This Easy Salsa Verde Recipe made with tomatillos and jalapenos can be used in dozens of Mexican dishes. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan.
This salsa verde recipe is one of my favorite salsas ever! It’s so easy to make, packs a huge punch of tangy, zesty flavor and is so versatile, it can be used in countless dishes and recipes.
When I was growing up, my parents always had three to four homemade salsas in the fridge at all times so I never actually learned to make my own. Until now. On my most recent trip to visit my family, I got serious about following my mom around the kitchen. I asked a lot of questions, paid close attention to everything she did and jotted down lots of notes while she was cooking. Here’s what I learned.
What is salsa verde?
Salsa verde, or “green sauce,” is a Mexican salsa typically made from tomatillos, garlic and green chiles. It’s known for its bright and tangy flavor and is often used to make enchiladas, chilaquiles or served on top of tacos.
There are many different versions of salsa verde – some are spicy, some are mild, some use many different kinds of green chiles and some don’t use tomatillos at all. As long as the salsa is green in color and is made with green peppers to add some spice, then it’s considered a salsa verde. Here’s how I make my favorite salsa verde.
Never cooked with tomatillos? Learn more about them here.
How to make salsa verde
- In a small or medium saucepan, add 6 tomatillos and 2 deveined and seeded jalapeƱos. Fill the saucepan with enough water to cover the top of the tomatillos, cover and boil on medium-high heat until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.
- When softened, drain the water from the saucepan and transfer the boiled vegetables to a large blender.
- Add 1 raw jalapeƱo (stem removed), 1 large tomato, 1/2 cup packed green onions, 1 clove of garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt to the blender.
- Blend until smooth.
Substitutions and variations
- This salsa verde recipe uses just one kind of pepper – jalapeƱo – but many salsas use two, three or even four kinds of peppers. If you don’t have jalapeƱos, I recommend using serrano chiles instead. A word of caution – serranos are hotter than jalapeƱos so use them wisely. Blend in one at a time and taste until the salsa is to your liking.
- Another variation of this recipe would be to use half of a medium white onion instead of the green onions. As long as you get the onion-y flavor, you’re good to go. I had an insane amount of green onions growing in my garden so that’s what I decided to use.
- I find that the tomatillos give this salsa a very bright and fresh flavor, but if you want to make it pop even more, add in a handful of cilantro!
Looking for more ways to use this salsa verde? Here are a few recipes that use this salsa as an ingredient.
- Salsa Verde Breakfast Fritatta
- Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas
- Salsa Verde Chilaquiles
- White Bean Chicken Chili Verde Soup
- Salsa Verde Queso Dip
If you make this recipe, let me know in the comments below or snap a photo and tag me @isabeleats on Instagram. I’d love to see what you cook!
INGREDIENTS
- 6 tomatillos, husked and washed
- 2 large jalapeƱos, seeded, deveined, stems removed
- 1 large jalapeƱo, stem removed
- 1 large tomato, stem removed and cut into fourths
- 1/2 cup packed green onions (or 1/2 large white onion)
- 1 clove garlic (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small or medium saucepan, add tomatillos and deveined jalapeƱos. Fill saucepan with enough water to cover the top of the tomatillos. Cover and boil on medium-high heat until the jalapeƱos soften, about 15 minutes.
- When softened, drain water and transfer boiled tomatillos and jalapeƱos to a large blender.
- Add raw jalapeƱo, tomato, green onions, salt and garlic to blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
- Use immediately or keep refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.
Sam says
I LOVE this recipe. I’ve made it a few times now and it is ridiculously easy and tastes more authentic than any salsa I’ve attempted. The only adjustment I made was in measuring – I used a whole bundle of green onions (ends cut off), 5-6 garlic cloves instead of 1, and just a touch of lime juice. Quick and delicious.
Barbara says
This is so amazing! Iāll never buy canned enchilada sauce again!
Isabel says
Yay!! I’m so happy you liked it!
Bonnie says
Can you process this to have a longer shelf life?
Isabel says
Hi Bonnie! Unfortunately, none that I have tried. You could freeze it for up to 3 months, but the flavors will dull quite a bit. It should also keep in the fridge for 2 weeks, but the flavors are best within the first week. I’ve heard of lacto-fermenting salsa before but have never tried it. You may want to Google lacto-fermenting.
Amos says
Isabel– Can you freze this salsa?–Amos
Isabel says
Yes! Just put it in a freezer-safe container or bag and try to remove any air pockets.
Dians says
Can i use tomatos i cant find tomatillios here in germany?
Angie says
Sooooo good and so easy!!! Thank you!
Isabel says
Thank you, Angie! š So glad you liked it.
Dianne says
We cannot get tomatillos in our grocery stores for Salsa Verde. Is there anything that can be substituted? The enchiladas look wonderful.
Isabel says
Hi, Dianne. That’s so unfortunate that they don’t have tomatillos! I haven’t ever substituted anything for tomatillos so I don’t have any suggestions from personal experience. But if you can find green tomatoes or even just underripe regular tomatoes, that could work. Add a splash of lime juice to give it some of the tartness that tomatillos have.
Let me know how that works!
Thalia says
Maybe add other green vegetables like cilantro avocado bell pepper. My mom and cousin do that for the green pozole.
Jennifer says
I would use canned tomatillos if you canāt find fresh. Iāve used them in a pinch and my Hispanic friends were amazed I used canned and it turned out so well.
Isabel says
That’s so great to hear, Jennifer. Thanks for letting me know!
diana says
What can I substitute for the jalapenos? I can’t tolerate spicy foods. Thank you
Isabel says
Hi, Diana. You could use 1 or 2 poblano peppers instead. Those are pretty mild. Or if you can’t even do slightly mild, you could go ahead and just do 1 or 2 sweet bell peppers.
Terri says
Very good!