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You are here: Home / Salads / Spicy Pineapple Salad

Spicy Pineapple Salad

Douglas Cullen, This blog generates income via ads and affiliate links which earn us a small commission.

Ensalada Arabe

Our photographer Andrés describes how he came to learn about this spicy pineapple salad called Ensalada Arabe or “Arabic Salad”, a dish filled with the childhood memories of his friend Daniel Navarro an artist from Guadalajara.

Spicy Pineapple Salad - Ensalada Arabe

A serendipitous Visit

My wife and I had invited Daniel and his wife Beatriz to the house on one of the rare warm days in late February. They brought a simple salad which turned out to be one of those dishes where you just had to have the recipe after trying it.

We asked for the recipe and the name of the dish; it was called “Ensalada Arabe.”

A Dish from Childhood

Daniel spent weekends at his great grandparent’s hacienda near Guadalajara called “Los Sauces Jalisco” His mother Dora Maria, who was from the town of Encarnación de Diaz in the Northern mountains of Jalisco, would prepare this salad during warmer weather at the ranch.

One day, when Daniel’s friends were visiting the ranch his mother prepared this salad for them. After trying the dish, his friends said that the salad was an Arab salad because they had had a similar dish in an Arab restaurant.

Daniel was surprised. He had never asked his mother how his mother had learned to prepare this dish. Perhaps it had been handed down for many generations. Like in many families, nobody was sure where the recipe had come from.

Possible Origins of the Dish

In the late 19th and early 20th century and again after World War II, Mexico received many immigrants from Lebanon and this dish may have originated with them.

Did you know that the name Guadalajara comes from the Arabic WAD-al-HIDJARA, and means “river that runs between the rocks” or “rocky river?”

If You Would Like to Know More about Daniel and His Work

Daniel Hernandez Artista Obra

Daniel was born in Guadalajara on December 14, 1968. He studied the Theory of Aesthetics with Guillermo Santamarina and music at the Escuela de Música de la Universidad de Guadalajara. As an artist, he is also self-taught.

If you would like to find out more about Daniel and his art, which has been shown in Mexico, the United States, and Europe.

How to Make

Ingredients:

Gather your ingredients. You will need:

  • a very ripe pineapple
  • ½ of a white onion
  • 2 chiles de arbol
  • 4 limes, salt
  • wheat crackers
Ingredients Spicy Pineapple Salad

Cut off the stem and remove the outer skin of the pineapple.

Removing Skin from Pineapple

Chop the pineapple into ½″ pieces.

Chopped Pineapple

Finely chop the white onion.

Finely Chopped Onion

Break open the chiles and remove the seeds. Then, finely chop.

Finely Chopped Chile de Arbol

In a mixing bowl, place all of the chopped ingredients plus the salt. Squeeze the lime juice over the ingredients. Mix well well with a spoon.

Preparing Spicy Pineapple Salad

Serve with wheat crackers.

Pineapple Salad on Cracker
Pineapple Salad with Crackers
Spicy Pineapple Salad - Ensalada Arabe
Print Pin
4.80 from 5 votes

Spicy Pineapple Salad – Ensalada Arabe

Recipe for a spicy pineapple salad called Ensalada Arabe or "Arabic Salad", a dish filled with the childhood memories of our photographer's friend, Daniel Navarro an artist from Guadalajara.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Easy, fruit salad, pineapple, salad, spicy
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 97kcal
Author Daniel Navarro

Ingredients

  • 1 large ripe pineapple
  • ½ medium white onion
  • 2 chiles de arból
  • 4 limes
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 24 wheat crackers

Instructions

  • Cut off the stem and remove the outer skin of the pineapple. Discard.
  • Chop the pineapple into ½" pieces.
  • Finely chop the white onion.
  • Break open the chiles and remove the seeds. Then, finely chop.
  • In a mixing bowl, place all of the chopped ingredients plus the salt. Squeeze the lime juice over the ingredients. Mix well well with a spoon.
  • Serve with wheat crackers.

Nutrition

Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 285mg | Potassium: 168mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 64.4mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 0.7mg

More Mexican Salad Recipes

  • Cucumber Salad
  • Cactus Salad
  • Spicy Tuna Salad
  • Chayote Zucchini Squash Salad
  • Beet Salad with Feta Cheese
  • Spicy Fruit Salad
  • Avocado Salad

More Salads

  • Salpicón
  • Avocado Salad
  • Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Viniagrette
  • Spicy Mexican Fruit Salad

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. TechLazy says

    April 09, 2017 at 8:59 am

    5 stars
    You make everything seem so simple, yet delicious…love it! 🙂

    Reply
  2. Alisha Ross says

    June 06, 2019 at 5:09 am

    5 stars
    A crock pot white chicken chili? That sounds great, I’ll be looking forward to that recipe! The chicken hoisin rice bowls also sound amazing. I love getting recipe ideas from you!!

    Reply
  3. Rose Martine says

    October 18, 2019 at 2:09 am

    this looks so delicious! My husband hates eggs, so I never make Frittata’s which is a shame. Have you tried freezing this or something similar. I’m thinking for my breakfast or lunch, I could make ahead. Let me know, much appreciated!
    Regards
    rose martine

    Reply

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Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

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D. Cullen Profile Picture

Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

More about me →


Most Popular Recipes

  • Classic Salsa Verde
  • Restaurant Style Salsa
  • Traditional Sopa de Fideo
  • Red Pork Pozole
  • Chicken Tinga
  • Agua de Jamaica
  • Tres Leches Cake
  • Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Viniagrette
  • Red Enchilada Sauce
  • Mole Poblano

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