Salsa Verde Recipe (3 Different Ways)
Got tomatillos? Make tomatillo salsa with this homemade salsa verde recipe featuring 3 different methods: raw green salsa, roasted tomatillo salsa, and avocado salsa verde.
Homemade salsa verde! This tomatillo salsa recipe couldn’t be easier, and I’ve got three different ways of making it, depending on how you like your green salsa.
It’s no secret that we eat a lot of salsa in my house– from my homemade canning salsa to my salsa roja to mango salsa to my creamy jalapeno salsa, I put salsa on just about everything. Breakfast tacos, enchiladas, lentil tacos, burrito bowls. Almost every dish benefits from a hit of fresh salsa!
Enjoy the tangy flavors of tomatillos, jalapenos, cilantro, and lime blended together to create a vibrant and flavorful green salsa recipe that pairs perfectly with tacos, chips, or any Mexican dish.
This salsa verde recipe is actually three in one: a quick raw version, a roasted tomatillo salsa, and an avocado salsa verde. See below for more details, or scroll down for instructions to make all these salsa verde versions in the recipe card.
Everything You Need to Make this Salsa Verde
Why this Salsa Verde Recipe Works
If you haven’t tried tomatillo salsa before, you are in for a treat. More acidic and slightly tart than tomato salsa, this salsa verde recipe is great paired with chips or spooned over homemade salsa verde enchiladas or your favorite tacos.
The raw version of this salsa recipe is ready in just minutes, so if you’re looking for a last-minute appetizer, then I highly recommend making a batch of this one!
Salsa Verde Ingredient Notes
For this green salsa verde recipe, you’ll need tomatillos. If you haven’t cooked with tomatillos before, you’ll find them at well-stocked grocery stores in the produce section.
Tomatillos come in a husk and look for ones where the husk is still mostly covering the tomatillo. They should be firm but not rock-hard or squishy. This recipe calls for 1/2 pound of tomatillos, or about 10 tomatillos.
For the roasted salsa verde version, you’ll need a poblano pepper. For the avocado salsa verde recipe, you’ll need an additional avocado.
I prefer the slightly sweet taste of red onion in this recipe, but you can also substitute a white onion if desired. This recipe can be doubled or tripled depending on how many pounds of tomatillos you have. Or, if you want a smaller batch, you can halve the recipe.
How to make Tomatillo Salsa
Peel the husks
Remove the husks from the tomatillos, then rinse and cut in half.
Process
Add the halved tomatillos to the base of a food processor and blend.
Add in the rest of the Ingredients
Place the rest of the ingredients in the food processor: onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, salt, pepper and blend again. Taste and season as needed, adding more salt or lime juice as desired.
How to make Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
For the roasted version, you’ll prepare the tomatillos the same way by removing the husks. Then, you will blanch them in hot water. The blanching helps to soften the tomatillos and brighten the color.
To blanch, bring a pot of water to a boil and add in the tomatillos. Blanch for 3 minutes, then remove from the water with a slotted spoon and place immediately into a bowl of ice water. Let sit until cool to the touch, then remove from water and cut in half. Add to the base of a food processor and blend.
Next, roast your poblano pepper. I find the easiest way is just to throw it directly onto the gas grates on my stove and rotate it until it is nice and blackened, but you can also do this in the oven under the broil section. Rub a little oil on your poblano, place it on a baking sheet under the broiler, and cook until nice and charred on all sides, rotating as you go.
Remove the roasted pepper and place in a bowl, then cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap for about 15 minutes. This allows the pepper to steam and soften, which will make the skin easier to remove.
Finally, remove the charred skin and then roughly chop and add to the food processor along with the rest of the ingredients and the blanched tomatillos. Blend to a desired consistency, then taste, adjusting the flavor to make it more spicy or tart as desired.
How to make Avocado Salsa Verde
Of all the salsa verde versions, this way is my favorite! It’s creamy, slightly sweet, and just delicious with tortilla chips.
Follow the instructions for the roasted tomatillo salsa, then add 1 ripe avocado to the food processor while blending. Because the avocado tames some of the flavors, you may need to add more lime and salt.
This avocado salsa verde is great as a dip or drizzled onto your favorite taco-inspired bowl!
Tips for Success
Tomatillos can be tart. If you find your salsa too tart, especially the raw version, then I recommend adding in a little honey to balance. I find that 1-2 teaspoons per batch is perfect.
If you want a spicier tomatillo salsa verde, then you can add in more jalapeño peppers to the recipe. Alternatively, you can use a spicer pepper like serrano peppers.
Uses for Salsa Verde
This is the green sauce you’re going to want to put on everything! It’s fantastic in any Mexican or Tex-Mex Inspired cuisine. We love it most with with black beans and rice and on scrambled eggs. It also makes for a great soup base, like in my Salsa Verde Soup!
If you are looking for a dip, then I’d recommend making the avocado salsa verde recipe as it’s thicker and clings better to a tortilla chip or vegetables. However, all of the versions are great for dipping!
The raw version is my favorite in enchiladas as it takes just minutes to put together and bakes in the oven, further bringing out the delicious flavor. You can also drizzle this tomatillo salsa anywhere you normally enjoy salsa!
Frequently Asked Questions
u003cstrongu003eCan I make this in the blender?u003c/strongu003e
Yes, if you don’t have a food processor, you can make it in the blender.
u003cstrongu003eWhat is salsa verde good on?u003c/strongu003e
Anywhere you like salsa, you will love this green salsa verde. It’s bright, fresh and slightly acidic and can pair with anything from cooked proteins to grain bowls to a dip!
u003cstrongu003eHow long does this salsa stay fresh for?u003c/strongu003e
This salsa will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge. You can freeze leftovers.
u003cstrongu003eIs this salsa verde recipe safe to can?u003c/strongu003e
This verse salsa recipe is not written for canning. If you are looking for a tested salsa verde canning recipe, then I’d recommend my u003ca href=u0022https://www.delishknowledge.com/the-best-homemade-salsa-for-canning/u0022u003ecanning salsa recipe u003c/au003einstead.
u003cstrongu003eWhat is Verde Sauce?u003c/strongu003e
Verde sauce, also known as green sauce in English, is a type of sauce commonly used in Mexican cuisine. It is characterized by its vibrant green color, which comes from its main ingredient, fresh green chilies, such as jalapeños or serranos. The chilies are blended with other ingredients such as garlic, onions, cilantro, and sometimes tomatillos, resulting in a tangy and spicy flavor profile.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eSalsa Verde always contains tomatillos but can be used in recipes that call for verde sauce.
More Fresh Salsa Recipes
- Blender Salsa Roja
- Peach Habanero Salsa
- Fresh Mango Salsa
- Mango and Black Bean Salsa
- Creamy Jalapeno Sauce
- Pineapple Salsa
If you make this recipe, make sure to come back to leave a rating and let me know. Your feedback helps other readers, and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
Homemade Salsa Verde Recipe (3 Different Ways)
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound fresh tomatillos, about 10
- 1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1 jalapeno, roughly chopped
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- salt and pepper
- For the roasted tomatillo salsa version: add 1 poblano pepperFor the avocado salsa version: add 1 ripe avocado
Instructions
- Peel the husks off the tomatillos. Rinse, cut in half, and add to the food processor. Process until very finely chopped.Â
- Add the remainder of the ingredients and blend. Adjust seasoning as needed and serve at room temperature.Â
To make the roasted tomatillo salsa version
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Peel the husks off the tomatillos, rinse them, place them in boiling water, and blanch for 3 minutes. Remove and immediately place into a bowl of ice water. Let them sit until cool to touch, then cut in half and add to a food processor.Â
- Roast the poblano pepper either in the oven or on the stove top. To roast in the oven, rub a little olive oil on the pepper and place on a baking sheet until the broiler. Cook until nice and charred on each side, then place in a bowl covered with a towel or plastic wrap for about 15 minutes until softened. This allows the pepper to steam and the skin easier to remove. Gently remove the charred skin, then chop and add to the food processor along with the rest of the ingredients and the blanched tomatillos. For a less spicy version, remove the seeds from the poblano first.Â
For the avocado salsa verde
- Follow the instructions for the roasted tomatillo salsa, adding the avocado to the food processor and processing to desired consistency.Â
Notes
Tomatillo salsa will keep for a few days after you make it in the fridge, but can be frozen. I find this is best at room temperature.Â
Nutrition
This recipe was first posted in 2023 and updated in 2024.