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A chip is dipped into a white bowl filled with tomatillo salsa.
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Tomatillo Salsa Verde Recipe

Tomatillo Salsa Verde is a classic green sauce that is loaded with spicy flavor and is secretly so easy to make at home!  Tomatillos are roasted in the oven with peppers, onion, and garlic and then blended together until thick and chunky.  This authentic verde recipe tastes just as good as your favorite restaurants' and is incredible when paired with tortilla chips, enchiladas, tacos, or on top of chicken!

Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 16 servings
Calories 37 kcal
London Brazil

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ lbs. tomatillos husks removed
  • 1 medium onion sweet or white
  • 1-2 jalapeño peppers or serrano peppers
  • 4-6 garlic cloves
  • 2 Tbsp. oil avocado or olive
  • ½ cup cilantro leaves packed
  • 1 Tbsp. lime juice freshly squeeze
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

  2. Remove the husks and stems from the tomatillos and then rinse and scrub them thoroughly to remove the sticky coating.
  3. Trim the stems from the peppers, cut them in half lengthwise, and scoop out all of the seeds.

  4. Trim the ends from the onion, peel the outer layer of skin, and then cut it into quarters.

  5. Place the tomatillos stem-side up and jalapeño peppers skin-side up onto a large baking sheet along with the quartered onion and garlic cloves.
  6. Drizzle oil over all of the vegetables and rub it into their skin.
  7. Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the tomatillo skins begin to brown. Pull the garlic cloves out after 15 minutes to prevent burning.
  8. Add the roasted tomatillos, onion, jalapeño, garlic cloves that have been peeled, and any oil on the baking sheet to a large food processor along with the remaining ingredients.
  9. Pulse ingredients 10-20 times and then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue pulsing until the salsa reaches your desired consistency. (About 40-50 times.)
  10. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours for an even better flavor. Salsa will keep well for up to 4-6 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or up to 2-3 months if frozen.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Meal Prep and Storage

  • To Prep Ahead:  Salsa verde gets better after it sits for a few hours, so prep it ahead of time and pull it out just before serving.
  • To Store:  Homemade salsa will keep well for up to 4-6 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • To Freeze:  Frozen salsa will end up with a layer of water on the top once thawed.  To prevent this, add salsa that you'd like to freeze to a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook it down for 30-45 minutes.  Doing this will remove most of the extra moisture and result in a better frozen salsa.
  • To Reheat: Roasted salsa tastes delicious when served warm of cold.  If you'd like to serve it warm simply reheat it in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes just before serving.

 

Pro Tips and Tricks

  • Select tomatillos that are similar in size.  Smaller tomatillos will roast up faster than larger so make sure to look for ones that are a similar size.
  • Remove the stem with the husk.  If you peel the papery husk towards the stem it will give you more to hold onto so you can easily remove the stem with the husk.
  • Sweet onion will give the salsa a subtle sweetness.  White onions will also work well.  Avoid using yellow or red onions since they will give the salsa a pungent flavor.
  • Use 1 pepper for a mild salsa, 2 peppers for medium.  You can choose to use either jalapeño or serrano peppers.
  • Take the garlic out early.  Garlic cooks up pretty quickly and will burn if it is left in with the other vegetables while roasting.
  • Pulse and don't puree.  This helps you better control the final consistency of the salsa and gives you time to adjust the seasonings to your taste preference.
  • Wait a few hours before serving.  The salsa develops an even deeper, richer flavor as it sits in the refrigerator, so it's best if you prep it at least a few hours in advance!
Nutrition Facts
Tomatillo Salsa Verde Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 37 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 1g
Sodium 121mg5%
Potassium 152mg4%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 95IU2%
Vitamin C 7mg8%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.