Salsa Verde

Salsa verde brings lots of bright and zippy flavor to enchiladas or grilled steak. It's also a terrific dip for crunchy corn tortilla chips. Easily prepared in your own kitchen with roasted tomatillos, peppers and onions, plus garlic, cilantro and green onion, this smoky and bold salsa recipe is a fantastic staple to keep on hand for so many delicious uses!

A zesty and bright salsa with a gloriously green twist

Whipping up a fresh salsa from scratch is something that I love to do, being a huge fan of dips and sauces.

Prepared with fresh, vibrant ingredients, a homemade salsa such as this salsa verde can be my ideal companion to a bag of crispy-crunchy corn tortilla chips, or the ideal topping for my zesty salsa verde chicken enchiladas. It can even be a star ingredient in a hearty, saucy and comforting dish like my succulent chili verde, spooned over rice.

Salsa verde is the bright and zippy twist on a traditional red salsa, making use of tomatillos—a cousin to tomatoes—plus peppers, onion, garlic and a handful of fresh cilantro and green onion.

And while a homemade salsa verde recipe is mouthwatering any time of year, I really love it during the summer months when a dip or sauce with some bold and “sunny” notes is what I'm craving. It's loaded with fresh produce to give every bite a burst of irresistible flavor!

My recipe for salsa verde

When it comes to preparing my salsa verde recipe, I like to roast my veggies to bring out their natural flavors, and even impart some charred, smoky flavor to this tasty condiment. Roasting also helps to soften the veggies and give some color, and I like to start at a nice, high temp.

To give the veggies some of that desired “char,” I start with an oven temp of 450°. I then add the lightly oiled and seasoned tomatillos, pepper, onions and garlic to a sheet pan and place into the oven, just until they begin to soften. I then decrease that oven temp to finish the veggies for a little while longer, and help them to continue to release their natural juices.

Using a food processor to prepare salsa verde is my favorite method to create a silky-textured and smooth salsa. It's complete with the additional flavors of fresh cilantro, green onion, a kiss of agave, and a splash of water, to give it the perfect consistency.

The results are bright, tangy, zesty, and even a little smoky, delightful for those corn chips, drizzled over grilled steak or chicken, or even added to eggs (my hubby's favorite use!).

Here's a sneak peek at how I make my salsa verde recipe:

(or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I add my peeled and quartered (or halved) tomatillos to a large bowl, along with my cored, seeded and roughly chopped Anaheim peppers, my chopped onion, and my garlic. I toss with a bit of oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then toss to coat and season.
2. I then roast the veggies beginning at a high temp for the first 20 minutes, then reduce the temp and continue to roast 15 minutes more, until tender and charred.
3. Next, I allow the veggies to cool to warm or room temp, and add them to the processor (along with any juices), plus my fresh cilantro and green onion, a kiss of agave and water, plus a touch more salt and pepper.
4. I blend the mixture for a few moments until it is silky and almost completely smooth.
5. Then, I spoon the salsa verde into a couple of mason jars with lids (or one larger jar), and store in the fridge for up to 1 week. I enjoy with corn chips, as a topping for grilled meats or tacos, or serve with other Mexican-style entrees.

Recipe

Salsa Verde

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

Bright and zippy, this salsa verde is bursting with flavor from roasted tomatillos, peppers and onions, plus lots of fresh cilantro!

Category: Condiment
Cuisine: Mexican

Yield: 3 ½ cups

Nutrition info: 45 calories (per ¼ cup serving)

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound tomatillos, outer husks removed and halved or quartered
• 4 Anaheim peppers, cored and seeded, and chopped into large chunks
• 1 large white onion, chopped into large chunks
• 8 cloves garlic
• Olive oil or avocado oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1 cup (packed) cilantro leaves
• 4 green onions, roughly chopped
• 2 to 4 tablespoons water, depending on desired consistency
• 2 teaspoons agave or honey

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Preheat the oven to 450°, and line a sheet pan with foil.
3. Add the quartered or halved tomatillos, chopped peppers, onions and garlic cloves to a large bowl, and drizzle in about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the olive or avocado oil. Sprinkle over a good pinch of salt and black pepper, and toss to coat the vegetables.
4. Turn the seasoned vegetables out onto your prepared sheet pan, and roast for 20 minutes. Then, turn down the oven temperature to 350°, and continue to roast for another 15 minutes, until the veggies are soft and lightly charred.
5. Remove the vegetables from the oven and allow them to cool to warm, or room temperature.
6. Then, scrape the vegetables, along with any accumulated juices, into the bowl of a food processor. Add in the cilantro leaves and green onion, the water and the agave (or honey), plus about 1 ½ teaspoons of salt (or your desired amount) as well as a pinch of black pepper.
7. Process the ingredients for a couple of minutes, until velvety and almost completely smooth (some texture is perfectly fine).
8. Taste the salsa verde and see if additional salt/pepper is needed, then spoon it into a mason jar (or a couple of jars) with a tight-fitting lid (or other container), and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Tips & Tidbits for my salsa verde recipe:

• Fresh, firm tomatillos: You can typically find tomatillos in the produce section of most markets these days. They closely resemble small, green tomatoes with papery outer husks, which need to be removed. Be sure to wash the tomatillos after removing the husks, as they have a bit of a sticky film on them. If the tomatillos are small, then simply halve them, and if they're larger, you can quarter them.
• Anaheim pepper for a bit of kick: Anaheim peppers are a light, vibrant green color, and have a longer, pointier shape rather than round. Sometimes they can be quite mild, and sometimes they have a nice kick. If you prefer a milder salsa verde, you can use two Anaheim peppers and substitute a regular green bell pepper (1 large or 2 small ones), instead. Or, feel free to use your favorite peppers in equal amounts to what's called for.
• A touch of agave for sweetness: Because tomatillos have a natural tanginess/brightness to them, a small touch of agave for sweetness helps to balance things out a bit. You can leave it out if you prefer, but the small amount called for is just enough to mellow the flavor.
• What to serve salsa verde with: You can use this delicious green sauce in my recipe for pork chili verde, salsa verde chicken with beans, or my salsa verde chicken enchiladas. Or, simply scoop it up with corn tortilla chips as a snack, add to homemade tacos and burritos, or even eggs.
• How to store homemade salsa verde: I like to store my salsa verde in a couple of 16 ounce mason jars with lids, in the fridge for up to one week. Because the veggies are roasted rather than raw, this salsa keeps a bit longer than a fresh salsa would, but one week is the sweet spot for the best flavor and freshness.

Craving more tasty condiments like this one? Check out my recipe for Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, Mango Salsa, my Chili Crisp Recipe, my recipe for Refrigerator Dill Pickles, Giardiniera, Chimichurri Sauce, or even my recipe for Tomato Confit!