Go Back
+ servings
A wooden bowl of tomatillo salsa verde with a chip in it. Fresh cilantro and a bowl of chips are in the background.

Tomatillo Salsa Verde Recipe

Course: Appetizers, Sauces
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegetarian
Keyword: green tomatillo salsa, tomatillo salsa verde recipe, tomatillo sauce recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 ¼ cup servings
Calories: 27kcal
This easy homemade tomatillo salsa verde recipe uses fresh green ingredients and is ready in under 30 minutes!
Print Recipe

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

Tips and Tools
  • 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.
 
 
This post contains paid links and affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy here

Nutrition

Calories: 27kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Vitamin C: 0.9mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.1mg