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Home » Chili Pepper Recipes » Salsas » Salsa Verde Recipe (Mexican Green Salsa)

Salsa Verde Recipe (Mexican Green Salsa)

by Mike Hultquist · Jul 10, 2024 · 91 Comments

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Salsa Verde Recipe

Salsa verde is the ultimate Mexican green salsa made with tart tomatillos and spicy serrano chilies, easy to make, just like your favorite taqueria salsa.

Salsa Verde Recipe

Salsa Verde Recipe

Chips and salsa time! There are a number of ways to make an awesome salsa verde, or green sauce. Every Mexican restaurant has their own taqueria salsa verde and I have yet to encounter a bad one.

Even I have a number of different kinds that I make, all variations on a theme, like this Mexican Green Table Sauce with Avocado, or my Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce with Roasted Tomatillos.

The key ingredient to a good salsa verde is the tomatillo. Of course tomatillos alone do not a salsa verde make, but without them, it's pretty difficult.

Tomatillos are Key to a Great Salsa Verde Recipe

Tomatillos are tiny round green fruits that look like tomatoes, covered in papery sheathes and slightly sticky, which is a byproduct of the plant as they mature.

Do not confuse them with unripened green tomatoes.

While tomatillos have a slight bitterness, they are sweeter and fruitier than unripened green tomatoes and make for a MUCH better salsa verde. The insides are meatier as well, where tomatoes are juicier.

In fact, tomatillos are not tomatoes at all, but come from a completely different plant.

This recipe is one of the simplest versions of a salsa verde - simple, but perfect.

Let's talk about how to make salsa verde!

Salsa Verde Ingredients

The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Tomatillos.
  • Serrano Peppers. Or use jalapeno peppers for a milder salsa verde.
  • Garlic Cloves.
  • White Onion. Red onion is good, too.
  • Fresh Cilantro.
  • Salt.
  • Lime Juice. Optional. Not all authentic Mexican recipes for salsa verde include lime juice, and it's not necessarily traditional. Some of my Mexican cookbooks include lime, but you'll get enough acidity and tartness from the tomatillos.
Salsa Verde Ingredients

How to Make Salsa Verde - the Recipe Method

Fresh salsa verde is easy to make! Peel the tomatillos (remove the husks), rinse and dry them, then slice them in half along with the serrano peppers and set them into a baking sheet.

Roasted tomatillos and serrano chilies for making salsa verde

Roast them for 15 minutes, until the skins char and bubble, then transfer to a blender or food processor.

Add the remaining ingredients and process to your desired consistency.

Salsa Verde in a food processor, ready to serve

Boom! Done! Your homemade salsa verde is ready to serve. Adjust for salt and serve it up! You can refrigerate it and let the flavors mingle a bit more.

Recipe Tips & Notes

You can easily adjust this recipe to make it your own. Some popular additions include creamy avocado, ground cumin, olive oil, and hotter chilies.

When roasting the tomatillos and chilies, consider adding the onion and garlic to the roasting pan for more roasted vegetable flavor.

Serving Ideas for Salsa Verde

The thing about a good salsa verde recipe is you can serve it so many different ways. Serve it in a bowl with crisp tortilla chips and it's a quick salsa.

Pour it into squeeze bottles to serve with your Taco Recipes and it becomes a Mexican green table sauce.

Pour it into small hot sauce bottles and it becomes a hot sauce for you.

It makes a great sauce as well. Try it with pasta for an outstanding Spaghetti Verde or Green Chicken Chili.

I hope you enjoy my homemade salsa verde recipe.

Check out my other Hot Sauce Recipes, too.

Salsa Verde in a bowl, ready to serve

Heat Factor

Mild-Medium. You'll get some good heat from the serrano peppers. They measure up to 23,000 Scoville Heat Units on the Scoville Scale. If you're looking for a milder salsa verde, you can remove the seeds and innards. Or, go with jalapeno peppers, which aren't quite as hot.

Storage Information

Salsa verde will keep a week or longer in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It will last longer with the addition of lime juice and/or vinegar, which ups the acidity.

You can process salsa verde in a water bath for long term preservation, but it is best to shoot for a pH of 3.5 or lower for home preserving.

Just be sure to use proper canning/jarring safety procedures.

Check out These Other Popular Salsa Recipes

  • Mexican Green Table Sauce
  • Tomatillo Salsa
  • Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce with Roasted Tomatillos
  • Salsa Roja
  • Chile de Arbol Salsa
  • Salsa Ranchera
  • Salsa Criolla - Argentinian Salsa
  • Fiery Mango Salsa
  • Habanero Salsa
  • Xni-Pec - Chunky Habanero Salsa
  • Fresh Ghost Pepper Salsa
  • Easy Green Chili Sauce
  • How to Make Salsa - a Guide
Salsa Verde in a bowl with tortilla chips for serving

Patty's Perspective

YUM. He's right, this is one of my favorites of all time. Salsa verde is one my go-tos. It's such a great recipe, definitely one of my favorite Mexican salsas. I love that it will keep in the fridge a while so I can grab it anytime I want, which is usually a lot. There is something beautiful about tomatillos.

If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.

Salsa Verde Recipe
Print

Salsa Verde Recipe (Mexican Green Salsa)

Salsa verde is the ultimate Mexican green salsa made with tart tomatillos and spicy serrano chilies, easy to make, just like your favorite taqueria salsa.
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Main Course, Salsa, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: recipe, salsa, tomatillos, verde, video
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Calories: 27kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 8
Tap or hover to scale
4.98 from 34 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 1 pound tomatillos
  • 2-3 serrano peppers (or use jalapeno peppers for a milder salsa verde)
  • 3 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 small white onion chopped (red onion is good, too)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Salt to taste (I use a teaspoon of sea salt)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice optional (about 1 small lime, or to taste)

Instructions

  • Peel, rinse and dry the tomatillos. Slice them in half and set them onto a large lined baking sheet.
  • Slice 1 serrano pepper in half and set it on the baking sheet with the tomatillos, skin sides up.
  • Heat oven to 425 degrees F (220C). Roast the tomatillos and serrano peppers for 15 minutes, or until the tomatillos begin to char slightly. The skins will darken and puff.
  • Remove and transfer to a food processor or blender. You can peel the serranos if you wish.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Adjust for salt and serve. Or, refrigerate in a sealed container to let the flavors mingle. Great with tortilla chips!

Video

Notes

Heat Factor: Mild-Medium. You'll get a bit of a kick from the serrano peppers. For a milder version, use jalapeno peppers. Core the peppers for very mild.
Makes about 2 cups. Nutritional information calculated without tortilla chips. 
You can adjust the thickness of the salsa with a bit of water, lime juice, or vinegar.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 27kcal   Carbohydrates: 5g   Sodium: 2mg   Potassium: 186mg   Fiber: 1g   Sugar: 2g   Vitamin A: 145IU   Vitamin C: 9.5mg   Calcium: 9mg   Iron: 0.4mg
Salsa Verde Recipe
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

This recipe was updated on 7/10/24 to include new photos and information. It was originally published on 10/21/16.

Reader Interactions

Comments

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Mike says

    April 12, 2025 at 5:54 pm

    5 stars
    Made this today with 2 pounds of Tomatillo's and 3 Serrano's loved every bite !! will be making it again !!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      April 13, 2025 at 6:27 am

      Boom! I love it! Thanks, Mike!

      Reply
  2. jenn says

    December 19, 2024 at 5:34 pm

    5 stars
    Great stuff! Can I freeze it?

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      December 20, 2024 at 6:02 am

      Yes, Jenn. You can also process salsa verde in a water bath for long term preservation!

      Reply
  3. Angel Hafelfinger says

    December 12, 2024 at 3:10 pm

    5 stars
    This is the best salsa Verde recipe better then any others I've made.This chef even explains the ingredients in his recipes so I learn alot.

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      December 13, 2024 at 6:26 am

      Very happy to hear you have found the post useful, too. Enjoy!!

      Reply
  4. Mike Daulbaugh says

    September 08, 2024 at 9:29 am

    Can this recipe be used for canning?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 08, 2024 at 9:31 am

      This should be, yes. There is plenty of acidity. Best to measure, though. Shoot for 4.0 pH or lower. Enjoy, Mike!

      Reply
  5. Lorna says

    September 08, 2024 at 6:29 am

    My salsa verde has a ph level of 4. would it be shelf stable?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 08, 2024 at 8:53 am

      Lorna, 4.5 and lower is considered shelf stable, so you can process it. Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Lorna says

        September 08, 2024 at 9:55 am

        5 stars
        Does it need a water bath? I have it in those little woozy bottles and the last time I tried that it boiled out the bottle? Maybe, I had it too full?

        Reply
        • Mike Hultquist says

          September 08, 2024 at 12:27 pm

          The water bath method is most common. Yes, sounds like you had the bottles too full.

          Reply
  6. jamie parisi says

    August 31, 2024 at 4:12 pm

    5 stars
    Year 6 of Salsa Verde cooking, this is a great recipe. I've tweaked it a bit over time. I chargrill all the veggies, dont worry about any of the skins or pepper seeds, not overly hot, ive also added jalapeno lime balsamic vinegar to give it a brightness. Love this recipe

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 01, 2024 at 7:05 am

      I love to hear it, Jamie!

      Reply
  7. Janiece Coss says

    August 29, 2024 at 6:57 am

    Love this recipe! So versatile! I have tried several variations as well and its all good.

    I wish you would host a week long cooking school where I could go and happily immerse myself in all things chili pepper !

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 29, 2024 at 7:03 am

      That's awesome, Janiece! Glad you're loving it! I'll have to think on that idea. =)

      Reply
  8. John Looney says

    August 20, 2024 at 8:20 am

    5 stars
    5/5

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 20, 2024 at 8:35 am

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
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