Roasted Tomatillo Salsa – Make it with just 5 ingredients… Yup, that’s right! Not counting a pinch of salt and sugar, that is: even if you did count those, that’s still only 7 ingredients….
Mexican folks also call it Salsa Verde, which literally means Green Salsa. Since tomatillos, the main ingredient in this salsa, are green, and so are the jalapenos that give it its heat, well…. it seems rather logical that the salsa is green too!
Of course, if you’re not extensively familiar with Mexican fare, perhaps you’ve only had the well-known red salsa thus far. Whenever I go to a Mexican restaurant, I begin to drool in anticipation… I can’t wait to attack that basket of tortilla chips and salsa..
Then I start browsing through the menu, always on the lookout something “new”….. maybe a new dish, perhaps a new sauce or salsa… . If I do spot a new sauce/salsa, I never hesitate to ask if they would be kind enough to bring me a tiny sample. I’m happy to say I have never been refused!
And yes… that’s how I first discovered Mexican Salsa Verde – the green tomatillo salsa. This thick, tangy Salsa quickly became one of my favorite salsas, right up there with the red one!
Tomatillo – not quite the same as a green tomato
At first glance, you might think tomatillos are just a variety of tomatoes … they do look a bit similar, after all. Of course, you immediately recognize the tomatillos by the distinctive papery husk that covers them. I guess that’s why some folks also call them “husk tomatoes“. In fact, you can’t even “see” the fruit until you remove the husk.
Taste-wise and texture wise, tomatillos are actually quite similar to unripe (green) tomatoes. However, their extra tartness allows for a range of special culinary uses, and a plethora of tomatillo-based recipes abound. You can enjoy them raw, cooked, chopped, pureed…. and even cooked into a sauce…. !
Roasted Tomatillo and Jalapeno – Salsa with complex flavor
Roasting adds complex notes to the flavor of tomatillos as well as the Jalapeno. They’re also much easier to peel after being roasted. Of course, you might want to “leave on” a few of those charred little bits… To add an extra bit of flair to the finished dish.
So, once you have roasted and peeled the tomatillos and the jalapenos, it’s easy to make the salsa. All you have to do is to grind them, along with sauteed onions, salt and cumin. I also like to add just a pinch of sugar, to balance all the flavors, and more often than not, I also squirt some lemon juice into the Salsa. Yeah, I guess that would make it 6 ingredients, rather than 5!
Tomatillos- rich in micronutrients
These little green beauties, very low in fat and overall calories, pack a hefty load of vitamins and minerals, Vitamin C in particular. Flavonoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin protect your eyes from environmental damage.
The various micronutrients also work together to support healthy vision and slow down macular deterioration, one of the causes of vision-loss in the elderly – the condition called macular degeneration.
Tomatillos and Goldenberry (Cape Gooseberry)
The first time I saw a tomatillo, its papery husk immediately reminded me of a similarly husk-covered, golden-yellow fruit I’ve loved since I was a child. When I saw the seeds of the tomatillo, they too looked exactly like the seeds of the Cape Gooseberry, also known as Goldenberry, Pichuberry, and a whole host of other names… Turns out, tomatillos are, in fact, close relatives of the the Cape Gooseberry!
When I removed the husk, the skin felt rather sticky. I tried to wash away the stickiness, but it took a while… and made my fingers sticky too. Then I tried warm water – that seemed to work a lot better. So nowadays, I take the husk off, dunk the tomatillos in a bowl of warm water and let them soak for 8-10 min.
Interestingly, the sticky stuff, which contains substances called Withanolides, protects the fruit against insect larvae – apparently, the little critters don’t like the taste! Of course, that’s great for us human consumers… We don’t need to be too worried about insect-infested tomatillos! Interestingly, withanolides are also considered useful in treating the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Special Diets
This roasted tomatillo salsa is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free. If you wish to avoid onions, try swapping out the onions and substituting it with Zucchini – peel, dice and cook the Zucchini, following the directions given for onions – be sure to cook the Zucchini until it becomes slightly translucent.
If you like dunking your chips in Salsa, perhaps you would like to check these Salsa recipes too:
- Fresh tomato salsa – so easy to make in a hurry, and so much more tasty than store-bought!
- Mango Salsa – tangy, sweet and spicy …Yumm!
The next time you’re at the store, pick up a few of these “husky” little green beauties, roast them and treat yourself and your friends to this delightfully tongue-tickling Roasted Tomatillo Salsa… It will sure make the chit-chat more fun!
Also… this is a great sauce for spreading on tortillas when you make quesadillas, or for topping off your tacos and enchiladas…. and…. Yesss! You can also make a super-easy rice dish with it, while transforming your leftover rice into this “I just can’t stop eating this” delight!
Check it out…
Do leave a review and star rating… much appreciated.
Enjoy!
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa – Make It With 5 Ingredients
Equipment
- Food chopper/processor preferred if not available, blender is OK too
- Microwave oven preferred if not available, see Recipe Notes for Stove-top cooking directions
- Toaster Oven /AirFryer preferred for roasting tomatillos and peppers; if not available, you can do this on the stove-top
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb Tomatillos 4-5 small-medium size; avoid large ones- they have less flavor; if not available, green tomato
- 1/2 cup Onions – chopped white/yellow preferred; red onions will change the color of the salsa to an unappealing muddy brown
- 1 piece Jalapeno pepper – medium about 2 1/2-3 inch size- use less/more as per spiciness preferred
- 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt – divided into 2 portions (1/8 tsp + 1/8 tsp) adjust as per preference
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 2 tbsp Cilantro – chopped
- 1 tsp Lime/ lemon juice – optional
Instructions
- De-husk the tomatillos
- Rinse the tomatillos and soak in warm water for 5-7 min to remove sticky film, then rinse again with fresh water.
- Place a roasting grid on the stove-top (a cooling rack works well for this too)- picture shows natural gas burner; arrange the tomatillos on the grid. Note: For roasting tomatillos and jalapeno in a toaster oven, see Recipe Directions
- Roast the tomatillos on high heat. Use tongs to turn them frequently as they begin to blister and char.
- The bright green color begins to change to a dull olive green
- Transfer the blackened tomatillos to a plate, cover and set aside for 5-7 min to "sweat" and loosen the skin for easy peeling.
- Meanwhile, roast the jalapeno on the grid on high heat, turning frequently until charred.
- Transfer to a plate and cover.
- Set aside to "sweat" and loosen the skin for easy peeling.
- Meanwhile, chop onion, add 1/8 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sugar and microwave on Hi for 3-4 min until edges begin to brown.
- Set aside for a few min to cool to room temperature
- Meanwhile, peel the tomatillos – hold with a fork and gently rub off the thin skin by scraping lightly with a fork/knife.
- Peel the jalapeno pepper – hold with a fork and rub peel off gently with a fork/knife. Avoid using bare hands – would be a good idea to wear gloves (see note below)
- Slit lengthwise into quarters.
- De-seed if you wish. Caution: I highly recommend wearing gloves or using a fork and knife to do this as shown in the picture. The white membrane that the seeds are attached to is the hottest part of the pepper. It can get absorbed into your skin and if you subsequently touch your none/eyes, etc., it will cause a severe burning sensation.Chop the jalapeno to prepare for making puree.
- Add tomatillos, jalapeno and onion to food processor bowl, along with cooked onions. Puree to a slightly coarse texture.
- Add remaining 1/8 tsp salt, cumin powder and cilantro to the food processor. Pulse blend to incorporate into the salsa.
- Squirt some llime or lemon juice and stir.Serve with tortilla chips for a delightful variation of the traditional "Chips and Salsa" idea.
- Serve with quesadillas, or drizzle on top of tacos, enchiladas, etc. Also great as a dipping sauce for your favorite munchies, a spread for sandwiches, etc.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Oven-roasting the tomatillos and peppers
If you prefer to roast the tomatillos and jalapeno in a toaster oven, just follow the directions below:- Line a small baking tray with parchment paper. Place the rinsed tomatillos and jalapeno on the parchment.
- Bake at 350C in a small toaster oven for 10-12 min until blistered and charred, turning halfway through
- The tomatillos will burst and the juices will flow onto the parchment.
- Collect this juice and add it to the salsa – it is packed with flavor
- Peel the tomatillos and jalapeno and de-seed the jalapeno (optional) as described under Recipe Directions.
- Then continue as in the main recipe directions.
Stove-top cooking for Onions
Place onions on a wide, heavy bottom frying pan- Sprinkle one portion of salt (1/8 tsp) and sugar
- Splash about 2 tbsp water
- Cover and cook on Hi for 1 min, then lower the heat and cook for 7-8 min on low heat, until onions lose their crunchiness and become soft, tender and sweet;
- do NOT brown the onions – it will ruin the olive green color of the Salsa
- Stir once or twice to prevent sticking and burning on bottom.
- Splash a bit more water if that starts to happen and continue to cook.
Do Ahead Plans
You can make this Salsa up to 24 hours in advance.- I highly recommend adding extra fresh cilantro just before serving.
- You can freeze the roasted veggies for several weeks
- Thaw on the counter for about 20-30 min before you continue with the remaining steps to make Salsa.
Storing Leftovers:
Refrigerate in glass jar with a well-fitting lid – do not use a plastic container.- Consume within 2-3 days
looks very tasty; interesting to note its nutritional value for healthy vision, so must try bcoz facing that prob
Hope you try it soon. It is one of my favorite salsas.
Great salsa recipe, another ingredient I add in mine usually is garlic. Gives it a nice flavor!
Thanks, Lauren! I sometimes add garlic, but sometimes I just want the tomatillos to shine more! Garlic has a way of pushing everything else aside! 🙂
Thank for the kind review and star rating. 🙂