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If you’re lucky enough to have peach trees, you know the ups and downs of growing them. Peach trees are notoriously prone to pest and disease problems, and they need more upkeep than many other fruit trees.
But there is nothing I can think of more satisfying than eating a homegrown peach. When the crop grows well, you can get bushels full of peaches from one tree. So what on earth do you do with all of that bounty?
OF course, there are pies, cobblers, jams, and other sweet treats. but I always try to do a few savory things with my homegrown fruit. That’s the motivation for this Roasted Peach Salsa.
This recipe is delicious, no matter where you get your peaches from – your own backyard peach tree, the farmer’s market, or the grocery store. Roasting is the key. Roasting the peaches intensifies their flavor and gives them a subtle savory smokiness.
To make things even easier, everything is roasted together on one pan. Peaches, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and green chiles are cooked together and then are blended into this simple salsa.
A Case for Homegrown Peaches
There are hundreds, if not over a thousand different peach varieties suited for every taste, space, and climate. If you have any room to spare in your garden, I can’t think of a better way to use it than by planting a peach tree.
Related: The Best Peaches to Grow for Fresh Eating
The closer you are to the source of your peaches, the sweeter, juicier, and more succulent they taste. But there are a few things to know before you plant a peach tree.
First, every variety needs a certain number of chill hours each winter before it can produce fruit. Luckily there are low-chill peach cultivars that are great for temperate climates, as well as cold-hardy cultivars for areas with harsh winters.
Learn more: The Best Low-Chill Peach Trees for Warm Climates
Peach trees love growing in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. They need only moderate pruning, little-to-no fertilizer (depending on your soil), and usually don’t require supplemental watering once established.
I’ve written many helpful articles all about growing peaches at home. Find them here: Peaches – The Fruit Grove
About Green Chiles
Green chile is a famous New Mexican ingredient. New Mexico is known specifically for Hatch chiles, which have a bit of a cult following. Hatch chiles come from the desert town of Hatch, New Mexico.
During hatch season, grocery stores set up huge rotating roasters in tents outside, and you can buy crates full of hatch chiles and have them freshly roasted for you to take home.
Hatch chiles are perfect for roasting because they have thicker skin, which is really easy to pull off once the chiles are blackened. I grow them in my own garden then simply broil or grill the whole chiles, peel them, seed them, and freeze them in small portions to use throughout the year.
A quick note about the spelling of “chile” (or “chili” or “chilli”). This is a regional variation. In America, according to some (questionable, in my opinion!) sources, “chili” is the spelling of the actual pepper and the spicy, saucy meat dish, but “Chile” is the spelling of the South American country.
But throughout the southwest United States, including Texas, where I’m from, “chile” refers to the pepper, and “chili” refers to the spicy meat dish you eat in a bowl. This is probably because “chile” is the most common spelling used for a pepper in Spanish-speaking countries. To complicate matters further, in the UK and other parts of the world, the peppers are known as “chillies.”
So, as far as I’m concerned, all spellings are acceptable, but I will go with “chile” for the pepper and “chili” for the meat dish. (By the way “chile” is also the word used for a saucy condiment made from either red or green chiles that’s popular in New Mexico and the southwest. As in, “I’d like some enchiladas with green chile, please.”)
If you can’t get Hatch chiles, you can substitute just about any green (or close to green) chile peppers. Jalapeños, poblanos, and Anaheims are good options. I even threw in a couple of Sugar Rush Peach peppers from my garden since I had them handy.
Hatch chiles can be bought mild, medium, or hot. Poblanos tend to be very mild, and jalapeños can range in spiciness. Combine the peppers however you like to correspond with your preferred level of heat.
I like my salsa just a little spicy, so I combined some fresh jalapeños, the peach peppers, and some of my own roasted medium-heat Hatch chiles from the freezer.
Instructions:
First, prep all of the fruits and vegetables. Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits. Cut the tomatoes in half or quarters, depending on how large they are. Cut the onion in half, peel it, and slice into 1/2-inch wedges. Also cut the chiles in half lengthwise and remove the stem, seeds, and white ribs. The garlic cloves can be left whole with the peel on.
Place everything on a sheet pan sprayed with cooking spray. Roast the whole pan in a 425°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
You’re looking for the tomato skins to be somewhat dark and almost popping off the tomatoes (go ahead and pull the skins off and discard them). The peaches and chiles should be lightly browned around the edges. The garlic will be really soft and mushy.
Put everything (but the garlic) straight in the bowl of a food processor. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skins and add it as well. Add the vinegar, salt, and pepper and pulse until everything is chopped but not completely pureed.
And that’s it! Stick the warm salsa in the refrigerator to cool down…that is, if you can wait that long before sampling. Grab a bag of tortilla chips and dig in!
Roasted Peach Salsa with Green Chiles
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Cooking spray or parchment paper
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 3 yellow peaches about 18 ounces after removing pits
- 3 large tomatoes or several smaller tomatoes, about 18 ounces
- 6 ounces mixed green chiles hatch chiles, jalapeno, poblano, etc.
- 1 large yellow onion
- 6 large cloves of garlic unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
- Prepare the produce. Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits. Cut the tomatoes in half if they are smaller, or in quarters if they are larger. Cut the onion in half, peel it, and slice into wedges about ½-inch thick. Slice the green chiles in half lengthwise, and carefully remove the seeds and inner membrane.
- Arrange the peaches, tomatoes, chiles, onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves onto the prepared sheet pan. Roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the peaches, tomatoes, and chiles are lightly browned, the onions are somewhat translucent, and the garlic is soft.
- Put all of the roasted fruits and vegetables into the bowl of a food processor. Add the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pulse a few times until everything is evenly chopped and combined, but not completely pureed.
- Store salsa in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for no more than a week (if it lasts that long). Serve with tortilla chips, if desired.
TIPS
- You can use any type of peach, but yellow peaches tend to have more acidity and taste “peachier,” which works well in this salsa. Freestone peaches are simpler to deal with since the pits come out easily.
- Adjust the amount of green chiles to your spice level and what’s available. I used a combination of hatch green chiles, jalapenos, and sugar rush peach peppers from my garden. (In case you’re wondering, “chile” is the spelling most commonly used in New Mexico, which is known for its Hatch chiles. Many other parts of the country use “chili.” Both are correct!)
