Tomatillo salsa. Big, fresh, vibrant flavours. It’s instant delicious and it’s easy to make at home.
I love tomatillo salsa or salsa verde in roasted dishes and braises. It’s an instant fix. Need some Mexican inspiration. Tomatillo salsa to the rescue.
Roasted chicken, pan fried pork chops, nachos, green pork chili. Everything is better with tomatillo salsa. Might be more powerful than bacon. I know that’s a bold statement but it’s really, really good.
Tomatillo salsa is for more than dipping tortilla chips
This tomatillo salsa recipe is more than just something to dip tortilla chips in. You can pretty much use salsa from a jar for that.
Salsa is Spanish for sauce. Think of it that way. This is a foundation for more complex dishes. Season a chicken with some Mexican or cajun seasoning. Roast it off.
Use the it to deglaze your pan. Thin it with a little stock. The flavours of the chicken blend into the salsa to make a fantastic sauce.
Do the same thing with some pork shoulder. Or brown some pork stew and add a couple cups of it to braise. Make enchilada sauce. It all works. Magic stuff really.
Or make the best tortilla dip possible
You can make this as a dip as well. No reason not to. It’s easier than the foundation sauce. Don’t roast the onions, garlic and jalapeño. That’s it. Keeps the flavours fresher. Less earthy. Clean.
Tomatillo salsa. Salsa verde. Tomatillo jalapeño sauce. Just damn good. Use it. Love it.
tomatillo salsa
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatillos
- 1 white onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- 1/3 cup cilantro
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup chicken stock - vegetable stock works too
Instructions
- Cut onion into three big slices
- Heat a cast iron frying pan or comal over medium heat.
- Dry roast onions, jalepenos and garlic cloves in the comal until lightly charred.
- If you don't want your salsa too hot, scrape out the ribs and seeds after roasting the jalepenos.
- Bring a pot of well salted water to boil. Remove husks and cook tomatillos until they turn pale - around 4 minutes.
- Combine all ingredients except oil and chicken or vegetable stock in a blender or food processor and puree.
- Heat oil in a saucepan.
- Add pureed salsa to the pan and fry over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes.It will spatter when you add the salsa so be ready.
- Reduce heat, add chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes
Nutrition
Hi Romain, this sauce is a killer! Loved it!
Yes, it is:-). I make big batches when tomatillos are in season and freeze it so I always have some on hand.
Would tinned tomatillos work in this recipe? Cant get fresh ones in the uk 🙁
I’ve never tried it as tinned tomatillos are more expensive than fresh where I am for some inexplicable reason. I would drain the tomatillos and skip the boiling the tomatillos step. It won’t be exactly the same but I’m guessing it would be pretty good. The difference between tinned tomatillos and boiled fresh isn’t as big as the difference between fresh and tinned tomatoes.
I’ve made tomatillo salsa a million times, but I’ve never put it back in the pan with oil and chicken broth. Next level!!!!! My mom (the one who never eats) is inhaling the salsa as I am typing this. AND asking me if I will put it over eggs for her tomorrow. Tonight we made your barbacoa, tomatillo salsa & your infallible pico de gallo! Oh! We tossed in a side of your strawberry spinach salad. That salad……literal taste and texture heaven! I wish you could see my table, with 8 people, literally hunched over, manners to the wind, shoveling food into their mouths. My sister and I found your blog two weeks ago and never looked back! Thank you!!!
I’m so happy to be a part of making your mom eat and that sounds like an absolute feast! If you have some left over after the eggs (that will be a good breakfast:-) try it with roast chicken with tomatillo sauce. The salsa with the fond from the chicken makes for a really tasty sauce.
Where do you get the tomatillos in Ottawa?
They pop up here and there. They almost always have them at Nicastros on Bank. I’ve seen them recently at the Metro Glebe as well. They are around. You just have to keep an eye out for them.
Your recipes are fantastic!!! I would love to see a recipe for Red Enchilada Sauce. (If you take requests that is.) Every recipe I find online falls short of the way they make it in those cute little authentic restaurants. It just never tastes the same.
Thank you for saying. I will put red enchilada sauce on the list.