Homemade Salsa Verde
This roasted tomatillo salsa is so easy to make. You're only six ingredients away from the best salsa verde you've ever tasted! Get the recipe here.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
I’m never going back to store-bought salsa verde! This salsa verde is fresh, bright, and not too salty like those store-bought versions.
Sometimes I have to remind myself that simple is best. This salsa was originally a component in a seven-layer dip concept, but the salsa blew the dip out of the water. One part, on its own, was so much better than the other six combined. This salsa verde is so fresh and irresistible.
Then, I made it a couple more times, with the same ingredients, but each time, it tasted a little different. That’s just what happens with a simple recipe made with natural ingredients. You can pick up each tomatillo, squeeze it to gauge ripeness and peel back the husk to look for bright green skin, but you don’t know how flavorful it really is until you taste it.
Add eleven more tomatillos to the mix, plus jalapeño that may or may not be crazy spicy, plus onion and cilantro of varying freshness, and you’ll never make a batch of salsa that tastes quite like another.
Your salsa will be delicious, fresh and so much better than the salty jarred varieties. I can guarantee that much. That’s the beauty of simple recipes made with fresh, natural ingredients—they’re inevitably awesome. Don’t over think it. Trust the recipe. Adjust to suit your taste buds.
Watch How to Make Salsa Verde
Salsa Verde Notes
Tomatillos look like small green tomatoes with husks, but they aren’t tomatoes—they’re cousins. I’ve had an easy time finding them at grocery stores lately. I tried making this salsa with raw tomatillos, but they’re borderline sour. Roasting them really brings out their best side.
Some roasted tomatillo salsas I’ve tried taste too roasted or smoky, but not this one. You can also control just how roasted those tomatillos get when you roast them yourself. I think it turned out just right with the times specified in the recipe below.
Uses for Salsa Verde
Salsa verde is great with pretty much anything that goes well with regular tomato salsa. I think it’s especially fantastic with sweet potatoes (check out these burritos and this burrito bowl) and eggs (like chilaquiles verdes, huevos rancheros, frittatas and breakfast tacos).
I also really love creamy avocado salsa verde, which you can make by throwing some diced avocado into the mix. I decided to divide my salsa in two and blend one avocado into one-half of the salsa. I’ve included instructions below.
Or, serve it alongside my favorite guacamole recipe with tortilla chips for the best of both worlds!
Please let me know how you like this recipe in the comments! I hope you love it as much as I do.
Are you building a salsa bar or taco spread? Don’t miss my favorite red salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, corn salsa or mango salsa.
Homemade Salsa Verde
This roasted salsa verde recipe is so easy to make. Just roast the tomatillos and pepper(s) and blend with a few basic ingredients for the best salsa verde you’ve ever tasted! Recipe yields about 2 ½ cups salsa.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds tomatillos (about 12 medium), husked and rinsed
- 1 to 2 medium jalapeños, stemmed (omit for mild salsa, use 1 jalapeño for medium salsa and 2 jalapeños for hot salsa, note that spiciness will depend on heat of actual peppers used)
- ½ cup chopped white onion (about ½ medium onion)
- ¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves (more if you love cilantro)
- 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup lime juice (1 to 2 medium limes, juiced), to taste
- ½ to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- Optional variation: 1 to 2 diced avocados, for creamy avocado salsa verde
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler with a rack about 4 inches below the heat source. Place the tomatillos and jalapeño(s) on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until they’re blackened in spots, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven, carefully flip over the tomatillos and pepper(s) with tongs and broil for 4 to 6 more minutes, until the tomatillos are splotchy-black and blistered.
- Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, combine the chopped onion, cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice and ½ teaspoon salt. Once the tomatillos are out of the oven, carefully transfer the hot tomatillos, pepper(s) and all of their juices into the food processor or blender.
- Pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth and no big chunks of tomatillo remain, scraping down the sides as necessary. Season to taste with additional lime juice and salt, if desired.
- The salsa will be thinner at first, but will thicken up after a few hours in the refrigerator, due to the naturally occurring pectin in the tomatillos. If you’d like to make creamy avocado salsa verde, let the salsa cool down before blending in 1 to 2 diced avocados (the more avocado, the creamier it gets).
Notes
Recipe adapted from Rick Bayless, Serious Eats and Simply Recipes.
Storage suggestions: This salsa verde should keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 1 week. If you added avocado, it will keep well for about 3 days—be sure to press plastic wrap against the top surface to prevent oxidation.
Change it up: Feel free to substitute red tomatoes for a more traditional roasted tomato salsa.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I had green tomatoes that I added to the tomatillos. I roasted them together and added them to the remainder of the recipe. I added more spice and sugar, just a little that took the bitter taste away. I then canned the salsa making two pints!
Amber Carlson
Hi Kate (and Cookie),
I had never touched a tomatillo in my life before yesterday – I had to ask the store attendant where they were in the grocery store! They were sticky and weird but WOW! This recipe is amazing! So simple too! Never should have doubted because all your recipes are amazing. I’m hoping one of your commenters suggests how adjust the recipe to safely can this recipe to make it shelf stable.
I’m happy you tried it and liked it, Alex!
Stellar recipe. Quick, easy, better, cheaper, and healthier than store bought by a mile. Well done.
Awesome and easy
Thank you, Richard!
I’ve been wanting to make Salsa Verde for awhile and I’m so glad I finally did! Wow! This was better than my local taqueria. Thank you for this simple and delicious recipe! Saving for next time.
I’m happy you did too, Liz! Thank you for your review.
Delicious!
Thank you, Charles!
Fabulous!! Made half the batch with avocado. Half regular.
I made this using a whole onion, 3 jalapenos, 3 cloves of garlic all roasted in addition to the tomatillas. I used all the other ingredients listed in the original recipe. It is, by far, the BEST salsa I have ever had. So fresh and DELISH!!! Thank you for making it so easy!!!
Thank you for sharing how you made this, Desiree!
The best recipe ever. I changed up a few things such as using Serrano chilies we like heat. I roasted 4 serranos and 1.5 onions with the tomatillos and garlic. I then added 3 serranos and 1/2 of a raw onion to the roasted veggies as well as a few raw garlic cloves pulsed in the food processor and added the juice of 3 limes. Will make this always.
Great to hear, Elizabeth!
Made it. It is winter here south of Chicago, but I love grilling in the winter months. Fired up the charcoal along with mesquite chips. Peeled husks off tomatillo’s cut an onion in half and used half a head of garlic. Seeded serrano’s and jalapeno’s, grilled all the veggies. Roasted everything, took off the grill, let it sit outside to cool. Blended it all together, nice thick green salsa. Delicious!!
Thanks for sharing, Peter!
I have never had salsa verde before. I made this and I’m not sure if I like green salsa? It was kinda snotty and not much flavor? Is it supposed to be like that or did mine not turn out right?
Hi Carol, this should have a lot of flavor. I’m not sure what you mean by snotty. It could be the inputs you used just were lacking in overall flavor to start with. Sorry you didn’t love this one!
This was amazing – my husband loved it and it’s one of my favorite recipes on the blog!
I used a pablano pepper, left out the onion, added extra cilantro and a hit of garlic infused oil. It was amazing.
An easy recipe to make. I also roasted the onion and half a lime. I added poblanos and a jalapeño, also roasted under the broiler. This recipe freezes well too.
Made your recipe today to stave off the boredom that has engulfed us all! It was a big hit – we ate 1/2 & froze the rest in an airtight freezer bag. Will update on how well it faired after being frozen once we get back to it!
So right of the bat, yes to this recipe!! We have a jarred salsa verde that we buy on the regular that we love but it’s $6 for a 16 oz jar! A couple of things I did…I roasted my onion along with the tomatillos and peppers (I just cut thick slices from half an onion). I like the roasted flavor of the onion, but I actually think I’d up the onion next time (there will definitely be a next time). Mine definitely needed two jalapenos and I still felt like it could have been a little spicier (probably my preference, or the jalapenos we get in the PNW, but I think they mostly come from Mexico). I may add a third jalapeno or sub one for a spicier chile next time. I started with the juice of one lime (about 2 tbsp) and that was more than enough. The acidity from the tomatillos and the lime juice was almost too much. I think I might start with just a tbsp next time and adjust. The salt amount recommended was about right (meaning I only had to add a little more, since I almost always have to significantly increase the amount of salt in a given recipe). The salsa thickened nicely as it cooled. Love the flavor added by charring the tomatillos, peppers, and onions. Super solid recipe.
Try serranos, they are a bit spicier sometimes and the flavor is so much better than jalopenos in my opinion. Leaving some of the seeds in would also kick it up a notch. My friend from Mexico suggests using chile de arbol as it adds a really nice smoky flavor and is medium spicy. I didn’t add any lime, and typically not necessary as the tomattillos are so acidic.
I have now made this salsa verde 2 nites in a row. I will never buy again. It is delishish! Thank you!
EXCELLENT RECIPE! Thanks!
You’re welcome, Dana!
My mom and I made this together this week and it was a fun easy cooking project. We both loved it. The storebought salsa verde I’ve been buying is good but what I love about this one is it’s SOO much thicker! The one I buy is so thin it’s almost a salad dressing! This is super thick, perfect for scooping & dipping! I’m glad I decided to try making it from scratch.
Ugh! I forgot limes and it is a million degrees outside! Can I use lemons?
Hi Joni! Try your salsa without the lime first—tomatillos are naturally tangy and you might think it’s great without! Otherwise, I’d probably do a tiny splash of white wine vinegar if you have it, or maybe lemon juice would be nice—just start small and add to taste. Hope that helps!
I’m not sure what went wrong here. I had to dig out pieces of the Tomatillo skins from my food processor. I processed for a while but they just wouldn’t break down. Otherwise it’s beautiful and tasty, still a little sour to me even after roasting. Maybe the tomatillos were too green?
Hi Lisa! That’s odd. I’m sorry to hear that! Do you have issues with your food processor with other things? It could have been the power of the food processor or to what you said, just not ripe enough.
No, it’s a great processor, I’ve never experienced any problems. Maybe the tomatillos were just too green. Not sure.
Just making the green salsa using home grown tomatillos. Tasting super!
Not quite green as I use red onions, but so tasty and fresh nonetheless
Thank you from England!
I have an Intolerance to onions, can I leave them out?
Hi Lori, I guess you could, but I can’t guarantee the result. The onions provide a nice flavor here.
OMG
This was super easy to make as i just made a very small batch using only 6 tomatillos. I will never buy this in a jar again!!!!
Thanks so much for a great and super easy salsa verde recipe! Quick and fresh and perfect every time!
Try serranos, they are a bit spicier sometimes and the flavor is so much better than jalopenos in my opinion. Leaving some of the seeds in would also kick it up a notch. My friend from Mexico suggests using chile de arbol as it adds a really nice smoky flavor and is medium spicy. I didn’t add any lime, and typically not necessary as the tomattillos are so acidic.
Hi Tanya, just curious, have you tried this recipe with roasted Hatch Chilis? Its the heart of the season right now, and for my wife and I, its the only way to go. Hatch come in so many heat levels that I’m sure you can find the heat level you desire. Right now I just finished making a batch of this salsa with the Hatch chilis after roasting and freezing about 25 lbs of the peppers (season only lasts so long and that’s the end of September). I have to have my fix year round and this is the only way I can guarantee that there will be some in the freezer by this time next year. For the salsa I also roast some onion with the tomatillos as well as about 3 good sized garlic pods and throw them all in the blender with the chilis and cilantro. Yumm, enchiladas verdes tomorrow.
Made this with our homegrown tomatillos and nadapenos. Best thing I’ve ever tasted. I could eat this with a spoon and be so happy. I’m growing an acre of everything next year.
This is amazing – I didn’t have a jalapeño, so I subbed in a soaked, dried chili. Really tasty with the empanadas I had on hand.
We have tomatillos coming out our ears this year! Yours is the third salsa verde recipe I’ve made and it is my favorite! The first was with boiled tomatillos and avocado, and it was too mild and like a version of guacamole with filler. The next one also was roasted, but not the peppers. I think roasting both the tomatillos and peppers is what makes this so bright L, sassy and delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Tastes bright and fresh, thick but not too thick, and looks beautiful!
Not bad did you leave skins on peppers ?? how about seeds in peppers ?
Hi Sandy, I’m sorry I don’t understand your question. 1 ½ pounds tomatillos (about 12 medium), husked and rinsed
1 to 2 medium jalapeños, stemmed (omit for mild salsa, use 1 jalapeño for medium salsa and 2 jalapeños for hot salsa, note that spiciness will depend on heat of actual peppers used). You can omit the seeds if you like.
I made this with 1.5 jalepenos and it was a little too spicy for me on its own, but once cooked with the sweet potato and beans enchiladas it was perfect. I also broiled the onion as well as the tomatillos and jalapenos
Delicious! So fresh and vibrant. I had a huge tomatillo crop this year from just two plants. The biggest obstacle was the size difference in my tomatillos, but I watched them closely during the broiling process and adjusted accordingly. Did a double batch and froze half.
I’ve been looking for a roasted salsa verde recipe & this one sounds delicious, thank you! Can you tell me if this could be frozen when making multiple batches?
Hi! Salsa typically freezes well. I haven’t tried it myself, but I don’t see why not.
okee dokee i will give it a try!
i quadrupled the recipe & it turned out great
thanks again!
I made this the first time last month, to go w/ the sweet potato and black bean enchiladas. We found the whole dish delicious. So I’m making the salsa for the second time. Still just as delicious!! No substitutions either time, which is a record for me. :) Oh, and I’m making it the second time so we can put it on the enchiladas again. Thank you for the recipes; I’m working toward making more of our meals vegetarian and these are a new favorite!
I’m glad you loved it! Thank you for your review, Kelly.
Similar to what I make (tomatillos are in the oven RIGHT NOW). I add garlic. I roast the onions too. Our tomatillos are home grown – a great investment!
Sounds delicious!
I riffed on this to make a Turkey verde chili with Thanksgiving leftovers. I roasted the onion, garlic, tomatillos and jalapeños a 425. Then proceeded to make the salsa as directed. It was good but needs more salt to make the flavors pop. I threw that in with the chopped Turkey and a can of roasted chilies, a teaspoon of cumin, and served over rice. Easy and Delicious.
Dear Kate, I have tried your recipe and others. I just can not make good salsa verde. Each time there is a thick sticky taste. One time too garlicky, but all of them have that sticky taste. I have never rinsed the tomatillos! Could that be my problem?
Delicious! I added 3 jalapeños because we like it spicy!
Love it! Thank you for sharing, Mini.
If I add avocado how long will it keep please?
Hi! Avocado tends to brown quickly and not sure about adding avocado to this.
Yummy, have made salsa verde before but used serrano peppers, this is really good. Used tomatillos and jalapenos from my garden will be making lots more with this receipe, thank you for sharing!!
I usually roast my peppers then peel off the skin before blending. How would this impact the flavor if I left the burnt skin on?
Hi Ashley, it adds a nice chard flavor, but if you prefer to take it off that will work too.
Hi, I am in Australia and I have never seen tomatillos what could I substitute this with?
Thanks Andrea
Hi! You need tomatillos to make this recipe. I would suggest my best red salsa recipe!
I’ve made this recipe several times and am going to make another batch today. The only change I made was to add several cloves of garlic. I could eat garlic ice cream. Thanks Kate.
My salsa turned out sour. Was this because the tomatillos were not ripe?
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that. Sounds like you may have not had great tomatillos.
I make this all the time. Love it! I never knew that I was roasting the onion and that was why it was too sweet!
I do add two garlic cloves to the tomatillo jalepeno broil, but it’s perfect as is.
thank you!
You’re welcome, KM!
I made this as directed and it turned out amazing! Thank you for sharing, we always love your recipes. Because we like a little more heat in our salsas, I added in an extra 4 roasted jalapenos (for a total of 6) w/ seeds, 4 roasted serranos w/seeds, and the other half of the onion since I added more peppers. The lime & salt level was still on target. Very good stuff. I love simple recipes that have so much flavor.
You’re welcome, Nicole! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
OMG! This is soooo good! Used two jalepenos!
Extra spice, I love it! Thank you for your review.
I thought this was excellent. I followed the recipe almost to a T. Roasted the tomatillos, jalapeño and garlic. Added an additional tablespoon or so of lime juice. Raw onion. I did detect a hint of sweetness that I think is a result of the roasting. It doesn’t linger and stays just long enough for the heat to kick in
Hey Kate! Had a long dry spell on Salsa Verde, since you do not get Tomatillos over here in Germany. This year finally I was able to obtain seeds and grew them in my greenhouse with tremendous success even though the summer so far was mediocre. Also all the other ingredients I have in my little garden (even the Jalapenos).
Your recipe was the first to pop up so I gave it a shot. Whoah! That brought back memories. It is soooo good!
One hint, since I saw in the comments one person having problems to turn the tomatillos during roasting: I cut them in half and place them skinny side up on the baking sheet, so the skin gets roasted in one go.
Greetings from Germany!
Andreas
Thank you for sharing your experience, Andreas! I’m glad you were able to grow some in your green house. How fun!