Grilled Pineapple Salad with Peanut Dressing
This is what happens when a pineapple crashes the salad party—and honestly, everyone wins. Grilling the pineapple gives it beautifully caramelized edges and an extra-juicy center… and when it’s combined with crisp greens, a slew of veggies (like shredded cabbage and bell pepper), scallions, roasted peanuts, and a generous drizzle of creamy peanut dressing…it’s a chef’s kiss!
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I’m a huge fan of grilling fruit, and pineapple is one of my favorites. Sometimes I transform it into dessert served à la mode or brush my rings with a delicious tropical glaze. But this colorful salad is a popular one in my house, right alongside these Grilled Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Skewers.
This salad is a rainbow on a plate with lots of texture contrast: juicy, creamy, and crunchy goodness in every bite. I love a good peanut dressing, and I have a few dishes that feature it’s rich addictive flavor, like with my Thai Peanut Chicken Salad and Cold Sesame Noodles.
And while many peanut dressings call for lime juice, I use pineapple juice in this salad version to add natural sweetness and stick with the pineapple salad theme. You can also add as much Sriracha as you’d like, to make it mild and mellow or bring-on-the-heat spicy! It’s also wonderfully flexible, so feel free to swap in whatever vegetables you have on hand or add chicken, tofu, shrimp, or edamame for extra protein. You’re the boss of your toss. 😉
Craving more grilled fruit salads? Try my Grilled Peach-Pecan Salad!
Grilled Pineapple Salad with Peanut Dressing
Ingredients
Salad Fixings
- 1 pineapple, sliced into rings or spears
- 4 to 8 handfuls, or cups lettuce greens of choice
- 4 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- One bunch of scallions, chopped
- ½ to ¾ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
Peanut Dressing (makes about 1 cup)
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons pineapple juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ginger powder
- Optional: 2 to 3 teaspoons Sriracha sauce for heat
- 6 Tablespoons water
Instructions
To make the dressing:
- Add all the ingredients (except for the water) to a bowl and mix until thick and smooth. Add in the water and stir until you create a creamy dressing consistency. If you’d like a thinner consistency, add an additional tablespoon of water. Add sriracha sauce for heat, if preferred.
To grill the pineapple:
- Cut the top and outer skin from pineapple, and slice into about 8 circles, about 1/2 -inch thick (Alternatively, you can cut into spears). Lay flat on a tray and mist both sides with oil spray. Place on a hot outdoor grill (or indoor grill pan) or and cook until deeply golden and caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes per side.
To assemble the salad:
- Place the lettuce and shredded cabbage among 4 wide shallow salad bowls. Drizzle on some peanut dressing and toss to coat veggies. Top with grilled pineapple, diced bell pepper, scallions and peanuts. Drizzle more peanut dressing over the top.
