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Home » RECIPES

Published: Jul 25, 2022 . Modified: Jul 25, 2022 by Joy Cadwising · No Comments

Amazing tropical salad with pineapple dressing

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Tropical salad with diced mango and avocado on a black plate.
Golden yellow pineapple with its crown attached on a black and white countertop.
Tropical coleslaw witn dice avocado, fresh pineapple in a glass serving bowl

This healthy salad recipe is a combination of fresh, bright and colorful fruits and vegetables, dressed in pineapple and lime to bring the taste of the tropics to your table.

Tropical coleslaw qith diced avocado and pineapple in a clear glass serving. bowl

Tropical salad is great to usher any time of the year for a perfect dose of fruits and vegetables. It is one of my favorite healthy salads with delicious, fruity, sweet and sour pineapple dressing that is sure to impress your family and guests.

Should you crave more tropical salad influences, these papaya and mango salad with ginger-lime vinaigrette and simple green mango salad all pair well with this amazing lumpiang Shanghai with herbs and spices for an awesome meal.

Jump to:
  • Why you will love this tropical salad?
  • Ingredients
  • 4 tips on how to choose a ripe pineapple.
  • How to peel and cut a pineapple?
  • How to make a healthy tropical salad?
  • Equipment needed
  • Can you make the tropical salad in advance?
  • What to serve with healthy tropical salad
  • 📖 Recipe

Why you will love this tropical salad?

One obvious reason is that it's a healthy salad, really! Environmental Working Group (EWG) released the 2022 shopper's guide to pesticides in produce, it states that cabbage, mango, onion, avocado and pineapple belong to the clean 15. Thus if the budget doesn't allow us to go for organic, this conventional produce which has low pesticide contaminations are the go-to.

Two, all the ingredients are easy to find and how easy it is to prepare.

Ingredients

The long list of ingredients might be intimidating but imagine all the flavors and deliciousness when you put them all together - the contrasting texture, the blend of taste and fragrance that evokes the bright, warm and sunny energy- it is a party in the mouth!

Peeled and sliced pineapple with the eyes removed.
julienne green mango placed on top of a bamboo chopping board.
Grated carrots place in an aluminum bowl.
Thinly sliced green and purple cabbage placed on top of a chopping board.
  • Cabbage
  • Purple/red cabbage
  • Green mango (or ripe but firm)
  • Carrots
  • Pineapple
  • Avocado
  • Shallots or red onion
  • Red chilli (optional, or use mild chillies like jalapeño)
  • Cilantro
  • Mint (optional)
  • Lime zest and juice
  • Salt and pepper

See the recipe card for quantities.

4 tips on how to choose a ripe pineapple.

Before you dive into peeling, chopping, dicing and or pureeing a pineapple; everything has to start from the grocery store. Unless you have your own backyard garden or a farm, then you know what a perfectly ripe pineapple is.

  • Color - Most pineapples you could find at the grocery store are from green to yellowish but if you can spot a consistently golden yellow from top to bottom not very orangey, then you are lucky.
  • Fragrance - You already know what pineapple smells like. It might feel awkward sniffing something at the supermarket but it is one of the best ways to avoid wasting food. If you could sniff the bottom and smell the fruity, sweet and bright fragrance then you're all set. If it smells a little bit sour or smells like fermented, then it is a sign that it's over-ripe.
  • Feel - We all know ripe or not, pineapples are still covered with spikes but this should not stop you from giving a gentle squeeze. It should feel slightly soft not hard rock.
  • Still in a doubt? A food monger at the grocery store once told me, that it is very easy to pull the fronds (crown) if the pineapple is ripe.
Golden yellow pineapple with its crown attached on a black and white countertop.

How to peel and cut a pineapple?

Why would you spend extra cash for already peeled pineapple if you can DIY {Do It Yourself} for a fraction of its cost? The idea of knowing when that peeled pineapple has been sitting on that shelf is also a bonus. On the other hand, if "DIY" is a turn-off, maybe ask somebody to do it for you or an already peeled pineapple is always available too.

How to peel and slice pineapple

►Lay the pineapple sideways on a chopping board. With a sharp knife, cut the top and bottom.

►Place the bottom side down of the trimmed pineapple on a chopping board and start peeling. If you peel the pineapple very thinly, I suggest removing the visible eyes by simply alining your knife on one side of a row of 2-4 eyes then repeat to the other side, creating a "V-shape trench" when you pull away the flesh with the eyes.

How to peel pineapple
Peeled and sliced pineapple with the eyes removed.

►There are three cuts of pineapple that are often used: Rings, chunks and wedges - → Rings, lay the peeled pineapple on its side and then slice across according to the thickness you need. Using a cookie cutter, remove the core or simply use a pairing knife.

→ Wedges, Sit the peeled pineapple on its bottom side and then cut it in half starting from the top with the fingers in one hand holding a grip while the other hand is cutting it. Place halved pineapple, cut side down on a chopping board, continue cutting into wedges and then remove the core.

→Finally, slice the pineapple wedges into chunks.

Peeled and cut pineapples in rings, wedges and chucnks.

How to make a healthy tropical salad?

There is no cooking involved here. The best part is that you will eat it fresh right after you clean, peel, slice, and puree it and a little patience to let all the flavors blend together.

tropical coleslaw in a clear large serving bowl
  1. Gather all the vegetables, fruits and herbs together in a mixing bowl.
Pureed pineapple vinaigrette in a measuring glass

2. Make the vinaigrette. Puree or blend the pineapple chunks until smooth. Add the lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Tropical coleslaw witn dice avocado, fresh pineapple in a glass serving bowl

3. Pour ½ cup of the vinaigrette and toss to mix. Add the sliced avocados and pineapple, extra herbs and chillies. Add more dressing according to your preference.

Hint: adding lime zest provides a distinct umami flavor.

Equipment needed

Sure you don't need pots and pans. All you need is your knife skills, your tastebuds, mixing bowl and tongs or serving cutleries to toss and serve.

Can you make the tropical salad in advance?

vegetables, pineapple chunks and vinaigrette can be prepared separately ahead of time and kept in the fridge. Dress and recombine 10 minutes before serving. Good for 3-4 days but prepare and add the avocado when serving.

Coleslaw with pineapple , avocado and chilli slices in a black salad bowl

What to serve with healthy tropical salad

This salad pairs well with any of your favorite fish, meat or any vegan recipes. Below are my go-to recipes to serve with.

  • Cilantro-lime grilled chicken breast
  • Spatchcock roasted chicken with lemon and herb marinade
  • Rice and beans with tomato-avocado salsa
  • 13 minutes baked lemon garlic shrimp

📖 Recipe

Coleslaw top with avocado, pinapple, cilantro and mint in a clear mixing bowl.

Amazing tropical salad with pineapple dressing

Easy and delicious vegetable salad to swift you away to the tropics.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 serving
Calories: 133kcal

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl, knife and chopping board, large whole grater box

Ingredients  

Salad mix

  • 3 cups Green cabbage, shredded
  • 3 cups Purple cabbage, shredded
  • 2 cups Carrots, grated
  • 1 cup Green mango, julienne
  • 1 large Avocado, diced
  • 1 cup Pineapple, sliced
  • 1 cup Loosely packed mixture of cilantro (coarsely chopped, leaves and stem) and mint leaves
  • ½ cup Shallots, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons Red chilli, thinly sliced

VInaigrette

  • 1 ½ Cups Sliced fresh pineapple
  • 2 Tablespoon Lime juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Lime zest
  • 1 Teaspoon Sea salt
  • ½ Teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Combine all the vegetables in a large mixing bowl except the avocado, pineapple and cilantro.
    A glass serving bowl of julienne green mango, grated carrots, shredded white and purple cabbage, a mix of cilantro and mint, thinly sliced shallots and red chilli.
  • Make the dressing: Place a cup or more of freshly sliced pineapple in a blender or mini food processor including the lime juice, salt and pepper and then puree.
    Pureed pineapple vinaigrette in a measuring glass
  • Pour one cup of the dressing into the salad mixture and toss gently to combine. Let it sit for 10 minutes to develop flavor. Add the avocado, pineapple and cilantro. Delicately toss to combine and add more dressing according to your taste and serve.
    Coleslaw top with avocado, pinapple, cilantro and mint in a clear mixing bowl.

Notes

Another option if you don't have a blender or food processor, finely slice the pineapple and add it to the salad mixture with the rest of the dressing. You will not get the creaminess but you will still get the bold flavor and taste as well.
Category: Salad
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: coleslaw

Nutrition

Calories: 133 kcal (7%)Carbohydrates: 25 g (8%)Protein: 3 g (6%)Fat: 4 g (6%)Sodium: 333 mg (14%)Potassium: 555 mg (16%)Fiber: 6 g (25%)Sugar: 15 g (17%)Vitamin A: 6315 IU (126%)Vitamin C: 68 mg (82%)Calcium: 71 mg (7%)Iron: 1 mg (6%)
Did you make this recipe?Mention @cookmejoyathome or tag #cookmejoy on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece!🌟

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Hi! I'm Joy. I'm Happy you are here!!

I'm a Filipina, former Elementary teacher and now a full-time cook/housekeeper-food blogger living in Ontario, Canada. The recipes you'll find here are a reflection of what I cooked and learned from all the families I worked for, more importantly, I'm a passionate home cook! Favorites include a picnic in the park, a big bowl of pho and jackfruit.

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