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This salsa verde recipe combines tomatillos, jalapeños, onions, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice to create a tangy and vibrant Mexican green salsa perfect for tacos, enchiladas, burrito bowls, tostadas, or with some tortilla chips! Once you try this homemade version, you’ll never want to go back to store-bought salsa again.
Salsa verde is one of my favorite salsas ever. I grew up eating it every Sunday for lunch (along with a big bowl of salsa Mexicana) when my mom would make a big batch to serve with tortilla chips as an appetizer to feed my big Mexican family.
It’s just so fresh, tangy, vibrant, and just plain delicious!
It can also be used in a million different ways. Eating it with chips is my personal favorite, but it’s also used in recipes like enchiladas verdes, chilaquiles verdes, and salsa verde chicken!
Making this salsa yourself rather than buying it from a store is a total game-changer.
What Is Salsa Verde?
Salsa verde is a zesty green salsa that’s a staple in Mexican cuisine. Unlike red salsas like roasted tomato salsa, this green version gets its vibrant color from tart little tomatillos – those small green tomatoes wrapped in a papery husk.
They’re blended up with green chiles like jalapeños or serranos to give it some spice, plus onions, garlic, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.
The result is a bold, bright salsa that’s super fresh and herbaceous, with a nice tang and just the right amount of heat!
Salsa Verde Ingredients
- Tomatillos: These small and round green tomato look-a-likes are one of the main components in an authentic salsa verde recipe. Remove the papery husks before roasted or boiling them. If you’ve never cooked with them before, learn all about tomatillos.
- Chile peppers: A handful of jalapeños in this salsa gives it the perfect amount of spice without it being overwhelming. I removed the seeds so it wouldn’t be too spicy, but you can leave them in if you prefer. If you like it extra spicy, use serrano peppers instead.
- White onion and garlic: Because it isn’t a real salsa without these two.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro incorporates very bright and fresh flavors into the salsa. Plus, it helps with that pop of green!
- Lime juice: This adds just a hint of tang and citrus to the salsa.
- Salt: To round out the flavors.
How to Make Salsa Verde
- Roast or boil: If roasting, place the tomatillos, jalapeños, and garlic on a baking sheet and roast directly under the broiler for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through until charred. If boiling, add the tomatillos, jalapeños, onion, and garlic to a medium pot filled with water. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let everything simmer for 10 minutes.
- Blend: Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to a large blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.
- Serve or store: Serve the salsa immediately or store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Roasting vs Boiling Salsa Verde
Salsa verde can be made in a few different ways. Some recipes call for the tomatillos and jalapeños to be roasted, and some ask for them to be boiled instead.
I grew up eating salsa verde that was boiled, blended, and then lightly fried in a little oil, so that’s what I prefer, but the roasted version is also delicious and is typically what is most popular and found in many Mexican restaurants!
Boiling the tomatillos creates a more bright and tangy salsa, whereas roasting them adds a smoky, charred element and makes the salsa a little sweeter.
Both versions are delicious, and which way you make your salsa verde is personal preference!
Recipe Tips
- Adjust the spice level. To make it mild, remove the seeds from all of the jalapeños. To make it medium-hot, remove the seeds from only some of the jalapeños. To make it extra spicy, use serrano peppers instead of jalapeños. Blend just 1 pepper at a time until you reach the desired level of spice.
- To add even more depth of flavor, try lightly frying the blended salsa in 1 tablespoon of olive oil! I grew up eating it this way, and it’s so good!
- Adjust the consistency. If your salsa too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time to the blender until it’s your desired consistency.
- Salt to taste. Add in more salt one pinch at a time until it’s just right.
Ways to Use Salsa Verde
Salsa verde can be used in so many different ways! Here are few of them:
- As an appetizer served with tortilla chips, baked tortilla chips, or air fryer tortilla chips.
- As a condiment for tacos. Try it with carnitas, barbacoa, tacos al pastor, and carne asada tacos.
- As a cooking sauce like in my salsa verde chicken, enchiladas suizas, and salsa verde breakfast frittata.
Storing and Freezing
To store, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
To freeze, place in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature when ready to use.
More Mexican Salsas
Salsa Verde Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed (about 10 med-large tomatillos)
- 3 jalapeño peppers, stemmed (and seeded if desired)
- ½ medium white onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup cilantro (stems and leaves)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (about ½ lime)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
Instructions
- To roast the salsa: Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, and garlic to a large baking sheet. Roast directly under the broiler for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the tomatillos and peppers are charred.
- To boil the salsa: Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, onion, garlic, and enough water to completely cover them to a medium pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 6-8 minutes until the tomatillos and peppers turn from a bright green to a dull and dark yellow-ish camouflage green.
- Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to a large blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Makes 2 cups total.
- Adjust the spice level. To make it mild, remove the seeds from all of the jalapeños. To make it medium-hot, remove the seeds from only some of the jalapeños. To make it extra spicy, use serrano peppers instead of jalapeños. Blend just 1 pepper at a time until you reach the desired level of spice.
- To add even more depth of flavor, try lightly frying the blended salsa in 1 tablespoon of olive oil! I grew up eating it this way, and it’s so good! Adjust the consistency.
- If your salsa is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time to the blender until it’s your desired consistency.
- Salt to taste. Add in more salt one pinch at a time until it’s just right.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in June 2016 and has been updated with more helpful tips, better photos, and a better overall recipe.
i’ve wanted a good salsa verde recipe for decades…eureka…Isabel, you rock!!!
The Salsa Verde is wonderful and so easy to make. Thank you.
I have never made verde before. Tried it. Loved it. Grew my own tomatillos. Then went on the hunt for just the right recipe. My family has informed me I must can this. It is absolutely amazing. I did not have a blender so used my pampered chef hand food processor. 🤯🥰. We love it chunky!!!!! Sooo good. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thank you so much.
Just made this today. So, so easy! And it tastes FANTASTIC! Will use tomorrow morning with your Chilaquilles recipe… Muchas gracias, Ms. Isabel! ❤️
Are you supposed to put the water you boiled the peppers & onions in o blend also?
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Hi Teresa! This recipe does not use it.
It is a game-changer. I have never had a yummiest salsa Verde! I hope the flavor remains beautiful once it has been chilled. it couldn’t be easier!
I will tell no one, maybe one person, what the recipe is that now makes me the Salsa King! 😉 My wife, who worked at an AmeriMexican restaurant and said she didn’t care for salsa verde, now likes it. Your recipe anyway. Brava!
I have made it 3 times now. Quick and easy. Love salsa verde.
Have you thought of/tried canning this? I would like to make a huge batch and can it, although since it is so easy to make I suppose that wouldn’t really be necessary. Either way, I’m curious.
Hi Bruce! We haven’t tried canning it, but as long as its sealed and airtight it should be fine for storage!
Just made this, turned out amazing! I did roast instead of boiling, but I will try boiling next time to see what difference that makes. I haven’t made a recipe of yours that I didn’t like, and this was my third one(I’ve made the mexican rice but added cumin, and I’ve made the tortillas as per the recipe)! I’m making the chili Colorado and corn tortillas this weekend.