Tomatillo Salsa Verde is a delicious, authentic salsa recipe, which is the green variety of traditional Mexican salsa. It goes great with anything from tacos to nachos. See how to make this easy authentic recipe today.
Salsa verde is one of my favorite Mexican sauces. It has so much flavor from just a few simple ingredients, and if you make it like I do, it packs a big punch of heat along with that flavor. I’ve been making it for years because it’s super easy to make and so versatile. I’ll serve it with tortilla chips as an appetizer, but I also love to put it on all kinds of Mexican dishes from tacos to burritos and everything in between. Heck, I’ve even been known to serve up steaks topped with this spicy green salsa. Hey, when you can make something in jus ta few minutes that tastes so good on so many different things, why wouldn’t you?
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
This recipe starts with fresh, ripe tomatillos, jalapenos, and serrano peppers. That’s right, I use both. I said it was spicy! I cook the tomatillos and peppers, then I blend them with the remaining ingredients until somewhat smooth. When it’s all done – which only takes a few minutes, by the way – I have a delicious, spicy salsa verde full of authentic Mexican flavor that I can put on or in just about anything. I routinely serve this on Taco Tuesdays, and it’s always gone by the end of the meal. You won’t find a better review than an empty bowl.
Why You’ll Love This Tomatillo Salsa Verde Recipe
- It is a delicious and versatile condiment that can be used on a variety of foods, from tacos and burritos to enchiladas and quesadillas, and can also be used as a dip for tortilla chips or vegetables.
- It is a healthy option made with fresh ingredients, such as tomatillos, onions, garlic, and chilies. It is a low-calorie and low-fat condiment that is also a good source of vitamins and minerals.
- It’s easy to make and is a quick, delicious, completely made from scratch, authentic salsa verde recipe that can be made at home, and all you need are a few fresh ingredients and a blender or food processor.
- It is a traditional Mexican condiment that has been enjoyed for centuries and is a staple in many Mexican dishes and is a popular choice for both home cooks and restaurant chefs.
Tomatillo Salsa Verde Ingredients
You’ll only need a handful of ingredients that you can easily find with a quick trip to your grocery store’s produce section. The actual measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Tomatillos are a type of green tomato that are husked before use and they have a tart and acidic flavor that is perfect for salsa verde.
- Jalapeños are a type of chili pepper that is known for its heat and are added to salsa verde to give it a bit of a kick.
- Serrano peppers are another type of chili pepper that is known for its heat as well, and are typically hotter than jalapeños.
- Garlic is a flavorful herb that is often used in salsa verde to add additional flavor.
- Onions are a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes, and are great to add more flavor to salsa verde.
- Water is used to help blend the ingredients together, and also helps to thin out the salsa, making it easier to pour.
- Salt is used to season the salsa and bring out the flavors of the other ingredients.
How to Make Tomatillo Salsa Verde
This delicious salsa is just as easy to make as it is to shop for. It only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps.
Step 1: Roast the Garlic
Add oil to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Then, add the garlic cloves and roast until soft. Transfer them to a Vitamix, food processor, or blender.
Step 2: Cook the Tomatillos and Peppers
Remove the husks and add the tomatillos, jalapenos, and serrano peppers to the same pan and cover them with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until soft and the color has changed to pale green. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the water.
Step 3: Blend
Add all the ingredients, including the reserved water, to the garlic in the Vitamix or blender and blend until smooth and at a desired consistency. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Never touch your face and always wash your hands when working with peppers.
- If your tomatillos change color before the jalapenos and serrano, simply remove the tomatillos and continue cooking the hot peppers until their color changes.
- It’s important to use the reserved water instead of plain water when making the salsa. It adds more flavor.
Variations
- To reduce the heat, remove the jalapeno and serrano seeds before blending them.
- For an even less both version, omit the jalapenos.
- For a mild version, omit both the serrano and jalapeno peppers.
- Try adding a bit of oregano for more flavor.
How to Choose Tomatillos
Perfect tomatillos should have a husk that completely covers the fruit, however, if the very bottom of the tomatillo pokes out, that’s okay. The husk should have no signs of tearing, and it should be fairly tight to the fruit. The tomatillo itself should be firm but not hard, giving just slightly to pressure. If it’s easily dented, it’s overripe.
What to Serve with Salsa Verde
A better question is what can’t you serve with this delicious condiment. This is perfect as a dip or in/on your favorite Mexican dishes. Try pairing it with:
- Tortillas chips are a classic way to enjoy tomatillo salsa verde, and they provide a nice contrast to the smooth and tangy salsa.
- Tacos are another delicious way to enjoy salsa verde like these popular options, such as, grilled chicken, pork, beef, or breakfast tacos, topped with this spicy homemade salsa verde.
- Flautas filled with your favorite fillings with tomatillo salsa verde served along side as a dipping sauce everyone will enjoy.
- Steaks are a great way to enjoy tomatillo salsa verde and it helps to tenderize the meat.
- Pork chops are great with salsa, adds a nice flavor to the pork, and helps to keep it moist.
- Chicken is a versatile ingredient that can be enjoyed with tomatillo salsa verde in a variety of ways, such as grilled, roasted, or sautéed, then topped with the salsa.
- Seafood like grilled shrimp and scallops are a delicious and healthy way to enjoy this tomatillo salsa verde recipe.
- Taquitos, Burritos, Fajitas, Quesadillas and Enchiladas are all even more delicious when you add homemade salsa verde to each of them.
As you can see, this stuff is good on or with just about anything. Get creative and see what you enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
What are tomatillos?
Tomatillos are small, edible fruit related to tomatoes. When ripe, they’re purplish or yellow, but they’re most commonly used in their unripen green form for salsa verde.
What do tomatillos taste like?
Tomatillos taste similar to tomatoes, although they’re slightly more acidic and slightly less sweet than tomatoes. They have a flavor that can be described as vegetal and bright – almost like tasting the color green.
What is tomatillo salsa verde?
It’s a traditional Mexican salsa. Contrary to what most people believe, the base recipe for salsa verde isn’t spicy. Salsa verde itself is made simply with tomatillos, garlic, onion, and water. From there, it can be as spicy as desired with the addition of various hot peppers.
Can you roast tomatillos instead of boiling them?
Although boiling is the most common way of cooking tomatillos, they can be roasted in the oven or on the stovetop. Roasting tomatillos tends to make them a bit less acidic because it concentrates the natural sugars in the flesh.
How long will salsa verde last?
Homemade salsa verde will last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer.
Can you freeze tomatillo salsa verde?
You sure can. It freezes very well and will last for up to 2 months in the freezer.
How to Store Leftover Homemade Salsa Verde
Store this tomatillo salsa verde in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 2 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
Try This Delicious Tomatillo Salsa Verde from Scratch Today
This tomatillo salsa verde is full of flavor and a kick of heat. What it’s not full of is work! This recipe comes together quickly and delivers authentic Mexican flavors that work well with everything from tortilla chips to tacos and even beef, pork, or chicken. Give this recipe a try. Once you do, you’ll be looking for ways to include it in almost everything. It’s that good!
More Delicious Mexican Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn – This is a classic Mexican recipe that is loaded with flavor, easy to make, and perfect to pair with your favorite Mexican main meal.
Tacos Dorados with Ground Beef – These ground beef tacos dorados are made with deliciously seasoned ground beef, onions, jalapenos, and cheese, and are fried to crispy perfection.
Beef Taquitos – These delicious taquitos are filled with tender, juicy shredded beef and fried until golden and crispy.
And, this delicious Easy Beef Street Tacos recipe from Deliciously Seasoned, that you’ll enjoy as well.
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Ingredients
- 6 tomatillos, husks removed,
- 4 jalapeno peppers, stems removed
- 3 serrano peppers, stems removed
- 2 cloves garlic, roasted
- ¼ onion
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add oil and heat over medium heat. Add garlic cloves and roast until soft. Remove and add to blender or Vitamix.
- In the same saucepan, add tomatillos, jalapenos, serrano peppers and onion (can remove the seeds in you do not want it to spicy).
- Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over medium high heat until soft and the color has changed to a pale green.
- Remove tomatillos and continue boiling the peppers until pale green, if needed.
- Drain water, reserving ⅓ cup.
- Add the cooked ingredients, salt and ⅓ cup water. Blend until combined and smooth.
Notes
Nutrition
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