Salsa verde
Bright, zesty salsa verde made from roasted tomatillos, serrano chillies and fresh coriander. Smoky, tangy and quick — perfect with tacos or as a dip.
Salsa verde is the sharp, green heartbeat of Mexican cooking — bright tomatillos, chilli heat and a hit of coriander. Roasting the tomatillos gives the salsa a smoky edge that lifts simple tacos, grilled fish or a bowl of nachos.
This recipe is quick, forgiving and a great make-ahead: roast, blitz, chill and you’re done. Adjust the chillies to suit your heat tolerance and keep a wedge of lime handy for finishing.
Ingredients
- 500 g tomatillos
- 2 serrano chillies — Use 1 for mild, 3 for hotter
- 1 brown onion — peeled and quartered
- 2 garlic cloves — leave skins on for roasting
- 15 ml olive oil
- 5 ml cumin seeds — toast briefly for extra flavour
- 1 lime — juice only
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped
- 5 ml caster sugar — optional — balances acidity
- 5 ml salt
Equipment
- blender or food processor
- baking tray
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 230°C fan/250°C conventional. Line a baking tray with foil or baking paper.
Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos, rinse under cold water to remove stickiness and halve each one. Quarter the brown onion. Leave the garlic cloves unpeeled.
Toss the halved tomatillos, serrano chillies, quartered brown onion and whole garlic cloves with the olive oil and cumin seeds on the prepared baking tray so everything is in a single layer. Roast under the hot oven for 15 minutes, turning everything once after about 7–8 minutes, until the skins are blistered and blackened in places.
Carefully transfer the hot roasted tomatillos, chillies, onion and garlic (squeeze the garlic from its skin) to a blender or food processor. Add the juice of the lime, fresh coriander, caster sugar (if using) and salt. Pulse to a coarse salsa or blitz until smooth, working in short bursts so the blender doesn't overheat.
Taste and adjust seasoning — add extra salt or a squeeze more lime if needed.
Transfer the salsa to a covered container and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the flavours meld.
Serve the salsa verde chilled or at room temperature with tacos, grilled meat, fish or as a vibrant dip. Keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tips
- Remove the papery husks from tomatillos and rinse thoroughly — they’re sticky straight from the husk.
- Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan for 30–60 seconds before using for a warmer, nuttier flavour.
- Pulse the blender to control texture: short pulses for a coarse salsa, longer for smooth; avoid overheating by pulsing rather than running continuously.
- Make ahead: salsa improves after a few hours in the fridge and keeps for up to 4 days in a sealed container.
- If you don’t have tomatillos, use 400 g green cherry tomatoes as a close substitute (noticeably different flavour).
Substitutions
serrano chillies → jalapeño chillies, same quantity
Stays closecaster sugar → 1 tsp honey or omit entirely
Stays closetomatillos → 400 g green cherry tomatoes
Noticeably differentfresh coriander → small handful of fresh parsley
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 55
- Calories
- 2 g
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 330 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this without an oven?
Yes — char the tomatillos, chillies and onion directly in a dry frying pan over a high hob, turning often, until blistered. Roast garlic in a small pan or soften in the same pan wrapped in foil.
How long will the salsa keep?
Stored in a sealed container in the fridge it will keep for up to 4 days. Flavour develops after a few hours as it chills.
Is salsa verde spicy?
Spiciness depends on the chillies used. Use 1 serrano for mild, 2 for moderate heat, or swap for jalapeños for a gentler kick.
Can I freeze salsa verde?
You can freeze it, but texture may change slightly. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge.
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