A fresh batch of salsa verde is the perfect accompaniment to all kinds of meals from breakfast to dinner, from eggs to enchiladas or chicken. Stir it into your soup or chili for a flavorful kick or serve it as a dipping sauce with tortilla chips. The possibilities are as limitless as your imagination and this salsa verde recipe is quick and easy to make. It’s done in well under an hour and this batch is enough for about four to six people. Double or triple as needed! You can also put the extra in the freezer for later, but I doubt you’ll have a lot of leftovers.
(I do have a couple of affiliate links in here for products that I think you’ll find useful as you’re preparing your salsa verde. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission to help me earn a few pennies toward supporting my websites, at no extra cost to you.)
What is salsa verde?
You’re probably most familiar with a more “traditional” salsa, which is usually red in color thanks to its tomato base. It can range in heat from a mild to a spicy flavor. Verde is Spanish for green. As you can see, most of the ingredients in this recipe are also green in color. The base is tomatillos.
Ingredients for salsa verde:
You should be able to easily find all of these ingredients at your local grocery store. When the weather permits, though, I highly recommend checking out your local farmers markets to get the freshest and tastiest ingredients. Or you can even grow them in your own garden! You’ll need the following:
- 1 lb tomatillos
- 2 medium jalapeno peppers
- 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
- 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 1/4 c fresh cilantro leaves (Use less if you have the “soap gene,” of course.)
- 1/4 c fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 T. honey (optional)
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
How to make salsa verde:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat.
- Husk the tomatillos and cut them in half.
- Arrange the halved tomatillos in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, along with the whole jalapeno peppers and garlic cloves. Drizzle them with olive oil and gently toss to coat.
- Place the baking sheet of vegetables in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are tender. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for several minutes.
- Once cooled, cut the jalapenos in half and remove all of the seeds.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender or food processor.
- Add green onions, cilantro, lime juice, ground cumin, and oregano. Pulse the ingredients until they are combined, but keep the mixture somewhat chunky.
- Add honey for sweetening if needed. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately or freeze for later.
