Green Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Glass jar and white bowl filled with green tomatillo salsa on a red plaid towel with a wooden spoon on a wood countertop.

5 from 1 vote

Green Tomatillo Salsa Verde

This Green Tomatillo Salsa Verde is made with fire-roasted tomatillos, cubanelle, and jalapeño, then blended with garlic, onion, culantro, and oregano brujo for a smooth, bold green sauce. It works as a fresh salsa, but it is also thick enough to use as a green enchilada sauce.

Prep Time15

Cook Time5

Total Time20

Course: Appetizer, Condiment, Sauce

Cuisine: Mexican, Puerto Rican

Cooking Technique: charring

Servings: cups

Calories: 130kcal

Author: Zoé Forestier

Equipment

1 Immersion Blender

Ingredients

½ lbs green tomatillos
2 cubanelles
2 jalapeños
3 aji dulces, sweet peppers
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoon sofrito
3 whole garlic cloves peeled
1 teaspoon cumin
1 onion peeled and rough chopped
2 sprigs culantro
3 leaves oregano brujo

Instructions

Place the tomatillos, cubanelle, and jalapeño directly over a gas flame or under a broiler. Transfer the vegetables to a plate and let them cool until easy to handle. Peel off the loose blackened skins and discard them. Remove stems and any tough skin, then set the peeled vegetables aside.
Blend the charred vegetables with the remaining ingredients until well combined or to the desired chunkiness. You may rough chop the veggies before blending for easier pulsing.
Once blended, pour into an airtight container and refrigerate.

Notes

Fire-roasting does three important things:

• Softens the tomatillos and peppers so they blend smoothly
• Adds light smoky flavor
• Tames the sharp raw taste of fresh tomatillos

After roasting, the vegetables are cooled and peeled. You do not need to remove every dark spot, just the loose skin that pulls away easily.

Don’t rush the charring. Let the tomatillos and peppers blister fully before turning them. You want blackened spots and bubbling skins, not heavy burning. The char adds light smokiness and helps balance the natural acidity of tomatillos.
After charring, cover the vegetables. Place them in a zipper bag or on a plate lightly covered with plastic wrap. The trapped steam loosens the skins and makes peeling easier.
Use a paper towel when removing the charred skins, so you don’t transfer hot pepper oils to your hands. Gloves are still recommended when handling hot peppers, and always wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face, eyes, or ears.
It’s fine if a few small pieces of charred skin remain on the vegetables. They add visual depth and a mild smoky flavor to the finished salsa.
Store salsa verde in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. The flavor stays bright, though the green color may darken slightly over time. That is normal.
For longer storage, freeze in small containers. Thawed salsa works best for cooking, sauces, and marinades.

Nutrition