Roasted Salsa Verde

We love the classic combination of salsa and chips when warmer weather comes. This vibrant, roasted salsa verde pairs perfectly with crispy tortilla chips and tacos, enchiladas, salads, taquitos, or other dishes.

The roasted version was much more flavorful than the raw version. The extra effort is well worth it! Only seven ingredients and just 30 minutes are needed to make the perfect sauce. We’ll show you how to make it!

What is Salsa Verde?

Salsa verde means “green sauce” in Spanish. Its green color comes from green chilies and tomatillos. The sauce is thought to date back to Aztec times (15-16th century).

Tomatillos look like green tomatoes but are not the same. They are native to Mexico and are an important part of Mexican cuisine. Some call tomatillo sauce salsa verde because they are the main ingredient.

Salsa verde is made from boiled tomatillos. The most common way to make it is by burning them. A traditional boiled version can be found in the lovely Mexico In My Kitchen. This is a roasted version.

Salsa Verde: How to make it?

To begin, roast tomatillos with jalapenos on high heat for a few minutes to bring out the natural sweetness.

After roasting, add tomatillos, jalapenos, onion, cilantro, and garlic to a processor, along with other salsa staples such as lime juice and salt. It’s then blended into a dippable, saucy consistency.

Ingredients

• Tomatillos 1 pound, husks removed and rinsed
• 1 or 2 whole jalapenos, depending on your spice preference
• White onion, roughly chopped to 1/3 cup
• Three cloves garlic peeled
• Fresh cilantro, 1/2 cup, loosely packed
• 1 Tbsp of lime juice
• Sea salt, 1/2 to 3/4 tsp

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450 F. (230 C). Set out a baking pan. You can lightly grease the baking pan with avocado oil to make cleanup easier.
• Add tomatillos whole (husks removed) and jalapenos whole onto the baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 mins or until bubbly and browned, turning halfway. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool down a bit. Remove and discard the stems of jalapeno once they are cool enough to handle.
• Add chopped onion, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, sea salt, and roasted tomatillos and jalapenos into a high-speed processor. Blend until everything is well combined. Add more salt or cilantro to enhance flavor, and add more lime juice if you want it to be acidic.
• Enjoy it warm, room temperature, or chilled with tortilla chips, cos, or enchiladas. It is also great served with chilaquiles or taquitos.
• It is best to eat it fresh, as the sauce will thicken when chilled (stir in a little water or lime juice if needed). Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days or frozen for one month.