Grilled Pineapple Jalapeño Margaritas

Grilled pineapple jalapeño margaritas are made with fresh ingredients that are bursting with smoky, sweet flavors! Sweet and tangy pineapple, spicy jalapeño, and fresh lime make it delicious!

Jalapeño pineapple margarita recipe

Have you seen that trend of smoking or grilling a watermelon? I was scrolling through the ‘gram last night and mistook the picture as a nicely cured and smoked ham. Would you try it?

I really love to make drinks with fresh ingredients, like this frozen hibiscus lemonade, Pineapple peach agua fresca, or this refined sugar free watermelon lemonade. Fresh fruit juice cannot be beat!

This grilled pineapple jalapeño margarita is delicious and fun to make because the grilling process brings unimaginable flavors to your glass! Who knew grilling fruit was so delicious?! Especially with tequilla!

This is the perfect summertime drink because its tropical (think Mexican flair), fruity, and a bit smoky. It can be made ahead of time so you can have this ready to go when your guests arrive.

First, the pineapple and jalapeño are thrown on the grill. Get those nice and perfect grill lines goin’! Next, it has to be refrigerated (no one likes a warm margarita!). Final steps are blending and combining it with tequila. Easy, right!?

I have all the tips and tricks for you to make this drink quickly and easily. This pineapple margarita is too good for you not to try it!

Grilled pineapple jalapeño margarita ingredients

• Fresh pineapple- For the best flavor, use fresh pineapple for this recipe. I usually let my pineapples ripen on my counter for 3-5 days before digging in. If you are pressed for time, you can opt for canned pineapple.
• Jalapeño- Depending on how much heat (spicy) you like, you can deseed completely (no spice) or leave half the seeds in. The jalapeño adds a delicious, delicate flavor!
• Lime- A squeeze of lime juice brings together the fresh flavors of the pineapple and jalapeño and also enhances the grilled smokey flavor.
• Pineapple juice- One fresh pineapple doesn’t produce enough liquid to make even one cup of margaritas, so you will need pineapple juice to supplement.
• Simple syrup- A pinch of simple syrup balances the acidity in the drink and gives it a boost of flavor.

Chef’s tips

Make this even easier

If you want to make this recipe quicker and easier, you can do a few things. First, you can cut your pineapple ahead of time. Usually, store-bought pineapples need to ripen for 3-5 days after you buy them.

If you have never cut a pineapple before, Dole has a great guide. It’s very easy to do! Also, you can eat the center part of the pineapple, it’s great fiber!

If you want an even easier route, you can buy canned sliced pineapple. The pineapple is sweet and delicious, plus you can use the juice in the can for this recipe, too! Double win.

Make it spicy.. or don’t

You can control the amount of heat this drink has by adding or removing the jalapeño seeds and ribs. If you remove all the ribs and seeds, it will be flavorful but it will not be spicy.

If you do want some heat, I recommend removing only half of the ribs and seeds. It will add the perfect amount of heat where you will have that delicious spicy tingle but can still enjoy your drink.

Make it ahead of time

Grilled pineapple only keeps int he fridge for a few days, so don’t make this too far in advance. Your best bet is to grill the pineapple hours or a day or two beforehand.

Once the pineapple is grilled and chilled, you can blend it, strain it, and then refrigerate it again. You can mix all the ingredients together (minus the ice) in a pitcher a day ahead if you are making this for company.

How to make a grilled pineapple jalapeño margarita

1. Cut the pineapple and jalapeño. First, you need a sharp knife and a cutting board. Slice the top and bottom (about 1 inch) off the pineapple. Slice the sides of the pineapple to discard the roughage. Lay the pineapple on its side, then slice 1/2 inch pieces. Cut the jalapeño in half, then remove the ribs (the white pieces on the inside) and the seeds. *For a fun garnish, save a few wedges of pineapple with the pineapple rind to grill, then place on the rim of the glass.
2. Grill the pineapple and jalapeño. Get your grill nice and hot, then grill the pineapple and jalapeño for 5 minutes on each side. Remove them from the grill, then place them in the fridge until they are chilled.
3. Blend it. Place the chilled pineapple and jalapeño in the blender, then blend on high power until it is puréed. Pour the mixture over a strainer with a bowl underneath. Use a rubber spatula to push the fibrous material against the strainer to extract the juices. Discard the fibrous material once it’s done being pressed for liquid.
4. Combine everything. Combine the grilled pineapple juice, the canned pineapple juice, simple syrup, tequila, and lime juice.
5. Serve. Put ice in each glass, then give the margarita a good stir. Pour it over the rocks, garnish with a slice of grilled pineapple (with the rind), and serve! Mangia!

More outdoor entertaining meals

• This easy low country boil is a one-pot seafood dinner is packed with fresh Gulf shrimp, blue crab, crawfish, cajun sausage, potatoes, sweet corn, beer, and loads of seasoning! Grab a cold one and start cracking those craw daddies open!
• These delicious grilled sweet tea pork chops are marinated in a sweet tea, then grilled and slathered with a sweet tea glaze. This is the perfect southern comfort food for summertime!
• Grilled carne asada kabobs are made with loads of vegetables and juicy, marinated sirloin steak.
• This easy, creamy cake batter ice cream is prepared in minutes and is the perfect frozen summertime treat!
• This Blueberry Vegan Ice Cream has only bananas, blueberries, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract.  All you need is a blender and 5 minutes to make this creamy, sweet, sugar free, ice cream.

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to stay in touch! I love to see your creations! Tag me at #SeaSaltSavorings to show me what you’ve made!