This easy salsa verde recipe is perfect for drizzling over enchilada verdes, quesadillas, or even grilled steak.
Made with roasted fresh tomatillos, warm spices, and herbs and finished with zesty lime juice, this mild salsa verde recipe is perfect for topping off your tacos, grilled steak bites, or anything you can think of!
What is salsa verde?
Salsa verde is a green sauce with a complex flavor profile popular in Mexican culture. Imagine the red salsa you have with chips, but make it less sweet and more tart and full of robust flavors from cilantro, garlic, and warm spices, finished with lime juice, and that's what salsa verde tastes like.
If you've ever had enchiladas verde at a Mexican restaurant with a green sauce slathered over them, the sauce is most likely salsa verde-a roasted tomatillo salsa.
What is a tomatillo?
Often mistaken for a small green tomato, tomatillos are small green fruits that grow on vines and have a papery husk protecting a sticky skin.
Tomatillos are juicy like tomatoes, depending on how ripe they are, but they have a tart taste like green apples and have a hint of citrus. Since tomatillos are so tart, they're often cooked first before consuming.
Fun Fact: There must be at least two tomatillo plants in a garden since they have to cross-pollinate! Last year, I grew tons of tomatillo seedlings and gave away all but one. My gardening lesson has been learned.
FAQ for making salsa verde
Yes, salsa verde can be frozen if properly stored in an airtight container.
Often mistaken for a small green tomato, tomatillos are small green fruits that grow on vines and have a papery husk protecting a sticky skin.
Tomatillos are juicy like tomatoes, depending on how ripe they are, but they have a tart taste like green apples and have a hint of citrus. Since tomatillos are so tart, they're often cooked first before consuming.
You can use salsa verde as a sauce or a dip. Since the vegetables are cooked, it's great to add as a topping to your tacos, quesadillas, or even to add a layer onto your avocado toast or breakfast sandwich!
Mild Salsa Verde Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 tomatillos (husk removed)
- ½ Spanish onion (skin removed)
- 1 head of garlic (or 6 cloves)
- 1 cup cilantro
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon lime juice (or to taste)
Instructions
Preparing
- Remove the husk from the tomatillos and rinse the tomatillos to remove the sticky substance. Pat dry the tomatillos before placing them onto a sheet pan.
Roasting
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. To your sheet pan with the tomatillos, add the whole garlic (keep it in the skin), onion, and a few sprigs of cilantro (if desired on the cilantro to be roasted). Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables, and add your seasonings before gently massaging the oil and seasoning over the vegetables.
- Place into your preheated oven and roast your vegetables for about 20-25 minutes, or until your tomatillos are slightly browned.
- Once the tomatillos are roasted, remove pan from oven and allow the vegetables to cool to touch.
Blending
- Once the garlic has cooled, remove each clove from the skin.
- Add all of the roasted vegetables into the food processor and pulse until it reaches the desired consistency. Add in lime juice and taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking.
Storage
- Place into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator up to three days.
Rebekah Pestes says
From the directions, it looks like there’s supposed to be lime juice in it, but it’s not in the ingredients list. How much lime juice is supposed to be used?
Neyssa says
Hi Rebekah, I updated the post to reflect how much lime juice to use. Start at a teaspoon, and you can adjust it to your liking. Thank you for bringing it to my attention!