Roasted Salsa Verde Recipe

This Roasted Salsa Verde recipe shows you exactly how to make salsa verde at home with simple ingredients and bold, fresh flavor. Roasting the tomatillos and peppers adds a smoky depth that takes this classic green salsa to the next level!

Looking for more salsa recipes? You need to try our Homemade Pico de Gallo, this easy Black Bean Dip, AND our Vegan Queso!

You’ll never buy store-bought salsa verde again!

I had salsa verde for the first time on a trip to Mexico and it has become one of my absolute favorite salsas! I used to always buy it at grocery stores until I realized it was not only SO EASY to make at home but it also tastes WAY BETTER homemade. I promise you will never look back (so go ahead and make a double batch!).

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Roasting adds rich, smoky flavor!

Simple ingredients, big payoff

Ready in about 25 minutes

Easy to adjust the spice level

Tastes way better than store-bought

Ingredients needed

The fresh ingredients for this tomatillo salsa recipe  are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!

Tomatillos – The base of salsa verde; look for firm, bright green ones with tight skins.

Jalapeños – Mild heat; remove seeds from the jalapeño peppers for less spice or keep them for more.

Serrano peppers – Adds extra heat and depth; can sub with more jalapeños.

White onion – Roasts beautifully and adds subtle sweetness; yellow onion works too.

Cilantro – Fresh, herby flavor; omit if you’re sensitive to it.

Neutral oil – Optional, but adds richness and helps mellow acidity.

Salt – Essential for balancing the tartness.

Optional sweetener (sugar, honey, or agave) – Helps balance if the salsa is too tangy.

How to Make It

Just a reminder that you can find the FULL written green sauce recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you 🙂

To make the husks easier to remove, soak the tomatillos in water for 10 minutes. Remove the husks and cut the tomatillos in half.

Place the tomatillos, peppers, and onion on a foil lined baking sheet and roast until lightly charred. While not necessary, you can drizzle with a little bit of olive oil.

Place the roasted veggies in a food processor or high powered blender along with any juices that collected on the baking tray + the cilantro leaves.

Pulse the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency. You can leave it quite chunky or blend it more for a smoother salsa. Adjust taste, sprinkle with line juice, and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

Don’t skip the char! This is where the flavor comes from

Watch the broiler closely to avoid burning

Blend less for chunky salsa, more for smooth

Tomatillos vary in tartness – always taste and adjust

Add a splash of water if the salsa is too thick

Ways to Use Salsa Verde

This is one of those sauces you’ll want to keep in your fridge all week! Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:

Drizzle over tacos for taco night (especially crispy black bean tacos or Shredded Tofu Tacos!) 🌮

Spoon over grain bowls or burrito bowls

Use as a sauce for my veggie enchiladas

Toss with roasted potatoes or veggies

Add to scrambled eggs or breakfast tacos

Use as a dip for homemade tortilla chips

Stir into soups or stews for extra flavor

Frequently Asked Questions

What is salsa verde?

Salsa verde is a green salsa made with tomatillos, peppers, onion, and cilantro. It’s tangy, fresh, and commonly used in Mexican dishes.

Is salsa verde spicy?

It can be mild to spicy depending on the peppers used and whether you keep the seeds.

Why is my salsa verde too tart?

Tomatillos are naturally acidic – add a pinch of sugar, honey, or agave to balance the flavor.

Print

Roasted Salsa Verde Recipe

Learn how to make salsa verde at home with this easy roasted tomatillo salsa. It’s bright, tangy, and packed with flavor—perfect for tacos, bowls, and dipping.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
Total Time 25 minutes minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 60kcal

Ingredients

1-2 jalapenos cut in half lengthways and deseeded as desired1-2 serrano peppers cut in half lengthways and deseeded as desired1 large white onion peeled and halved2 pounds tomatillosFine Sea Salt1 bunch cilantro stems cut off and discarded1 tablespoon neutral oil such as canola

Instructions

Place tomatillos in large bowl of water, let soak about 10 minutes for easy husk removal. Remove tomatillo husks and cut them in half
Place tomatillos, peppers, and onion on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for 5-10 minutes till everything is nicely charred and tomatillos are tender. Keep a close eye during this process, everyone’s broiler is different!
Into a food processor (or blender), add in the roasted veggies (along with any juices on the tray) and cilantro. Blend until everything is finely chopped and the consistency resembles a salsa.
Optional: Heat oil in a medium sized deep skillet or saucepan over high heat till it shimmers, then add in salsa mix. Stir frequently for about 4 minutes until the salsa thickens up.
Remove from the heat. Taste test and season with additional salt as needed.

Video

Notes

Sugar, Honey, Agave Syrup can all be added if the result is too tart

Storage Instructions

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days
Freeze for up to 3 months
Serve chilled or gently warm before serving

Nutrition

Calories: 60kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 223IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

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