Fresh Tomatillo Salsa Recipe

This fresh tomatillo salsa recipe is fresh and delicious, made with simple ingredients! Enjoy fresh salsa in minutes with very few ingredients.

Even though I can buy healthy salsa at the store, homemade tomatillo salsa is special. Tomatillo salsa recipes, for instance, are oil-free, sugar-free, and gluten-free. So, let's make some easy homemade tomatillo salsa. 

Jump to:

• What are Tomatillos?
• How to Remove Tomatillos Husks
• Fresh Tomatillo Salsa Ingredients
• Tomatillo Salsa Ingredient Substitutions
• How to Make Homemade Tomatillo Salsa
• How to Store and Serve Tomatillo Salsa
• Recipe FAQs
• Recipe Suggestions for Eating Tomatillo Salsa
• Tips
• For More Delicious Vegan Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

What are Tomatillos?

Similar to green tomatoes, tomatillos are green in color with a papery husk covering them. As members of the nightshade family,  tomatillos love the summer heat, so they are in season from early summer to the fall.  Although they turn the color purple as they ripen, tomatillos are meant to be eaten when they are green and somewhat underripe.

For that reason, choose firm tomatillos, approximately the size of golf balls. And, look for papery husks. If the husks are browned or wet, these tomatillos are overripe.

How to Remove Tomatillos Husks

Despite their paper husks, tomatillos are quickly and easily cleaned.

• Remove the husks using your hands to reveal small, green-looking tomatoes.
• Since the husks are sometimes sticky, it is necessary to rinse them with water to remove any residue. 
• Once the husks are removed, simply cut the tomatillos in halves directly through the center where they pucker by the stem.
• Then, place them skin up, flesh down, on a silicone baking mat. You do not need oil or spray despite some recipes calling for oil.
• Though very acidic, tomatillos also contain a lot of water, so they do not require additional oil to roast properly. 

Fresh Tomatillo Salsa Ingredients

• Tomatillos: Unlike its name, a tomatillo is not a little green tomato. Though the two plants are distantly related, they are not the same  — substitution is not recommended. One of the main differences? Unlike tomatoes, tomatillos are covered in a papery husk that must be peeled away before use.
• Jalapeño Peppers: Jalapeño peppers have a vegetal flavor similar to green bell pepper and a front-of-mouth heat effect. The spiciness can vary widely among individual peppers. Jalapeños are picked green and generally used in this unripened state.
• Garlic: I prefer using fresh garlic cloves in homemade salsa.
• Red Onion: Red onions have a milder and sweeter flavor than yellow or white onions. This allows them to add a subtle, slightly sweet taste to the salsa without overpowering the other ingredients.
• Lime: Fresh lime juice adds acidity and fresh flavor to the salsa.
• Salt (optional): Salt, although optional, enhances the flavors in the salsa.
• Cilantro: Cilantro adds another flavor profile to the salsa recipe.

Tomatillo Salsa Ingredient Substitutions

• If you need a tomatillo alternative for your recipe, consider using gooseberries. Tart berries can be used in a 1:1 ratio for tomatillos.
• Green tomatoes can be used as a substitute for tomatillos in most recipes.
• Serrano peppers are often used instead of jalapeños.
• For those who taste soap when eating cilantro, skip it and try basil or parsley.

How to Make Homemade Tomatillo Salsa

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Next, arrange the vegetables on a silicone baking mat and mix them together so the flavors combine while they roast in the oven. 
• Removed husks from tomatillos and rinse under water to remove sticky residue, and cut in halves
• Then, place each tomatillo skin up flesh down on the pan.
• Cut the red onion into similar sizes as the tomatillos
• Cut 1 jalapeno in half lengthwise, leaving the seeds intact for now.
• Add 2 cloves of garlic to the pan.
• Roast in the oven for 20 minutes
• Remove roasted vegetables from the oven and allow the vegetables to cool to the touch.
• Once roasted, remove the seeds, stem, and veins from the jalapeños unless you want your mouth on fire.
• Then, transfer the vegetables to a Food Processor to add the remaining ingredients. 

• For a more lime flavor, zest the lime and use the juice, which enhances the lime flavor.
• Another idea is to pulse rather than use a high blending speed.
• This way, the tomatillo salsa is a bit chunkier, which is the goal. 

How to Store and Serve Tomatillo Salsa

• When the tomatillo salsa is blended to the correct texture, transfer it to a bowl and refrigerate for at least a few hours.
• As a result, the flavors meld together, and it tastes better as it chills.
• Serve with your favorite tortilla chips or vegetables.
• You can add it to the top of your favorite vegan chili recipe.
• Put in a baked potato with your favorite vegan sour cream.
• Try it on your favorite taco recipes.

Recipe FAQs

Recipe Suggestions for Eating Tomatillo Salsa

For instance, fresh tomatillo salsa is a great dip for chips and vegetables. But it can also be used on any of your favorite Southwest Tofu Scramble  or any Mexican dishes:

• Vegan Enchiladas
• The Best Ultimate Vegan Lentil Black Bean Burrito Ever
• Vegan Taco Salad
• Tater Tot Nachos
• Cauliflower Nachos
• Vegan Lentil Tacos
• Tempeh Tacos
• Mushroom Chorizo Tacos
• Sweet Potato Tacos

Tips

• Although the fresh tomatillo salsa lasts 1 week in the refrigerator, leftovers can be frozen.
• As always, leave an inch between the fill line of the container and the top to avoid freezer burn. 
• I think you should use Souper Cubes for freezing.
• Then, make sure you allow it to completely thaw before using it.
• Do not, under any circumstances attempt to thaw in a microwave, as it is not intended to be cooked

So, the next time you grab a jar of salsa off the supermarket shelf, grab some fresh ingredients instead and try this fresh tomatillo salsa recipe. 

For More Delicious Vegan Recipes

If you love this fresh tomatillo salsa recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you! 

📖 Recipe