I love the bright, tart flavors of tomatillo salsa (salsa verde). Tomatillos, the main ingredient in tomatillo salsa verde, are small green or greenish purple fruit known as “green tomatoes” in Mexico. Tomatillos, still wrapped in their papery looking husks, are usually available in the produce section of most large metropolitan grocery stores. They are related to tomatoes and grow throughout the western hemisphere.
You can find canned and jarred varieties of tomatillo salsa in most well stocked grocery markets throughout the United States and many of them are pretty good. But if you are ready to tantalize your taste buds, why not try making a batch of homemade green tomatillo salsa. The simplest version consists of raw tomatillos and a few additional ingredients chopped together in a blender or food processor. This super simple quick and easy sauce takes about 10 minutes to make. It is great with corn chips or as a delicious accompaniment to scrambled eggs, grilled chicken, or fish.
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Tomatillo Salsa Recipe
¾ pound (about 9-12) tomatillos, stemmed, husked, rinsed, and cut into quarters
2-3 jalapeno or Serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1/3 cup cold water
1 cup chopped scallions
½ cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste
Place the tomatillo quarters, chiles, and water in a blender or food processor. Pulse just until the mixture becomes chunky. Add the scallions, cilantro, and blend until desired consistency is achieved. Everything should be finely chopped and mixed with no large chunks remaining. Continue to blend for a smoother tomatillo salsa. Season to taste with salt.
Yield: Makes about 2 cups of green tomatillo salsa
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Ready for a variation to the standard tomatillo salsa recipe? Here are a few tasty suggestions.
Tomatillo Salsa Variations:
*Roasted Tomatillo Salsa: For a smokier, more mellow tomatillo salsa, roast the tomatillos, chiles, and scallions on a foil lined baking sheet under the broiler until blackened, about 3-5 minutes. Place the roasted items and other ingredients in the blender or food processor and blend until desired consistency is achieved.
*Mango Tomatillo Salsa: Add 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and finely chopped, to 1 cup of tomatillo salsa and stir to combine.
*Avocado Tomatillo Salsa: Add 1 peeled, pitted, and chopped avocado to 1 cup of tomatillo salsa and stir to combine.
Are you looking for the perfect tomatillo salsa serving bowl?
Terracotta Salsa Bowl with Ladle
