Salsa Tejana (Texas Salsa with Roasted peaches, charred habanero, and toasted pecans)

This is my favorite salsa in this chapter. I’m a Texas boy, and the flavor of Hill Country peaches and pecans takes me back home. Here, the sweet-smoky charred peaches and toasted pecans create a rich, creamy texture that’s woken up with habanero, red onion, and a mixture of lime- orange juice that mimics Yucatecan sour oranges. You might go in with an expectation of what this will taste like, but I swear, you won’t see it coming. I devoured it with carnitas tacos with pickled red onions, but it’ll add much- needed fat to chicken breasts, bring out the smokiness of grilled meats, and be a good friend to pork chops.

MAKES 2 ½ CUPS 

INGREDIENTS:

Salsa Daddy Rick Martínez

• 3 large ripe peaches (14 oz/398 g), halved and pitted

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for brushing

• ¼ medium red onion (3.4 oz/96 g), roughly chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled

• 1 chile habanero (0.4 oz/12 g), stemmed and halved

• ½ cup raw pecans (1.8 oz/50 g)

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

• 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (0.28 oz/8 g), plus more to taste

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (0.3 oz/8 g) 

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Spoon over tacos, tortas, carnitas, soups and stews that need a sweet/spicy pick- me-up. Serve as a dip for raw veggies.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line a large cast-iron skillet with a sheet of foil and heat the skillet over high until very hot. Brush the cut sides of the peaches with the oil to prevent sticking. Add the peaches, onion, garlic, and habanero to the pan and cook, using tongs to turn occasionally, until everything is charred on all sides, about 3 minutes for the garlic, 4 minutes for the habanero, and 6 to 8 minutes for the onion and peaches. (Alternatively, arrange an oven rack in the top position and preheat the broiler to high. Arrange the produce on a foil-lined sheet pan and roast under the broiler, turning occasionally, untilall sides are charred.) Transfer to a plate to cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel the garlic. 

2. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the center of oven and preheat to 350°F. 

3. Arrange the pecans in an even layer on a sheet pan and bake until the pecans are lightly toasted and very fragrant, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool on the pan until ready to use. 

4. Transfer the peaches, onion, garlic, habanero, pecans, lime juice, orange juice, and salt to a blender and purée on medium-low speed until the salsa is almost smooth. 

5. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the basil. Taste and season with more salt if desired. 

Do ahead: The salsa can be made up to 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 1 month.

GRILL IT! 

If you like to throw peaches on the grill, there’s no reason not to take this recipe outside and char your ingredients there instead. Just don’t let the habanero fall through the grates.

Recipe reprinted from Salsa Daddy: A Cookbook: Dip Your Way into Mexican Cooking by Rick Martínez © 2025. Published by Clarkson Potter. Photographs © Alex Lau.

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