This homemade salsa verde recipe is incredibly simple to make!  Refreshing, tart and bold in flavor, you will never go back to store-bought Mexican tomatillo salsa again!!  (Healthy, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free)

*Updated*

This post was originally published in June 2014.  I took new photos and updated the post below to include more information about how to make chunky tomatillo salsa!  

If you have been a reader of this blog for any length of time you know I am a lover of sauces.  Dips, salsas, dressings, vinaigrettes, aioli – I LOVE them all!  Basically, it is my firm belief that life tastes better when it is drizzled, dipped, smothered and covered with sauce.

And, today I am sharing one of my all time favorite Mexican sauces that I ALWAYS have on hand.

Homemade Salsa Verde Recipe

This Mexican green salsa is vibrant, bold and full of fresh flavor!  Tangy, smoky, slightly spicy and 100% refreshing, it’s a million times better that the store-bought variety!

This recipe calls for roasting (or grilling) the tomatillos and jalapenos until just charred to really bring out their flavor.  While you can absolutely use raw tomatoes and peppers in this salsa recipe, you will be missing out on the added depth of flavor.

What is salsa verde?

Salsa verde, literally translated in Spanish as ‘green sauce’, is a cold, uncooked, green sauce.

While each country has their own green sauce, there are four popular types of salsa verde – Mexican tomatillo salsa, Italian pesto, Argentinian chimichurri and French sauce verte.

The ingredients and flavors vary greatly among each salsa, ranging from vegetable dense to oil-forward or vinegar-forward in taste.

What is salsa verde made of?

The exact ingredients in Mexican salsa verde vary from recipe to recipe.  However, most salsas consists of finely chopped hot peppers, tomatillos, onion, garlic and cilantro.

How to make salsa verde tomatillo?

Homemade roasted tomatillo salsa is easy to make and loaded with fresh ingredients!  Only 8 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep is required to make this Mexican staple!

1. Roast the tomatillos and peppers (optional).  Preheat grill to medium-high or oven to high broil.  Toss the tomatillos and peppers with oil.  Grill or broil until vegetables are charred and tender, about 8-10 minutes.
2. De-stem and chop tomatillos and peppers.  Cut the stems off of the peppers and remove seeds.  Discard.  Roughly chop the peppers and transfer to a food processor.  Set tomatillos aside.
3. Blend salsa.  Add the onions and garlic to the food processor.  Pulse until roughly chopped.  Add the tomatillos and pulse again.  Add in the cilantro, lime juice and agave (or honey) if using.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Pulse until the vegetables are broken down, but the salsa is still chunky.
4. Refrigerate (optional).  For best results, transfer the salsa to an air-tight container and place in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to develop for at least 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

Homemade tomatillo salsa recipe tips and tricks:

• When selecting tomatillos, look for ones with the husk still in tact.  Tomatillos should be firm to the touch and green in hue.
• Always adjust recipes to your specific taste.  If you like a thinner salsa, add water to the food processor until desired consistency is achieved.  If the salsa is too tart for your taste, add agave or honey to taste.

What does salsa verde taste like?

Mexican green salsa is tart, bright and refreshing in flavor.  The level of heat, or spiciness, can vary greatly from recipe to recipe and can range from mild to hot.

Is salsa verde spicy?

While most tomatillo salsa incorporates green chiles (jalapeños, serranos or poblanos), each salsa recipe or store-bought brand can range in spiciness from very mild to hot.

The best part of making your own salsa is your ability to customize the heat level to your specific taste!  For spicy green salsa, leave all the seeds and ribs in the peppers.  As well, you can add a serrano pepper for added heat!  For a medium salsa, remove half the seeds and ribs from the peppers.  For a mild salsa, completely remove all the seeds and ribs in the peppers.  If you prefer a very mild salsa, leave the jalapeño pepper completely out of the recipe.

Why is salsa verde green?

Salsa verde is green in color due to the fresh herbs and vegetables (peppers and tomatillos) used to make the salsa.

How to use salsa verde?

Salsa verde is a bright, versatile sauce that tastes delicious with everything!  This green sauce is a great way to liven up boring, bland dishes!

Ways to use green sauce:

• As a dip for chips or vegetables
• To make breakfast chilaquiles
• In scrambled eggs
• As a topping for nachos
• Drizzled over grilled meat (steak, chicken, pork)
• Dolloped on top of grilled seafood (scallops, salmon, shrimp, white fish)
• As a marinade for meat or fish
• As a topping for Tacos
• Layered in Enchiladas
• Drizzled on Fajitas
• Mixed into rice or quinoa
• Mixed into beans or corn
• As a sauce for burrito bowls
• As a stir fry sauce for Mexican chicken
• As a sauce for vegetable noodle bowl
• As a dressing for salads
• Mix it with yogurt, mayonnaise or sour cream to make a creamy dressing
• Dolloped on top of soup

How long does salsa verde keep?

Salsa verde should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Properly stored, it should keep well for 1 week.

Can you make salsa verde in advance?

Yes, homemade tomatillo salsa can be made up to 5 days in advance.

Can salsa verde be frozen?

Mexican salsa freezes beautifully!  To freeze, make sure you store the prepared salsa properly in freezer-safe zip-closure bags.  Salsa will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Fresh, flavorful and a million times better than the store-bought variety, you are going to love this homemade green salsa!!

Until next time, friends, cheers – to getting saucy!

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The best Homemade Tomatillo Salsa recipe 👇

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Chunky Homemade Salsa Verde Recipe (Green Chile Salsa)

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

20 mins

 

This homemade salsa verde recipe is incredibly simple to make! Refreshing and bold in flavor, you will never go back to store-bought Mexican tomatillo salsa again! (Healthy, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Course: Appetizer, Sauce

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: chile, green, homemade, salsa, sauce, Tomatillo, verde

Servings: 10

Calories: 31 kcal

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth

Ingredients

• 2 Poblano Peppers (see note)
• 1 Jalapeno Pepper (see note)
• 5-6 Tomatillos – husks and stems removed & rinsed (about 1 ¼ pound) (see note)
• 1 TBS Vegetable Oil , plus more for oiling grates
• ½ large White Onion – peeled & roughly chopped (see note)
• 2 cloves Garlic – peeled
• 1/3 Cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves – packed, or more to taste
• 1 ½ TBS Fresh Lime Juice or more to taste (see note)
• 2-3 tsp Agave – OPTIONAL, you can substitute honey (see note)
• Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper

To Serve: Chips, Vegetables or use in your favorite Mexican dish!

Instructions

1. OPTIONAL FOR CHARRED SALSA: Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat (see note if using oven). Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking. In a large bowl, toss the poblanos, jalapeno and tomatillos with oil. Place the poblanos, jalapeno and tomatillos on the hot grill. Grill vegetables, turning often, until the skin is charred and the vegetables are tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove vegetables from the grill and transfer to a plate. Set aside to allow to cool slightly. (Optional – If you don’t like a strong smoky flavor, use your hands or the back of a paring knife to scrape off some of the burned peppers skin and discard.)

2. Prep peppers and onions: Cut off the stems off the peppers and discard. Cut peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds if you want a mild salsa. Roughly chop the peppers. Set the tomatillos aside.

3. Blend Salsa: Place the onion, peppers and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until roughly chopped (about 8-10 pulses). Add in the tomatillos and pulse again to roughly chop (about 8 pulses). Add in the cilantro, lime juice and agave (if using). Season with salt and pepper. Pulse again until vegetables are broken down, but salsa is still chunky. Taste and adjust for seasoning with more lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper if desired. Continue to pulse if a thinner salsa is desired.

4. Refrigerate: For best results, cover salsa, transfer to the refrigerator and allow the flavors to marry for at least 30 minutes.

5. Serve and enjoy! Or, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Recipe Notes

1. The spiciness or heat of your salsa is controlled by the amount of seeds and ribs you leave in the peppers. For a very mild salsa, completely remove all the seeds and membrane from the peppers. For a mild salsa, leave half of the seeds and ribs. For a spicy salsa, leave all of the seeds and ribs.
2. When selecting tomatillos, look for ones with the husk still in tact.  Tomatillos should be firm to the touch and green in hue.
3. If you don’t like the bite of a raw onion, soak the chopped onions in water for 10 minutes prior to adding them to the food processor. Be sure to thoroughly drain and pat dry before using.
4. The agave (or honey) in this recipe is entirely optional. I like to add a couple teaspoons to balance the tart flavor.
5. If you like a thinner salsa, add water to the food processor until desired consistency is achieved.
6. If you don’t want to use a grill, you can char the peppers and tomatillos under the broiler. Adjust oven rack so it is 4-inches below the heat element. Preheat oven to high broil. Add vegetables to baking sheet and broil for 7-10 minutes, flipping vegetables over halfway through cooking.

Make Ahead: Salsa verde can be made 5 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Salsa verde can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.

Recipe Yield:  Approximately 2 1/2 Cups

Nutrition Facts

Chunky Homemade Salsa Verde Recipe (Green Chile Salsa)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 31 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Fat 2g3%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 2mg0%

Potassium 98mg3%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 160IU3%

Vitamin C 23.7mg29%

Calcium 6mg1%

Iron 0.2mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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