Cashew Free Smoky BBQ Salsa
Deep char marks and blistered skins are the secret to a salsa that tastes like it spent hours over a wood fire — and this stovetop version delivers exactly that intensity in under 20 minutes. Roma tomatoes, red bell peppers, and jalapeño go cut-side down into a screaming-hot cast iron pan until they're blackened and caramelized, building a smoky backbone that no jarred salsa can touch. Smoked paprika, chipotle powder, and cumin bloom in garlic-infused oil with scallion greens, layering on even more depth before the charred vegetables join the party. A hit of maple syrup and apple cider vinegar rounds everything out — just enough sweetness and tang to balance all that fire. The result is chunky, bold, and complex in a way that makes it equally at home scooped onto chips, spooned over grilled chicken, or stirred into scrambled eggs. Every single ingredient here is naturally free from tree nuts, so there's no label-scanning or substitution gymnastics required — just straightforward, flavor-forward cooking. Finish it with a handful of fresh cilantro if you like, and try not to eat the whole batch before it hits the table.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 4 medium roma tomatoes, halved
- 2 medium red bell peppers, halved and seeded
- 1 jalapeño, halved and seeded
- 2 tbsp garlic-infused oil, divided
- 4 scallions, green tops only, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp chipotle powder
- ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Heat a large skillet or cast iron pan over high heat until very hot, about 2 minutes. Brush the cut sides of the tomatoes, bell peppers, and jalapeño with 1 tablespoon of the garlic-infused oil.
- 2
Place the tomatoes, bell peppers, and jalapeño cut-side down in the dry hot pan. Cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes, until the cut surfaces are deeply charred and the skins begin to blister and loosen. Flip and cook for 2 minutes more, until the skins are softened and the vegetables are tender throughout.
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