This easy homemade tomatillo salsa verde recipe only uses a few ingredients and is ready in under 30 minutes! You can make this green salsa mild or spicy, according to your taste.
I can never get enough Mexican food. My mom craved it when she was pregnant with me. So, I guess I was literally born to love it.
Mexico is one of my absolute favorite travel destinations, but I can't get there as often as I like. So I love to make homemade Mexican recipes including this tomatillo salsa verde!
Maybe you've had this before, billed as tomatillo sauce, not as a salsa. But salsa actually just means "sauce" in Spanish. The smooth texture makes this recipe very versatile, use it for enchilada sauce, chilaquiles, or chips and salsa.
This tomatillo salsa verde recipe is from Rick Bayless, adapted from his cookbook, Authentic Mexican.
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Tomatillo salsa verde ingredients
- Fresh tomatillos: Don't be afraid of buying and preparing tomatillos! Make sure the tomatillo husk is still nice and green, and that the fruit inside is bright green and firm. If the husks have turned yellow or brown, they are likely not very fresh and have been sitting around for a while, so avoid using those for this homemade green salsa recipe.
- Fresh serrano or jalapeño peppers: Serrano peppers are a bit spicier. You can use one pepper of your choice, or add more if you want a spicy tomatillo salsa.
- Chicken stock or vegetable stock: Either of these will work, but I do find that vegetable stock always adds a slight sweetness to recipes. You can substitute water if you prefer for the purest tomatillo flavor.
- Yellow onion: Traditionally, Mexican recipes frequently use white onion, but I prefer the sweeter taste of yellow onion. Use whichever you like best.
- Garlic: Just one clove of garlic to add some aromatics, we don't want it to be too garlicky.
- Fresh cilantro: Cilantro adds even more green to our tomatillo salsa verde recipe. It lends a freshness and great flavor.
- Vegetable oil: Try a neutral oil like canola oil or sunflower oil.
- Kosher salt
How to make green tomatillo salsa verde
This is adapted from Rick Bayless.
Step 1: Prep and cook the tomatillos
Remove husks and stems from tomatillos. Run them under warm water to remove the sticky residue. See tips below.
In a large pot, boil the tomatillos and chiles in salted water for about 10 - 15 minutes until tender and cooked through.
Step 2: Blend the salsa ingredients together
Place tomatillos, chiles, onion, garlic, and cilantro in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, but retaining a little texture. Don't totally liquify it.
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Step 3: Cook the tomatillo salsa
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it's hot enough to make a drop of the salsa mixture sizzle, add all of it to the pan at once and stir frequently for about 4 - 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and darkens.
Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the tomatillo sauce is at least thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt to taste.
Expert tips
- How to clean and prepare tomatillos: When you are ready to use the tomatillos, remove the husks and stems, and run the tomatillos under warm water to get rid of the sticky residue on the outside. If you find this to be a pesky task, you can also drop them into simmering water for a few seconds to make the husk easier to remove and clean the residue in one fell swoop. See how Justin Chapple does that in this video.
- Canned tomatillos for a store-bought shortcut: If you don't want to spend time cooking the tomatillos because you want homemade green salsa NOW, you can shorten the recipe by about 10 minutes and used canned tomatillos instead. Your chilis will be raw when you add them to the food processor, which will make them a little spicier than if you had cooked boiled them with the tomatillos, so just be aware of that and adjust accordingly.
- Roasted tomatillo salsa option: If you'd like a roasted tomatillo sauce, this recipe is easy to adapt. Just place the tomatillos, chili peppers, and garlic (still in the skin) on a baking sheet and broil on high until everything is charred and softened. Remove the garlic skin, then follow the salsa recipe as directed, blend in the food processor, cook with stock, etc.
How to serve tomatillo salsa verde
- Serve with tortilla chips for chips and salsa.
- Use in the sauce for chicken enchiladas suizas.
- Make these green chilaquiles.
- Salsa verde is great with fish tacos!
Storage and freezing
- To store: Store homemade green salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
- To freeze: Tomatillo salsa verde is a cooked sauce, so it freezes well. Make a big batch and have some on hand whenever a craving strikes! First chill in the refrigerator, then transfer to freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 3 months.
FAQ
No. Green tomatoes are the unripe version of any tomato variety you can think of. Tomatillos are unique unto themselves. They remain green, and they grow with a leafy husk around them.
Tomatillo salsa verde is delicious! It has a bright, tangy flavor and a smooth texture. It can be spicy or mild, depending on how many chili peppers are used. It's a cooked salsa, which helps the flavors to meld together well, and may appeal to those who don't like raw onions or find fresh chili peppers to be too spicy.
If you want a thicker tomatillo salsa, just reduce it longer in the skillet when cooking it down with the stock until it reaches your desired consistency.
More Mexican recipes
- Mango Avocado Salsa is another easy salsa recipe that's super quick!
- Grilled Halibut with Almond-Orange Mole will give you a taste of the Mexican seaside.
- Mexican Black Beans (vegetarian) are a perfect side dish with any meal.
- Elote Dip is inspired by the flavors of Mexican street corn.
- Avocado Crema is a quick, simple recipe that can be served alongside all kinds of Mexican dishes.
5 reasons to make your own tomatillo salsa verde!
- You only need a few ingredients.
- Making homemade green tomatillo salsa means it can be spicy or mild to suit your tastes.
- You can make a big batch and freeze a portion for later use.
- It's ready in about half an hour!
- You can use tomatillo salsa verde as a sauce or a dip, and in so many other ways to add bright flavor and green goodness to countless recipes.
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Recipe
Tomatillo Salsa Verde Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh tomatillos husk and stem removed, rinsed clean. (or two 13oz cans tomatillos)
- 1 fresh serrano pepper or jalapeño. Add more chili peppers if you like it spicy
- 6 sprigs fresh cilantro
- 1 garlic clove peeled, roughly chopped
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
Instructions
- Remove husks and stems from tomatillos. Run them under warm water to remove the sticky residue. In a large pot, boil the tomatillos and chiles in salted water for about 10 – 15 minutes until tender and cooked through.
- Place tomatillos, chiles, onion, garlic, and cilantro in a food processor. Blend until smooth, but retaining a little texture. Not liquified.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot enough to make a drop of the salsa mixture sizzle, add all of it to the pan at once and stir frequently for about 4 – 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and darkens.
- Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt to taste.
Notes
- If you don't want to spend time cooking the tomatillos, you can shorten the recipe by about 10 minutes and used canned tomatillos instead. Your chiles will be raw when you add them to the food processor, which will make them a little spicier than if you had cooked boiled them with the tomatillos, so just be aware of that and adjust accordingly.
- I recommend a food processor instead of a blender for making this salsa. You still want some texture and that is easier to control. I used my Kitchenaid 7-cup food processor.
- This tomatillo salsa recipe is adapted from the Rick Bayless cookbook, Authentic Mexican.
- Be sure to read the post above for more tips and FAQs.
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