Walnut Free Smoky BBQ Salsa
Char marks and smoke are the whole personality here — roma tomatoes, red bell peppers, and jalapeño go straight onto a screaming-hot cast iron pan until they're deeply blistered and caramelized in all the right ways. Once the skins peel back and the vegetables get roughly chopped, they get tossed with bloomed spices, a hit of chipotle powder, and a touch of maple syrup that balances the heat without making things sweet. Apple cider vinegar cuts right through the richness and keeps every bite bright and lively. The whole thing comes together in one skillet, which means big, complex flavor without a pile of dishes waiting for you afterward. Store-bought salsas often sneak in unexpected additives or shared-facility ingredients, so making your own from scratch puts you completely in control of what goes into the bowl. Serve it warm straight from the pan, let it cool to room temperature, or refrigerate it and spoon it cold over eggs the next morning — it honestly works every way. Optional cilantro at the end adds a fresh herbal lift, but the salsa is absolutely complete without it.
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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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