Homemade Salsa Verde with Roasted Tomatillos
Homemade salsa verde with roasted tomatillos is a low-effort, high-impact sauce with bright tang, light smokiness, and a pourable, slightly chunky texture—perfect for tacos, eggs, and weeknight meals.
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Aluminum foil
- Tongs
- Blender or food processor
- Cutting board
- Knife
Ingredients
- 450 g tomatillos husked and rinsed (about 8–10 medium)
- 2–3 jalapeño or serrano chiles stems removed (leave seeds for more heat; remove for milder)
- 3 garlic cloves large, unpeeled
- 60 g white onion cut into thick slices or wedges
- 15 g fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems loosely packed, roughly chopped
- 15–30 ml fresh lime juice to taste
- 3–5 g fine sea salt to taste
- 15–30 ml neutral oil such as avocado or canola; optional
- 30–60 ml water as needed to adjust consistency
Instructions
- Prep the tomatillos and vegetables. Remove husks from the tomatillos, rinse under warm water to remove sticky residue, and pat dry. Halve very large tomatillos. Peel the onion and cut into thick slices or wedges.
- Arrange on a sheet pan. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spread tomatillos, onion, whole chiles, and unpeeled garlic in a single layer. If using oil, drizzle lightly and toss to coat.
- Broil until blistered on one side. Set an oven rack 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) below the broiler and preheat broiler on high. Broil 5–7 minutes, until tomatillos blister/char in spots and begin to soften and chiles darken in places.
- Turn and finish roasting. Using tongs, turn tomatillos and chiles; flip or stir onions. Broil another 4–6 minutes, until tomatillos are fully softened and well-speckled with char. Keep any pan juices for blending.
- Cool briefly and peel garlic. Let vegetables cool 5–10 minutes until safe to handle. Slip off and discard garlic skins. Transfer tomatillos, onion, chiles, peeled garlic, and all pan juices to a blender or food processor.
- Blend the base salsa. Add 1/2 tsp salt to start, plus 2 tbsp water and 1 tbsp lime juice. Pulse, then blend to mostly smooth with some texture (or stop earlier for chunkier salsa). Add more water if needed to help it blend.
- Check heat level and adjust. Taste and adjust with more roasted chiles (if reserved), more lime juice (about 1/2–1 tbsp), and more salt in small pinches until bright and well-seasoned.
- Stir in cilantro off the heat. Add chopped cilantro and pulse just a few times, or stir in by hand for a fresher look and flavor.
- Adjust thickness. Add water 1 tbsp at a time to reach your preferred consistency; the salsa will thicken slightly as it chills.
- Chill or serve. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. For best melded flavor, cover and refrigerate 30–60 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 55kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gSodium: 320mgPotassium: 320mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 220IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 0.8mg
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