Salsa Verde (Green Salsa)

I make this salsa when I want something brighter than regular red salsa – the roasted tomatillos give it this perfect tangy bite that works great with chips or tacos.

June Arthurs
January 30, 2026
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Ingredients (~4 cups)

  • ~2 lbs tomatillos, husked
  • 1 jalapeño, stem removed
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (~1 cup), rinsed under cold water
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp sugar, or to taste
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup water, plus more as needed

Roast the Tomatillos and Jalapeño

Move your oven rack about 4 inches below the broiler element and preheat broiler to high.

Place the tomatillos and jalapeño on a baking sheet and broil for ~4-5 minutes until charred on top.

Keep a close eye on things – the pepper especially can go from perfect char to burnt pretty quickly.

Flip everything over and roast the opposite side for another ~3-5 minutes until nicely charred.

Blend Everything Together

Once the tomatillos and pepper are roasted, slice the jalapeño and add it to a food processor.

Add the rinsed onion, cilantro, garlic, salt, sugar, lime juice, and 1/4 cup water.

Toss in the tomatillos along with any juices that collected on the baking sheet – those juices have tons of flavor.

Pulse several times until you get a coarse purée; don’t over-blend it or you’ll lose the chunky texture.

Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or lime juice as needed. If it’s too thick, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time.

The salsa will keep in the fridge for about a week in an airtight container and actually tastes better after sitting for a few hours.

Salsa Verde (Green Salsa)

I make this salsa when I want something brighter than regular red salsa – the roasted tomatillos give it this perfect tangy bite that works great with chips or tacos.
prep time15 minutes
cook time10 minutes
total time25 minutes
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Ingredients (~4 cups)

  • ~2 lbs tomatillos, husked
  • 1 jalapeño, stem removed
  • 1 medium yellow onion, ~1 cup, diced , rinsed under cold water
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp sugar, or to taste
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup water, plus more as needed

Instructions

  • Preheat broiler to high with rack 4 inches below element.
  • Place tomatillos and jalapeño on baking sheet and broil 4-5 minutes until top is charred.
  • Flip and broil opposite side 3-5 minutes until charred.
  • Slice jalapeño and add to food processor with onion, cilantro, garlic, salt, sugar, lime juice, and water.
  • Add roasted tomatillos and their juices.
  • Pulse to create coarse purée, avoiding over-blending.
  • Adjust seasoning and consistency with additional water if needed.

Notes

Salsa keeps refrigerated for one week and tastes better after resting a few hours.