Break out the chips, we're making salsa! Roasted Tomatillo Salsa to be exact. You'll love the creamy texture of this Salsa Verde because we snuck in some avocados.
Serve this salsa with Pulled Pork Enchiladas, Mexican Rice Bowls, or California Burritos.
About this recipe
I find that there are two types of people in this world; those that like red salsa, and those that prefer green salsa.
And by "green," I'm referring to "roasted tomatillo salsa," also known as "salsa verde."
I find myself in the green salsa category. I've mentioned "Mariettas" in previous posts; it's our family's favorite local restaurant.
They have the best Mexican food, including their amazing salsa.
Although they serve the red salsa with their freshly fried tortilla chips, I always request their roasted tomatillo salsa. I absolutely love it!
This is my attempt at recreating their salsa verde recipe, only spicier.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Turn oven broiler to high while you prepare the tomatillos.
2. Peel and wash tomatillos, then slice in half. Line a pan with foil, then add tomatillos, sliced side down. Add unpeeled garlic cloves, and whole Serranos.
3. Sprinkle with one tablespoon olive oil, and place under the broiler until charred (approximately five minutes).
4. Meanwhile, place peeled and quartered onion, cilantro, avocado, lime juice, and salt in a blender.
5. Carefully transfer the peeled garlic, tomatillos, Serranos, and the rendered juices into the blender. If your blender is not large enough, you can do this in batches.
6. Pulse until you reach the desired texture. Add a little water to thin out, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips, or as a side to any Mexican meal.
Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips
Tomatillos and tomatoes are not the same fruit. Tomatillos are also known as husk tomatoes, Mexican ground-cherries, and Mexican green tomatoes.
As those names suggest, tomatillos are native to Mexico, and Central America. Tomatillos have a protective husk, that needs to be stripped away before they can be eaten.
Tomatillos are more sour in flavor than tomatoes but sweeten on the vine if not picked too early.
Although you can eat tomatillos raw, they are more commonly cooked in dishes like Chili Verde or roasted as they are in this tomatillo salsa.
You can make the salsa with raw tomatillos, but I prefer the bold flavor that charring the tomatillos adds. The same goes for the garlic and Serranos.
The most obvious way to serve this roasted tomatillo salsa is with corn chips. But let's not stop there; there are many other possibilities.
Some of these possibilities include fajitas and Breakfast Burritos. You can also mix this salsa with scrambled eggs, or use it as a base for cooking Chili Verde.
- You can adjust the spiciness of the recipe based on your taste. I use three Serranos, which is almost not spicy enough for us.
- Your family may prefer one or two peppers, so adjust accordingly. Feel free to substitute jalapeños for the Serranos.
- Most tomatillo salsa recipes don't call for avocados, but I find that adding avocados makes the salsa much silkier in texture, and even more tasty!
- If the salsa is too thick, you can add water to thin it out. Stir in ¼ cup of cold water at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
Related Recipes
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Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs. tomatillos
- 3 serrano peppers (or less)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium avocado
- 1 medium lime (juiced)
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Turn oven broiler to high while you prepare the tomatillos.
- Peel and wash tomatillos, then slice in half.
- Line a pan with foil, then add tomatillos, sliced side down. Add unpeeled garlic cloves, and whole Serranos.
- Sprinkle with one tablespoon olive oil, and place under the broiler until charred (approximately five minutes).
- Meanwhile, place peeled and quartered onion, cilantro, avocado, lime juice, and salt in a blender.
- Carefully transfer the peeled garlic, tomatillos, Serranos, and the rendered juices into the blender. If your blender is not large enough, you can do this in batches.
- Pulse until you reach the desired texture. Add a little water to thin out, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips, or as a side to any Mexican meal.
Notes
- You can adjust the spiciness of the recipe based on your taste. I use three Serranos, which is almost not spicy enough for us.
- Your family may prefer one or two peppers, so adjust accordingly. Feel free to substitute jalapeños for the Serranos.
- Most tomatillo salsa recipes don't call for avocados, but I find that adding avocados makes the salsa much silkier in texture, and even more tasty!
- If the salsa is too thick, you can add water to thin it out. Stir in ¼ cup of cold water at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on 12/19/2018 and was edited on 11/14/2019 by updating the content and adding FAQ's and tips.
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