Salsa Verde

Literally translated “green sauce”, from-scratch salsa verde is tangy, lightly spicy, and bursting with herbal flavor. So rich, you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful!

At a glance

What stands out: This salsa has tons of fresh flavor!

How long it takes: 20 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: oven, food processor, baking sheet
Servings: makes 3 cups

We’ve all had our share of regular salsa, which we do love, but this “green sauce” has such an exciting flavor, we kind of want to put it on everything!

Salsa verde is Mexico’s version of Italian basil pesto or Argentina’s parsley chimichurri; all three are bright green herb filled sauces.

A simple sauce made up of roasted tomatillos, onions, and spicy jalapeños, blended with lots of cilantro and lime juice–you’ll be amazed at the fresh taste of this bright green salsa. Way WAY way better than the jarred stuff you buy in the grocery store.

Please don’t judge salsa verde by what you’ve purchased in the past–it’s like comparing freshly made applesauce with the bland stuff that comes in little plastic cups. In other words, there’s no comparison. If you haven’t tried fresh salsa verde, you haven’t tried it at all.

Tacos, burritos, chili, chips, sandwiches, scrambled eggs, hot dogs, you name it, everything will benefit from a dollop of salsa verde. And guess what? Only 25 calories per serving (2 tablespoons)! It’s a guilt-free flavor splurge.

About this salsa verde recipe

This salsa verde recipe can be made in about 20 minutes and it’s kind of impressive when you say, “Well, we made this salsa verde myself!”

What You’ll Need

• Tomatillos: You’ll find these papery green “tomatoes” in the produce section of your grocery store, often by the peppers. See “Tomatillo Tips” for more information.
• Jalapeño Peppers: Halve the peppers and remove the ribs and seeds for less spicy heat.
• Onions: A couple of plain yellow cooking onions is all you need. If you prefer a different type of onion, that’s fine too.
• Cilantro: There’s a bunch of fresh cilantro in this salsa verde. Use the stems and the leaves.
• Lime Juice: You’ll want to use fresh squeezed lime juice, no substitutes.
• Oil, Salt: Just a bit of each is needed to roast the veggies.

Tomatillo Tips

Look for tomatillos that are bright green and firm. The papery husk should be pretty much intact. Store them in your fridge in a paper bag, for up to three weeks. To prep a tomatillo, simply peel off the husks with your fingers and rinse off the sticky residue.

How it comes together

Simply roast the tomatillos, onions, and jalapeño peppers coated with a little olive oil, under the broiler for about 10 minutes, or until they are soft and slightly charred. The roasting process mellows out the flavor, and enhances it, too.

Cool the roasted vegetables for 10 minutes or so, while you wash the cilantro and juice the limes. By the way, don’t worry, you don’t have to pick all those little leaves off the stems, just put the stems in, too! Cilantro stems have so much flavor, and they’re going to get blended with everything else, so there’s no sense in wasting them.

You can use either a blender or a food processor to make the salsa verde. The blender makes a slightly smoother sauce (as pictured in these images) but we prefer the food processor which leaves a little more texture, great for a chip dip!

Simply add the roasted vegetables (don’t drain off the juice, put that in too), lots of cilantro and lime juice to your blender or food processor and process until the salsa verde is the right consistency for you.

That’s it!

Make It your own

• If you’re a garlic lover, roast garlic cloves with the vegetables, or add raw garlic with the cilantro and lime.
• Like things a little more spicy? Include the seeds and ribs of the jalapeño pepper, or add more peppers.
• Make a creamy version by adding an avocado with the cilantro and lime before processing. For even more creaminess, stir in a half cup of sour cream. Note that the avocado version won’t keep as well and should probably be used immediately.
• This recipe can easily be halved or doubled.

Before you start

• Yield: 24
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 10 minutes
• Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 ounces tomatillos
• 2 jalapeño peppers
• 2 small yellow onions
• 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 cups fresh cilantro, lightly packed (small stems are fine!)
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Method

1. Peel the papery husks off the tomatillos, snap off the stems, and rinse well under warm water to remove the sticky residue. Cut each one in half. Halve the jalapeño peppers, and remove ribs and seeds if desired. Peel the onions and cut into quarters.
2. Place oven rack about 6 inches from the top of the oven and preheat oven broiler. Line a large rimmed sheet pan (about 18 x 13-inches) with foil.
3. On the sheet pan, toss tomatillos, jalapeño, and onion with oil and salt. Arrange with cut sides down.
4. Broil the vegetables until tender and starting to char, about 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them so they don't burn. Remove the pan from the broiler and cool for about 15 minutes.
5. Place roasted vegetables and any accumulated juices in a blender or food processor (see note). Add cilantro and lime juice and process to form a salsa, or until mixture reaches desired texture. Makes about 3 cups.

Notes

Blender vs. food processor: You can use a blender or a food processor to make salsa verde. A blender makes a slightly smoother sauce (as pictured in the images) but we actually prefer using our food processor because it leaves a little more texture. The chunkier salsa verde is reliable for scooping up with a tortilla chip.

Make it hotter: Include the seeds and ribs of the j alapeño peppers, or substitute serrano or habanero peppers.

Storage/freezing: Use salsa verde immediately, or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Can be frozen; use within 3 months (thaw overnight in the refrigerator).

Adjust the yield: Recipe can easily be halved or doubled. If you have a lot of tomatillos, this is a great way to use them. Freeze the extra salsa to enjoy later.

Variations: For a creamy salsa verde, add one roughly chopped avocado to mixture in blender. If desired, stir in ½ cup sour cream after blending. If you love garlic, add a few cloves to the roasting pan for a milder garlic flavor, or add fresh cloves with the cilantro for more pungent flavor.