Easy Green Salsa Recipe [Salsa Verde]

Looking to make green salsa at at home? Look no further than this easy salsa verde tutorial using 7 simple ingredients and ready in 20 minutes. This green salsa recipe will quickly become a house staple!

The BEST Green Salsa Recipe!

I don’t have many regrets in life but I recently discovered one: not planting tomatillos in our summer garden. I know, NBD but I REALLY love green salsa (aka salsa verde) and with the abundance of jalapeno peppers we have coming in I’m sad that my default is now regular red salsa.

Don’t get me wrong, I love salsa of all types (no discrimination here) but if I had to choose I would always pick green salsa. But now I know for next year, tomatillos are getting planted!

Also fun fact, tomatillos must be planted in twos as they aren’t self-pollinators and require a pair to pollinate! So looks like next year we’ll probably be adding in another garden bed. Plenty more green salsa to come!

What is Salsa Verde?

Salsa verde, which translates to “green sauce” in Spanish is a traditional sauce recipe in Mexican and Latin American cuisine. It typically is made from tomatillos, spicy chiles (usually jalapeño peppers), onion, garlic, cilantro and lime juice.

Salsa verde is used as a condiment for many Mexican-inspired dishes like chicken enchiladas, tacos, grilled meats or served straight with tortilla chips.

Ingredients in Green Salsa

This homemade salsa verde recipe is actually fairly straightforward to make. The most important step is roasting the tomatillos and jalapeños. The rest comes together in the blender or food processor.

• Tomatillos – Not to be confused with green tomatoes which are actually a different species of plant entirely! Most grocery stores carry tomatillos but if you’re having trouble finding them, most Mexican or South American grocery stores have them. Reminder to remove the papery husks before roasting.
• Jalapeno Peppers – you can also sub serrano peppers which have a bit more spice but I like jalapenos (and also have an abundance of them growing in the garden). Feel free to seed them if you prefer a mild salsa. You can also use just 1 instead of 2.
• Fresh Garlic – two cloves, peeled for depth of flavor.
• Cilantro – You can skip if you don’t like the taste of cilantro but it is important if you want that authentic salsa verde flavor.
• White onion – roughly half of a large one but feel free to eye ball it.
• Lime juice – I like the citrus kick of lime and use the juice from 1 full lime. For even more lime flavor you can zest your lime as well.
• Salt – 1 teaspoon salt. Don’t skimp on it unless sodium is an Issue.

How to Make Green Salsa

STEP 1: ROAST TOMATILLOS AND PEPPERS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spread tomatillos and jalapeños out on a lined baking sheet for 15 minutes or until tomatillos start to brown on top and are cooked through. Remove tomatillos and jalapeños from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

STEP 2: BLEND SALSA

Chop tomatillos in half and remove top stems from jalapeños. Add tomatillos and jalapeños to a blender or food processor. Top with garlic, cilantro, onion, lime juice, and salt and pulse the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency. If too thick feel free to add in a few tablespoons of water.

STEP 3: SERVE!

Serve with tortilla chips, veggies or top onto burritos or bowls (more recipe ideas below).

How to Use Salsa Verde

Green salsa can be used in place of any dishes using regular salsa but other than chips and dip here are some delicious ideas:

• Top onto these Easy Chipotle Burrito Bowls
• Sub regular salsa for these Instant Pot Chicken Taquitos
• Use in place of pico de gallo in these Spicy Shrimp Tacos
• Top onto this Grilled Mexican Street Corn
• Add to these Black Bean Enchiladas
• Use this tomatillo salsa verde in this Chicken Pozole Recipe.

How to Store Green Salsa

Refrigerator: This green salsa stores easily in the fridge for up to 1 week. Just store in an airtight container or mason jar to ensure no air can enter.

Freezer: You can also freeze this salsa verde if you make extra and want to save for a future occasion. Just remove from the freezer the night before and let thaw completely on the counter.

More Salsa Recipes:

• Restaurant-style salsa
• Fresh Corn Salsa
• Tropical Pineapple Salsa
• Homemade Pico de Gallo
• Instant Pot Salsa Chicken

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