This pineapple salad is a sweet and savoury dish of canned pineapple, beans, vegetables and rice with a creamy mayo dressing. It's a classic Polish dish, easy to make, adaptable and ready in 3 simple steps.
Pineapple salad was a party staple in Poland in the 70s and 80s, made with readily available ingredients, simple and delicious. Fresh 'foreign' fruit such as pineapple was hard to come by so people used canned to add a touch of the exotic to their menu. The dressing for this canned pineapple salad traditionally would have been just mayonnaise (which back then was a staple dressing used in most salads, including classic potato salad) or in combination with sour cream, as I have done in this recipe.
What I especially love about this pineapple, rice and corn salad is how flexible it is. It works with a wide range of ingredients (see suggestions at the bottom of the post) and is very forgiving. You can vary the ingredients, omit some and add others and make it your own.
pineapple salad ingredients and substitutions
- Canned pineapple: see paragraph below for details.
- Rice: traditionally it would have been white rice, but this salad can be made with any rice variety, so use your favourite.
- Kidney beans.
- Leek: sweeter and less pungent than onion it's a popular ingredient used in traditional Polish salads (such as celery root salad).
- Red bell pepper.
- Cheese: such as Gouda, Edam or Emmental.
- Sweet corn: from a can.
- Mayonnaise: either regular or reduced fat.
- Sour cream: or thick yogurt.
- Parsley.
- Salt and pepper.
Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned
I don't recommend it. Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme that breaks down proteins which changes the texture of foods, and shouldn't be used with starchy foods or dairy. Canned pineapple, on the other hand, no longer contains that enzyme and is, therefore, a safer option to use in your pineapple and rice salad.
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1. Prepare ingredients: Place the pineapple in a strainer and set aside for a few minutes then pat dry using a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Cut into small pieces. Drain the beans and corn and pat dry to remove as much excess moisture as possible.
2. Assemble salad: To a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients and stir thoroughly.
3. Serve: Add more salt and pepper, if needed, and serve.
*Scroll down to the bottom of the post for a full, printable list of ingredients and instructions.
Serving suggestions
Polish-style pineapple salad with rice is a party dish but also makes an easy supper ('kolacja'), which in Poland typically consists of salads and open faced sandwiches. This salad is also delicious served alongside chicken or fish.
Variations
- You can omit the rice and use more beans and/or corn, instead.
- For a non-vegetarian version add leftover rotisserie chicken or a small can of tuna (plus a little more mayo/sour cream).
Other ingredients that can be used
There are numerous versions of this easy pineapple and corn salad in Poland. The following additional ingredients are often used in this salad:
- Chopped hard-boiled eggs.
- Ham: in the 70s and 80s this often would have been a canned variety, but these days people tend to use cubed cooked or smoked ham.
- Shredded jarred celery root: you might be able to find this product in a Polish store.
- Pasta: instead of the rice. Typically this would be small pasta shapes, such as macaroni or similar.
TIP: If you like to add any of the above ingredients to your savoury pineapple salad it's a good idea to use a little less of the ingredients in the recipe (not the pineapple) and adjust the amount of mayo and sour cream.
Top tips
- Ensure the canned ingredients are thoroughly drained before assembling the salad.
- Adjust the recommended amounts to suit your taste.
- This vegetarian pineapple salad can be made up to 2 hours in advance. Keep covered and refrigerated. Refrigerate leftovers for up to a day.
- Not suitable for freezing.
Related recipes to try next
See also these other traditional Polish recipes as well as more easy, delicious salads!
Recipe
Pineapple Salad with Rice (Polish Recipe)
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 can pineapple slices 8 slices, drained, chopped, see *Notes
- 1 cup (160 g) cooked rice packed
- 1 can sweet corn 5.29oz/150g, drained
- 1 cup (170 g) canned kidney beans drained
- ¾ cup (100 g) cheese finely diced, Edam/Gouda/Jarlsberg or similar
- ½ red bell pepper deseeded, finely chopped
- ½ leek sm./med., trimmed, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons (55 g) mayonnaise regular or reduced fat
- 2 tablespoons sour cream or thick yogurt
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients: Place the pineapple in a strainer and set aside for a few minutes then pat dry using a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Cut into small pieces. Drain the beans and corn and pat dry to remove as much excess moisture as possible.
- Assemble salad: To a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients and stir thoroughly.
- Serve: Add more salt and pepper, if needed, and serve.
Notes
- *Ensure the canned ingredients are thoroughly drained before assembling the salad.
- Adjust the recommended amounts to suit your taste.
- This pineapple and corn salad can be prepared up to 2 hours in advance. Keep covered and refrigerated. Refrigerate leftovers for up to a day.
- Not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Keep in touch!
If you make this old-fashioned Polish pineapple salad I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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