What Is Pineapple and How Can I Use It?

Here's everything worth knowing about pineapple and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 509 recipes to cook tonight.

What is pineapple?

Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit which are coalesced berries. Pineapples are the only bromeliad fruit in widespread cultivation.

Pineapple is eaten fresh or canned or juiced. It is popularly used in desserts, salads, as a complement to meat dishes and in fruit cocktail. The popularity of the pineapple is due to its sweet-sour taste containing 15% sugar and malic and citric fruit acids. It is also high in vitamin B1, B2, B6 and C. Its protein-digesting enzyme bromelain seems to help digestion at the end of a high protein meal.

Pineapple contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain, which breaks down protein.

Pineapple juice can thus be used as a marinade and tenderizer for meat. The enzymes in raw pineapples can interfere with the preparation of some foods, such as jelly or other gelatin-based desserts but it breaks down in cooking or the canning process.

Nutrition

Where found

Pineapple is usually found in the produce section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group

Pineapple is a member of the Fruits and Fruit Juices US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

How much does pineapple weigh?

Related

Fruits and Fruit Juices

Recipes using pineapple

There are 509 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Favourite Pineapple Cake

Eggless pineapple cake made with sweetened condensed milk for a soft, moist crumb, flavored with pineapple essence and crushed pineapple, then finished with pineapple icing. A bakery-style cake with no eggs.

Opal Deneke's Fig Jam

Opal Deneke's fig jam with ripe figs, pineapple, lemon juice, and warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Old-Southern hand-me-down preserve perfect for biscuits, cheese boards, or holiday gifting.

Ozne Haman (Hamantaschen)

Hamantaschen for Purim with a tender carrot-flecked dough and a tangy apricot-pineapple filling spiked with cardamom and poppy seed. The classic triangle cookie with real character.

Moghul Style Mixed Vegetables with Paneer

Mughlai-style mixed vegetable curry with paneer, cream, pineapple, and golden raisins. A rich, mildly spiced North Indian dish that finishes with a sprinkle of fried nuts for royal-court flair.

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom & Garlic Oil Flatbread

The pizza dough is brushed with garlic perfumed olive oil, topped with caramelized onions, mushrooms, sweet bell pepper and pineapples. It's easy and packed with yumminess. Use a whole wheat pizza dough to make it even healthier.

Homemade Sweet Square

Homemade sweet squares, chewy cornstarch-set candy in the style of Turkish delight, flavored with pineapple and cinnamon, dotted with candied fruit, and topped with chocolate candies. A fun treat for kids.

Two Onions, Pineapple & Olive Flatbread

Quick-easy to make, and it tastes delicious. This is a dairy-free flatbread, garlic-infused olive oil is brushed over the bread dough and topped with onions, bell peppers, olives and pineapples that are being seasoned.

Favorite Carrot Cake

Favorite carrot cake loads a moist buttermilk batter with shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, coconut, and walnuts, finished with a hot buttermilk glaze and classic cream cheese frosting.

Whole Wheat Pancakes with Maple Candied Pecans & Tropical Fruit

Have these delicious yet healthy whole wheat pancakes for breakfast, topped with maple candies pecans, fresh pineapples and kiwi fruit.

Carrot Cake with Lemon Frosting

Carrot cake with lemon cream cheese frosting, made ultra-moist with pureed carrots, crushed pineapple, and toasted walnuts. The bright citrus frosting cuts the sweetness on this towering three-layer cake.

Fabulous Carrot Cake

Carrot cake with crushed pineapple, raisins, cinnamon, and ginger. Moist, tender crumb perfect with cream cheese frosting. Makes a sheet cake or 4 mini loaves.

Carrot Cake Muffin Treats-Adapted

Carrot cake muffins with whole wheat flour, crushed pineapple, raisins, and walnuts. A lightly spiced, oil-free, lower-sugar version that bakes in 15 minutes.

Fruit Salad with Cream

Fruit salad with cream, fresh strawberries, banana, and pineapple tossed with lemon juice and topped with cream, strawberry jelly powder, and a drizzle of syrup. A quick, sweet, chilled fruit dessert.

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

Healthy oatmeal cookies with oat flour, whole wheat, honey, and pureed pineapple replacing butter and eggs. Loaded with raisins, walnuts, and coconut for a high-fiber treat.

Pineapple Sorbet

Pineapple sorbet: pure ripe pineapple pureed with simple syrup, brightened by lemon juice, and frozen into a smooth, scoopable tropical ice. No ice cream maker required.

Sesame-Crusted Tofu with Spicy Pineapple Noodles

This dish was my dinner yesterday, and it was quite tasty. Loved the sweet, sour and salty flavor, and the well balanced texture.

Aam Chutney (Pineapple-Chile Chutney)

Sweet, sour and spicy, this delicious pineapple-chile chutney is packed with flavors. Serve it as a side dish with any Indian main course.

Paleo Australian Hamburger

Without buns and cheese, this juicy and delicious paleo Australian hamburger will satisfy your craving without giving any empty calories.

Cherry Pineapple Jam

Cherry pineapple jam combines pitted sweet cherries and crushed pineapple in an old-fashioned sun-finished preserve. Just three ingredients, no pectin needed.

Grilled Szechuan Chicken Salad

Didn't use pineapple, because I didn't have it on hand. But the chicken salad still came out succulent. My kids loved it. It was a great way to make my kids eat some veggies :)

Super Moist Carrot Cake

Super moist carrot cake loaded with shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, and walnuts, topped with orange-zested cream cheese frosting. Bakes in a 9x13 pan or bundt for that signature dense, tender crumb.

Australian Veggie Burger

This vegetarian burger is layered with grilled pineapple, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms and roasted beets with a slice of juicy steak tomato and some shredded lettuce on top. It delivers the most delicious veggie burger ever!

Pineapple, Olives & Artichoke Heart Pizza

Freshly baked pizza makes the entire house full of great smell, that's why we like making pizza at home. This pizza is topped with fresh pineapple cubes, olives, marinated artichoke hearts, and a few fresh veggies. Homemade pizza sauce makes it taste even better.

Strawberry, Rhubarb & Pineapple Fruit Leather

It's hard not to like this homemade fruit leather. It's made with 100% fruits, a little bit honey, and lemon juice. It's fruity and packed with nutrients. It's delicious way to enjoy a combination of fruits.

Carrot Passion Layer Cake

Three-layer carrot cake with crushed pineapple, walnuts, and a tangy cream cheese frosting topped with toasted coconut. A moist, towering carrot cake for birthdays, Easter, and holiday tables.

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