit, pineapple upside-down cake is a classic for good reason. We bake it in a cast-iron skillet for an extra crispy exterior and exciting presentation. View Recipe 09 of 30 Crushed Pineapple-Rosemary Limeade Marcus Nilsson Call it a juice, refresher, or mocktail—no matter what name you give it, it's just plain delicious. A giant pitcher of finely chopped pineapple, lime juice, and club comes together for a fizzy, fruity drink. Rosemary is an unexpected garnish that adds subtle earthiness. View Recipe 10 of 30 Pineapple-Raspberry Bellini Armando Rafael A French martini is traditionally made with vodka, Chambord (raspberry liqueur), and pineapple juice. Here, we're keeping the same flavors but with a bubbly fresh twist thanks to sparkling white wine, seltzer, fresh strawberries, and fresh pineapple juice. Serve in a giant pitcher for crowd-friendly pouring. View Recipe 11 of 30 Spicy Shrimp Fajitas with Grilled Pineapple Pico Armando Rafael We love shrimp for their versatility and quick-cooking nature. Here, we toss them with chipotle-in-adobo sauce, which combines dried jalapeños in a smoky, sweet red sauce. View Recipe 12 of 30 Pineapple-Cucumber Spritz Christopher Testani On a hot day, there's nothing better than a non-alcoholic spritz. This bright green stunner is a breath of fresh air thanks to ribbons of cucumbers, mint leaves, pineapple juice, and a splash of seltzer. View Recipe 13 of 30 Pineapple-Coconut Smoothie Linda Pugliese Skip the long flight and sunburn and enjoy the taste of paradise right in your own home. Whip up this good-for-you smoothie instead, which has all the sweet flavors you love with health benefits to boot. View Recipe 14 of 30 Caramelized Pineapple with Vanilla Ice Cream David Sawyer It's time to play with fire! Caramelized pineapples, with their sticky sweet syrup and subtly warm notes of rum and brown sugar, are delicious atop vanilla ice cream, pancakes, or pound cake. This gorgeous topping all comes together in 20 minutes. View Recipe 15 of 30 Yogurt with Caramelized Pineapple and Hazelnuts Marcus Nilsson This recipe is much more exciting than the usual granola. Pineapple chunks and rolled oats are cooked in butter and sugar until golden, then amped up with lime zest and toasted hazelnuts. It makes a heavenly topping for morning yogurt. View Recipe 16 of 30 Spicy Pineapple Slaw linda xaio Turn up the volume on ordinary cabbage slaw by adding pineapple, jalapeños, red onion, lime juice, and plenty of fresh cilantro and mint. View Recipe 17 of 30 Hawaiian Meatballs Mike Krautter The sweet-and-sour pineapple glaze goes well with the cilantro-flecked pork meatballs in this Hawaiian-inspired dish. View Recipe 18 of 30 Lattice-Topped Vanilla Bean Pineapple Tart Poach fresh pineapple slices in rum with brown sugar and vanilla bean to create the tropical filling for this tart. To form the perfect lattice crust, weave the strips of dough together on a parchment-lined pan and freeze before transferring to the top of the tart. View Recipe 19 of 30 Thai Coconut Chicken with Pineapple Salsa RYANE LIEBE Ginger, garlic, coconut milk, and a splash of fish sauce create layers of flavor in this quick and easy Thai-inspired supper. You'll want to spoon the spicy pineapple salsa on everything! View Recipe 20 of 30 Pineapple-Mint Daiquiris Marcus Nilsson The fresh pineapple juice used in this spin on a classic cocktail is made by simmering the fruit with sugar and water until tender, puréeing, and straining. It takes some time to prepare, but it pays off with big flavor. View Recipe 21 of 30 Pineapple-Mustard-Glazed Ham A DIY glaze made with fresh pineapple and country mustard sets this Easter ham apart. View Recipe 22 of 30 Ceviche with Tropical Fruit and Habanero Johnny Miller Diced red snapper is "cooked" in fresh orange and lime juice, then tossed with mango, pineapple, tomatoes, habanero, red onion, cilantro, and olive oil in this light, refreshing appetizer. View Recipe 23 of 30 Broiled Spicy Pork and Pineapple Joseph De Leo It doesn't get much easier than this one-pan broiler dinner. The high heat turns pork chops nice and juicy and gives pineapple and scallions the perfect amount of char. Serve over sticky rice with thinly sliced Thai chiles. View Recipe 24 of 30 Whipped Yogurt with Pineapple and Dried Fruit Linda Pugliese Whisking Greek yogurt with cream, honey, and lime zest until soft and fluffy makes it special enough for brunch entertaining, especially when topped with fresh pineapple, toasted coconut, and dried fruits. View Recipe 25 of 30 Jerk Pineapple Pork Chops Bring some island flavor to your standard pork chops. Puréed pineapple chunks and traditional jerk flavorings act as the marinade. The chops are then seared along with some pineapple slices until golden brown. View Recipe 26 of 30 Light Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Vegetable oil subs in for butter in this fruit-topped, vanilla-scented cake, reducing the saturated fat; whole-wheat flour boosts the fiber and lends a nutty flavor. View Recipe 27 of 30 Pineapple Express Sylvie Becquet Fresh pineapple and ginger are puréed with coconut water and oil, then frozen into a granita for this cool cocktail. Scrape and pour rum on top when you're ready to serve. View Recipe 28 of 30 Broiled Sweet-and-Spicy Salmon with Pineapple Put your broiler to good use with this 20-minute recipe, featuring salmon and pineapple pieces brushed with a maple syrup and cayenne glaze. Round out the meal with simple white rice brightened by the addition of chopped cilantro. View Recipe 29 of 30 Spiced Pineapple Cocktail Anders Schønnemann The classic combo of spicy and sweet takes this slushy drink beyond the basic margarita. View Recipe 30 of 30 Pineapple and Ginger Smoothie Drink up! The fresh ginger in this tropical pineapple smoothie has cancer-fighting powers. Enjoy it as a healthy snack, breakfast, or dessert. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit