How to Make Salsa Verde
Learn how to make Salsa Verde for an easy appetizer or snack! It’s the perfect dip recipe, but it’s also great for adding flavor to quesadillas, chicken, beans, soups, and more!
Salsa Verde
Homemade Salsa Verde is one of summer’s many gifts! This easy green salsa recipe will be your spicy go-to for all kinds of meals. Charred tomatillos, tomatillos, and onion are blended with fresh herbs and lime juice for a super flavorful sauce.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- EASY – You need no cooking experience to nail this recipe! You simply need to keep an eye on the broiler (or grill over an open flame if you prefer), then blend it all up. Beginner cooks will love how simple this is, and it’s an easy way to boost flavor in other recipes!
- HEALTHY – This recipe gets all its flavor from veggies, spices, and a bit of healthy oil. There’s no dairy, gluten, nuts, eggs, or soy, so it’s a great allergen-free appetizer. It’s works for low-calorie, low-carb, keto, Whole30, and paleo diets, too.
- MEAL PREP FRIENDLY – You can easily make this recipe up to a week in advance! It’s a great snack to keep in the fridge for mid-day cravings or unexpected guests. It can even be frozen for long-term meal planning.
Ingredients for Salsa Verde
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need for this recipe. For exact measurements, keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card below.
- Fresh tomatillos, jalapenos, and onion – Tomatillos are best between early summer and late fall, but some stores will carry them year-round. If you’re unfamiliar with tomatillos, look for firm ones with husks that look like they’re tightly covering the entire fruit. They should be bright green for the best flavor.
- Olive oil and kosher salt – The veggies are tossed in these before broiling for maximum flavor! If using table salt, reduce the amount as it can often taste saltier than kosher salt. You can use avocado oil, coconut oil, or your preference.
- Cilantro, garlic, garlic salt, cumin, onion powder, and lime juice – These are blended with the roasted veggies to create a super-flavorful salsa! Fresh minced garlic and freshly squeezed lime juice always have the best flavor, but you can easily use the jarred/bottled versions to save time.
You will need a cutting board, chef’s knife, baking sheet, appliance with a broiler (can be oven, toaster, or air fryer), and a blender or food processor.
How to Make Salsa Verde
This is a simple recipe that is great for beginners! Here’s a step-by-step guide to making this delicious dip perfect for summer.
Broil veggies
First, line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper to make cleanup a breeze, then set it aside. Remove the husks from your tomatillos, then rinse well and slice in half. Place them on the baking sheet with the halved, deseeded jalapenos and chopped onion.
Turn the broiler on high and place the baking sheet on the top rack, right underneath it. Allow the veggies to broil until they’re charred, then flip and char the other side. For me, this took just 1 minute on each side. Watch very carefully as the broiler can burn things very quickly! Remove from oven and let the vegetables cool.
Blend
Add the charred tomatillos, jalapenos, and onion to a blender or food processor, then dump in the cilantro, spices, and juice as well. Blend on high until smooth (took between 30 and 60 seconds for me).
Serve
This dip can be served immediately at room temperature. Some people prefer their salsa warm, some like it chilled… It’s all up to your personal preference. It makes a great dip for chips or quesadillas, and you will LOVE it on nachos, chicken, even scrambled eggs.
How to use Salsa Verde
Salsa Verde is an incredible recipe because it can boost the flavor of so many of your favorite foods! Here are a few of our best ideas:
- As a dip – Most of our Salsa Verde gets eaten with tortilla chips (keto chips if we’re feeling low-carb). We also love to dip quesadillas, wraps, or this cool tortilla hack in it for a ton of extra flavor. You’ll LOVE it with some zucchini fries, too.
- Like a sauce – This salsa is amazing drizzled on these Bacon Breakfast Tacos! Add it to steak fajitas or in a chorizo scramble or potato hash. It’s a great spicy addition to some Mexican Street Corn as well.
- In place of marinade – You can marinate meat or veggies in some salsa verde for deliciously juicy and flavorful meals. Add a pound of chicken thighs or baby potatoes to about 1/4-1/2 cup Salsa Verde and let it absorb for 4-24 hours before cooking.
- Within a soup – Salsa verde is a great addition to this White Bean Chicken Chili recipe! It adds just the right amount of spice with the complex flavor of the tomatillos. For a fun twist, add a scoop to this taco soup or enchilada soup!
- Instead of a dressing – If you’re big on spice, consider using this salsa as a dressing on your next Taco Salad! It would also be great in this burrito bowl or atop this Cilantro Lime Shrimp and Cauliflower Rice.
Storage
Salsa Verde will stay fresh in the fridge for 5-7 days in an airtight container. If you’d like to stretch it further, consider freezing it! Pour it in a freezer-safe bag, label it, and freeze it lying flat so that you can turn it upright for space-saving organization.
If you’re going to want a little bit at a time for sauces, dips, and such, you could freeze it in measured 1-cup, 1/2-cup, or even 2-tablespoon portions, then pop the blocks out of the mold and transfer to a freezer bag. This makes it so easy to get just what you need! It’ll last 2 months in the fridge.
If you love this salsa, you’ll love these great dips & apps!
- Smoked Queso – This is a great one for those hangouts by the pool or outside on a warm evening! It can be made on the grill or over the campfire.
- Pesto – This basil, parmesan, and pine nut sauce adds SO much flavor to eggs, pasta, chicken, and more!
- Chimichurri – The strong, herby flavor you get from this parsley and cilantro sauce will boost any meal from “good” to “amazing!”
- Chuy’s Jalapeno Ranch – We love a good copycat recipe! This is such an easy recipe, but it immediately improves every dish you put it on.
- Slow Cooker Corn Dip – Another major party favorite. We love that this is quick and inexpensive to throw together for a crowd at the last minute.
How to Make Salsa Verde
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh tomatillos husk removed and washed well
- 2 fresh jalapenos seeded
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 small white onion chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 lime juiced
Instructions
- Remove the husks from one pound of tomatillos, and rinse well. Slice in half. Chop off the ends of the onion, discard it with the outer layer. Roughly chop onion. Slice jalapenos in half and discard seeds (unless you want it spicier).
- Toss the tomatillos, onion, and seeded jalapenos in olive oil and salt and place on a large baking sheet.
- Turn your broiler on high and broil until the vegetables become charred. (For me this was about 1 minute, then I flipped them over and broiled for 1 more minute). Watch very carefully and make sure not to burn. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Add the tomatillos, jalapenos, and the onion to blender along with cilantro, spices, and the juice of one lime and blend on high until smooth (30 seconds to 1 minute).
Notes
Nutrition
