I have a fresh and delicious recipe for you today – Homemade Salsa Verde. Now, I have not usually been a fan of verde salsa, but when I tasted this I was hooked! This salsa has the perfect blend of sweet and spicy and is easy to make too.
I love to make this salsa and serve it along side my Mexican White Dip (queso blanco). This tastes great with any Mexican dish, too. Some of my kids like to put this on their tacos and others like to add it to their burritos. I love to eat this Mexican salsa straight out of the dish with tortilla chips.
My husband even eats it on his eggs. Weird, right?
Give this salsa recipe a go. I am confident you will love it as much as my family and I do!
What is the difference between red salsa and salsa verde?
The main difference between the 2 type of salsa is that red salsa is made with red tomatoes and salsa verde is made with tomatillos that are green.
Since this salsa is made with tomatillos instead of tomatoes, the salsa has more of a zesty, tangy flavor as opposed to a traditional red salsa.
A tomatillo looks like a small un-ripe tomato with a papery husk wrapped around it. To use, you want to remove the husk completely and then cut it the same way that you would cut a tomato.
Supplies needed for this recipe
To make this salsa verde de tomatillo very quickly and easily I used my food processor. You can use a blender, but I really prefer the food processor.
Also, I do try to put it in a cute salsa dish – that makes me feel a little better about eating it all myself. However, this is definitely not a required supply but is great for serving this tomatillo salsa verde recipe.
Ingredients
This is all you need to make this fresh salsa recipe!
- Tomatillos — the star ingredient that gives salsa verde its signature tangy bright green flavor. Look for firm tomatillos with tight fitting papery husks — the husk should be green not dried out or brown. Remove the husk completely and rinse well before using as the skin underneath can feel slightly sticky. Dice into large chunks before adding to the food processor
- Jalapeños — adds heat throughout the salsa. Remove the stem and seeds before blending for a milder result — leave the seeds in for extra spice. Serrano peppers work as a hotter substitute for anyone who loves serious heat
- Garlic — adds bold savory depth that balances the brightness of the tomatillos beautifully. Fresh minced garlic gives the best flavor — store-bought minced garlic works perfectly well and is what Carrie uses most often. One to two cloves equals approximately one teaspoon of minced garlic
- Fresh cilantro — adds a bright herby freshness that is essential to authentic salsa verde flavor. Always use fresh — dried cilantro does not work here. If your family is not a cilantro fan simply leave it out and the salsa is still delicious
- Lime — fresh squeezed lime juice adds brightness and acidity that ties all the flavors together. Always use fresh squeezed rather than bottled for the most vibrant flavor
- Salt — balances the tartness of the tomatillos and enhances every other flavor in the salsa. Always taste and adjust before serving
- Onion — adds a sharp savory bite that rounds out the flavor profile. White onion gives the most traditional salsa verde flavor — yellow onion works as a mild substitute
How to Make Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Step 1 РHusk and rinse tomatillos. Then remove stem and seeds from the jalape̱o peppers.
Step 2 РPlace the tomatillos (I diced them into large chunks), jalape̱os and minced garlic in a blender or food processor and process until pureed.
Step 3 – Then add in the onions, cilantro, fresh lime juice and salt to the food processor. Blend well until all the ingredients are well combined and then enjoy!
This salsa verde de tomatillo is so easy to throw together and it is just so tasty. Give it a try the next time you make your favorite Mexican dish. I can’t wait to hear what you think about this easy green salsa recipe.
How do you make salsa verde from scratch?
Making any salsa from scratch is actually really easy. All you need to do is throw the ingredients in a food processor and blender and then blending until all the ingredients are combined.
Making salsa from scratch is easy to do in usually under 15 minutes and tastes so much better than store bought salsa!
Also, you can make roasted tomatillo salsa!
You can also make roasted tomatillo salsa by roasting the tomatillos before adding them to the food processor.
To roast the tomatillos, husk them and place them on a baking sheet. Toss the tomatillos with a small amount of olive oil and bake at 425 degrees F for 15-20 minutes flipping them halfway through the cooking time.
The tomatillos will be soft and then let the roasted tomatillos cool completely before adding them to the food processor. The rest of the process is exactly the same!
Make note that roasting reduces the natural tartness for readers who find raw tomatillo salsa too sour.
Serving Suggestion
Salsa verde adds incredible depth and brightness to so many different dishes — here are some of our favorites:
- Tortilla Chips — the most classic way to enjoy it. Set out a big bowl alongside our Easy Guacamole Recipe and Easy Pico De Gallo for the ultimate chip and dip spread
- Tacos and Burritos — spoon generously over your favorite tacos or stir into burrito filling for bold tangy flavor in every bite
- Breakfast Tacos — salsa verde on scrambled eggs and breakfast tacos is genuinely one of the best combinations. My husband puts it on his eggs every single time
- Huevos Rancheros — spoon over fried eggs and corn tortillas for a classic Mexican breakfast that salsa verde was made for
- Chilaquiles — toss with tortilla chips and let them soak in the salsa verde for a traditional Mexican breakfast dish
- Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken — pour the entire batch over chicken thighs in the slow cooker for one of the easiest most flavorful dinners on the site
- Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas — use as the base sauce for enchiladas instead of store-bought green sauce
- Crock Pot White Chicken Chili — stir into white chicken chili for extra verde flavor throughout
How to store homemade salsa
After this has been made I store it in the refrigerate in an air tight container. I love using mason jars to store this recipe so I can easily make a double batch and cook with it and snack on it all week.
How long is homemade salsa verde good for?
As long as the sauce is stored in the refrigerator, it will last up to 1 week.
You can freeze leftover salsa as well. To freeze, place the homemade salsa in a freezer safe storage bag. Get as much air as possible out of the freezer bag, seal tightly and freeze for up to 6 months.
To defrost, place the freezer bag in the refrigerator until the mixture is completely defrosted. Stir to re-incorporate the salsa and then you are ready to serve!
Great Substitution Ideas
Jalape̱o Peppers РYou can easily use your favorite type of chile peppers instead. I love using serrano peppers for a little more heat in this recipe!
Minced Garlic – I usually use store bought minced garlic as I always have that on hand. However, you can mince your own garlic cloves. 1-2 garlic cloves depending on their size is usually equal to 1 tsp of minced garlic.
Creamy Avocado Salsa Verde – For a rich creamy version blend one diced ripe avocado into the finished salsa verde. Add the avocado to the food processor after all the other ingredients are blended and pulse until smooth and creamy. The avocado tones down the tartness of the tomatillos and gives you a thicker dippable salsa that works beautifully as a taco topping or as a sauce over grilled chicken. Note that the avocado will cause the salsa to brown more quickly in the refrigerator — consume within 2 days for the best color and freshness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional salsa verde is made with tomatillos jalapeños garlic onion cilantro lime juice and salt — this recipe uses all seven for the most authentic flavor.
Using fresh tomatillos rather than canned and not over-blending — pulse until combined but leave a little texture for the most vibrant fresh flavor.
Salsa verde has a brighter more tangy and zesty flavor than red salsa because tomatillos are naturally more acidic than tomatoes — the heat level depends on how many jalapeños you use.
Most authentic Mexican restaurants make their salsa verde by roasting or charring the tomatillos first which reduces the natural sourness and adds a smoky depth — see the roasted tomatillo variation in this recipe for that same result at home.
Yes — a blender works equally well. Blend the tomatillos jalapeños and garlic first until smooth then add the onion cilantro lime juice and salt and pulse a few times to combine while leaving some texture.
Yes — all the ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten free making it a safe dip and sauce for anyone following a gluten free diet.
More Easy Dip Recipes
Salsa Verde de Tomatillo
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Tomatillos
- 1-2 Jalapeño Peppers
- 1 tsp minced Garlic
- ¼ cup Cilantro (chopped)
- ¼ cup Onion (diced)
- 1 Lime juiced
- ½ tsp Salt
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Remove the husks from the tomatillos and rinse them well to remove the sticky residue. Pat dry.
- Remove the stems from the jalapeños and remove the seeds if you prefer a milder salsa.
- Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, and minced garlic to a food processor or blender. Pulse until the salsa reaches your desired consistency.
- Add the cilantro, diced onion, lime juice, and salt. Pulse a few more times until everything is combined, being careful not to over process if you prefer a chunkier salsa.
- Taste and adjust the salt or lime juice if needed.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Can can I can this recipe using a water bath canner? How long would it be good if I can?
Yes, this salsa can be canned. It should last for 12-18 months once canned.
Thank you for this recipe, I can’t wait to try this. This is my sister’s favorite Mexican sauce and your recipe looks like a winner!!
I do have to add, that I would subscribe to your site, but all of the incessant pop-ups and flashing adds are unbelievably distracting and annoying!! Even as I am trying to type this, they pop-up and I must close them to leave you a review on your wonderful looking recipe. I sincerely hope I didn’t offend you.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it!