This Mexican salsa verde, aka green salsa or tomatillo salsa, is a fresh and delicious salsa recipe made with tomatillos, chile peppers, and few basic ingredients. It is awesome as a dip with chips and great with just about anything!
A lot of folks think this Mexican green salsa is made with green tomatoes. Though green tomato and tomatillos look similar, they are quite different. Tomatillo is a cousin of the tomato family, it is covered with a papery husk and has a bright green outer skin. They are rather tart if eaten raw.
They are available in practically every grocery store, which gives you all the more reason to make your own homemade salsa verde. It is really easy to pick up a jar of salsa verde while you go grocery shopping, then why would you bother making it at home? I’ve tasted the salsa’s from jars and frankly, they don’t come close to the homemade fresh tomatillo salsa. I think this homemade version is far better than the one you get in the restaurant too. No kidding! You can totally customize it to your liking.
The authentic salsa verde is made in a molcajete, a Mexican version of the mortar and pestle, made from volcanic stone. I was really tempted to pick one up on my trip to Mexico last year, but then I skipped it, as I had enough baggage already, and it was quite large and heavy. I sort of still regret not getting it, however, it is available online so I may just get one!
Just like pesto, the taste, and texture of tomatillo salsa are elevated when prepared in the molcajete rather than a food processor. But it is not so bad either, still beats the ones available in jars.
Table of Contents
SALSA VERDE INGREDIENTS
To make this green tomatillo sauce, you will need,
- Tomatillos, choose the smaller ones in size as they tend to be sweeter than the larger ones. Do not peel the husk until you are ready to use them.
- Onions
- Garlic
- Chile peppers, feel free to use any of your choice. Jalapeño is best for a mild Verde sauce
- Cilantro
- Ground cumin
- Lime juice, roasting brings out the sweetness of the tomatillos, and hence I like to add a little lime juice to add some zing. This is totally optional.
- Salt & pepper
THERE ARE THREE WAYS OF MAKING SALSA VERDE
Raw tomatillo salsa: All the ingredients are blended raw. This can taste pretty tart, I recommend adding an avocado here to cut that tartness from the tomatillos.
Boiled tomatillo salsa: Add tomatillos along with the onions and chile peppers in a pot, cover with sufficient water and bring to a boil, cook for about 5 minutes or until the color of tomatillos change from bright green to olive green. Then blend it with the rest of the ingredients using some of the cooking liquid to thin out if required.
Roasted tomatillo salsa: The process of which is explained in details below.
CUSTOMIZE YOUR HOMEMADE SALSA VERDE SAUCE
Like a mild salsa verde? Remove the seeds and the membranes of the chile peppers, use 1 or half of a jalapeño pepper instead of serrano chile peppers.
Prefer a spicy salsa verde? Leave the seeds of the chile peppers on, or you may scoop them out before blending and add in the seeds later, to add heat.
How about a creamy salsa verde? Make some tomatillo avocado salsa by adding 1 diced avocado and blend with the roasted or boiled tomatillos.
WAYS TO USE ROASTED TOMATILLO SALSA
There are a number of ways to enjoy this salsa de tomatillo. You don’t have to restrict it only as a dip for chips.
Use it in,
- Enchilada Verdes or green enchilada.
- Huevos rancheros
- Salsa verde shredded-chicken, which can be used to fill enchiladas, tacos, burritos, taquitos, or a healthy bowl with some Mexican quinoa or rice and veggies.
You can easily make a large batch and can this green salsa to enjoy all year around!
This roasted tomatillo salsa is packed with a punch of zesty flavors. It is slightly tangy, smoky, and refreshing with a kick of heat from the serrano peppers. Try it, I bet you will never go back to the commercial ones!
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STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE ROASTED TOMATILLO SALSA
{Printable recipe card below instructions}
1.Place the oven rack on the highest rack setting. Preheat the broiler (500 degrees F) while you prep the ingredients. Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos (2 lbs), and rinse well with warm water to get rid of the stickiness. Pat dry with a clean kitchen napkin.
HOW TO ROAST TOMATILLOS?
1.Place the tomatillos, onion wedges (about 1 small onion), 5-6 garlic cloves (skin on), and 2 serrano peppers on a rimmed baking tray. Drizzle about 1 tbsp oil, and sprinkle salt. Toss the ingredients to coat well.
2.Place the baking tray on the topmost rack, and broil for 4-5 minutes, or until charred on top.
3.Flip the vegetables, and char the other side for another 4-5 minutes. Keep a close eye during the broiling process or you may end up burning the veggies.
4.Remove the baking tray from the oven and place on a cooling rack, set aside until cool enough to handle.
MAKING SALSA VERDE
1.Once cool enough, transfer the roasted tomatillos, onions, chile peppers in the bowl of a food processor or into a blender. Remove the garlic from the skin and add it to the processor along with any juices that may have collected on the tray. {For mild salsa, remove the seeds from the roasted serrano peppers, save the seeds if you want to add some heat to the salsa after blending in step 6}. Add a handful of cilantro, 2 tbsp lime juice, and 1/2 tsp salt.
2.Pulse until all the ingredients are coarsely combined. You can leave it chunky or thin it out with some water for a smooth salsa. I did not add any water. The juices from the roasted tomatillos were enough to blend the salsa. Season to taste and adjust with more salt, sugar, serrano chile seeds or lime juice if desired.
3.Chill salsa in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hours, this allows the flavors to mingle to deepen, serve with chips or in any of your favorite Mexican recipes.
NOTES
This salsa is fairly spicy due to the use of Serrano peppers. If you’d like a mild salsa verde, remove the seeds, and blend the salsa. Or use half or 1 jalapeno pepper, or as required to adjust to your required heat tolerance.
I hope you try this easy green salsa recipe and if you do, I would love to hear from you! I’d appreciate it if you could leave a review below in comments, as it helps others know the recipe better too. You can also share your feedback and suggestions at [email protected]. Thanks so much 🙂
HOW TO MAKE SALSA VERDE {ROASTED TOMATILLO SALSA}?
How To Make Salsa Verde {Roasted Tomatillo Salsa}
Ingredients
Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml
- 2 lbs tomatillos
- 1 large white onion, about 3.5 oz, peeled and cut into wedges
- 2 serrano chile peppers, stemmed, refer notes
- 5 to 6 unpeeled garlic cloves, you can add more or less
- 1 to 2 tbsp lime juice, to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- A handful of cilantro with tender stems, about 15-20 sprigs
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Place the oven rack on the highest rack setting. Preheat the broiler (500 degrees F) while you prep the ingredients. Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos (2 lbs), and rinse well with warm water to get rid of the stickiness. Pat dry with a clean kitchen napkin.
- Transfer the tomatillos, onion wedges (about 1 small onion), 5-6 garlic cloves (skin on), and 2 serrano peppers on a rimmed baking tray. Drizzle about 1 tbsp oil, and sprinkle salt. Toss the ingredients to coat well.
- Place the baking tray on the topmost rack, and broil for 4-5 minutes, or until charred on top.
- Flip the vegetables, and char the other side for another 4-5 minutes. Keep a close eye during the broiling process or you may end up burning the veggies.
- Remove the baking tray from the oven and place on a cooling rack, set aside until cool enough to handle.
- Once cool enough, transfer the roasted tomatillos, onions, chile peppers in the bowl of a food processor or into a blender. Remove the garlic from the skin and add it to the processor along with any juices that may have collected on the tray. {For mild salsa, remove the seeds from the roasted serrano peppers, save the seeds if you want to add some heat to the salsa after blending in step 6}. Add a handful of cilantro, 2 tbsp lime juice, and 1/2 tsp salt.
- Pulse until all the ingredients are coarsely combined. You can leave it chunky or thin it out with some water for a smooth salsa. I did not add any water. The juices from the roasted tomatillos were enough to blend the salsa. Season to taste and adjust with more salt, sugar, serrano chile seeds or lime juice if desired.
- Chill salsa in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hours, this allows the flavors to mingle to deepen, serve with chips or in any of your favorite Mexican recipes.
Notes
Nutrition
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Regards,
Freda
Beautiful salsa. I personally love tomatillos, but my husband thinks they’re tart, so I add a little agave to my tomatillo sauces!