How to make Green Tomatillo Salsa

Tomatillos are a beautiful and delicious addition to your salsa repetoire.

Green tomatillos grow on a plant that is a relative of the tomato, but differs from the tomato in that the tomatillo fruit itself grows inside of a papery husk. The tomatillo also comes in a purple hue, and is a staple of Mexican cooking with a tangy, crisp flavor. A fresh homemade batch of green tomatillo salsa will add a bright note to your next cookout or taco night, and is simple and quick to whip up.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 1 pound of tomatillos
• 1 sweet Spanish or other sweet onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper
• 1 lime worth of juice
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, optional
• Mixing bowl

1. Remove the husks from your tomatillos and discard. Rinse the sticky residue off the tomatillos and let dry.

2. Mince the onion and garlic and finely chop the tomatillos, then add to the bowl. If you prefer a spicier salsa, mince the jalapeño and add to the bowl with its seeds and ribs. If you prefer a less spicy version, use a serrano -- or poblano or any other milder pepper -- and de-seed and de-rib it.

3. Add the lime juice, stir, and taste your salsa. You may not even feel it needs salt, but if you do, add a tiny bit at a time because you don't want the salt to overpower the bright and fresh taste of the tomatillos. If you enjoy cilantro, finely chop it now and stir it into the bowl.

Tips & Warnings

• Roasting the tomatillos alone or in addition to the onion, garlic and pepper adds a new depth of flavor to the salsa. You can put them all on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes, then let cool before chopping.

• If you'd prefer not to hand chop the ingredients, you can easily use your food processor or even your blender. Just pulse in short bursts to avoid pureeing your salsa -- unless that's the texture you'd prefer.

• Try chopping up and adding a ripe avocado once you've added the lime juice to add a creamy note to your salsa.

• Avoid touching your eyes or other delicate areas after chopping a hot pepper. You may want to wear gloves to chop it to avoid this danger.

References

• NY Times: Diner's Journal; Featured Recipe - Tomatillo Salsa; Mark Bittman
• The Kitchn: Easy Recipe - Tomatillo Salsa
• Food Network: Tomatillo Salsa Recipe; Daisy Martinez
• She Wears Many Hats: Tomatillo Salsa Verde Recipe
• Daily Unadventures in Cooking: Fresh Tomatillo Salsa Recipe
• Simply Recipes: Tomatillo Salsa Verde Recipe