Fire-Roasted Peach Salsa

 

Fire-Roasted Peach Salsa

If you’re looking to add a sweet, smoky twist to your table, this Fire-Roasted Peach Salsa hits all the right notes. We take fresh fruit and vegetables, place them straight over open flame to build deep, clean flavor and char, and bring it all together with just the right balance of sweet, heat, and tang.

Whether you like to pulse it quick in a food processor or crush it down by hand in a molcajete like I do, this fresh salsa is going to take your next cookout to the next level.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yields: About 2 cups

Ingredients

  1 whole fresh peach (pitted and quartered)

  1 jalapeño

  ½ medium red onion

  2 tbsp minced garlic 

  4–5 Roma tomatoes(halved)

  3 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped

  ¼ cup brown sugar

  2 tbsp vinegar (apple cider or white vinegar)

  1 tbsp olive oil

  Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Fire up your grill with a ½ chimney of lit charcoal for medium-high live-fire cooking.

  Place the peach halves, jalapeño, red onion, and Roma tomatoes dry directly over the grates—do not coat them in oil, as burning oil creates dirty smoke instead of a clean grill char.

  Grill for 5 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skins are nicely charred and softened.

  Pull everything off the heat and let them cool just enough to handle safely.

Step 2: Peel off any loose, overly blackened bits of skin if desired (a little char adds great flavor, so don't be too strict).

  Stem and deseed the jalapeño (leave seeds in if you prefer extra heat).

  Roughly chop the roasted peach, tomatoes, red onion, and jalapeño.

Step 3: Build the Salsa (Choose Your Method)

  Option A: The Molcajete Method (Traditional & Rustic)

    Add the charred jalapeño, red onion, a pinch of salt, minced garlic and brown sugar to the molcajete. Grind into a coarse paste.

    Work in the roasted peaches and Roma tomatoes a few pieces at a time, crushing gently to release their juices while maintaining a nice, chunky texture.

    Stir in the cilantro.

  Option B: The Food Processor Method (Quick & Easy)

    Add the chopped roasted veggies, peaches, brown sugar, and cilantro into the bowl of your food processor.

    Pulse 4 to 6 times just until everything comes together into a rustic salsa. Avoid running it continuously so it doesn't turn into a purée.

Step 4: Finish & Season

  When your salsa is crushed or pulsed down and almost finished, pour in the olive oil and vinegar.

  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  Stir well to combine, letting the acidity and oil bind the roasted juices together.

Serve fresh with warm tortilla chips, or spoon it over grilled pork, chicken, or tacos!