Salsa Verde

This Salsa Verde Recipe takes less than 15 minutes to make, tastes way better than your favorite restaurant or jar and makes everything it touches better! It’s quick, easy, healthy, saves beautifully and you can customize the heat and consistency. You will LOVE having this authentic salsa verde on hand!

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 8

Cook Time 7

Total Time 15

Servings cups (approx)

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. tomatillos husked, rinsed and dried
1-2 serrano chiles or 1-4 jalapeno peppers see notes on spice level
1 medium yellow onion chopped into 8 sections
3 garlic cloves peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup packed cilantro
1 1/2-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

Instructions

Preheat the broiler to high with a rack about 6 inches below the heat source. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Cut the tomatillos in half and add to baking sheet along with onions, garlic and peppers. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat. Place the tomatillos cut side down. Broil for 5-7 minutes or until the tomatillos are charred in some spots, flipping the peppers and garlic over half way through. Remove peppers or tomatillos if they become too charred before the rest of the pan is done. Alternatively, you can char your veggies on a grill for additional smokiness.
Once cool enough to handle, chop stem(s) off peppers and remove seeds (save seeds separately but don’t add to blender). Add seeded peppers to blender along with all of the sheet pan contents including any remaining juices. Add cilantro, lime juice, cumin, salt and coriander.
Pulse or puree until salsa reaches desired consistency, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and stir in seeds, a little at a time, for a hotter salsa. Season to taste with additional lime juice and salt if desired.
Chill salsa in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Salsa will thicken in the refrigerator. For a thinner salsa, stir in additional water to reach desired consistency.
Store salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.

Video

Notes

Don't miss the "how to make" recipe video at the top of the post!

Helpful Tips and Tricks to Make Salsa Verde

For a chunkier salsa verde, pulse to desired consistency or use a food processor instead of a blender.
For a smoother salsa verde, chop/blend more in your blender.
For a creamy salsa verde, puree on HIGH until creamy.
For a thinner salsa verde, add water to reach desired consistency.
For a thicker salsa verde (keep in mind it will thicken in the refrigerator), simmer on the stove until it reaches desired consistency.
For a less tart salsa verde, add ½ teaspoon of sugar at a time.
For a tangier salsa verde, add more lime juice.
For a spicier salsa verde, add some or all of the jalapeno or serrano seeds – stirring in a little at a time until it reaches your desired heat level.
For a more garlicky salsa verde, add more garlic.

How Spicy is this Salsa Verde?

The heat level is entirely up to you. I suggest adding less peppers then you can customize the heat by adding in some of the pepper’s seeds until it reaches your desired heat level. Only use serrano peppers if you know you love fiery heat! It is hard to subtract heat but it is easy to add, so when in doubt, use less.

Serrano Peppers Heat Level (10,000 – 23,000 SHU)

1 seeded serrano pepper = medium spicy
2 seeded serrano peppers = hot

Jalapeno Pepper Heat Level (2,500 – 8,000 SHU)

1 seeded jalapeno pepper = mild
2 seeded jalapeno peppers = mild to medium spicy
3 seeded jalapeno peppers = medium to hot
4 seeded jalapeno peppers = hot

The above is a generalized calculation as even the same type of pepper can vary significantly in heat. As you can see by the serrano vs. jalapeno Scoville Heat Units, each jalapeno pepper can rangy anywhere from 2,500 – 8,000 SHU and a serrano pepper can vary between 10,000 – 23,000 SHU. On average, however, serrano peppers are 3 times hotter than jalapeno peppers.