Jalapeno Pineapple Dip

Hello, my name is Jessica and I am obsessed with SAUCE! You name it, I like it. Dipping sauce, sauce to drizzle, sauces that smother, envelope and raise the bar.

 

And if I had to make a list of my favorite dips and sauces, Jalapeno Pineapple Dip would definitely be on it.

How Ours is Different

Most of the pineapple sauces out there are a sticky fruit sauce, ours takes up the fiery flavor with pineapple and has a built-in cooling mechanism of Greek yogurt, but that’s not all (said in my best Billy Mays voice).

• Balanced. This creamy dip has the perfect mix of cool and creamy with sweet and spicy, not purely sweet like many pineapple sauce recipes. It is all about the balance here. The only problem is those are all of my favorites which makes this all the more addictive.
• All-Purpose Sauce. Jalapeno Pineapple Sauce was originally made for my Crab Rangoons. Italian dressing marinated chicken? Yup, that was great. Homemade onion rings? Holy moly. Fried cheese curds? Watch out. French fries? Yes, yes, and yes. What a sauce!
• Creamy Base: I use a plain Greek yogurt for my sauce because I like the creamy tart flavor of it. Not to mention it is packed with probiotics and fewer calories. That said, this sauce definitely works with sour cream, mayo or cream cheese if that is what you prefer or what your fridge is currently touting.

Ingredients for Jalapeno Pineapple Dip

The ingredient list for this easy recipe is short, but these are not typical pantry staples so it will require a trip to the grocery store. It’s worth it, I promise.

• Jalapeno Pepper– Any hot pepper will do. I used jalapeno on this batch because I am partial to a more moderate heat, but habanero, serrano or any other pepper will do. Check the scoville scale for heat.
• Crushed Pineapple in Juice– Crushed pineapple blends the best, but if you have rings or tidbits, just give them a good rough chop before adding to the blender or food processor. Use more juice for a thinner sauce and less (or no juice) for a thicker sauce. It really depends on its intended purpose.
• Fresh Lime– A punch of citrus acidity from the juice brightens this dreamy pineapple jalapeno dip, but the zest provides a pure lime flavor. Both are important for different reasons!
• Plain Greek yogurt– Greek yogurt is strained several times and therefore much thicker than traditional yogurt. For a sauce like this, that is perfect. If you prefer a richer base, opt for mayo, sour cream or cream cheese.
• Sugar– With so much acidity and spice, the sugar helps balance flavors.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes– We have a saying around my house, if you aren’t sweating, it isn’t hot enough! If you don’t like to glisten while you eat, omit the crushed red.
• Coarse Salt– Salt amplifies natural flavors and also assists the sugar in balancing.

For even more of a fresh crunch, stir in green onions (scallions) after blending.

Make It!

It will take longer to gather and measure the ingredients than it takes to actually make it.

1. Blend. Place all of the ingredients in a Mini Food Processor or high-powered blender and pulse until everything is evenly mixed. No need to pulverize it, and I actually prefer to have little bits of jalapeno and pineapple floating around so it has some texture.
2. Chill. This step is optional, but helps all the flavors marry. It can be made ahead of time too. Just make sure to give it a good stir to let everything come back together after settling.

What to Serve it With

This dip is great for so many things from basic crackers to topping grilled meats and tacos. Here are some of my favorite uses.

Storage & Make Ahead

Store this verstile dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, making it make-ahead friendly. Give it a good stir before serving and check the flavors- citrus and salt tend to mute when chilled so it might need to be reseasoned with both.

We do not recommend freezing any yogurt based dip. It only takes a few minutes to make it from scratch.

Dip Away!

When I dip, you dip, we dip! Nothing short of an amazing list of more dip and sauce recipes here!