Tomatillo Salsa (aka Salsa Verde) uses tomatillos, serrano and jalapeno chilies all roasted for a full, robust flavor. A great recipe any time of the year!
Tomatillos are probably one of those things in the produce department you walk by and maybe take a sideways glance at. There is nothing intuitive about them.
However, Tomatillo Salsa is another matter.
You’ve probably had it at a restaurant and lapped it up with some chips having no idea what it was (other than delicious).
After today’s recipe you’ll be hunting the funny little husked vegetables down!
What is a Tomatillo?
At first glance tomatillos appear to be green tomatoes but they aren’t.
Also known as ‘Mexican husk tomatoes’, tomatillos are a member of the nightshade family along with potatoes, eggplant, pepper and tomatoes.
Despite the similar appearance, tomatillos and tomatoes are from different plants.
Tomatillos are small green or purple fruits (though they are treated like vegetables like tomatoes) best recognized from the dry husk that drapes over the fruit.
What does a Tomatillo taste like?
Tomatillos are most commonly eaten cooked in Salsa Verde (‘green salsa‘), though they can be eaten raw.
They have a slightly fruity, tangy flavor that is a bit herb-y as well.
Ingredients in Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Tomatillo Salsa is spicy and slightly sweet as well. The heat can be adjusted by the number of chile peppers used.
The recipe suggests a quantity of jalapeno and serrano chile pepper. Feel free to adjust up or down as desired. Also see the note about Spiciness below!
- Tomatillos
- Yellow Onion
- Serrano Peppers
- Jalapeno Chilies
- Garlic Cloves
- Kosher Salt
- fresh Cilantro
- Optional: 1-2 small red sweet peppers (not bell peppers)
A Note on Spiciness of this Salsa Verde recipe
I’ve found with salsa there is a lot of experimenting to your taste.
Three serrano chilies might be mild to me, but to you might feel like it’s going to make steam come out of your ears.
I’ve also noted the flavor intensity of a given ingredient can vary each time I buy it.
Do keep that in mind and taste as you go when making any salsa.
Why Make this Tomatillo Salsa?
Tomatillo Salsa is a nice change up from traditional tomato-based salsas and Pico de Gallo.
What I love about this Roasted Tomatillo Salsa recipe is:
- It’s FAST to make
- There is no chopping of ingredients
- The flavor is sweet and spicy
How to Make Tomatillo Salsa – Step by Step
Refer to the recipe card at the end of the post for detailed (printable) instructions.
- Preheat the oven broiler.
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil (or use one pan twice).
- Husk the tomatillos (photo 1 before husking), rinse them and place on prepared baking sheet with the chilies and the unpeeled garlic cloves (photo 2).
- Place the baking sheet(s) under the broiler checking them every few minutes until the tomatillos and chilies char (photo 3).
- Place the onions a food processor.
- After broiling let the roasted vegetables rest until you can handle them (a few minutes) and add them to the food processor.
- Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skin into the food processor. Discard the skin.
- Remove the stems, seeds and inner membrane from the chilies and add them to the food processor (This is my favorite trick)
- Add the cilantro and salt to the food processor.
- Pulse the food processor to pulverize ingredients into a liquid salsa consistency.
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Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Tomatillos
- 1 large Yellow Onion onion , peeled and cut into large pieces
- 4 Serrano Chilies
- 2 large Jalapeno Chilies
- 5 medium Garlic Cloves
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1 cup fresh Cilantro
- Optional: 1-2 small red sweet peppers (not bell peppers)
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler. Line two baking sheets with foil (or cycle the same one through two rounds of broiling.)
- Husk the tomatillos and rinse them. Note: they have a tackiness to the skin which will not rinse off. Put the tomatillos, the chilies and the unpeeled garlic cloves on the prepared baking sheet (s).
- Place the baking sheet(s) under the broiler checking them every few minutes until the tomatillos and chilies char (aproximately 7-10 minutes for the tomatillos and faster for the chilies). Note: if smaller chilies char before the tomatillos,, remove them while the remaining ingredients broil.
- Add the onions pieces to the bowl of a food processor.
- When the tomatillos are done let them cool for just a few minutes until you can handle them and put them into the food processor bowl.
- Squeeze the contents of the garlic cloves out of their skin into the food processor bowl, ensuring the peel does not go into the salsa.
- Tip: wear protective gloves when handling chilies. Remove the top of the chilies with a sharp knife and discard. Slice the length of the chiiles, open (a dining knife works well for this) and gently scrap out the seeds and inner membrane; discard scraped contents. Add the prepared chilies to the food processor.
- Add the cilantro and salt to the food processor. Turn on the food processor and pulverize to a liquid salsa consistency.
- Optional: to give the salsa some visual appeal if desired, add the red sweet peppers (not bell peppers) to the food processor. It breaks up the all green appearance!
Nutrition
Originally published: October 4, 2010
keikilani says
I am obsessed with salsas. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Looks so delicious.
Rachel says
I like the tartness if a tomatillo salsa. I just never knew how to prepare them.
Jennifer says
Oh wow! That looks amazing. I love salsa verde better than red salsa. Thanks so much for sharing this!
Taylor says
One of my favorites! Perfect for Cinco de Mayo!
Ruth I says
This is the first time I’ve heard of this. I am now so curious and I am wanting to taste this soonest!
Sherry says
I haven’t tried a tomatillo before. I do see them in the grocery store. I’ll have to pick some up and try this salsa.
Steph says
Such a great salsa recipe! The roasted tomatillo was amazing!
Tess says
I need to learn how to make tomatillos. This is the perfect recipe to start with!
Jacque Hooper says
I prefer my chips with tomatillo salsa versus the traditional tomato salsa; I’ll be giving this a try, especially for Cinco de Mayo!
Annemarie LeBlanc says
I will try and find some tomatillos in my area. This looks like an amazing salsa, perfect for Cinco de Mayo or for any weekend together with the family.