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!
By far the best salsa verde recipe I have found! While simple, it’s important to have the right amount of each ingredient and have a method that works – this recipe does just that! Try it! You won’t be disappointed.
I’ve made this 4x in 4 weeks. It’s THAT good. I prefer the jalapeño over Serrano but both are delicious!
LOVE this recipe!! I added a little more garlic and cilantro than the recipe calls for just a personal preference. I’m making another batch tomorrow to freeze.
So I’d never had salsa verde before. I decided to grow tomatillos because.. why not? They grew amazingly! What to do with them? I tried this recipe- I was hooked. Made it the second time with just a little less cilantro (yep, I’m one of those) and brought it to a family get together where it got rave reviews. Making a double batch to share with work friends. Terrific recipe!
This was so delicious! The only thing I did different than the recipe was I used one serrano and one jalapeno. Oh and I threw the unpeeled cloves of garlic on the sheet pan when I roasted the tomatillos and peppers, but it probably would’ve been better if I just used them fresh. This salsa was almost a totally different product than what you get at a Mexican restaurant or in a jar at the grocery store (both gross to me). I needed this salsa to make your Carnitas Soup recipe, which turned out awesome as well. I saved a little to dip some tortilla chips in. I will definitely be making again!
We love this recipe! I have never cared for salsa Verde in a jar, but this is a complete game changer! Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Oops forgot to give my 5-stars
I make a pretty mean salsa; with that said “I’m a salsa lover “ so I’m pretty picky. Had some tomatillos bought last week so when I found this salsa verde recipe I decided ready I’ll give it a try. I followed the recipe exactly with the only exception was to add 2-Serrano and 1-jalapeño, wow it turned out great and with the perfect heat our family loves. The flavor was spot on, the color vibrant…yummy! Thank You!
Absolutely the best recipe. Could have cooked the Tomatillos a little more. Will definitely do this again.
This is an awesome and easy version of salsa verde. Family likes it better than red salsa now. Thanks for sharing