Garden Fresh Homemade Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Recipe
Having a backyard garden is one of the most rewarding projects I have ever pursued. And the best part is making homemade roasted tomatillo salsa! Each year I patiently wait for my tomatillo plants to be ready for harvest then I make the best garden fresh homemade salsa. This is one of my favorite salsas both to eat and to make. It is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy tomatillos, roasted to perfection, and blended with fresh cilantro and just the right amount of spicy flavor. Now let me teach you how to make this mouthwatering green salsa that will keep you coming back for more every single time. I promise, it’s so much easier than you think! Full recipe card below 😉
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What is Tomatillo Salsa?
Like traditional red salsa, tomatillo salsa verde is made with many of the same fresh ingredients like chili peppers, onions, a handful of cilantro, lime juice, and garlic cloves. However, the base of the salsa is made from a bunch of tomatillos instead of ripe tomatoes which also gives this salsa its green color.
Selecting the Best Tomatillos
If you have never had a tomatillo, I can best describe them as a cross between a tomato and an apple. And contrary to popular belief, tomatillos are not spicy nor are they green tomatoes. They are actually a completely different plant from tomatoes and need to be grown in pairs (I learned this the hard way the first time I grew them, haha!) Depending on the level of ripeness they are typically sweet and tart. Under the papery husks they actually look a lot like green fruit or mini green apples.
Before you start prepping the ingredients for your green tomatillo salsa, it’s important to know how to select the best fresh tomatillos. If you have your own garden like I do, tomatillos are ready for harvest when the papery husks begin to dry out and you can feel a developed tomatillo in the sack. They should be firm and be breaking through the husks a little. They will also begin to fall off the vine naturally or pull off with very little effort.
If you pick them before they are ready they will be small, bright green, and have a much more sour taste. The sweetest tomatillos have a purple color to them both on the fruit and on the husk. I also find the larger tomatillos to be sweeter and the small ones to be more sour.
Ingredients
This simple salsa dip is super easy to make and uses all fresh ingredients. It can be customized to be as spicy as you want so it is perfect for everyone’s taste buds! Let me walk you through what I use and why and what ingredients will give you the best results.
Tomatillos – The base of this salsa is tomatillos. You will need a bunch of fresh tomatillos. I grow mine in my garden but you can find them in the produce section at the grocery store or at your local farmers market too! The best tomatillos in my opinion are larger, with slight purple coloring, and dry husks with the fruit breaking through.
White Onion – I normally use a white onion in this salsa, but because it will be roasted, you could also use a red onion or a yellow onion. I do not recommend sweet onions here since the tomatillos naturally have a lot of sweetness, it might be a little too one note.
Jalapeno – Jalapeno peppers are what brings the spice to most salsa recipes and this one is no exception. I usually use one or two jalapenos depending on size with the seeds removed. NOTE: Leaving the seeds in will make a much spicier salsa! I have also used a serrano pepper and poblano pepper when I had extra in the garden. Serranos tend to be spicier and poblanos tend to be more mild.
Pro TIP: Jalapenos become spicier the longer they remain on the vine and if they are on the vine long enough they will start to change colors from green to an orangey color to a red. They will also start to get little striations on them which also indicate they will be spicier.
Cilantro – I chopped a handful of fresh cilantro for my salsa and I recommend you do the same. Real cilantro brings another fresh element to the finished salsa that you will not have without it. In my opinion dried cilantro tastes nothing like real cilantro and should be avoided.
Garlic Cloves – I often use jarred garlic when I cook, but for this recipe I highly recommend using real garlic cloves and roasting them. This gives the salsa a ton of extra flavor!
Lime Juice – It is best to use fresh lime juice from real limes if you can to preserve all the fresh flavor in this salsa.
Olive Oil – You will need this to roast all the ingredients. You can also use avocado oil.
Salt & Pepper – Like all dishes a little bit of salt and pepper goes a long way with the flavor. You can use regular table salt or sea salt here.
Roasting
For best results, you need to roast the tomatillos, onion, peppers, and garlic on a sheet pan in the oven. This will soften the tomatillos, take away the harsh onion taste, and pull out all the flavor in the garlic. Do not be alarmed if the garlic and other ingredients have little bits of char to them. It’s just flavor, I promise!
Mixing Options
Making your own homemade salsa is very easy, but is best made in a food processor, bullet, or blender to fully puree the mixture. I made mind in my Ninja Foodi blender on smoothie mode. By mixing it this way I was able to add all my ingredients in whole after roasting which saves a ton of time. Just make sure you cool the ingredients before blending.
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Garden Fresh Homemade Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Recipe
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Fresh homemade garden salsa is easier than you think! Ditch the overpriced and over processed store versions and make the freshest salsa you have ever had! This simple roasted tomatillo salsa verde recipe uses only fresh ingredients for the perfect blend of sweet, tangy, and spicy salsa you can’t get enough of! The perfect snack, party appetizer, summer side, or sauce for enchiladas or tacos. No matter when you make it, this easy and flavorful dip will quickly become one of your favorite recipes!
Ingredients
- 20-30 Tomatillos (husks removed and fruit washed)
- 1/2 White Onion
- 1-2 Jalapenos seeds removed
- 4 Cloves Garlic peeled
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro
- 1/4 Lime juice from
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and prepare a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and rinse them thoroughly in cold water until the sticky stuff comes off. Place tomatillos on the prepared baking sheet.
- Roughly cut half an onion into quarters and cut one to two jalapenos in half and remove the seeds.
- Peel four cloves of garlic and place on prepared baking sheet with the onion, tomatillos, and jalapeno. Sprinkle with olive oil.
- Roast on 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
- In a high speed blender, food processor, or bullet mixer add the roasted tomatillos and all the juice they leaked onto the pan. Add the remaining roasted ingredients as well as the cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper.
- Blend on high until the salsa is completely combined.
- Dip with tortilla chips or serve over enchiladas or tacos.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Equipment
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cool Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dips
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Mexican
Looking for more dips and sauce recipes try my sweet and spicy mango pineapple salsa, easy red pepper hummus without tahini, spicy homemade guacamole recipe, homemade Caribbean jerk sauce, or fresh green goddess dressing.
Storage
Leftover tomatillo salsa can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Last time I made such a big batch I made green enchiladas with the leftovers and they were a huge hit!
When to Make Homemade Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
This super easy homemade salsa verde recipe is the perfect party appetizer or after school snack. This salsa is always a hit the whole family will love! You can even use it to top tacos, quesadillas, or enchiladas for weeknight dinners. And since it’s not too heavy, this is also a great party dip for a pool day or a day on the boat!
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