Fresh Peach Salsa Recipe

Name: Fresh Peach Salsa
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb tomatoes, finely chopped; 1 bell pepper, finely chopped; 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped; 1 onion, finely chopped; 3 peaches, diced with the peels on; 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped; 2 tbsp lime juice; 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Fresh peach salsa with tomatoes, peaches, cilantro and lime in a bowl

Peaches and tomatoes come ripe at the same time every summer. That overlap is one of my favorite things about eating with the seasons.

So when both are sitting on my counter at once, this is what I make.

Fresh peach salsa takes about ten minutes. No cooking. No special equipment. Just a knife, a bowl, and produce that is already at its best.

Why In-Season Produce Is Worth Waiting For

A peach picked ripe and eaten within a few days is a completely different food than a peach picked hard and shipped across the country.

Flavor is the obvious difference. But it is not the only one. Produce that is allowed to ripen on the plant has had more time to develop the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants your body uses every day. Shorter time from harvest to your kitchen means fewer of those nutrients lost along the way.

This is why I lean into whatever is in season instead of fighting it. In August that means peaches, tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro. So that is what goes in the bowl.

What Is Actually In This Salsa

Every ingredient here is a whole food. Nothing is added to make it shelf stable, and nothing is there for color.

Peaches bring natural sweetness, so there is no sugar in this recipe at all. Leave the peels on. That is where a good share of the fiber lives.

Tomatoes carry lycopene, one of the antioxidants that supports your body's natural defenses. Ripe summer tomatoes have far more flavor than anything you will find in January.

Cilantro is one of those herbs people either love or cannot stand. If you are in the second camp, swap in flat leaf parsley. The salsa still works.

Lime juice does two jobs. It brightens everything, and the acid keeps the peaches from browning while the salsa sits.

Jalapeño is where you control the heat. Seeded and finely chopped, it adds warmth without taking over. Leave a few seeds in if your family likes more kick.

Salt is not optional. It is what pulls the peach and the tomato together instead of leaving them as two separate flavors in the same bowl. Use a good mineral salt and taste as you go.

How We Eat It

Chips are the obvious answer, and we do that. But this salsa is better than a dip.

Spoon it over grilled chicken or fish. Pile it on tacos. Put it next to eggs in the morning. Stir a scoop into a bowl of rice and beans. It turns a plain piece of protein into an actual meal without any extra cooking.

If you like the idea of a few simple building blocks that stretch across a week of dinners, that is exactly what my 30 Minute Meal Formula is built around.

A Few Notes Before You Start

Chop everything about the same size. It is a small thing, but it is the difference between a salsa that tastes finished and one that tastes like chunks of separate produce.

Make it at least thirty minutes ahead if you can. The flavors need a little time in the fridge to find each other.

And taste it before you serve it. Peaches vary a lot. Some batches need another squeeze of lime, some need a pinch more salt.

From Dr. Michelle's Kitchen

Fresh Peach Salsa

By Dr. Michelle Jorgensen

A no-cook summer salsa built on ripe peaches, tomatoes, cilantro, and lime. Ten minutes, no added sugar, and it turns plain grilled chicken or fish into a real meal.

Servings6 servings

Prep Time10 min

Total Time10 min

CuisineMexican

CategorySnack

Ingredients

1 lb tomatoes, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
3 peaches, diced with the peels on
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Directions

Finely chop the tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapeño, and onion, and put them in a large bowl.
Dice the peaches with their peels on and add them to the bowl.
Add the chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Mix together and taste. Add more salt or lime if needed.
Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors come together. Serve with chips, or spoon over grilled chicken, fish, or tacos.

Notes

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Best within three days. The lime juice keeps the peaches from browning, so give it a stir before serving.