Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Got tomatillos? Grab your favorite tortilla chips for dipping in the best homemade salsa verde recipe ever. We have three methods for making this Mexican green salsa with roasted tomatillos, chile peppers, lime juice, cilantro, and onion.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated November 09, 2022
Elise Bauer
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Elise Bauer

Growing up we always had a choice of two kinds of salsa—a red tomato salsa which we made from scratch, and a salsa verde, or green salsa, which we got from a bottle (Victoria brand).

As a kid I always thought that green salsa was made from green tomatoes, but actually it is made with a distant relative of the tomato from Mexico, the naturally tart tomatillo (pronounced "toe-mah-TEE-yo"). A tomatillo looks like a little green tomato covered with a husk. It's not in the same genus as tomatoes, though both are in the nightshade family (along with eggplants and peppers).

Tomatillos for making homemade salsa verde
Elise Bauer

Salsa verde is really easy to make from scratch, all you need are tomatillos, onion, jalapeño, lime, and cilantro.

To make the salsa verde, you will need to cook the tomatillos, which you can do by either boiling them, broiling them in the oven, or pan roasting them. All three approaches are quick and easy, though with broiling or pan roasting, you get added flavor from the searing of the tomatillos.

Then it's a quick spin in the blender with the other ingredients, easy!

1:15

Watch This Tasty Tomatillo Salsa Verde Recipe

Tomatillo Salsa Verde in a bowl with tortilla chips in the background
Elise Bauer

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 12 servings
Yield 3 cups

To cook the tomatillos, you can either roast them in the oven, brown them on the stovetop, or boil them. Roasting in the oven or browning on the stovetop will deliver more flavor. Each way works, though boiling is a more common way to cook the tomatillos.

Garlic is optional. You can either cook a few cloves with the tomatillos in any of these steps, or add one or two raw garlic cloves when you go to blend the salsa.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos (about 12 medium)

  • 1/2 cup chopped white onion

  • 2 cloves (or more) garlic, optional

  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

  • 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers , stemmed, seeded and chopped (you can use whole for more heat if you want)

  • Salt to taste

Method

Oven Roasting Method

  1. Preheat the broiler:

    Set the rack about 6 inches from the heating element.

  2. Prep the tomatillos:

    Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and rinse well. Cut the tomatillos in half and place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet.

    Add a few garlic cloves in their skin (if using). Place under a broiler for about 5-7 minutes to lightly blacken the skins of the tomatillos.

    roast tomatillos for making homemade salsa verde
    Elise Bauer
    roasted tomatillos for homemade salsa verde
    Elise Bauer
  3. Combine the cooked tomatillos and seasonings, then pulse in a blender:

    Place the cooked tomatillos, lime juice, onions, garlic (if using), cilantro, chili peppers in a blender or food processor and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed.

    pulse tomatillos and salsa ingredients in a blender for salsa verde
    Elise Bauer
    blend salsa verde ingredients
    Elise Bauer
  4. Season and serve:

    Season with salt to taste.

    Cool, then refrigerate. Serve with chips or as a salsa accompaniment to Mexican dishes.

Pan Roasting Method

  1. Blister the tomatillos:

    Coat the bottom of a skillet with a little vegetable oil. Heat on high heat. Place the tomatillos in the pan and sear on one side, then flip over and brown on the other side. Remove from heat.

    pan roast tomatillos for salsa verde
    Elise Bauer
    brown the tomatillos in a skillet for salsa verde
    Elise Bauer
  2. Combine the cooked tomatillos and seasonings, then pulse in a blender:

    Place the cooked tomatillos, lime juice, onions, garlic (if using), cilantro, chili peppers in a blender or food processor and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed.

    blend salsa verde ingredients
    Elise Bauer

    Season with salt to taste.

    Cool, then refrigerate. Serve with chips or as a salsa accompaniment to Mexican dishes.

Boiling Method

  1. Simmer the tomatillos in a pan:

    Place tomatillos in a saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove tomatillos with a slotted spoon.

  2. Combine the cooked tomatillos and seasonings, then pulse in a blender:

    Place the cooked tomatillos, lime juice, onions, garlic (if using), cilantro, chili peppers in a blender or food processor and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed.

    blend salsa verde ingredients
    Elise Bauer

    Season with salt to taste.

    Cool, then refrigerate. Serve with chips or as a salsa accompaniment to Mexican dishes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
24 Calories
1g Fat
5g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 24
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 98mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 9mg 46%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 182mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.