This roasted tomatillo salsa verde recipe is easy to make and customize to your liking, and always tastes absolutely delicious!
My tried-and-true favorite recipe for homemade salsa verde! ♡
Recipe Tips
Here are a few tips to always keep in mind when making tomatillo salsa verde:
- Choose ripe tomatillos. Look for firm tomatillos with tight, dry husks and vibrant green color. Avoid ones that feel sticky or shriveled.
- Keep an eye on the charring. Place your baking sheet 4 to 6 inches from the heat and broil for about 5 minutes per side, or until the tomatillos are nice and charred and blistered. But be sure keep a close eye so that they don’t overcook and burn.
- Add a splash of water or broth if it’s too thick. Tomatillos can vary in juiciness. If your salsa is too thick, loosen it up with a bit of water or chicken/vegetable broth without diluting the flavor.
- Adjust the heat to taste. Use more/less serrano or jalapeño peppers depending on your spice preference. The heat levels can vary significantly between fresh peppers, so if you’re sensitive to heat, I would always start with considerably less and you can always add more. Removing the seeds will also mellow the heat.
- Balance the acidity with sweetness, if needed. If your tomatillos seem overly tart, a small pinch of sugar or honey can help to mellow their acidity.
- Let it rest before serving. Give the salsa at least 30 minutes to rest so that the flavors can meld. It will taste even better after chilling for a few hours.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few different salsa verde variations that you’re welcome to try:
- Boiled salsa verde: Add the tomatillos, serrano, and garlic to a pot of boiling water. Simmer for 5–6 minutes, until tomatillos are pale and softened, then drain and blend with the remaining ingredients as instructed to make boiled salsa verde.
- Raw salsa verde: To make salsa verde cruda, skip the roasting and just blend all of the ingredients raw for a more acidic salsa with bright tomatillo flavor.
- Avocado salsa verde: Let the salsa cool to room temperature then blend in an avocado to make creamy avocado tomatillo salsa.
- Pineapple salsa verde: Add 1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks to the blender for a sweet-and-spicy twist.
- Apple salsa verde: Add 1 Granny Smith apple (cored) to the blender for a fresh apple twist.
More Mexican Salsa Recipes To Try!
Looking for more great salsa recipes to try? Here are a few of our favorites:
Salsa Verde
Learn how to make delicious, authentic, and irresistible Mexican tomatillo salsa verde recipe with this easy recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 1 serrano pepper (or jalapeño for milder heat), stem removed
- 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/3 cup diced white onion
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
Instructions
- Roast. Place the tomatillos, serrano, and garlic on a baking sheet. Broil for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until charred and softened
- Blend. Carefully squeeze out the roasted garlic flesh into a blender (or food processor), discarding the peels. Add the tomatillos, serrano and all of their juices to the blender, along with the cilantro, onion, lime juice, salt, and cumin (if using). Blend until smooth or pulse for a more chunky consistency.
- Season. Taste and season with additional salt or lime juice, if needed.
- Chill and serve. Let the salsa chill in the fridge for at least an hour to allow flavors to meld. Serve and enjoy, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
I just know salsa verde, Kayanya need to try ya …. thanks
YUM!! I’ve always been more of a salsa verde person, generally prefer it to the red – except, in restaurants it is always hotter and my stomach can no longer handle a lot of spicy heat. I would make this with a disemboweled jalapeño. There’s something about the flavor combination of salsa verde that tastes like heaven to me (there aren’t many things to do that for me). I’m glad you brought this recipe to our attention.
Thanks, Susan, we hope you enjoy this!
Actually a question. Love good Mexican food but I am one of those poor souls that has an aversion to cilantro – not only tastes soapy and astringent but even smells that way to me. I can take it in small amounts but it really ruins good food for me if there is too much. Read that it’s a legitimate thing. Believe me, I am NOT a fussy eater! ? What can I use in its place without ruining the integrity of the dish? Maybe a small amount of cilantro and supplement the balance with ?what?
Leslie, you might try some Mexican oregano to supplement the cilantro. I haven’t seen it fresh (except growing wild in our local state park), just dried, so you’d want to reduce the amount to about ⅓ of the cilantro called for. Mexican oregano has (at least for me) a much nicer flavor than the standard Italian stuff. I feel badly for you that you can’t do cilantro.
Anyone in the UK who can’t get tomatillos, they are so easy to grow if you have a greenhouse. Plant two plants as they need to pollinate each other, you’ll get loads.
can I freeze this -have too many green tomatoes since I didn’t like the taste of the rise ones . I have made this before but I need to freeze.
Hey there! Yes, we think you should be able to freeze this.
loved the taste but how would you make it thicker turned out a little thin.
My mom just boils in all and put it in a blender Tastes pretty good.
Thank you for sharing that tip with us Nidia! :)
About how much (volume-wise) does this make? 2 cups?
I believe so, yes!
This is so freakin easy and I will NEVER buy store bought again!! I didnt have a mortar & pestle, but I used a Magic Bullet….still worked. heh.
Thanks Emily, so glad you liked it!