Spicy Salsa Verde recipe (that’s not so verde with these tomatillos)

I am growing tomatillos this year in the garden, so have a lot that are starting to ripen and are ready for making a bunch of different recipes. This spicy salsa verde is a classic recipe for tomatillos, so this is one of the first things I made using them. Tomatillos are a tangy distant cousin of tomatoes – they do not taste the same, at all.

Ripe tomatillos are yellow, and green tomatillos are not quite ripe and are more tangy. You can use them in either state for your salsa. They can be roasted to remove some of the tang and add a sweet and smoky hint, or you can opt to leave them raw if you want a lot more tang to your salsa. Therefore, your tomatillos are yellow you can omit the roasting step if desired. Tomatillos are often round instead of this oblong variety I am growing in the garden (more on this below). Whatever kind or color of tomatillo you find should work fine for this recipe.

I wanted to make a classic like I remember from the restaurants, but with a bit more garlic (of course) and a bit of heat by leaving in some of the stem and seeds from the peppers. This is all adjustable, of course, so check out the recipe notes. I also used what I had on hand: red onions. This affects the color of the final product, if aesthetics are a concern. Use white onions for a brighter green or yellow color.

Spicy Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Salsa verde uses tomatillos instead of tomatoes for a bright and fruit-forward alternative. My tomatillo variety is not green, so this changes the "verde" element a little. Anyway, the texture and bright flavor is different, and adds a wonderful unique flavor to your burritos and great for chips. The jalapenos give it a (controllable) kick!

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Course: Appetizer, Sauces, Spreads & Condiments

Cuisine: Latin American

Keyword: cilantro, jalapenos, lime, onions, tomatillos

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 Servings

Calories: 21kcal

Author: Jen deHaan

Ingredients

• 1 lb tomatillos Remove core and seeds if desired
• 2 jalapenos Remove seeds and veins for mild, or leave some seeds/veins in for spicy
• 1 anaheim pepper Optional
• 3/4 cup onions Chopped
• 5 cloves garlic More or less, this is to your taste
• 1/2 cup cilantro Destem and chopped, 1/4 cup if dried
• 3 Tbsp lime juice Or to taste
• 1 tsp salt Or to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450F while you peel and rinse the tomatillos.
• Remove the tomatillo husks, wash, and then slice them in half. Remove the seeds and core if desired.
  
• Add the tomatillos (see notes) to a baking sheet with parchment paper, and roast in the oven until slightly browned on top (about 7-10 minutes).
  
• Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, then add all ingredients (tomatillos and remaining ingredients) to a food processor and pulse until you reach the desired consistency. Add additional lime or salt if desired, and refrigerate in an air tight container.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Love and Lemons and SpruceEats. I adjusted the ratios/seasonings to my own preferences, and also made it oil free.

Spice level: I left in half a jalapeno of seeds. It left a nice heat, but was still subtle. Adjust to your own preference or remove all seeds and veins for mild.

Roasting: I opted to only roast the tomatillos because I love the flavor of raw garlic, onions and peppers, however you can also roast the onions, garlic and peppers too if you like. I cut mine in half or leave whole depending on whether I remove the core (I make the salsa both ways).

Consistency: To your taste or what you’re making with it, and it is also affected by whether you leave in the cores. For smoother, leave cores in and process a bit longer in the machine.

Harvesting: If you are growing your own tomatillos, note that they are ripe when the fruit starts to emerge from the paper and they drop to the ground, but are less tangy when completely ripe. You can use yellow or green, see article for more details.

Nutrition Facts

Spicy Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Amount per Serving

Calories

21

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

1

g

2

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Sodium

 

211

mg

9

%

Potassium

 

136

mg

4

%

Carbohydrates

 

4

g

1

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

2

g

2

%

Protein

 

1

g

2

%

Vitamin A

 

113

IU

2

%

Vitamin C

 

10

mg

12

%

Calcium

 

8

mg

1

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

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

Tried this recipe? Customized it?Let us know how it was in the comments!

What to do with your spicy salsa verde

Obviously a classic along with tortilla chips or baked tortillas as a dip.

We loaded a ton of this salsa into a burrito along with black beans, corn, potatoes, and our tofu scramble. We have even eaten this in a falafel bowl. Possibly a minor crime to some, but it still works. Let us know in the comments what you like to pair it with!

Share this spicy salsa verde recipe

Are you growing tomatillos? The tomatillos pictured above are “Queen of Malinalco” that I purchased from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (a new variety they carried this year). I’m really happy with how they grew! We had a rough start, but the plants turned around and are producing heavily. Will save some seeds for next year and grow them again, no question.

If you are interested in gardening, check out our Vegan Gardening instagram account. Website coming soon!