I’m never going back to store-bought salsa verde! This salsa verde is fresh, bright, and not too salty like those store-bought versions.
Sometimes I have to remind myself that simple is best. This salsa was originally a component in a seven-layer dip concept, but the salsa blew the dip out of the water. One part, on its own, was so much better than the other six combined. This salsa verde is so fresh and irresistible.
Then, I made it a couple more times, with the same ingredients, but each time, it tasted a little different. That’s just what happens with a simple recipe made with natural ingredients. You can pick up each tomatillo, squeeze it to gauge ripeness and peel back the husk to look for bright green skin, but you don’t know how flavorful it really is until you taste it.
Add eleven more tomatillos to the mix, plus jalapeño that may or may not be crazy spicy, plus onion and cilantro of varying freshness, and you’ll never make a batch of salsa that tastes quite like another.
Your salsa will be delicious, fresh and so much better than the salty jarred varieties. I can guarantee that much. That’s the beauty of simple recipes made with fresh, natural ingredients—they’re inevitably awesome. Don’t over think it. Trust the recipe. Adjust to suit your taste buds.
Watch How to Make Salsa Verde
Salsa Verde Notes
Tomatillos look like small green tomatoes with husks, but they aren’t tomatoes—they’re cousins. I’ve had an easy time finding them at grocery stores lately. I tried making this salsa with raw tomatillos, but they’re borderline sour. Roasting them really brings out their best side.
Some roasted tomatillo salsas I’ve tried taste too roasted or smoky, but not this one. You can also control just how roasted those tomatillos get when you roast them yourself. I think it turned out just right with the times specified in the recipe below.
Uses for Salsa Verde
Salsa verde is great with pretty much anything that goes well with regular tomato salsa. I think it’s especially fantastic with sweet potatoes (check out these burritos and this burrito bowl) and eggs (like chilaquiles verdes, huevos rancheros, frittatas and breakfast tacos).
I also really love creamy avocado salsa verde, which you can make by throwing some diced avocado into the mix. I decided to divide my salsa in two and blend one avocado into one-half of the salsa. I’ve included instructions below.
Or, serve it alongside my favorite guacamole recipe with tortilla chips for the best of both worlds!
Please let me know how you like this recipe in the comments! I hope you love it as much as I do.
Are you building a salsa bar or taco spread? Don’t miss my favorite red salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, corn salsa or mango salsa.
PrintHomemade Salsa Verde
- Author:
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 ½ cups 1x
- Category: Salsa
- Method: Food processor
- Cuisine: Mexican
This roasted salsa verde recipe is so easy to make. Just roast the tomatillos and pepper(s) and blend with a few basic ingredients for the best salsa verde you’ve ever tasted! Recipe yields about 2 ½ cups salsa.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds tomatillos (about 12 medium), husked and rinsed
- 1 to 2 medium jalapeños, stemmed (omit for mild salsa, use 1 jalapeño for medium salsa and 2 jalapeños for hot salsa, note that spiciness will depend on heat of actual peppers used)
- ½ cup chopped white onion (about ½ medium onion)
- ¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves (more if you love cilantro)
- 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup lime juice (1 to 2 medium limes, juiced), to taste
- ½ to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- Optional variation: 1 to 2 diced avocados, for creamy avocado salsa verde
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler with a rack about 4 inches below the heat source. Place the tomatillos and jalapeño(s) on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until they’re blackened in spots, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven, carefully flip over the tomatillos and pepper(s) with tongs and broil for 4 to 6 more minutes, until the tomatillos are splotchy-black and blistered.
- Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, combine the chopped onion, cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice and ½ teaspoon salt. Once the tomatillos are out of the oven, carefully transfer the hot tomatillos, pepper(s) and all of their juices into the food processor or blender.
- Pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth and no big chunks of tomatillo remain, scraping down the sides as necessary. Season to taste with additional lime juice and salt, if desired.
- The salsa will be thinner at first, but will thicken up after a few hours in the refrigerator, due to the naturally occurring pectin in the tomatillos. If you’d like to make creamy avocado salsa verde, let the salsa cool down before blending in 1 to 2 diced avocados (the more avocado, the creamier it gets).
Notes
Recipe adapted from Rick Bayless, Serious Eats and Simply Recipes.
Storage suggestions: This salsa verde should keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 1 week. If you added avocado, it will keep well for about 3 days—be sure to press plastic wrap against the top surface to prevent oxidation.
Change it up: Feel free to substitute red tomatoes for a more traditional roasted tomato salsa.
Kate
YES! My husband always makes this from scratch (tomatillos from a can though, as fresh is hard to come by here in Germany) for slow cooked pork on the weekends and it’s amazing! I’ll have to give him your recipe to try for next time.
Susi
Hi, I just happened to read this. I’m from Bavaria and I’ve been growing my own tomatillos from seeds. So easy, and you can even do it in a pot on your balcony in case you don’t have a garden.
Kate
How cool! Thanks for letting me know, Susi.
Christine
Susi, I love this recipe as well My family lives in Germany. Where did you get your seeds, can they buy tomatillo seeds in a store? Canned tomatillos don’t sound that great to me, but never tried them.
Thanks for any advice
Susi
Hi Christine, I’m so sorry! I only see this omment now that I’m googling tomatillo recipes again! I always get the seeds on ebay. :-)
Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
This looks perfect! Salsa verde is my absolute favorite, and I love the suggestion of adding avocado for a creamier dip! Pinned!
J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats
Homemade salsa verde is the best and sooo easy to make! I think the hardest part is procuring the tomatillos. It freezes wonderfully too if you make too much.
Random story: the girl the bf used to date once made him fresh salsa verde from her family’s recipe and she had talked it up so much and he was so excited to try it but it tasted awfulllll. Turns out her family just chucks all the raw ingredients into a blender and ya, raw tomatillos are pretty sour. Eek.
Kate
Hey J.S.! Thanks for the freezing tip! Raw tomatillos are suuuuper sour. Not surprised he didn’t like it!
Lisa
Also helped for my only question here…freezing! This recipe sounds so good that I’ve already bought all my ingredients and am making it in just a few mins! Thank you for posting this :)
Malia @ Small Town Girl
Roasted tomatillos! Brilliant! I am making this very soon. Perfect for a hot summer day. Yum!
Melissa
Yummy! I love salsa verde on scrambles egg whites.
Katie (Veggie and the Beast)
This looks awesome! Love the idea of roasting the tomatillos and peppers before blending. I’ll have to give this a try when tomatillos start showing up in my CSA!
Sarah | Well and Full
Wow, 450 recipes! Congratulations on so many recipes!! :)
Kate
Thanks, Sarah!
Ileana
*Roasting* the tomatillos! So smart. This looks so dang good. We had tacos at home the other day, and I realized I really need to work on my salsa game. This one is going on my to-cook list!
Nellie Price
I haven’t used tomatillos for many years, but they are readily available now. I’ll try roasting some soon. I always make salsa from scratch and “toast” peppers in a toaster oven. No turning necessary, oven works on a timer, and the juices fall into the drip tray.
Kate
Oh, I bet those toasted tomatillos taste just as good! I’d stick with that method if it works well for you! :)
Mark
Hmmmm. Great idea Nellie. Thanks! I usually roast them in an iron skillet, but it’s a pain.
Callie
I would never have thought to use a toaster oven……brilliant!
I think I found my soulmate :)
Eileen
Salsa verde is my favorite — which means this is making me super hungry! Definitely going to have to give it a try!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
I agree, sometimes it just feels like ‘But should I be doing more with this?!’ when I do a recipe. I do find that people love the simplest things the most, like this lovely salsa. I’m picturing this paired with a chips and beer and eaten on a patio : )
Kate
Yep, I think we all love a good simple recipe. Even us food bloggers who like to make things complicated. ;) This salsa would taste even better on a patio, for sure!
Liz
Thank you for the lovely recipe. I love salsa verde.
Cassie
This is great! I love making homemade salsa. Pico de gallo is amazing too!
Deepthi
I’m so gonna make this as a salad dressing!!!
shay
I can totally picture eating this with a corn tortilla and refried black beans. Can’t wait to try!
Dorcas@feelgoodfoodblog
I’ve always loved Salsa Verse on my burritos and enchiladas but have never made it before. Glad to know tomatillos must be roasted before purreeing. One of my summer must-do recipes. Thanks!
Leah @ Grain Changer
I LOVE salsa verde, especially from scratch! Soooo much better than the jarred stuff. I usually make mine by boiling the tomatillos, but the idea of roasting them sounds incredible!!! Being the salsa addict that I am, I have no doubts that I will be trying this in the next few days. Thanks for yet another amazing recipe, Kate!
Kate
I haven’t tried the boiling method! I think roasting them brings out more flavor, but I’ll have to give that a shot. Thanks, Leah!
Gaby
Homemade salsa is the best…looks delicious!!!
Emily
Funny, I just had it in my mind that I wanted to try making a tomatillo salsa after seeing them everywhere in the markets, but I hadn’t given much thought to using them raw or roasted. Will give roasted a try!
Kate
Roasted is way better than raw, that’s for sure! I’ve also seen pan-roasted and boiled methods.
Joanne
Well now I’m definitely never buying salsa verde again…there’s no point when it’s so easy to make at home! From scratch!
Kate
Right?! Thanks, Joanne!
Taylor @ The Girls on Bloor
I’ve been wanting to make salsa verde for so long but never know how to choose the tomatillo! May have to try making this summer!
Kate
Perfect! Hope you love this salsa, Taylor!
thefolia
Viva la homemade salsa verdi…it’s my favorite…especially tomatillos harvested from your very own edible garden…yum!
Jessie
We just bought a jar of this for a recipe. I’m SO happy to find a recipe easy enough for me in my email. :)
Zofia @ Kiwi Phase
The salsa verde looks amazing! This is actually the first time I have come across a salsa recipe and wanted to make it, so thanks :)
Claire
I made this salsa yesterday after coming across extremely cheap tomatillos at the store — less than $1/lb! I will say this recipe makes a LOT of salsa (2 jars full for me with 1.5 avocados added), so it would come in handy if you have a party or something like that coming up. I also found that it came out a little more citrus-y than I expected –which I like, but I might just use one lime next time. I was worried about over roasting the tomatillos, but ended up feeling like I could have roasted them much longer! I served this over your recent quinoa/black bean tacos with plenty of arugula, avocado and goat cheese — delightful combo. Thank you for another hit, Kate!
Kate
Thanks, Claire! I appreciate your feedback. I’ll adjust the recipe accordingly. I actually used three limes in my salsa and didn’t find it too limey, but I love citrus! So glad you enjoyed it. Those tacos sound epic.
Stephanie
Funny, my son eats pico de gallo by the bowl-full (straight), and loves it with tomatoes, with tomatillos, and with a combination. All raw! I love it, too. Though our farm share tomatillos are sweeter than any I’ve ever found at the stores.
I’ll try some roasted, too… Will see how he likes it.
Kate
I believe you! I love pico de gallo. I remember when I tried it during a family trip to Mexico and proceeded to pile pico de gallo on every meal for the rest of the trip.
Joel
I just made this salsa verde. I made it in the oven under the broiler. I’m really surprised at how sweet the finished food really is…., I roasted 10 tomatillas, 6 cloves garlic, 2 jalapenos, 2 seranos, a hand full of cilantro, 4 green onions, salt, 3 limes,and blended all while it was still warm-hot. Roasted all except cilantro and salt and next time i will roast other types of peppers for better flavor on the roast. Only disappointment is this beautiful roast tastes too sweet (as if i put sugar in but i didnt).
Kate
That’s interesting, Joel! I don’t recall this one being very sweet for me. I wonder if your tomatillos had more naturally occurring sugar than my batch. Roasting really mellows out/sweetens the flavor of peppers, so you might try adding a raw pepper to the mix next time.
Jennifer
Roasted garlic becomes very sweet
Crystal
So…I’ve been using your recipes and tips for a while now and can I just say: thank you!? I am an Oregonian but lived in SW Kansas for a year (hubby worked on windmills). While there, I pretty much survived on steak, corn and ugh, Wal-Mart! Are you sure youre from Kansas!? ;) I’m so happy to be back here but Kansas will always have a special place in my heart…just too odd that I stumbled upon your blog in search of “the best brownies,” – p.s, they really are! The point: My in-laws are all vegetarian. I love healthy, raw, local and whole foods but was raised a meat-eater and truly love meat also…I was struggling for simple, fresh, meatless recipes that make us all happy. Now, i just ask Cookie and Kate! I’m so grateful to share your healthy recipes with my family…it’s one way this carnivorous babe shows them – and myself – more love. Learning to cook veggie-style is an incredible creative process! Thanks!
Kate
Hey Crystal! I’m glad you found my blog! Thank you for saying hello. :) It’s true, I live in Kansas and grew up in Oklahoma! So glad you like those brownies—they’re my favorite, too. Truly delighted by your comment, thank you!
Sarah Anderson
Hi Kate! It was so nice meeting you last night at Pierpont’s! I LOVE your blog – absolutely beautiful! Keep up the great work!
Kate
Hey Sarah! It was great to meet you! I’m so glad you commented, because I was kicking myself for not getting your blog’s name at Pierpont’s! Hope to see you again soon!
Elizabeth
I’ve actually never used my broiler (!) and typically don’t go for salsa verde, but you inspired me to give it a try! I made this last night and it was a big hit in our house! Thanks for sharing! Well done, Kate! :)
Kate
Hooray! Glad you put that broiler to use and enjoyed the salsa. Thank you, Elizabeth!
Claire
Hey Kate — I’ve been enjoying this salsa so much that I was wondering if you might consider putting together a red salsa recipe in the future? No pressure/rush! Just love your blog and your recipes have all been real hits. I’d love to see your take on a classic red salsa!
Kate
Hey Claire! Really happy to hear that, thank you! I have a red salsa on my list, but I’m not sure if I’ll post it before summer ends. I really think this salsa would be fantastic with red tomatoes instead of tomatillos, if you want to give that a shot!
Janice
Going to try this verde receipe. I have a similar red salsa receipe that is delishous
Kate
I hope you like it, Janice!
Kirk
Just made it. Had to try it out right away. Blew on it to cool it down some. Love it. Be great on my scrambled eggs tomorrow morning, and along with doritto chips during the Packer game tomorrow.
Kate
Thanks, Kirk!
Molly
Thank you for another great recipe. Cannot wait to have this with huevos rancheros.
Kate
Hooray! Thanks, Molly!
Jessica
Never made salsa before and I made this one and my husband LOVES it! I can’t keep it in the house! I added some roasted garlic in the recipe and within 24 hours of making the salsa, it’s gone!
Kate
Woohoo! Thanks, Jessica!
Brooke
Kate
Can you freeze this?
I have so many tomatillos from my garden that I want to make some recipes that will last through the winter.
Thank you!! Brooke
Kate
Hi Brooke, I’m sorry for the slow response! I think you can!
Kenneth Gamble
I would like to know if I could can this so I can have it threw out the year. If so let me know if there would need to have anything added so it will keep. Thanks
Kate
Hi Kenneth, that’s a really good question. I think you would have to can the salsa to keep it year-round, and I’m not a canning expert so I have no idea if this salsa is suitable for canning. You might have good luck freezing it!
Heidi
Kenneth,
I just came across this recipe and was thrilled to see your question since I, also, would like to can. Please let me know how it came out for you. One thought I had was to can WITHOUT the avocado and adding it later. Let me know what you think (and what you did).
Candice
We’ve been making one fave red salsa recipe for years but have only ever had green in restaurants. Today I scored a bag of 35 (yup 35) medium tomatillos in the discount produce bin for 89¢ and 30 were keepers. So incredibly excited to use your recipe and freeze about 2/3 of the salsa verde. Thank you! Awesome pictures btw.
Kate
35 tomatillos! Hope you love how this salsa turned out, Candice!
Colby
Great Verde! I want to try some chilis other than japs, maybe Serranos or whatever I can find at the Mexican market. Re-canning/jarring, I think your recipe would be fine for jarring – just replace the fresh lime juice with bottled. You’re beautiful! (and the blog is pretty nice too) Cookie is a lucky dog.
Kate
Thanks, Colby! :)
Momma B
Just made this. So YUMMY!!!!! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Kate
Yay! Thank you, Momma B.
Charlene
I’m a salsa verde freak. I scramble about a teaspoon and a half of the jarred salsa verde into my scrambled eggs for breakfast, but I’ve never tried fresh, and I’ve never made it from scratch. Definitely going to try this!
Kate
I’m also a salsa verde freak. I think you’re going to love the homemade kind!
Aki
I’m going to make this delicious salsa verde again for Christmas dinner! When I made it first time, my husband loved it so much, and guess what? He is Mexican! Thanks for the great recipe!!!!
Kate
Awesome!!! Really glad to hear it.
Birdie
I made this tonight with my daughter who is almost 3. She was in charge of removing the tomatillo husks and rinsing them, and also helped with squeezing the limes. Your blog is helping this household of reluctant vegetable eaters turn into avid veggie monsters. We can’t wait to put this on tomorrow night’s dinner of the sweet potato green rice burrito bowls which is now my favorite meal.
Kate
That’s wonderful. Thank you, Birdie!
michael
Made this last night, but added 2 cloves of roasted minced garlic. Juice of one whole lime was a little much for me but it got rave reviews from the girlfriend! :)
Kristy
Love love love this salsa! I make it whenever I make tacos. My hubby, having grown up in Texas, says this is better than any salsa Verde he’s had! From a man who would live off chips and salsa, this is pretty huge! Thank you for the recipe!!!!
Kate
Wow, that is quite a compliment! Thank you to you both!
Debbie
My husband loves the public markets but always comes home with strange things for me to prepare something with. Today it was small green tomatoes. So the search began to find a recipe and I stumbled on this one. I made this and it is fabulous! I did use one avocado as I found it a bit bitter without and it was perfect. He can bring me small green tomatoes anytime!
Bex
Fantastic! This is great with and without the avocado. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Matthew
Love this simple recipe! I broiled the tomatillos in my Krups toaster oven on high for 10 mins on each side. I couldn’t believe all the juice in the pan. I then transferred them to my Vitamix blender with all the other ingredients and flash blended. This was my first attempt at Salsa Verde but this yummy recipe made me look like an expert! Thanks, Kate!
Bill
I have made this salsa many different ways in the past, but I appreciate your comments that address simplicity and the honesty with respect to reproducibility. Thank you
Jon
So simple and FRESH! Made it today in about 10 minutes and will be enjoying it tonight after work with some home made tortilla chips! :P
Garfman
I’ve made this twice. The first time I followed the recipe to a ‘T’. This time I added more jalapeño. Fresh lime juice makes a huge difference, too. Because I use Himalayan salt, I reduced it by half.
My family loved it and informed this was the only recipe we will be using in the future.
Laura
Made it for Cinco de Mayo served over pork chops. Delicious and sweet. I toasted under broiler about 30 mins and would use 2 chiles next time, but will definitely make this again. Nice to know the flavor will vary with the ripeness of the tomatillos. Thank you for posting this.
Jeff
Thanks this really helped. I tried to short cut by not roasting the tomatillos!
Jeff
I just made this recipe and its amazing!! We put it on some home tacos with corn tortillas and it was to die for. Its nice being able to make this instead of having the crap off the shelf full of additives and preservatives!!!! Thank you for this recipe
Candace
Just made this with fresh ingredients from my garden. It was amazing. I am saving some to use with homemade tamales later this week.
I love using verde salsa mixed with greek yogurt as a creamy and light enchilada “sour cream” sauce. But this is the first time I have had tomatillos in the garden in order to make it from scratch. It is so much better than the canned name brand variety we often purchase. I only had 15 tomatillos today but I promise when I get a few dozen at a time in a couple weeks, I will be making this in large batches to throw into my freezer.
Teena
can this be caned?
Christina
Incredibly flavorful and super-easy! Kate, have you ever tried canning this salsa? I wonder if it is acidic enough to keep well.
Sarah
What would you change if planning to can? This is the best looking recipe I have found and would love to can for longer storage.
Kimber
I love this recipe! It is so easy and the best tasting salsa verde I have ever made!
Kate
Thank you so much, Kimber!
Thomas
Delicious
Kate
Thanks, Thomas!
Eduardo
Thanks. It was delicious and super simple.
Kate
Awesome, thanks Eduardo!
Jan Jorgensen
Thank you for your yummy recipes. I enjoy many of them very much. I just wanted to mention that on my computer after I click on the “print”
icon the new printable page opens without a button for the actual printing – It’s okay for me – I just use “control” – P and get my page. I haven’t tried this recipe yet but I would give lots of stars to your other recipes that I’ve used – the mango salsa for instance. Best wishes !
Kate
Thanks, Jan! I think that “print” popup is dependent on your browser, so I can’t do much about it. I am glad that you figured out how to make it work for you!
Jayne
This turned out horribly. I am not sure what went wrong, but it just tastes bitter; I plan to throw the whole batch. I followed the recipe to a T.
Joe
Great flavor. Broiling worked well. I used one whole seeded anaheim (very mild) in place of jalapeno because I like the green pepper flavor. Tomatillos are naturally tart, so next time I may back off from 2 TBS of lemon. (Didn’t have lime). Also used 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp oregano.
Sandra Bittner
Most delicious and easy recipe. I will make again and again. Especially to go with my tamales….Thank you so much ….
Kim Fitzgerald
I was just in Mexico and one of my FAVORITE salsa’s there was at a restaurant called Tomatoe’s in Cabo and the server was kind enough to give me her version of how to make it. She didn’t give me amounts of each so I googled ‘roasted’ green chili salsa and found this recipe. I make it after going to the store and it is delicious! I like my salsa pretty hot so I used 6 serrano peppers as well as red HOT pepper that we grew this year in the garden and that livened up to my liking for sure.. Great recipe to try for those of us who has never made this type of salsa before and it was really easy using your ingredients and times for roasting.. Thank you!!!
Kate
Thank you for your note, Kim! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! I need to plan a trip to Mexico soon, I think. :)
Donna
Thank you for the recipe, very good! My first time making salsa ever. I grew tomatillos this year I always love the visual addition to the garden, but as in the past never knew what to do with them. I found this recipe and tried it and now I can’t wait till next summer to plant more and enjoy this homemade treat again.
Kate
Thanks, Donna! I bet it was extra delicious with your home-grown tomatillos.
Jan
I have been making a pretty awesome tomato salsa for years, that people asked me for the recipe for, but started to also like the salsa verde at a “real” Mexican restaurant that my daughter was the head jefa at. She can’t give me the restaurant’s recipe…sworn to secrecy.
Last year I bought a tomatillo seedling from the nursery for my garden in hopes of making salsa. I didn’t think about needing to have at least two plants, so beautiful large plant but no tomatillos! Bought 2 plants this year and have a wonderful harvest.
I think I will attempt canning in1cup jars but will do some investigating as to processing the jars.
My little hint….. when I broil/roast peppers or tomatoes, is to cut them in half, and lay them skin side up on the pan, then no need to turn them over. Depending on the shape, I cut them in the direction to have the most surface area exposed.
Excited to try your recipe.
Kate
Hi Jan, thank you for the tip! That’s a great idea. I hope you love this salsa.
Gina
this is almost just like my mothers in Mexico except she boils all the ingredients the tomatillos the garlic clove the onion n pepper the adds the seasons awesome recipe Ty!!
Susan
This is one of my favorite recipes. My family and I love making it. So yummy.
Cath
This will be the third time in a few months that I have made this. The last two times, I doubled the recipe. Yup, my husband and I are going through it that fast. I followed the recipe exactly the first time, added more cilantro (I am crazy about it!) for the next two. I also canned this with great success. Since several people have asked, I used the boiling water bath method, used pint jars and processed for ten minutes. It did “gel” and thicken quite a bit but I was able to stir it until it was more liquid-y. If you wanted more pour-ability, I would guess adding some water before you served it would do the trick.
Lori
Followed your recipe and very happy with results. Used 2 jalapeños and it’s hot but not too hot for my taste. Added to onion, red potato and tofu scramble and was very yummy. Will try with avocado soon. Thank you for sharing.
Monica
Hi Kate, great recipe! I have just one suggestion that I learned from my grandfather, who used to make fresh salsa every week. He said to let the tomatillos cool before adding them in with the cilantro becasue the hot tomatillos will cook the delicate cilantro and make them taste bitter :).
Josh
My wife is allergic citrus so lime/lemons are out. Any ideas how I could tweak this recipe? Would it work without the lime juice?
Thanks in advance!
Becky
Try using white vinegar. I’m not sure of the ratio I’m pretty sure it’s not 1:1 so I would just slowly add to taste.
Hope this helps
Susan
I’m very late to this party, but am very grateful that you rescued me when I needed a salsa verde recipe. I’m planning to make a dish this coming week that calls for salsa, and I detest bottled red salsa (I’m always happier when tomatoes aren’t involved in the dishes I make). So I figured to make my own salsa verde, and voila! There you were with the perfect recipe. I’m also pleased that there is no garlic in this recipe. I’m sure this will turn out very nicely.
Kate
Great! Glad to hear you found this right on time. Let me know how it works out!
Susan
Kate, this recipe is to die for good. I made it without jalapeños, and used two limes. It made the recipe I made the salsa for, and when my husband cooks next week, he’s going to use some of it to make breakfast burritos. Yum! I’m really glad that when I did a search for salsa verde that your blog was the top hit. The recipe is a definite keeper.
Kate
Glad this is so versatile, Susan!
Diana Braziel
Do you peel off the skins of the tomatillo or just blend dark spots and all?
Kate
I just blend the whole roasted tomatillos. That’s how to achieve that nice charred flavor.
cakespy
Wish me luck! Gonna give this baby a try. Thanks for sharing and offering such beautiful process shots!
Kate
Good luck, Cakespy! Let me know how it turns out.
Mary
Thanks for this wonderful recipe! Due to cumin allergies, we can’t buy canned salsas very easily. Salsa Verde is such a great no-spices-needed way of getting serious Mexican flavors. You are absolutely right about how each batch can vary so much from one to the next, but still be delicious. I really like your tip about adding avocados. Thanks again, I learned a lot from this post!
Kate
I’m so glad this fit your needs, Mary! I appreciate the comment. :)
Paul Siami
this looks great. I have all the ingredients and looked for a good recipe, now, I found it. Thank you
Kate
Perfect!
Toby
I am going to try this recipe. Sounds so yummy! I was just wondering if I add avocado how long would you say it is edible? I usually can’t leave guacamole too long in the fridge before it gets funky.
Bonnie
Really tasty and easy. Grow my own tomatillos in the garden. Good on crackers with cheese or just as a dip for chips. :) Good way to use them up when you have a lot.
Bonnie
Tip: I used spring onions and a red onion instead of white. Tastes a bit sweeter.
Kate
Oh, freshly-grown tomatillos sound delicious, Bonnie.
Julie
Have looked at alot! This looks perfect! Less creamy for me! Thank u!
Kate
You’re welcome, Julie! I hope it goes well.
Erika
Is this better if you eat it right away….I’m making it for a party that is in 2 days…I have time now and wondered if its something that is even better in a few days??? or better right away….
Kate
I like it both ways! Waiting allows the flavors to marinate more, so I don’t think it’d be a problem to keep for a couple days.
Mary
I made this recipe last year for Salsa Sampler Christmas gifts for my whole family (only homemade gifts for my family who has everything.)
Everyone who tried this salsa loved it. I jarred it up for the gifts (using USDA guidelines) so I couldn’t put the avocado in. I’m going to set a little aside this year to do the avocado recipe.
Glad I bookmarked your site so I can make it again this year. I’ll try to remember to post pics. Here I go, off to peel tomatillos… (STICKY!)
Kate
What a fabulous idea, Mary! I love it. I’m so glad your family enjoyed it. Definitely, post pics next time you make it!
Becky
I’ve made salsa verde before but my other recipe called for boiling the main ingredients and then blending so thought I’d give broiling a shot and I’m happy I did. I think it adds a little extra flavor.
I did make a few changes just based on personal preference: used 1.5 serrano chiles and 1 anaheim pepper in place of the jalepeno which gives it a medium spicy kick to it. Also added a few cloves of garlic (not broiled just thrown in the blender).
I’ll definitely be making this again!
Kate
Great! I’m happy you could dial up the heat to your tastes, Becky.
Doug
This was absolutely amazing and I’m playing with new combinations of chiles now to try and make it perfect for me. So far I’ve liked the combo of a poblano an Anaheim, a jalapeno and a serrano and then making a double recipe.
Thank you so much for an amazing salsa.
It also makes a fantastic chile verde, so thank you for that, too.
Kate
Yum! Happy experimenting, Doug!
Gaye
Hi Kate,
We are in the middle of winter here in Australia’s blue mountains and I have recently seen red tomatillos with no husk in our local super market. I am guessing they would suit your salsa recipe? From memory they have a very tough skin.
Looking forward to hearing from you☺
Gaye
P Aguilar
I can attest to the authenticity of your recipe.I was taught to make salsa by Mexican women. I can make red & green, but verde (green) is my favorite. The ratio of tomatillos to onions is really to your taste as is how much salt. Your ratio is good. The only thing I have to add is that the Mexican cooks who taught me used a cast iron skillet heated up on the stove to roast the tomatillos. You put in as many at a time as the skillet will hold and you roll them around every once in a while to roast all sides. You have more control that way.
Kate
Thanks, P! I’m happy this passes the authenticity test. :)
P Aguilar
Happy to support you. Just a little disclaimer, I think your recipe might need a clove or two of garlic. I don’t think I ever cook Mexican without it.
Nicole
STAGGERINGLY DELICIOUS! I added tomatillis to my garden this year and had a bumper crop. This recipe… Well, let’s just say that I almost literally can’t get enough of the stuff. My whole family is crazy for it. The happy noises around the dinner table are a bit obscene
Kate
This made me laugh out loud, Nicole! I’m happy to hear it was such a hit.
Carrie
Great recipe! Just made this amazingly refreshing salsa verde and added garlic for a little more punch. Love it, no more store bought salsa for me!
Jessica G.
Delicious!! I followed the recipe with two slight tweaks – First, I tossed in a little raw garlic (we’re huge garlic fans in my house :) ). Second, I personally prefer my salsa verde to have a little sour “twang” to it, so I roasted half the tomatillos and one jalapeno, and tossed the other half and another jalepeno in raw. The result was a wonderful half tangy/half smoky flavored salsa verde that I will definitely be making again and again!
*I scooped about 1/4 of the salsa batch into a bowl to enjoy by itself, but the rest I dumped in a crock pot with 1.5 lbs of chicken breast, cooked on high for 3 hours, then shredded the chicken and returned it to the pot to meld with the salsa. DELICIOUS!! I’ve made it with jarred salsa many times, but this was hands down the best batch so far, all thanks to your yummy recipe. Thank you for sharing it with us! :)
Kate
Awesome! I love this sauce, there are so many uses for it. Your tangy version sounds great.
Candace
I’ve seen recipes using green garden tomatoes in place of tomatillos. What do you think? I was wanting to freeze the salsa after.
Teresa Rust
Our family loved this salsa recipe! I will be making this for years to come!
Anita Kirner
This recipe is very good except you don’t have garlic in it. I roasted four garlic cloves with the tomatillos and peppers and it was very good. I canned mine in quart jars using a pressure canner.
pocketchange
Great basic Verde Sauce..
Play with the ingredients to bring this up to your standard(s).
I tend to parboil rather than roast (I’m lazy.)
Very little salt. Sparing use of spices (to start) gives a custom taste. It’s never the same result anyway… pc
Kate
Thank you for your comment and sharing your method! I appreciate the feedback and review.
SherrieB
This recipe sounds AMAZING!! Can’t wait to try it. Thank you!
Kate
Let me know what you think when you do!
Mai
Can I use a blender instead of a food processor?
Kate
Yes! Just make sure you what for the consistency you would like.
Mai
Thank you so much for the salsa verde recipe. My husband said it was a lot better than store version. I have made 2 batches since I found your recipe.
Mai
Hi Susie,
My husband and I simply love your salsa verde recipe. We made 1 batch and it was so good that we ate the whole batch so I had to make another one. This is definitely a keeper. Thank you.
Kate
That’s great! If you wouldn’t mind leaving a star review since you liked it so much, that would be great.
Jessie Johnston
This salsa is absolutely delicious! My boyfriend is a chef and was super impressed. I left mine a little chunky and used it in your chilaquiles recipe. I used 2 jalapeños and it turned out really spicy. Next time I will only use 1. Will definitely make again.
Kate
Glad to hear! Thank you, Jessie for the comment and review.
Mary Anne
My niece just gave me a Vitamix as a gift! I was looking for a recipe involving tomatillos. This was super easy and tasted great too. Thanks!!!
Kate
What a thoughtful niece and gift! You’re welcome.
Jim
Mine came out very sour, even after roasting the tomatillos. Any ideas on how to prevent this for next time? Tomatillos are naturally pretty sour so I’m wondering if the 1/4 cup lime juice was the problem as that seems like a lot.
Thanks!
Kate
Hi Jim, I’m sorry to hear that! A while back, I adjusted the recipe to suggest 2 to 4 tablespoons lime juice, to taste. Is that the version you were working from? It might also be that your tomatillos weren’t roasted long enough—they’re quite sour when raw, but become much sweeter when well-roasted.