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Chili-Lime Pineapple and Honeydew Salad

Chili-Lime Pineapple and Honeydew Salad

This spicy-sweet, juicy-crisp salad is inspired by Mexico’s vasos de fruta, which electrifies fruits with only two ingredients.

By Hisham Ali HassanJune 25, 2024

  • Makes
    4 to 6 servings
  • Cook Time
    1 hour
  • Active time plus cooling
    30 minutes active
  • Rating

This salad takes inspiration from vasos de fruta, a Mexican street snack of fresh fruits such as mango and melon and/or crisp vegetables such as jicama and cucumber, seasoned with lime and chili and served in cups. In our mix, pineapple provides a hearty texture and tart, tropical flavor, while honeydew melon offers juicy sweetness. Jicama, radish and cucumber bring a range of textures and colors to the mix. If you own a mandoline, this is a good time to use it, as it’ll make quick work of thinly slicing these ingredients. We like the salad chilled, so refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before serving. This also allows the flavors to mellow and meld. Serve it within about an hour of refrigeration, though, or the crisp components will begin to soften.

Tip

Don’t forget to taste the salad after chilling. Cold blunts flavor, so even if the salt level tasted fine before refrigerating, after chilling, the salad may require more seasoning.

Ingredients
  • 3

    cups (about 1 pound) fresh pineapple chunks (¾- to 1-inch pieces)

  • 3

    cups (about 12 ounces) honeydew chunks (¾- to 1-inch pieces)

  • 4

    small radishes, sliced about ⅛ inch thick

  • 8

    ounce chunk jicama (½ medium), peeled, cut into 1-inch wedges and sliced crosswise about ⅛ inch thick

  • ½

    English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced about ⅛ inch thick

  • 1

    teaspoon grated lime zest, plus 2 tablespoons lime juice, plus more lime juice if needed

  • 1

    tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • Kosher salt

  • ½

    teaspoon chili powder, divided

  • ¼

    cup lightly packed fresh mint, torn

Step 1

In large a bowl, toss together the pineapple, honeydew, radishes, jicama, cucumber, lime zest and juice, oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, tossing a couple times.

Step 2

Taste and season with additional salt and lime juice, if needed. Toss in ¼ teaspoon of the chili powder and half of the mint, then transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon chili powder and remaining mint.

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