Down South, we’ve got a way of taking something simple and turning it into something special, and peach salsa is a fine example of that Southern magic. While salsa started out with Southwestern and Latin roots, it didn’t take long for us Southern folks to put our own spin on it. And what better way than by adding our beloved peaches?
With the South growing more peaches than you can shake a stick at, it was only a matter of time before someone tossed a few into the salsa bowl. What came out was something sweet, spicy, and downright addictive.
Peach salsa really took off in Southern kitchens in the ’80s and ’90s, when cooks started getting bold and mixing local flavor with outside influence. These days, you’ll see it just about everywhere: from backyard barbecues to church potlucks and even fancy farm-to-table restaurants. You will see it served over grilled chicken or pork chops, spooned onto fish tacos, or dug into with chips on a hot afternoon.
Come peach season, local markets are brimming with fresh fruit, and you better believe people are making batches of peach salsa to can and share. There’s nothing quite like popping open a jar in the dead of winter and tasting a little bit of July.
Sure, you can buy it at the store now, but real deal peach salsa made with fresh picked peaches and a touch of Southern love? That’s the kind of thing that makes your taste buds smile and your heart feel right at home.
Ingredients
5 juicy peaches
2 big ole tomatoes
1 mild jalapeño
1 bell pepper
1 peppadew pepper
1 Anaheim pepper
1 banana pepper
1 large yellow onion
3 garlic cloves or 1 elephant garlic clove
Garlic salt to taste
Directions
Clean your veggies.
Rough dice veggies and fruit.
Mince garlic.
Mix ingredients in a bowl and salt to taste.
Let chill. Serve.
Tips and Tricks
If you’re making it fresh to enjoy right away, line the bottom of a large bowl with ice, then set your salsa bowl on top. Mix as you add each ingredient—this helps break down the veggies and brings their flavors together faster.
Instead of using the specified peppers, use your favorite ones or ones you have on hand! Just be wary of the spice.
Chelsea Gieselmann is a mom, photographer, columnist, food blogger, and home-cook. Cooking has been a passion of hers since she was old enough to cut out biscuits with the mouth of a mason jar. Her great-grandmother taught her the basics and she is ever so grateful to have been able to learn from her. Since then, she has continued to hone her craft, even beating Alex Guarnaschelli on The Food Network’s Outchef’d!
Instagram: @Southrngritskitchen
