If you have a Traeger sitting in your backyard and you are not making smoked peach salsa with it this summer, I am genuinely concerned for you. Like, are you okay? Because this recipe is the kind of thing that makes you want to text everyone you know and say “come over immediately.” We took one bite and gave each other that look. You know the look. The one that means we nailed this recipe and are obsessed.
I stumbled onto this idea after seeing a roasted peach salsa recipe over on the Traeger website, and I knew I had to put our own spin on it. We had a flat of fresh peaches from a local farm stand, tomatoes coming out of our garden, and absolutely nowhere to be on a Saturday afternoon. That is a recipe for magic, my friends.
The best part? This Traeger smoked peach salsa is completely free of dairy, eggs, oats, barley, and flaxseed, which means Camden can eat it without any swaps at all. And since there are no artificial dyes or added sugar, Carolynn can dig in too. A snack win for the whole family is a rare and beautiful thing around here, and I am not taking it for granted.
Whether you are serving it at a summer cookout, scooping it over grilled chicken, or honestly just eating it straight off a chip while standing over the counter (no judgment, that is me every single time), this smoked peach salsa is going to become a staple in your warm-weather rotation.
Why We Love This Traeger Smoked Peach Salsa
- The smoky flavor is unreal. Smoking the peaches on the Traeger adds a depth of flavor you simply cannot get from a stovetop or oven. It transforms a basic fruit salsa into something that tastes truly special.
- It is naturally sweet without any added sugar. The peaches bring all the sweetness you need, which is a huge win when you are trying to keep things Carolynn-friendly and dye-free.
- It comes together in about an hour. And most of that is hands-off time while the Traeger does the heavy lifting.
- It is impressive enough for company. I served this at a neighborhood get-together and three different people asked me for the recipe. That felt really good after the year I have had in the kitchen.
- Versatile as can be. Chips, tacos, grilled fish, chicken thighs, scrambled eggs if that is your thing (not ours, but maybe yours). The possibilities are genuinely endless.
Ingredients for Traeger Smoked Peach Salsa
Here is everything you will need to make this recipe. I am keeping notes on allergens throughout so you can shop and prep with confidence. We usually make more than one batch at a time.
- 6 whole peaches (fresh, ripe but still slightly firm so they hold up on the grill)
- 3 tomatoes (garden fresh is absolutely the move here if you have them)
- 2 whole jalapeños (leave the seeds in for more heat, remove them if you have little ones who cannot handle the spice)
- 2 whole green onions
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
How to Make Traeger Smoked Peach Salsa
Ready? This is so much easier than it sounds. Let me walk you through it step by step.
Step 1: Preheat Your Traeger
Fire up your Traeger and preheat it to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it come up to temperature fully before you put anything on the grates. We used our hickory pellets and the smoky flavor was incredible, but cherry or apple wood pellets would be beautiful with the peaches too.
Step 2: Prep Your Produce
While the Traeger is heating up, prep your fruits and vegetables. Halve and pit the peaches. Halve the tomatoes. Slice the jalapeños in half lengthwise and remove the seeds if you want less heat. Leave the green onions whole and smash the garlic cloves just slightly so they get some good smoky flavor on them.
Step 3: Smoke the Produce
Place the peaches, tomatoes, jalapeños, green onions, and garlic (wrap in foil) directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and let everything smoke for about 30 minutes. You are looking for slight char marks on the peaches and tomatoes, and the skin on the jalapeños should start to blister. It will smell absolutely amazing and your neighbors will absolutely wander over.
Step 4: Let It Cool
Pull everything off the Traeger and let it cool for at least 15 minutes. I cannot stress this enough. If you skip this step and go straight to blending, you will have a steam explosion situation and hot salsa everywhere. Ask me how I know. (I will not tell you. Just trust me and wait.)
Step 5: Chop or Blend
Here is where you get to decide what texture you want. For a chunkier salsa, use a knife and chop everything by hand. For a smoother restaurant-style salsa, pulse everything in a food processor or blender. I like a middle ground where I pulse it just a few times so it is chunky but scoop-able.
Add the smoked peaches, tomatoes, jalapeños, green onions, and garlic to your food processor. Add the fresh cilantro, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, salt, and black pepper. Pulse until you reach your desired consistency.
Step 6: Taste and Adjust
This is the most important step and also the most fun. Taste your salsa and adjust from there. Need more acid? Add a little more lime juice or apple cider vinegar. Want more heat? Toss in a little more jalapeño. More salt? Go for it. Trust your palate here.
Step 7: Chill and Serve
Transfer the salsa to a bowl or jar and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. The flavors deepen and come together so beautifully after it has had some time to rest. Serve cold with your favorite tortilla chips or use it as a topping for grilled meats, fish tacos, or burrito bowls.
Tips and Variations
Tips for the Best Results
- Choose peaches that are ripe but firm. Overripe peaches get mushy on the grill and turn the salsa into more of a puree. You want them to have a little structure so they hold up during smoking.
- Do not skip the resting time. Both after smoking and after blending, resting makes a huge difference in the final flavor. Patience pays off here.
- Use fresh garlic, not jarred. The smoked fresh garlic cloves add a sweetness and depth that pre-minced jarred garlic just cannot replicate.
- Cherry or apple pellets pair beautifully with peaches. We used hickory and loved it, but a fruitwood would make this even more layered and nuanced.
- Make a double batch. This salsa keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days and disappears fast. Save yourself and just double it from the start.
Variations to Try
- Add mango. Swap out one or two of the peaches for fresh mango for a tropical twist that is incredible on fish tacos.
- Make it milder for kids. Remove all jalapeño seeds and reduce to just one pepper. Carolynn eats the mild version and loves it.
- Add corn. Toss a few ears of corn on the Traeger alongside the other produce, then cut the kernels off and stir them in at the end for extra texture and sweetness.
- Spice it up. Add a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce when blending for extra smokiness and a deeper heat that adults will love.
- Use it as a marinade base. Thin it out with a little more apple cider vinegar and olive oil and use it to marinate chicken or pork before grilling. It is ridiculous how good that is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Traeger smoked peach salsa without a Traeger?
Yes, absolutely. If you do not have a Traeger or pellet grill, you can roast the peaches, tomatoes, jalapeños, green onions, and garlic on a gas or charcoal grill, or even under your oven broiler. You will not get quite the same deep smoky flavor, but you will still get beautiful caramelization and a really delicious salsa. If you want some smokiness without a smoker, try adding a small pinch of smoked paprika or a drop of liquid smoke to the blender.
How long does smoked peach salsa last in the refrigerator?
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this smoked peach salsa will stay fresh for up to 5 days. The flavors actually continue to develop overnight, so it is often even better on day two. Give it a quick stir before serving since some liquid may settle at the bottom.
Can I freeze Traeger smoked peach salsa?
Yes, this salsa freezes reasonably well. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container or zip-top freezer bag, leaving a little space at the top for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and give it a good stir before serving. The texture may be slightly looser after freezing, but the flavor holds up really well.
Is smoked peach salsa spicy?
It has a gentle heat from the jalapeños, but it is not overwhelming. Removing the seeds from the jalapeños before smoking them will significantly reduce the spice level, which is what we do when we are serving it to the kids. If you love heat, leave the seeds in or add a third jalapeño. It is very easy to customize to your preference.
What do you serve with smoked peach salsa?
So many things. Tortilla chips are the obvious answer and honestly never wrong. But it is also incredible spooned over grilled chicken, fish tacos, pork carnitas, shrimp, or burrito bowls. You can even use it as a topping for a simple green salad in place of dressing. Shane likes to put it on everything, which is honestly high praise coming from a man who considers ketchup a vegetable.
Traeger Smoked Peach Salsa (Sweet, Smoky, and Totally Addictive)
Equipment
- Traeger smoker or any other pellet grill
- Blender
Ingredients
- 6 whole peaches halved and pitted
- 3 tomatoes halved
- 2 whole jalapeños halved lengthwise (seeds removed for mild, seeds in for medium-hot)
- 2 whole green onions
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic lightly smashed
- 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Fire up your Traeger and preheat it to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it come up to temperature fully before you put anything on the grates. We used our hickory pellets and the smoky flavor was incredible, but cherry or apple wood pellets would be beautiful with the peaches too.
- While the Traeger is heating up, prep your fruits and vegetables. Halve and pit the peaches. Halve the tomatoes. Slice the jalapeños in half lengthwise and remove the seeds if you want less heat. Leave the green onions whole and smash the garlic cloves just slightly so they get some good smoky flavor on them.
- Place the peaches, tomatoes, jalapeños, green onions, and garlic (wrap in foil) directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and let everything smoke for about 30 minutes. You are looking for slight char marks on the peaches and tomatoes, and the skin on the jalapeños should start to blister. It will smell absolutely amazing and your neighbors will absolutely wander over.
- Pull everything off the Traeger and let it cool for at least 15 minutes. I cannot stress this enough. If you skip this step and go straight to blending, you will have a steam explosion situation and hot salsa everywhere. Ask me how I know. (I will not tell you. Just trust me and wait.)
- Here is where you get to decide what texture you want. For a chunkier salsa, use a knife and chop everything by hand. For a smoother restaurant-style salsa, pulse everything in a food processor or blender. I like a middle ground where I pulse it just a few times so it is chunky but scoop-able.
- Add the smoked peaches, tomatoes, jalapeños, green onions, and garlic to your food processor. Add the fresh cilantro, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, salt, and black pepper. Pulse until you reach your desired consistency.
- This is the most important step and also the most fun. Taste your salsa and adjust from there. Need more acid? Add a little more lime juice or apple cider vinegar. Want more heat? Toss in a little more jalapeño. More salt? Go for it. Trust your palate here.
- Transfer the salsa to a bowl or jar and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. The flavors deepen and come together so beautifully after it has had some time to rest. Serve cold with your favorite tortilla chips or use it as a topping for grilled meats, fish tacos, or burrito bowls.
Nutrition
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