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This Roasted Salsa Verde recipe shows you exactly how to make salsa verde at home with simple ingredients and bold, fresh flavor. Roasting the tomatillos and peppers adds a smoky depth that takes this classic green salsa to the next level!
Looking for more salsa recipes? You need to try our Homemade Pico de Gallo, this easy Black Bean Dip, AND our Vegan Queso!
You’ll never buy store-bought salsa verde again!
I had salsa verde for the first time on a trip to Mexico and it has become one of my absolute favorite salsas! I used to always buy it at grocery stores until I realized it was not only SO EASY to make at home but it also tastes WAY BETTER homemade. I promise you will never look back (so go ahead and make a double batch!).
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Roasting adds rich, smoky flavor!
- Simple ingredients, big payoff
- Ready in about 25 minutes
- Easy to adjust the spice level
- Tastes way better than store-bought
In this post…
Ingredients needed
The fresh ingredients for this tomatillo salsa recipe are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!
- Tomatillos – The base of salsa verde; look for firm, bright green ones with tight skins.
- Jalapeños – Mild heat; remove seeds from the jalapeño peppers for less spice or keep them for more.
- Serrano peppers – Adds extra heat and depth; can sub with more jalapeños.
- White onion – Roasts beautifully and adds subtle sweetness; yellow onion works too.
- Cilantro – Fresh, herby flavor; omit if you’re sensitive to it.
- Neutral oil – Optional, but adds richness and helps mellow acidity.
- Salt – Essential for balancing the tartness.
- Optional sweetener (sugar, honey, or agave) – Helps balance if the salsa is too tangy.
How to Make It
Just a reminder that you can find the FULL written green sauce recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you :)
- To make the husks easier to remove, soak the tomatillos in water for 10 minutes. Remove the husks and cut the tomatillos in half.
- Place the tomatillos, peppers, and onion on a foil lined baking sheet and roast until lightly charred. While not necessary, you can drizzle with a little bit of olive oil.
- Place the roasted veggies in a food processor or high powered blender along with any juices that collected on the baking tray + the cilantro leaves.
- Pulse the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency. You can leave it quite chunky or blend it more for a smoother salsa. Adjust taste, sprinkle with line juice, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the char! This is where the flavor comes from
- Watch the broiler closely to avoid burning
- Blend less for chunky salsa, more for smooth
- Tomatillos vary in tartness – always taste and adjust
- Add a splash of water if the salsa is too thick
Ways to Use Salsa Verde
This is one of those sauces you’ll want to keep in your fridge all week! Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:
- Drizzle over tacos for taco night (especially crispy black bean tacos or Shredded Tofu Tacos!) 🌮
- Spoon over grain bowls or burrito bowls
- Use as a sauce for my veggie enchiladas
- Toss with roasted potatoes or veggies
- Add to scrambled eggs or breakfast tacos
- Use as a dip for homemade tortilla chips
- Stir into soups or stews for extra flavor
Frequently Asked Questions
Salsa verde is a green salsa made with tomatillos, peppers, onion, and cilantro. It’s tangy, fresh, and commonly used in Mexican dishes.
It can be mild to spicy depending on the peppers used and whether you keep the seeds.
Tomatillos are naturally acidic – add a pinch of sugar, honey, or agave to balance the flavor.
Roasted Salsa Verde Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1-2 jalapenos, cut in half lengthways and deseeded as desired
- 1-2 serrano peppers, cut in half lengthways and deseeded as desired
- 1 large white onion, peeled and halved
- 2 pounds tomatillos
- Fine Sea Salt
- 1 bunch cilantro, stems cut off and discarded
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola
Instructions
- Place tomatillos in large bowl of water, let soak about 10 minutes for easy husk removal. Remove tomatillo husks and cut them in half
- Place tomatillos, peppers, and onion on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for 5-10 minutes till everything is nicely charred and tomatillos are tender. Keep a close eye during this process, everyone’s broiler is different!
- Into a food processor (or blender), add in the roasted veggies (along with any juices on the tray) and cilantro. Blend until everything is finely chopped and the consistency resembles a salsa.
- Optional: Heat oil in a medium sized deep skillet or saucepan over high heat till it shimmers, then add in salsa mix. Stir frequently for about 4 minutes until the salsa thickens up.
- Remove from the heat. Taste test and season with additional salt as needed.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days
- Freeze for up to 3 months
- Serve chilled or gently warm before serving
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
