• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
June Cooking Challenge!
trending now: June Cooking Challenge!
  • About
  • Press/Advertise
  • Contact

Isabel Eats

Easy Mexican recipes for home cooks

  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast
      • Dinner
      • Sides
      • Desserts
      • Appetizers
      • Drinks
      • Soups & Stews
      • Salads
      • Salsas
      • Sauces and Condiments
    • Diet
      • Gluten Free
      • Low Carb
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
    • Meat
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Chorizo
      • Pork
      • Turkey
      • Seafood
    • Occasion
      • Christmas
      • Cinco De Mayo
      • Easter
      • Game Day
      • Summer
      • Thanksgiving
    • Type
      • 30 Minute Meals
      • Mexican Basics
      • Freezer Friendly
      • Grilling
      • Healthy
      • Instant Pot
      • Slow Cooker
      • Enchiladas
      • Tacos
  • Kitchen Tips
  • Cooking Challenge
  • Shop
  • About
  • Subscribe!

    sign up to get my top 5 secrets to help you master mexican meals at home!

Browse by Course/Type/Diet

  • by course
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Sides
    • Desserts
    • Appetizers
    • Drinks
    • Soups & Stews
    • Salads
    • Salsas
    • Sauces & Condiments
  • by type
    • 30 Minute Meals
    • Mexican Basics
    • Freezer Friendly
    • Grilling
    • Healthy
    • Instant Pot
    • Slow Cooker
    • Enchiladas
    • Tacos
  • by meat
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Chorizo
    • Pork
    • Turkey
    • Seafood
  • by diet
    • Gluten Free
    • Low Carb
    • Paleo
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
  • by occasion
    • Christmas
    • Cinco De Mayo
    • Easter
    • Game Day
    • Summer
    • Thanksgiving
Jump to latest Browse All Recipes
HomeRecipesSalsas

Salsa Verde

rate recipe Shareshare
Share on:
12952 shares
By: IsabelPosted: 10/26/20

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclaimer.

Jump to Recipe
Authentic Salsa Verde

This salsa verde recipe blends tomatillos, jalapeños, onions, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice to form a tangy and vibrant Mexican green salsa. Spoon it onto tons of dishes to add a pop of flavor and color. You’ll never go back to store bought versions again

Salsa verde in a Mexican bowl next to some tortilla chips.

Table of Contents

  • What is Salsa Verde?
  • Salsa Verde Ingredients
  • How to Make Salsa Verde
  • Roasting vs Boiling
  • Substitutions and Variations
  • Storing and Freezing
  • Ways to use salsa verde
  • More Salsa Recipes
  • Salsa Verde
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Isabel’s Tips
  • Nutrition Information

Easy homemade salsa verde is here to push all the store-bought versions aside. Full of flavor and a signature green color, this tangy and vibrant salsa is easy to make, versatile, and one of my favorite salsas ever!

Salsa verde is great to eat with some tortillas chips, but it’s also used in other recipes like enchiladas verdes, chilaquiles verdes, or on top of carne asada.

Making this salsa yourself rather than buying it from a store is a total game-changer. Plus, because the tomatillos and peppers are boiled instead of roasted, the recipe is very low maintenance and cleanup is easy. Win-win!

What is Salsa Verde?

Salsa verde, or “green salsa” in English, is made from roasted or boiled chile peppers, tomatillos, onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice.

It can be made as mild or as hot as you prefer by using different types of chiles. See my tips for adjusting the spice level below.

Ingredients for salsa verde on a table.

Salsa Verde Ingredients

  • Tomatillos: These small and round green tomato look-a-likes are one of the main components in an authentic Mexican salsa verde recipe. Remove the papery husks before boiling them. If you’ve never cooked with them before, learn all about tomatillos.
  • Jalapeños: 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.
Boiling salsa verde ingredients

How to Make Salsa Verde

  1. Boil tomatillos and peppers: Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, and onion 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.
  2. Blend it up: Transfer the tomatillos, jalapeños, and onion to a blender. Add in the cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and salt, then blend until smooth.
  3. Serve and store: Serve the finished salsa immediately or place it in the refrigerator.
Salsa verde in a blender

Roasting vs Boiling

Some recipes call for the tomatillos and jalapeños to be roasted instead of boiled in water. I find that this makes the salsa taste a little too sweet, which roasting can do to some vegetables. Boiling keeps the flavor of the salsa bright and tart, which I prefer.

However, some people prefer a slightly sweeter and less tangy salsa. If that’s you, then you can definitely roast it!

To roast, place the peppers and tomatillos onto a lined baking sheet and place them under a broiler for about 5-8 minutes until they’re blackened in spots. Remove from the oven, carefully flip each one, and broil again until blacked and charred. Once they’re blackened and blistered on all sides, place them in a blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

Salsa verde on a table next to tortilla chips.

Substitutions and Variations

  • 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.
  • Is it too thick? Add a tablespoon of water at a time to the blender until you reach the desired consistency.
  • Too bland? Add in more salt one pinch at a time until it’s just right.

Storing and Freezing

To store, place the finished salsa in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. 

To freeze, place the salsa in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. For smaller portions, freeze it in ice cube trays until they’re solid, then transfer them to a container or sealed bag. Leave the salsa to thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before using.

Salsa verde on a tortilla chip.

Ways to use salsa verde

You can eat this salsa for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Here are some of my favorite dishes to serve it with:

  • Flautas
  • Chicken Tacos
  • Black Bean Tacos
  • Enchiladas Suizas
  • Homemade Tortilla Chips

More Salsa Recipes

  • Salsa Macha
  • Roasted Tomato Salsa
  • Chile de Arbol Salsa
  • Guacamole Salsa

Recipe

4.62 from 78 votes

Salsa Verde

Serves: 4 servings
Print
Rate
Salsa verde in a Mexican bowl next to some tortilla chips.
Prep: 5 minutes minutes
Cook: 15 minutes minutes
Total : 20 minutes minutes
This Salsa Verde recipe blends tomatillos, jalapeños, onions, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice for a tangy and addicting Mexican green salsa.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed (about 10 med-large tomatillos)
  • 3 jalapeños, stems removed
  • ½ white onion
  • water, as needed
  • ½ cup cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice (about ½ lime)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  • Add tomatillos, jalapenos, and onion to a medium saucepan or pot. Fill the saucepan with enough water to cover the tops of the tomatillos.
  • Bring water to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Transfer the tomatillos, jalapenos, and onion to a blender using a slotted spoon.
  • Add cilantro, garlic, lime juice and salt. Blend until smooth.
  • Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Isabel’s Tips:

  • Makes 2 cups total.
  • Don’t want it spicy? Remove the seeds from the jalapenos.
  • Want it extra spicy? Use serrano peppers instead of jalapenos.
  • To freeze, place salsa in freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Other recipes call for roasting the tomatillos and jalapenos under a broiler, but I actually prefer the flavor of salsa verde when it’s made this way – by boiling it. When the tomatillos and jalapenos are roasted, I find that the salsa is a little too sweet since roasting often brings out the sweetness in vegetables. But boiling them keeps the flavor of the salsa bright and tart which is how I prefer my salsa verde.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.5cup Calories: 50kcal (3%) Carbohydrates: 10g (3%) Protein: 2g (4%) Fat: 1g (2%) Saturated Fat: 1g (5%) Sodium: 585mg (24%) Potassium: 360mg (10%) Fiber: 3g (12%) Sugar: 6g (7%) Vitamin A: 377IU (8%) Vitamin C: 30mg (36%) Calcium: 17mg (2%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
Author: Isabel Eats
Course:Salsa
Cuisine:Mexican
Salsa verde in a Mexican bowl next to some tortilla chips.
Did you Make my Salsa Verde?Leave a comment below and tag @isabeleats on social media!
@isabeleats

You may also like…

  • This Salsa Verde Breakfast Frittata is what breakfast dreams are made of. Topped with a salsa verde yogurt sauce, this vegetarian dish is perfect for brunch on those lazy weekends. Is gluten free, vegetarian, paleo and low carb.
    Salsa Verde Breakfast Frittata
  • Made with baked corn tortillas covered in salsa verde and topped with sunny side-up eggs, fresh cilantro, radishes and green onions, this Mexican Salsa Verde Chilaquiles Casserole is the perfect breakfast and brunch dish. It's also gluten free and vegetarian, woo woo!
    Mexican Salsa Verde Chilaquiles Casserole
  • This easy, cheesy and super creamy Salsa Verde Queso Dip made in the slow cooker is the perfect no-fuss appetizer for your next game day party! (gluten free, vegetarian, low carb, crock pot)
    Salsa Verde Queso Dip
  • These crispy and crunch Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas are topped with a layer of delicious refried beans, salsa verde chicken, tomatoes, cilantro queso fresco and avocados.
    Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas
free ebook!

download my top 10 recipes book

Subscribe and receive a free e-cookbook of our Top 10 Easy Mexican Recipes!

Get My Copy!

Download my top 10 easy Mexican recipes!

Chicken chile verde in a bowl with white rice topped with cilantro.
Previous Post
Chicken Chile Verde
An entire bunch of cilantro on a cutting board.
Next Post
Cilantro and How to Use It

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Use the form below to submit your question or comment. I love hearing from you and seeing what you made!
Recipe Rating:




  1. Ronnie says

    Posted on 6/1 at 12:33 pm

    5 stars
    This has been my go-to recipe for use in making chicken enchiladas for months now. I almost always have a batch in the freezer ready to go these days. The only change I make is to leave out the cilantro (just don’t like it), and it’s fabulous! Thank you, Isabel!

    Reply
  2. Nell says

    Posted on 4/12 at 12:35 pm

    This is a wonderful recipe? We love it.

    Reply
  3. Frank Rizzo says

    Posted on 2/11 at 9:55 pm

    5 stars
    I just made thiis for the first time. I quartered the onion and halved the jalapeños. I smoked veggies in a pellet grill at 250 instead of boiling. Easy, fast and delicious. Will make again!

    Reply
  4. Ocean says

    Posted on 2/4 at 12:57 am

    5 stars
    Great easy chili Verde recipe. I needed one, I am clearing out last summer’s green chilis, tomatillos, and small toms- all 8 gallons worth! A Big Batch.
    Should be fun! Aloha

    Reply
  5. Carol says

    Posted on 1/3 at 11:21 am

    Made the salsa verde this summer with my home grown tomatillos.

    It was delicious. Took it for friends to eat with chips to a local wine tasting venue.

    Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  6. JRuano says

    Posted on 1/2 at 12:37 pm

    Best Salsa Verde ever! Hands down.

    Reply
  7. Charles Pascual says

    Posted on 10/12 at 8:06 am

    5 stars
    Made this to go with your chicken enchiladas recipe. Couldn’t be easier. Substituted two serranos for one of the jalapeños to add a little spice – I did remove the core and most of the seeds. My spouse, who is heat-averse, liked it – declared it spicy but not hot so, I fortunately struck the right balance. The enchiladas were terrific and everything was relatively quick and easy-to-do. I bookmarked both recipes so we can make ’em again.

    Reply
  8. Jennifer says

    Posted on 8/31 at 3:58 pm

    fabulous – wonderful flavour, I added some ginger and coriander – in fact it was very sweet too, so maybe the fruits were extra ripe.

    Reply
  9. Mary says

    Posted on 8/15 at 1:02 am

    I love salsa verde, but when I
    made mine, it was so tart I couldn’t stand it. Do you have any tips? I roasted everything. Were the tomatillos too big? Tried to fix it, but all that work went to waste.

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 8/22 at 11:16 am

      Hi Mary! If you run into this again, you can add sugar a 1/2 tsp at a time. Next time you can also roast them longer, to the point where they are black and charred to help.

      Reply
  10. Scott says

    Posted on 7/6 at 11:36 am

    5 stars
    Incredibly easy and yummy. Opted for leaving just a few seeds in the jalapeños so as to not scare off the kids.

    Reply
  11. Teresa says

    Posted on 6/19 at 5:47 pm

    Did you change the recipe for the salsa verde? I feel like I have added a whole red tomato to this in the past and jalapeños seeded and deseeded

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 6/22 at 11:14 am

      Hi Teresa! We haven’t, maybe you’re thinking of our 5 minute fresh salsa, or roasted tomato salsa?

      Reply
  12. Stacey Ovadia Frisch says

    Posted on 6/16 at 6:40 pm

    5 stars
    I made this with the roasting method and it was so delicious… my son puts it on everything ;o)

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 6/17 at 10:00 am

      Hi Stacey! Thanks for sharing! Salsa verde is my favorite.

      Reply
  13. Mark R says

    Posted on 6/4 at 7:07 am

    I’ve made your Chili Colorado three times and it’s great each time. (I’ve used Pasilla and New Mexico chiles and both work great.

    I’m looking at your Salsa Verde sauce now and will make the Enchiladas next. (I’ve also always liked Carnitas with a little Verde sauce….)

    Your recipes are some of the most well written and structured I’ve seen on the internet. Very well done!

    Thanks Isabel!

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 6/6 at 9:58 am

      Thank you so much Mark! We’re glad you enjoy our recipes!

      Reply
  14. Angie says

    Posted on 5/4 at 7:49 pm

    Love love love your Homemade Salsa Verde and so did mi familia, thanks so much for sharing!!!

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 5/5 at 9:35 am

      Hi Angie! Thank you so much!

      Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Isabel Orozco-Moore, Founder of Isabel Eats
¡Hola!

i’m isabel

A first-generation Mexican American who loves to cook! Here at Isabel Eats, you’ll find a mix of all your favorite authentic Mexican recipes with a twist!

Read More
free email series!

5 Secrets to Mexican Cooking

My top 5 secrets to help you master Mexican meals at home in no time!

Sign me up!

Sign up to get My top 5 secrets to help you master Mexican meals at home in no time!

Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.

Authentic Recipes

This Mexican Pork Chile Verde is made of tender pieces of pork simmered in a flavorful tomatillo and chile broth. Serve in a bowl or with a side of rice for an authentic Mexican meal! (low carb, gluten free, paleo)

Chile Verde Recipe

Masa for Tamales

Masa for Tamales

Six bolillo breads on a baking sheet ready to eat.

Bolillo Bread (Mexican Rolls)

Pozole verde in a bowl topped with shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, cilantro, and lime juice.

Chicken Pozole Verde

Pozole Rojo (Red Posole) recipe

Pozole Rojo Recipe

Cooked Mexican rice in a pot with peas mixed in.

Authentic Mexican Rice

Reader Favorites

Beef empanadas on a plate served with a side of guacamole.

Beef Empanadas

Chile relleno on a plate with red salsa.

Chile Relleno Recipe

Cooked canned black beans with tomatoes, onions and garlic in a bowl.

How to Cook Canned Black Beans

Chicken enchiladas in a baking dish topped with cilantro.

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Carnitas Recipe

Carnitas

Conchas in a bowl ready to be eaten.

Conchas (Mexican Sweet Bread)

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

5-star faves

Frozen margaritas in glasses topped with lime wedges.

Frozen Margaritas

These were absolutely delicious. So fresh and the perfect amount of sweetness.

A bowl of borracho beans

Borracho Beans

These beans are delicious! Garlic, onion, beer and bacon…you can’t go wrong, lol! I loved these!

Chile Colorado

This recipe is so perfect and delicious. My entire family loved it! Big kudos to you for such an authentic masterpiece!

follow along @isabeleats

Favorites

  • Tacos
  • Sides
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Desserts
  • Drinks
  • Salsas

Browse By Meat

  • Chicken
  • Beef
  • Pork
  • Seafood
  • Turkey
  • Chorizo
Back to Top
  • About
  • Press
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
© 2023 Isabel Eats Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled