Apparently, I’m not quite done with peaches. And why would I be? When late-summer peaches are this good, I want to find as many ways as possible to put them on the table.
Fresh Peach Salsa is tangy, a little spicy, and completely addictive. Sweet ripe peaches are chopped with shallot, cilantro, lime, dried chilies, and a touch of cumin. That’s it. No tomato required. No complicated technique.
Sweet Peaches, Tangy Lime & a Little Heat
Just a bright little salsa that brings a hit of fresh summer flavour to almost anything savoury. It’s particularly good with cheese, roasted vegetables, chicken, pork, and fish. Try it with roasted cauliflower tacos and you’ll understand immediately.
Or do what I did, spoon it over a Spicy Tuna Melt. A little bonus recipe, seeing as some of you asked. (You’re welcome!)
Let the Peaches Do the Work
This recipe is intentionally simple. When peaches are ripe and full of flavour, they don’t need much help. The goal is to enhance the peach, not bury it under a long list of ingredients.
That’s why I keep the seasoning paired back: a little shallot, a little cumin, fresh cilantro, lime, and dried chili. You get sweet, sour, spicy, savoury, and fresh in every bite.
How to Make Fresh Peach Salsa
The Perfect Salsa for Cheese, Chicken, Pork & Fish
Pairing flavour is always where where things get fun. Of course fruit paris extremely well with cheese. Try it with: Goat cheese, Feta, Halloumi, Brie, Camembert, fresh mozzarella, or a sharp cheddar.
Roasted Vegetables: Cauliflower tacos are one of my favourite applications.
Roast cauliflower until deeply browned, tuck it into warm tortillas, and spoon Peach Salsa over the top. Add avocado or a little Greek yogurt and you’ve got dinner.
Chicken: Spoon it over grilled or roasted chicken. Hot or cold. It’s particularly good with our Marinated Greek Chicken and the Spanakopita Chicken Salad.
Pork: Peach and pork are a classic pairing for good reason. Try it alongside grilled pork chops or tenderloin.
Fish: Use it as a fresh topping for grilled white fish, baked, grilled or smoked salmon, tuna or shrimp.
Peach Salsa on a tuna melt sounds like a flavour push, until you try it. Then you’ll wonder why you never thought of it before.
The tuna melt is rich, creamy, savoury, and cheesy. The Peach Salsa brings acidity, sweetness, freshness, and heat. It’s a very good contrast
Why I Love It
I love a salsa that’s simple to make, but complex in it’s flavour notes. The peaches bring natural sweetness and juiciness. Lime gives us acidity, shallot brings a little bite, cilantro adds freshness, and dried chilies provide a gentle background heat. Cumin ties everything together with a little earthy warmth.
It’s the kind of condiment that can completely change a simple meal.
Because meals don’t have to be complicated. A piece of grilled chicken becomes dinner. Roasted cauliflower becomes tacos. A piece of toast with cheese becomes a deliciously easy lunch.
And a tuna melt becomes something you might actually make again tomorrow.
Print
Fresh Peach Salsa & Spicy Tuna Melt
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
Description
Fresh Peach Salsa combines ripe peaches, shallot, cilantro, lime, cumin, and dried chilies for a sweet, tangy, spicy summer condiment perfect with chicken, pork, fish, cheese, and tacos or our bonus recipe: our Spicy Tuna Melt.
Ingredients
- Peach Salsa
- 3 ripe peaches, finely diced
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon dried chilies, finely crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- Juice of 2 limes
- Zest of 1/2 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Spicy Tuna Melt
- 1 can tuna, drained
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup roasted red pepper, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1-2 teaspoons sambal oelek
- 4 slices sourdough or other sturdy bread
- 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
Instructions
- Make the Salsa: Wash and pit peaches. Cut them into small, even pieces. Add the peaches, shallot, dried chilies, cumin, cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice to a bowl. Season with salt and gently toss everything together. CHILL. Allow the salsa to sit for 10–15 minutes (minimum) before serving so the flavours can mingle. Taste and adjust the lime, chili, or salt as needed.
- Serve chilled or at cool room temperature.
- Make the Tuna Filling: Combine the drained tuna, green onion, roasted red pepper, mayonnaise, and sambal oelek. Mix gently until combined. Taste and adjust the sambal to your preferred level of heat.
- Build the Melt: Divide the tuna mixture between four slices of bread, lightly toasted. Top generously with grated Monterey Jack.
- Cook: Melt under broiler or in a 400°f (209°C) oven until good and bubbly. Cook open face until the bread is golden and crisp and the cheese is completely melted.
- Finish: Serve tuna melts on a warmed plate, hot from the oven. Spoon generous amounts of Peach Salsa over the top or serve alongside for dipping. Finish with chili crisp oil for added heat/
- The cold, fresh salsa against the hot, crispy, cheesy sandwich is the whole point.
Notes
What Kind of Chilies? This is a flexible recipe, so use what you have. Crushed dried red chili flakes work beautifully, but you could also use:
- Aleppo pepper
- Dried chile de árbol
- Crushed dried Thai chili
- Fresh jalapeño
- Dried ancho chili
- A mild chili powder
The amount is entirely up to you. I like enough chili to make itself known without turning the salsa into hot sauce. It should have flavour, not just heat.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Chopping, Grilling
- Cuisine: North American
