50 Sweet And Savory Pineapple Recipes

Once a fruit so rare and expensive that only the nobility and upper-class could afford it, thankfully pineapple is now affordable, plentiful, and enjoyed worldwide. Ripe pineapple is juicy and fragrant with an almost candy-like sweetness, qualities that make it versatile enough to work with so many dishes and drinks. Here are 50 of Mashed's best pineapple recipes, featuring classic concoctions as well as inventive, new ways to enjoy this citrus fruit. 

Make favorites like Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, a Piña Colada cocktail, or a gleaming spiral-cut ham with pineapple rings. There are all kinds of desserts here like pineapple crisp, ambrosia salad, and pineapple cookies. Pineapple is delectable in savory recipes, too: Surprise your family with sweet and sour chicken, steak fajitas, or 20-minute pineapple fried rice. There are more cocktails and mocktails to try too, like Painkillers, Rum Punch, and Blue Hawaiians.

Grab some pineapple — fresh, canned, or juice — and start your tropical, culinary adventure.

Instead of paying more than six dollars for a little cup of creamy Dole Whip at Disney World (plus the costs of getting there and getting in!) see how easy it is to make a copycat version at home. Dole Whip is a soft serve treat, but you don't need a soft serve machine to make one: just put all the ingredients in a blender. Use a piping bag to swirl the ice cream-pineapple mixture into glasses. The recipe makes two Dole Whips.

Recipe: Copycat Disney Dole Whip

Smoky ham tastes incredible when paired with sweet ingredients, and pineapple is one of the very best choices. Pick up a pre-cooked, spiral-cut ham; the recipe calls for a 9-pound size, but smaller or larger hams will work, too. Bake it with a homemade glaze of pineapple juice, maple syrup, and spices like cinnamon and clove. The ham makes a fantastic Sunday supper or dinner party main dish, but you can also bake one to enjoy in sandwiches and salads all week. 

Recipe: Baked Spiral Ham

Pineapple upside down cake has been a home cook favorite for almost 100 years, an easy-to-make, lovely-looking cake that's moist and delicious. The batter is made from scratch with ingredients you probably have on hand, including all-purpose flour, eggs, and baking powder. A layer of pre-cut pineapple rings nestled into brown sugar and butter go in the cake pan under the batter. (Add maraschino cherries for a burst of color.) Once the cake is baked and flipped over, that sweet sauce soaks in, creating a caramel-like glaze over the top.

Recipe: Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

It's the most famous pineapple cocktail there is! Make creamy piña coladas for a backyard bbq, a pool party, or to treat your friends for the next movie night. White rum gives the drink lots of boozy sweetness, and it's blended with pineapple juice and coconut cream. Cut a few wedges of fresh pineapple to garnish the glasses. The recipe makes two drinks using a blender, and it's easy to double the batch.

Recipe: Piña Colada

Bobby Flay's coleslaw is a classic recipe using cabbage, carrot, mayonnaise, and onion. Our recipe makes his coleslaw even better with a spicy kick from sriracha sauce and a complementary sweetness from a splash of pineapple juice. This coleslaw comes together in only 15 minutes. It's a tasty side to serve with hot dogs, burgers, (Bobby Flay style, of course!) and pulled pork. 

Recipe: Bobby Flay's Cole Slaw With A Twist

Mini skewers of pineapple, chicken, and peppers are an attractive appetizer to set out for parties, and they're great as a fun dinner for your family, too. We added a twist to this easy Ree Drummond recipe: coconut! Coconut in the marinade and shredded coconut sprinkled over the finished skewers give the dish even more island-cuisine appeal. Cook the chicken skewers on the grill or indoors in a hot skillet.  

Recipe: Pioneer Woman Hawaiian Chicken Skewers With A Twist

Get the party started with a drink that's the color of tropical waters. To get that color, pick up a bottle of blue Curaçao orange liqueur along with frozen pineapple, rum, and coconut cream. Look for canned coconut cream in the same aisle as coconut milk. Along with flavor, it helps create the rich texture of this drink, which gets whipped up in the blender. Double or triple the recipe to make enough drinks for everyone. 

Recipe: Blue Hawaiian

Homemade banana bread is always a welcome treat, whether you're enjoying it for a cozy breakfast, pairing it with afternoon coffee, or gifting it to a neighbor. Try this tropical twist on classic banana bread. Kristen Carli's recipe blends crushed pineapple and shredded coconut into the batter, two flavors that are just delicious with banana. The loaf bakes up in only an hour, and makes your kitchen smell ahhh-mazing. 

Recipe: Hawaiian Banana Bread

It's going to be the best Taco Tuesday ever with this easy slow cooker recipe, which turns a pork shoulder into tender, saucy shreds flavored with chipotle peppers, pineapple, and beer. It slowly simmers in the slow cooker leaving you free to work or spend time with loved ones. Load the finished al pastor pork into soft taco shells with cilantro, chunks of fresh pineapple, and diced onion. 

Recipe: Slow Cooker Al Pastor

This dessert may be old-fashioned, but it still holds a lot of appeal, both for those who make it and for those who dig into a bowlful. This salad is a make-ahead dessert, with chopped cranberries, pineapple, and a creamy mixture of marshmallows and cream cheese to hold everything together. It's simple to prepare and needs just a few hours in the fridge until it's ready to serve. With eight generous servings, it's perfect for a party or potluck.

Recipe: Chilled Cranberry Pineapple Marshmallow Salad

Packed with lots of flavor and fast to prepare, this recipe can be served as a side dish with grilled chicken, cubes of tofu, steak kabobs, or pork roast. Or enjoy it as a meat-free main dish that can be thrown together in only 20 minutes. The rice is colorful with pineapple chunks, carrots, red peppers, and scallions. Use cooked white or brown rice to make enough for four servings.

Recipe: 20-Minute Pineapple Fried Rice

Order the coconut shrimp appetizer at Red Lobster and it'll come with a bowl of their signature piña colada sauce. Lucky for you, that sauce is easy to make at home to enjoy with homemade shrimp or grilled kabobs. Look for pre-mixed piña colada at the grocery store, and combine it with fresh pineapple and coconut. The ingredients simmer together in just 15 minutes, and the Red Lobster copycat sauce can be served warm or chilled with whatever you desire. 

Recipe: Copycat Red Lobster Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce

Here's a healthy smoothie to make for yourself or for your family that has an added bonus: Sipping on this drink will make you feel like you're sitting on a tropical beach. It's a mixture of orange juice, banana, frozen pineapple, and coconut milk, made in just 5 minutes using a blender. The recipe makes two servings, and it's easy to keep all the ingredients on hand to make it easy to whip up homemade smoothies anytime.

Recipe: Tropical Smoothies

Ready in less than 30 minutes, this recipe should be part of the weeknight dinner rotation. Our recipe calls for diced chicken thighs, but chicken breast can also be used. The meat cooks up quickly with diced peppers and chunks of fresh, juicy pineapple. A quick teriyaki sauce of cornstarch, soy sauce, ginger, and brown sugar brings the whole dish together, and it is packed with flavor. This recipe is also a great idea for make-ahead work lunches for the week. 

Recipe: Grilled Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

This recipe makes it easy to transform boxed cake mix into this stunning layer cake full of tropical flavors. Choose a white cake mix and bake it up into two 8-inch layers. The cakes are frosted with a rich buttercream and coated with sweetened shredded coconut, and a layer of pineapple preserves is hidden inside. This shortcut cake is ready in about an hour, and is such a nice treat to serve at a brunch gathering, birthday party, or to have on hand for afternoon coffee and tea.

Recipe: Pineapple Coconut Cake

Bring the sunshine to any get-together with a batch of fruity mai tai cocktails. The drink blends lime, orange, and pineapple juices with two kinds of rum plus Grand Marnier liqueur, all served over ice. Use curvy hurricane glasses or Collins glasses to let the color of this cocktail shine. Garnishes make the drinks especially pretty, like paper umbrellas and maraschino cherries. The recipe makes one drink, and can be doubled or tripled for several drinks.

Recipe: Mai Tai

Looking for a fun recipe to make with your kids or friends? These layered popsicles are just the ticket. Our recipe shows you how to use a popsicle mold to create the frozen treats, with layers of orange juice, pineapple juice, and coconut milk. Once completely frozen, they look just like little Halloween candy corn. However, the fresh, fruity flavors in the popsicles make them a welcome treat any time of the year.

Recipe: Candy Corn Popsicles

We call these Costco Tacos because everything required to make them can be picked up in one Costco shopping trip. That includes fresh pineapple, a rotisserie chicken, soft tortilla shells, and roasted pineapple-habanero sauce. Give the tortillas a quick toast in a skillet, then the tacos are ready to assemble. And of course, if you can't get to Costco, you can find most of the ingredients at any grocery store — just pair them with another brand of spicy pineapple sauce or salsa. 

Recipe: 5-Ingredient Costco Tacos

The exact origin of hummingbird cake is murky, with some claiming that it was created in the South and others saying it's an adaptation of a Jamaican dessert. There's no denying at least that the cake is really delicious and always a welcome treat. Our recipe creates three layers of moist spice cake filled with pineapple, banana, and pecans. Hummingbird cake is covered in vanilla-flavored cream cheese frosting and more chopped pecans. It tastes best when chilled, and can be made in advance. 

Recipe: Hummingbird Cake

Get that skillet or cast iron pan sizzling hot and make restaurant-quality fajitas at home. Skirt steak is marinated in a blend of pineapple juice, garlic, and spices to infuse the meat with flavor and make it more tender. The cooked steak is folded into soft tortillas with sauteed strips of bell peppers and onions. Serve them with sour cream and cilantro, and you can even add in a few chunks of fresh pineapple for a tropical twist.

Recipe: Grilled Steak Fajitas

No one is surprised to see cookie choices like chocolate chip or oatmeal, so make something a little more intriguing. Pineapple drop cookies are soft and full of moist pineapple pieces, plus chopped walnuts for crunch. (The nuts can also be left out if there are allergy concerns.) The baked cookies are topped with a simple, sweet pineapple icing. Make a batch for the next cookie exchange or bake sale, or set them out for an after-school snack.

Recipe: Pineapple Drop Cookies

It's no wonder that "adult pineapple" took off as a recent trend, with rum poured straight into jars of sliced pineapple to let the fruit soak up the spirits. They taste amazing together: sugary sweet with an undeniable tropical vibe. Try rum and pineapple together in this classic tiki bar cocktail; the flavors are enhanced by blackberry and banana liqueurs with a splash of grenadine for color. Make a big batch to chill in the fridge for a party, then serve it over ice with a pineapple wedge on the glass.

Recipe: Rum Runner

Who's up for a sweet and moist quick bread made with fruit? No, it's not banana bread — it's pineapple bread! The technique is very similar to that of banana bread since it's also a quick bread that comes together quickly (in just five minutes) with no kneading or rising needed. Crushed pineapple is added to the batter, along with brown sugar and vanilla. The baked loaf can even be frozen for up to four months to have on hand anytime a craving strikes.

Recipe: Pineapple Bread

This one's easy: Cut a fresh pineapple into thick slices and throw them onto a hot grill. The heat gives the pieces photo-worthy char marks, but best of all caramelizes the sugars in the fruit to create a deeper flavor with just a hint of smokiness. Our recipe shows you how to make real whipped cream in just minutes to serve with the grilled pineapple, along with a few flakes of coconut or some fresh mint. It's one of the easiest desserts you'll ever make. 

Recipe: Grilled Pineapple With Whipped Cream

Unlike traditional sangria, this tropical take uses white wine instead of red wine, plus seltzer for a little fizz and some pineapple juice for even more fruity flavor. It's a beautiful drink with chunks of sweet fruit including pineapple, orange, kiwi, and mango. The recipe makes enough sangria for six drinks and comes together in minutes. Just give it a little time to chill in the fridge to let the fruit flavors meld with the wine.

Recipe: Tropical Sangria

Save money on takeout by making copycat dishes at home; our recipe for sweet and sour chicken is a great one. Pineapple sweetens this dish in two ways: The juice is used to create a savory sauce along with brown sugar, soy sauce, and garlic, while chunks of pineapple are stir-fried with peppers and scallions. Use chicken breast or thighs — whatever your family prefers. The recipe makes six servings that are tasty with white or brown rice.   

Recipe: Sweet And Sour Chicken

This fresh and vibrant cole slaw is way better than the mayonnaise-soaked, bland stuff from grocery store delis. It's easy to make, too. Shred red cabbage or check the produce aisle for a bagged, pre-shredded option. It's tossed with chunks of fresh pineapple, diced red onion, and cilantro. The dressing is a simple blend of yogurt and lime juice with a little salt and pepper. Finally, add in a dash of cayenne pepper to give your slaw some heat. It's delicious as a side or to top burgers hot off the grill. 

Recipe: Creamy Pineapple Cole Slaw

Those who love making mulled apple cider on chilly days should give this citrusy punch a try. A favorite drink in the southern U.S., Russian tea is made with black tea, spices, and three kinds of juice: pineapple, orange, and lemon. The ingredients are simmered into a sweet, hot drink with a sunny, gold-orange color and lots of flavor. Make it for the holidays, springtime brunches, or during the first cool days of fall.

Recipe: Russian Tea

The word ambrosia means "food of the gods." Take a bite of this old-fashioned dessert and it'll be easy to understand why it was given this name! Ambrosia is a mixture of fruit in a creamy sauce. Our recipe uses mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, and cherries; add in other ingredients if you'd like, such as grapes or shredded coconut. Marshmallows give the dish lots of sweetness while sour cream makes the salad super creamy and balances the sugar content with a mild tang. Whip up a batch of ambrosia for dessert or a party — it takes just ten minutes.

Recipe: Ambrosia

Turn a traditional carrot cake on its head by transforming it into these delectable cinnamon rolls that are packed with the same classic flavors and tender, moist texture. Yeasted dough is rolled out and spread with a filling that includes crushed pineapple, carrots, nuts, and cinnamon. Roll, slice, bake, and then spread the warm rolls with sweet icing. Make these as a breakfast treat for overnight guests or share a tray with your co-workers. 

Recipe: Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

Over the last few decades, Jell-O salads have gotten a bit of a bad rap. (The ones made with hot dogs and Spaghetti-Os deserve it, though.) However, many of these salads are actually really delicious, as well as easy to prepare for parties and get-togethers. Our cranberry salad recipe combines sweet, raspberry Jell-O with crushed pineapple, diced apples, and walnuts, and makes enough to feed six. Serve it with a generous dollop of fresh whipped cream.

Recipe: Cranberry Salad

If you're reading this at the end of a long day, just looking for a great pineapple drink to unwind with, this tropical cocktail is a delicious option. A Bahama Mama is a blend of coconut rum and dark rum, with orange juice, pineapple juice, and a little grenadine for color. Shake it up and serve it over ice. If you're not a fan of dark rum, light rum can be used instead, but keep the coconut rum in there for that extra flavor.

Recipe: Bahama Mama

This is a showstopping centerpiece to make for holidays, Sunday suppers, brunch parties, and potlucks. This recipe transforms a basic, spiral-cut smoked ham into a ham that gleams under a brown sugar and pineapple juice glaze. The meat is infused with even more sweetness from pineapple rings skewered decoratively over the surface, with pretty little cherries in each center of each one. Though the recipe takes multiple hours, most of that time is spent waiting for the ham to finish roasting.

Recipe: Glazed Pineapple Ham

At Halloween time there's no shortage of sugary treats, chocolates, and candies — so this year why not make something for the party or after-school snack that's festive but still healthy? Candy corn parfaits have yellow, orange, and white layers just like its namesake candy, but it's made with fruit. Use canned or fresh pineapple chunks, followed by mandarin oranges, layering the fruit in parfait dishes or little mason jars. Top them with fresh whipped cream and enjoy. 

Recipe: Candy Corn Parfait

This dish from recipe developer Stephanie Rapone takes an easy and creative approach to replicate the flavors of al pastor-style pork, which is traditionally slow-roasted on a vertical spit. Slices of pork shoulder are first marinated in a spicy blend of chipotle peppers, pineapple juice, and spices. Next, the meat is layered into loaf pans with sliced pineapple to cook slowly in the oven, where it becomes tender and flavorful. Finally, the diced pork is crisped up in a pan. Layer it in tortillas with pineapple chunks, avocado, and cilantro.

Recipe: Al Pastor Tacos

Pineapple joins a lineup of healthy fruits, yogurt, and flax seed to make these Instagram-worthy smoothie bowls. Use frozen fruit — blueberries, pineapple, mango, and açaí — to create a velvety and thick texture when blended. Then, use more frozen fruit, seeds, and shredded coconut to create a beautiful design over the top of the smoothie bowl. This recipe for one is ready in just five minutes, so it's an easy breakfast any day of the week. 

Recipe: Smoothie Açaí Bowl

Contrary to what might be assumed, the Watergate Salad was not served at the Watergate Hotel in Washington D.C. Rather, the salad — made with marshmallows, crushed pineapple, and pistachio pudding — was named after Watergate Cake, which had a similar green color. However, the salad was definitely popular in the '70s when the infamous Nixon-Watergate incident was fresh in everyone's minds. It's a tasty, sweet salad that deserves a comeback, so make some for the next potluck or as an easy make-ahead dessert. 

Recipe: Watergate Salad

Here's a fun and refreshing drink that everyone can enjoy, because it's alcohol-free. The tropical piña coladas are a frosty blend of cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and frozen pineapple. This recipe makes enough for three drinks, and they take just minutes in the blender. Have fun with garnishes for your virgin piña coladas: Try paper umbrellas, maraschino cherries, slices of fresh pineapple, shredded coconut, and whipped cream.

Recipe: Virgin Piña Colada

Looking for more recipes to try out in your backyard smoker? This one is ready in about 90 minutes, which is a relatively short time for smoked meat. Build kabobs with similarly-sized pieces of New York strip steak, bell peppers, red onion, and pineapple. (Feel free to swap or add in other favorite veggies.) The skewers are seasoned with a little garlic salt and then arranged in the smoker. When finished, the steak is so tender and the kabobs are infused with a delectable, smoky flavor.

Recipe: Smoked Steak Kabobs

This sauce tastes nothing like the fast food dipping sauce in plastic pods — and that's a good thing. It takes just 15 minutes to whip up a batch of sweet and sour sauce from scratch, made with soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, and ginger. Enjoy it as a dip for chicken nuggets, of course, but also as a glaze for wings or kabobs, and as a condiment to add to sandwiches and burgers.

Recipe: Sweet And Sour Sauce

You've never had homemade popsicles as tropically delicious as these! Mango, pineapple, and passionfruit are blended together with a kiss of honey. No other added sweeteners are necessary: The fruit blend is sweet enough. Poured into popsicle molds and topped with coconut milk, the mixture freezes into these gorgeous ice pops. Make them for your kids, or share them with friends poolside or after a backyard barbecue. The recipe makes 10 ice pops. 

Recipe: Ice Pops

If you've been reading through this recipe round-up, then you know by now that pineapple and rum are absolutely delicious together. Here's another cocktail to make with that pineapple juice you stocked up on: Rum Punch. The drink includes orange juice and orange bitters, and after shaking is served over ice. This recipe calls for light rum, but spiced rum, dark rum, or coconut rum would make interesting variations. Plus, it's easy to double or triple this recipe to make enough punch for everyone.

Recipe: Sweet Rum Punch

Other creamy fruit salad recipes use heavy or overly-saccharine ingredients like marshmallows, cream cheese, or pudding for the base. In contrast, this recipe (which makes four servings) uses plain yogurt which makes the salad light, creamy, and healthier than the rest. Pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, and other fruit are chopped, tossed together, then combined with yogurt and a little honey. Try variations by swapping in other favorite fruits or trying a flavored yogurt like vanilla or black cherry.

Recipe: Creamy Fruit Salad

Hoping to find an easy pineapple dessert in this round-up? Your dream just came true! Make a sweet and pretty cake with just three ingredients; it's perfect for when friends are coming over, as a birthday cake, or to share at a brunch or shower. Angel food cake boxed mix is combined with crushed pineapple: no oil or eggs necessary. Once baked, they become a light and fluffy Bundt cake. Top cooled slices of cake with whipped cream, or optional toppings like sliced fruit, powdered sugar, or caramel sauce.

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Pineapple Angel Food Cake

At the end of a hectic week, you'll be feeling no pain with this frosty cocktail in hand. A Painkiller is a blend of rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and coconut cream; they're shaken together to make a creamy-looking drink that's served over ice. Add a simple pineapple wedge or maraschino cherry garnish, kick off your shoes, and relax with this sweet, tropical drink. Friends coming over? No problem: It's easy to scale up this recipe and make a whole batch of Painkillers.

Recipe: Painkiller

Apple crisp gets a lot of press in the fall, but fruit crisps are actually delicious and easy to make all year round. They can also be made with all kinds of fruit. This Pineapple Cherry Crisp is a great example: Use fresh or canned pineapple chunks and sweet maraschino cherries tossed with a crumbly mixture of brown sugar, oats, and spices. The prep time is just ten minutes and the crisp bakes in 30 minutes. It's an easy after-dinner dessert, or to make for guests.

Recipe: Pineapple Cherry Crisp

Served in tall glasses with a tropical garnish, these coconut drinks are perfect for celebrations: Think the last day of school, opening day at the pool, themed birthday parties, or even just when a friend's in town for the weekend. All the ingredients, including ice, pineapple juice, and coconut cream, go into the blender, ready in a flash. Serve the mocktails over ice with tall straws. Can you add a dash of rum if you really want? Of course, but the drinks are refreshing and delicious as-is.  

Recipe: Coconut Cream Mocktail

When a sweet recipe works as both a dessert and a side dish, it's definitely one worth keeping. That's exactly what this pineapple soufflé recipe is. While a traditional soufflé is fussy and complicated, this recipe couldn't be easier, with a mixture of crushed pineapple, sugar, eggs, and white bread. Serve the golden-brown slices with whipped cream for an easy dessert or afternoon snack. Or, pair it with savory dishes that go well with pineapple, like teriyaki chicken, glazed ham, or roast pork.

Recipe: Pineapple Soufflé

With this recipe, you're just three ingredients away from cool, refreshing popsicles that are perfect for a hot day. The pops are chock-full of pineapple and coconut flavor, as well as texture: Every bite has a burst of crushed pineapple and chewy bits of shredded coconut. There's plenty of natural sweetness, but you can always add a little white or brown sugar to the mixture if desired. The recipe makes ten popsicles.

Recipe: Piña Colada Pops

The idea here is the same as a classic pineapple upside-down cake, except in a more substantial, Bundt cake form. Instead of laying pineapple rings flat over the bottom, semicircles of pineapple follow the curves of the Bundt pan, with bright red maraschino cherries between each one. The pineapple and vanilla-scented cake bakes up in about an hour, and you'll get 10 generous slices from it. Serve them with whipped cream or ice cream. 

Recipe: Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake