Tomatillos showed up in my garden sort of by accident. I hadn’t planned on them, but they surprised me with a bumper crop, and they’ve been a happy addition ever since. This roasted tomatillo salsa is one of the simplest ways to put them to work: bright, a little smoky from the oven, and full of homegrown flavor.
I just re-edited the video, so it’s quick and to the point. Watch it come together, then follow the steps below.
Garden Fresh Roasted Tomatillo Salsa (Salsa Verde)
A bright, lightly smoky salsa verde made with tomatillos from the garden. Roast, blend, done.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- Fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- Onion, cut into chunks
- Garlic, minced or whole cloves
- A handful of fresh cilantro
- A squeeze of lime juice
- A pinch of salt
- Optional: a jalapeño for a little heat
Instructions
- Pull the papery husks off the tomatillos and rinse them well to get rid of the sticky coating.
- Spread the tomatillos on a baking sheet with the onion pieces and garlic, and the jalapeño if you are using one.
- Roast on a high rack at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until everything is soft with a bit of char.
- Add everything from the pan to a blender with the salt, cilantro, and lime juice. Blend smooth, or pulse a few times for more texture.
- Taste and adjust with more salt or lime until it tastes right to you.
Notes
This is a taste-as-you-go salsa, so the amounts are flexible. Use what the garden gives you.
Tomatillos are ready to pick when the fruit fills out the husk and the husk starts to turn papery. If you are not using them right away, leave the husks on and keep them in the fridge.
How to use it
Serve it with chips, spoon it over tacos, or stir it into chili. It’s also perfect in our BombDiggity White Chicken Chili, which calls for a cup of salsa verde.
It’s such a simple recipe, but that’s part of the life we’re designing out here: grow a little, cook what you grow, and share it. The garden-fresh tomatillos really do make it special.
If you would rather put up a red salsa by the jar, here is our farm-fresh tomato salsa for canning.
Putting up more from the garden? Our Canning and Preserving guide gathers all of our jams, pickles, salsas, ferments and herb recipes in one place.
Written by
Lane and Jules Morris
Authors and University of Tennessee faculty writing from our farm in East Tennessee about gardening, the farm kitchen, faith and designing a flourishing life at any age. More about us
