Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ pounds fresh tomatillos (about 12-15 medium), husks removed and rinsed
- 2-3 jalapeño peppers (adjust for heat preference)
- ½ medium white onion, cut into thick slices
- 3-4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- ½ cup fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ cup water or chicken broth (optional, for desired consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your broiler to high or set your oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil for easier cleanup (optional but recommended). Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and rinse them under cold water to remove the sticky residue. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Arrange Vegetables for Roasting: Place the tomatillos, jalapeños, onion slices, and unpeeled garlic cloves on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Make sure there’s some space between items for even roasting. You don’t need to add oil—the vegetables will roast perfectly as-is.
- Roast the Vegetables: Place the baking sheet on the top rack of your oven, about 4-6 inches from the broiler. Roast for 10-12 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. You want the tomatillos to blister and turn olive green with charred spots, and the jalapeños should have blackened skin in several places. The exact time will depend on your broiler’s strength.
- Flip and Continue Roasting: After 10-12 minutes, use tongs to carefully flip the tomatillos, peppers, and onion pieces. Return to the oven and roast for another 8-10 minutes until the tomatillos are soft and collapsed, and all vegetables have nice charred spots. The garlic should feel soft when gently squeezed (be careful—it’s hot!). Some liquid from the tomatillos will pool on the pan—this is good! It’s full of flavor.
- Cool and Peel the Garlic: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the vegetables cool for about 5 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their papery skins. They should pop right out. Discard the skins.
- Prepare the Peppers: If you want milder salsa, you can remove the stems from the jalapeños and scrape out some or all of the seeds. For spicier salsa, leave the seeds in and just remove the stems. The charred skin can stay on—it adds great smoky flavor.
- Blend the Salsa: Transfer all the roasted vegetables (including any juices from the pan—those are liquid gold!), peeled garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to your blender. Blend on high speed for 30-60 seconds until you reach your desired consistency. For smooth salsa, blend longer. For chunkier salsa, pulse just a few times.
- Adjust Consistency and Seasoning: Check the thickness of your salsa. If it’s too thick, add water or chicken broth, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, and blend again until you reach your preferred consistency. Taste the salsa and adjust the seasoning—you might need more salt, lime juice, or even another pinch of cilantro. Remember that flavors will develop even more as the salsa rests.
- Rest and Develop Flavors: Transfer the salsa to a bowl or storage container and let it rest for at least 15-30 minutes before serving. This resting time allows the flavors to meld together beautifully. The salsa can be served at room temperature or chilled.
- Serve and Enjoy: Give the salsa a good stir before serving, as some separation is natural. Serve with tortilla chips, use as a taco topping, spoon over enchiladas, or use in any recipe calling for salsa verde!
Notes
- For a smokier flavor, char the vegetables under the broiler for a few extra minutes until they’re quite blackened.
- The heat level depends on the jalapeños you use—they can vary significantly! Start with 2 jalapeños and add more if you want extra heat.
- If you prefer a thinner, pourable salsa (great for enchiladas), add more liquid. For thicker dipping salsa, use less or no water.
- The salsa will thicken slightly as it cools and sits in the refrigerator.
- For the brightest green color, serve the salsa within 24 hours. Over time, it will darken to a deeper olive green, which is completely normal and doesn’t affect flavor.
- You can also make this salsa in a molcajete (traditional Mexican mortar and pestle) for an even more authentic, chunkier texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Calories: 28
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 298mg
- Fat: 0.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg