How to Cut a Pineapple

Learn how to cut a pineapple! This step-by-step guide will teach you the easiest way to cut a pineapple into chunks, spears, or rings.

There’s nothing like fresh cut pineapple! However, pre-cut pineapple is expensive, and cutting your own fresh pineapple is so much less expensive than precut pineapple chunks

The easy steps, complete with step-by-step photos, will help you cut up a pineapple like a pro.

How to cut a pineapple

Depending on how you plan to serve the pineapple, you can cut a pineapple into chunks or rings.

To cut into spears or dice

Step 1: Begin with a whole pineapple.

Step 2: Cut the top off of the pineapple.

Step 3: Flip the pineapple upside down and cut the bottom off the pineapple.

Tip >> Cutting the top and bottom off will create a flat base and will make it much easier to cut up the pineapple.

Step 4: Set pineapple upright on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to remove the skin around the sides of the pineapple. Work your way from the top all the way down to the bottom following the natural curve of the fruit, trying to remove only the pineapple skin and not too much of the pineapple flesh.

Step 5: Cut the pineapple in half from top to bottom through the center of the pineapple.

Step 6: Set one of the halves aside.

Step 7: Place the flat side of the other half of the pineapple onto your cutting board. Cut into thirds lengthwise.

Step 8: Place one of the thirds, cut side down, on your cutting board and remove the core by cutting about ½ an inch off the end, lengthwise. Repeat with the other two pieces.

Tip >> If you want pineapple spears, you can stop at this point.

Step 9: Cut each long piece into smaller pieces by cutting horizontally across.

Step 10: Repeat steps 7 through 9 with the other half of the pineapple.

To cut pineapple into rings

Step 1: Cut the top and bottom off the pineapple.

Step 2: Set pineapple upright on a cutting board. Use your knife to remove the skin around the side of the pineapple. Work your way from the top all the way down to the bottom, trying to remove only the skin.

Tip >> If you’d like to leave the skin on the pineapple, you can!

Step 3: Once all the skin is removed, if removing the rind, turn the pineapple onto its side. Cut pineapple horizontally into a 1-inch slice. Continue until the entire pineapple is sliced.

Step 4: To remove the core, use a small round cookie cutter or a paring knife to cut a circle out of the middle of each slice.

Recipe FAQS

Recipes made with pineapple!

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