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. 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
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
What to do with your salsa
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 recipe, and let us know what you think!
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!
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