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Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Jazz up your salsa game with this easy and delish Roasted Tomatillo Salsa. It’s a little bit tangy, a little bit spicy, and a whole lot delicious! Grab some chips and get dunking!

Roasted tomatillo salsa in a black cast iron dish with chips in the background.

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I fell in love with tomatillos while living in Texas. They’re a bit harder to find way up north, but I can usually find them in the summer at the farmers market, and then I’ll buy a half bushel of them. That’s a LOT of tomatillos! But they’re so versatile, and one of our favorite ways to use them is in this amazing Roasted Tomatillo Salsa.

So easy to make and full of bright flavors, this easy tomatillo salsa recipe gets an extra flavor boost from the roasted veggies. The only question is, what will you dip into your salsa?

A top-down shot of Roasted Tomatillo Salsa in a serving dish with tortilla chips.

What you’ll love about Roasted Tomatillo Salsa


  • The added richness from roasting the veggies adds oodles of flavor!
  • It’s so easy to make, and the recipe is easy to double.
  • This is great as a dip but also as a sauce for enchiladas, tacos, and more!
Tomatillos on a white background.

What Are Tomatillos?

Tomatillos might look like green tomatoes, but they’re not tomatoes at all. Also known as Mexican husk tomatoes, tomatillo means little tomato in Spanish, but these nightshades are more closely related to gooseberries than tomatoes. They are sold in a papery husk that you’ll need to remove before chopping, and wash them, too, because dirt and sticky sap can get trapped under the surface of the husks.

Look for firm, bright green tomatillos when buying them at the store. Size isn’t so important – they can be small or large – they all work in this easy Roasted Tomatillo Salsa.

Ingredients

  • Tomatillos – You’ll need about a pound.
  • Jalapenos – 2 jalapenos will make this salsa mildly spicy. Add more as needed.
  • Garlic – Fresh is best!
  • Cilantro – You really can’t make this salsa without fresh cilantro.
  • Onion – Sweet onion is the best.
  • Salt
Labeled ingredients to make Roasted Tomatillo Salsa.

How To Make The Best Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

For a complete list of ingredients and instructions, please scroll down to the recipe near the bottom of this page.

  1. Preheat your oven to 400-F.
  2. Clean (husk and rinse) the tomatillos, then quarter them and put them on a baking sheet along with the seeded jalapeno and garlic cloves.
  3. Roast the veggies at 400-F until they’re lightly golden brown. The tomatillos will give off a lot of juice – that’s OK.
  4. Dice the onion while the veggies are roasting. You’ll mix this into the salsa at the end.
  5. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and add the cilantro. Pulse until the veggies are chopped and saucy but not pureed. You want the salsa to be a little bit chunky.
  6. Mix in the diced onions, season with salt, and chill in the fridge until ready to eat.

Chef Jenn’s Tips

  • To keep the veggies from burning, keep them close together – but not overlapping – on the baking sheet.
  • Want it spicier? Use a serrano chili instead of jalapenos.
  • Don’t like it so spicy? Use a poblano pepper instead of jalapenos.
  • Make a double batch and freeze some of this salsa for later!

Recommended

Serving Suggestions

This easy vegan Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde is so good with dippers like tortilla chips, but I also love it as a sauce on tacos, tostadas, and burritos. You can also smother chicken breasts in it and bake them for a delish and easy meal. There are so many ways to use this amazing green salsa!

Love Tomatillos?

If you find yourself with a half bushel of tomatillos, try Fried Tomatillos, Tomatillo Pico De Gallo, or Tomatillo Sauce. And if you still have tomatillos to use, freeze them! You can freeze tomatillos – simply wash them and pop them into a freezer-safe plastic bag for up to 3-4 months. Thaw and use in all your favorite recipes!

Storage

Store any leftover salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Step By Step Process

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Roasted tomatillo salsa in a black cast iron dish with chips in the background.
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4.96 from 21 votes

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Thick, chunky, spicy, and tangy, Roasted Tomatillo Salsa is packed with flavor and a tasty alternative to red salsas. So easy to make, serve this easy dip with chips or add it as a sauce to tacos, enchiladas, and more!
Course Appetizers
Cuisine Mexican, Tex-Mex
Keyword dip, roasted tomatillo salsa, salsa, tomatillos
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 25kcal
Author Chef Jenn

Ingredients

  • 1 pound tomatillos about 4-6
  • 2 jalapenos seeded and halved
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 1/2 cup diced sweet onion small dice
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400-F.
  • Add the cleaned and quartered tomatillos, seeded jalapeno, and garlic cloves to a baking sheet or shallow casserole pan.
  • Roast the veggies at 400-F until they're lightly golden brown; About 15-20 minutes. The tomatillos will give off a lot of juice – that's OK.
  • Transfer the mixture and any pan juices to a food processor and add the cilantro. Pulse until the veggies are chopped and saucy but not pureed. You want the salsa to be a little bit chunky.
  • Mix in the finely diced onion, season with salt and chill in the fridge until ready to eat.

Notes

Chef Jenn’s Tips

  • To keep the veggies from burning, keep them close together – but not overlapping – on the baking sheet.
  • Want it spicier? Use a serrano chili instead of jalapenos.
  • Don’t like it so spicy? Use a poblano pepper instead of jalapenos.
  • Make a double batch and freeze some of this salsa for later!
*The sodium values from the salt are not included in the nutritional calculations.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 25kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.4mg

A Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.

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