Summer is the season to celebrate with fresh fruit salads. There is such a bounty of fruits and vegetables and you can enjoy them individually of course, but you can also put them together in unusual ways and get excited about bright new flavors pairs.

This is one of my favorite fruit salads to share. People are always surprised at how well this colorful combo works together. Sweet pineapple is balanced by the bite of the lime and the crunchiness of the cucumber. The cilantro brings it all together — herbs are good like that.

Truth-be-told, this recipe is just a variation of a pineapple salsa recipe I make — just with bigger pieces of pineapple and cucumber so it’s easier to eat with a fork (and not just a tortilla chip). But, that said, if your crowd appreciates a little heat, you can consider adding the diced jalapeños back in. They work well in this pairing, I was just going for a more everyday kind of side dish. But let it suit your tastes and your event!

Enjoy!

Pineapple Cucumber Salad

Serves about 6

Ingredients

1 pineapple, chopped
1 large cucumber, chopped
2 limes, juiced and zested
About 1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
salt (optional)
freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Directions

In a medium to large serving bowl, combine pineapple, cucumber and cilantro and toss.
Squeeze lime juice and add zest and toss again to evenly distribute.
Season with a pinch of salt and pepper (optional).
Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve. Best when served cold.