This Roasted Tomatillo Salsa is absolutely addictive. Roasting all of the vegetables adds char that creates an earthy flavor, brings out the natural sweetness of the tomatillos and onions, and mellows out the jalapenos. Hot, cold, or room temperature, you're going to keep coming back for more. You've been warned!
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You're going to want to make sure you always have this Roasted Tomatillo Salsa in your refrigerator. It's absolutely essential in my Chilaquiles Verde, it makes my Chorizo Breakfast Tacos sing, and it makes my Crispy Skillet Potatoes disappear in minutes. And chips. Get yourself a big bag of tortilla chips. Oh, and fish tacos! Amazing on fish tacos! I could go on, and on, and on...
Choose nice firm tomatillos with a bright green color and a papery husk that is bursting at the seams. Soak them in a bit of cold water for a few minutes and the husk will peel right off. A quick rinse under warm water and you're ready to roast. Pretty much everything just gets added to a rimmed baking sheet and broiled in the oven. The flavor of the roasted tomatillos beats the heck out of store-bought salsa verde.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Did I forget to take an ingredient photo that included all of the ingredients? maybe. Did I make it work? You tell me 😅 Anyway, this is everything that you need, but let's chat...
- Tomatillos - Contrary to rumors, a tomatillo is not a green tomato and you cannot substitute one for the other. Raw tomatillos are very acidic and tart, with a little bit of an earthy fruitiness. When cooked they make a tangy salsa that is sweeter and more fruity and milder in flavor. They come wrapped in a papery skin, called a husk, that you have to peel. The tomatillo will feel sticky, but a quick rinse under warm water will take care of that.
- Jalapeño - This recipe calls for 2 jalapeños, but you can add more or less depending on your tolerance for spice. If this is your first time trying this tomatillo salsa, I would recommend you remove the seeds and white rib portions from at least one of them. If you are a spice fiend, substitute with some serrano peppers 🔥
- Onion - You can use a white or yellow onion, and we only need half.
- Garlic - If you have fresh garlic in the peel, you can just pop it onto the sheet pan along with everything else. If you have already peeled garlic cloves, toss them on halfway through broiling, when you flip everything over.
- Fresh Cilantro - Some people cannot abide the taste of cilantro. If you are one of those poor unfortunate souls, add some parsley or even dill in its place.
- Lime - After roasting, the tomatillos will lessen in acidity and their natural sweetness will emerge. Adding fresh lime juice complements all of that change.
- Honey - You can use agave if you like, but I haven't tried any artificial sweeteners. I like to add 1 tablespoon of honey to balance the acidity of the lime and the heat of the peppers. If you find you salsa to be too spicy, you can add a little more to counteract that.
- Salt and pepper - A little salt makes everything taste better and I even add black pepper to pico de gallo and my regular tomato salsa for a subtle fruity heat.
See recipe card below for exact quantities.
Variations
Here are a few ways to change up this roasted tomatillo salsa recipe:
- Raw tomatillo salsa - Skip the roasting and make a vibrant and flavorful green salsa. It's pretty bright and acidic, so keep the honey or agave handy to balance that out. Great with tortilla chips!
- Avocado tomatillo salsa, part 1 - Rick Bayless makes an amazing avocado salsa verde with raw tomatillos and an avocado blended until smooth. It is fantastic with roasted chicken and grilled fish. Oh, and tortilla chips. Dip. DIp.
- Avocado, part 2 - I prefer to add a whole ripe avocado directly to the food processor (after removing the pit and skin of course) when making my roasted tomatillo salsa. Using just one avocado it makes a delicious sauce that is amazing over chicken enchiladas. Blend in 2 whole avocados and the tomatillo guacamole vibes are crazy... and also amazing with tortilla chips. I like chips, okay?
Instructions
Making this amazing tomatillo salsa is so simple, you'll find yourself making it all the time. I'll bring the tortilla chips. Start by turning your oven broiler on high and prepping your vegetables:
- Step 1: Start by peeling and then slicing the onion in half or quarters. Dehusk the tomatillos and rinse them well to remove outer stickiness. Dry them off and cut in half. Slice the jalapenos or serrano chiles in half and remove the seeds and white ribs, if you like.
Step 2: Place everything, including unpeeled garlic cloves, on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt.
Step 3: Place the baking tray 6 inches from the hot broiler element, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until your vegetables are blistered and beginning to char, flipping over once. If using unpeeled garlic cloves, add them when you flip everything else over.
Step 4: Add ½ cup water to the hot sheet pan to loosen all of the charred bits on the bottom. Transfer ingredients from the sheet pan, including all juices, into the bowl of your food processor. Add, honey, salt, pepper, lime juice, and cilantro.
Step 5: Pulse until the tomatillo salsa is your preferred texture (or just until there are no big chunks of tomatillo). Grab a tortilla chip and taste it for more seasoning. If too spicy add a little bit more honey and pulse again. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Hint: I like my tomatillo salsa to be nice and thick. If you want a looser texture, add another ¼ cup of water and pulse again.
Classic Mexican Breakfast If you love the flavors in this tomatillo salsa recipe, try it on my Huevos Rancheros in place of the ranchero sauce. Add delicious refried beans and a perfect fried egg for a twist on the classic.
Expert tip
Jalapeños can vary widely in spice level. If you, or someone you might share this salsa with, is sensitive to spice, roast both of your peppers, but add them to the food processor ½ of a pepper at a time. Add more to taste and tolerance.
(p.s. Did I mention how good this is with tortilla chips yet? Just checking. Oh, and nachos. Really good on nachos.)
Serving suggestions
As delicious as this roasted tomatillo salsa is with chips or in a bean and cheese burrito, it's absolutely amazing in some of my favorite dishes:
Make yourself some Chilaquiles Verde. Tossing warm homemade tortilla chips with this roasted tortilla salsa and topping it with an egg is the best way to say nachos for breakfast.
My chorizo and potato tacos with fluffy scrambled eggs, topped with this delicious salsa verde is the right move any morning or evening or late at night! Add a side of charro beans and make it a delicious dinner!
Recipe FAQs
Both! It is delicious right out of the refrigerator with, you guessed it, tortilla chips, but it is also great warmed up and served over fish or chicken or steak.
My preference is to never use jarred garlic, but when I met my husband that's what he used and we're still married. So of course you can. Because of the raw garlic flavor, I would start with half the amount as fresh, or about 1 ½ teaspoons. Add it to the food processor before blending.
Allow the salsa to cool completely before transferring to a clean container with a tight fitting lid. Keep refrigerated for up to a week. For longer storage, you can also freeze your fresh salsa. I like to place it in ½ cup silicone freezer trays for up to 3 months. When ready to use you can release however much you need into a dish and thaw on the counter or in the fridge overnight.
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-Cynthia
📖 Recipe
Easy Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Equipment
- Food processor ~OR~
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds tomatillos washed after removing husks (about 8-10 medium tomatillos)
- 1 onion white or yellow, cut in wedges
- 2 jalapeños stems removed
- 6 cloves garlic
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup cilantro leaves and stems, about ½ a small bunch
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Peel and then slice the onion in half or quarters. Dehusk the tomatillos and rinse them well to remove outer stickiness. Dry them off and cut in half. Slice the jalapenos in half and remove the seeds and white ribs, if you like.
- Place everything, including unpeeled garlic cloves, on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Place the baking tray in the oven, 6 inches from your broiler element, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until your vegetables are blistered and beginning to char, flipping over once. If using unpeeled garlic cloves, add them when you flip everything else over.
- Add ½ cup water to the hot sheet pan to loosen all of the charred bits on the bottom. Transfer everything from the sheet pan, including all juices, into the bowl of your food processor. Add, honey, salt, pepper, lime juice, and cilantro.
- Pulse until the tomatillo salsa is your preferred texture. Grab a tortilla chip and taste it for more seasoning. If too spicy add a little bit more honey and pulse again.
- I like my tomatillo salsa to be nice and thick. If you want it to be looser or less thick, add another ¼ cup of water and pulse again.
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I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later, plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!
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