Fresh Salsa Verde With Tomatillos

This Fresh Salsa Verde is brimming with fresh tomatillo flavors and a combination of fragrant garlic, onion and cilantro for a well rounded bright and zesty salsa.

There are many versions of salsa verde including roasted and creamy salsa verde but the ingredient base is always tomatillos, a small, green, tomato-look-alike fruit that has a zesty and punchy flavor.

Recipe highlights

You will love this salsa verde because it is so easy to make! Since you don't have to roast the tomatillos, this salsa comes together in about 15 minutes.

This homemade salsa verde rivals any store bought salsa including Trader Joe's salsa verde which is a favorite.

• Adaptable. This salsa is typically mild but you can add as much heat as you'd like. You can taste the salsa and adjust to your preference.
• Fresh. Boiling the tomatillos in water keeps a lot of their punchy and fresh flavor, the rest of ingredients are added in their raw state and the helps with keeping the flavors fresh.
• Inexpensive. The ingredients in this salsa are fairly inexpensive and this recipe makes big batch that can easily last a couple of weeks in the fridge.

Ingredient list

The ingredient list for this salsa verde is as follows:

• Fresh tomatillos: They come in a pale green husk. They are usually sold in a bag that contains about 20 medium tomatillos. For this recipe you only need about 8 or you can make a double batch.
• Onion: I like using white onion for this salsa as it has a very punchy flavor that balances out the acidity in the tomatillos.
• Cilantro: This is a classic in every salsa verde. If you don't like cilantro you can leave it out but the flavor profile will definitely change.
• Garlic: I love the zing that fresh garlic adds to this salsa. Start with a couple of garlic cloves and add more as desired.
• Lime: Lime juice adds a pop of acidity.
• Chile pepper: If you'd like to add heat to this salsa, I highly suggest using Chile de Arbol, it adds a punch of heat that quickly passes and doesn't not let your mouth numb. One is perfect but add more if you want a spicy salsa. Chile de Arbol is found with the dried chiles in the spice aisle.

Recipe steps

This recipe requires minimal prep and once you have all the ingredients ready, it comes together quickly.

Here is a quick overview of the recipe. The full quantities and recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.

Usually tomatillos come in a dried husk that needs to be removed.

Tomatillos are very waxy, so it is a good idea to clean them in warm running water and dry them with a kitchen towel to remove the waxy feeling.

• Prep the tomatillos. Remove the husk and clean the tomatillos.
• Boil the tomatillos. Place the tomatillos in a boiling pot of water and cook them until tender. Cooking the tomatillos tames their pungency for a milder taste.
• Blend the salsa. Carefully transfer the tomatillos to a blender. Add garlic, onion, cilantro and hot Chile pepper if using (I like using Chile de Arbol).

How to serve this Salsa Verde

Salsa verde can be used in many preparations:

• Marinade: Salsa verde is an excellent marinade for chicken, pork and fish. I love making green chili pork in the crockpot.
• Salad dressing: When you are trying to avoid calorie dense salad dressings, this salsa verde is an excellent alternative. Pair it with pickled onions and avocado in your salad and you have a winning flavor combo.
• Topping: Salsa verde is a classic topping for tacos, specially those that have meats such as carnitas. This salsa goes really well with my smoked pork al pastor.
• Dipping: as a restaurant-style Mexican salsa, it can also be used for dipping corn chips or better yet some green plantain chips.

Storage

This fresh salsa keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.