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Charring tomatillos under the broiler is a great way to cook and char vegetables in a matter of minutes. It wasn’t until I worked at America’s Test Kitchen as an intern that I truly started to utilize the broiler for the versatile piece of equipment that it is.
My first time charring tomatillos was for a green sauce that would be served over tacos at an America’s Test Kitchen Event. The method is genius. It chars and slightly softens the exterior of the tomatillos while keeping the interiors fresh and firm. The result is a salsa that has a note of smokiness but is still fresh in flavor.
What are Tomatillos?
They are also known as husk tomatoes and they are from Mexico. Tomatillos look like small tomatoes that are green with a papery husk on the outside. The flavor of a tomatillo is a little less sweet and more vegetable-forward tasting than a regular tomato.
They have a great acidity to them, which makes for a delicious, bright and savory salsa. We like to roast the tomatillos in this recipe to bring out their natural flavors and allow them to sweeten a little bit. You can easily find them in the produce section of the grocery store.
How Easy It Is To Make Salsa Verde
Making homemade tomatillo salsa verde is easy and quick! Here are the simple steps:
- Heat your broiler to high with rack set 6 inches from element.
- Arrange tomatillos, onion, and serrano on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Roast veggies under the broiler until charred on all sides, this will take 15–17 minutes. Be sure to turn the vegetables every few minutes to promote even charring.
- Transfer the tomatillos, onion, serrano, and any accumulated juices to a food processor.
- Add cilantro, garlic, honey, and salt and purée until smooth; season with salt taste.
Tips from Recipe Testing
- Be sure to thoroughly roast the tomatillos. This helps develop their rich flavor and caramelize the natural sugars.
- Go lighter on spice to begin with, you can always add more serrano pepper to make it spicier.
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender. Be sure to pulse when blending, you want a little bit of texture to the salsa.
Storing Tomatillo Salsa Verde
- For the Refrigerator: Stored in an airtight container, tomatillo salsa verde will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- For the Freezer: Transfer salsa verde to an airtight container, or resealable freezer bag, and transfer to freezer. It will last up to 3 months stored in the freezer.
How to Can Salsa Verde
Canning is easier and simpler to do than you might think! You will need just a few things to can salsa:
- Glass preserving jars with lids and bands
- A large stock pot
- Canning tongs
- Canning basket
Here is a great how-to-guide on canning homemade salsa! Once canned, salsa can last up to 12 months when stored in a cool, dark and dry place.
Two Great Ways to Use This Salsa
I like to use this salsa to make my baked chile rellenos or shredded salsa verde chicken.
Make sure to tag me @ZESTFULKITCHEN ON INSTAGRAM or comment below if you make this Tomatillo Salsa Verde!
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Broiler-Charred Tomatillo Salsa
Description
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Ingredients
- 1 pound tomatillos husks removed and rinsed
- 1 small white onion quartered
- 1 serrano chile stemmed
- ½ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Heat broiler to high with rack set 6 inches from element.
- Line baking sheet with foil. Arrange tomatillos, onion, and serrano on prepared baking sheet and roast under broiler until charred on all sides, 15–17 minutes, turning every few minutes to promote even charring.
- Transfer tomatillos, onion, serrano, and any accumulated juices to a food processor. Add cilantro, garlic, honey, and salt and purée until smooth; season with salt taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Just made this and it’s delish! I seeded the serrano pepper but wish I hadn’t bc it wasn’t spicy enough for us; now we know. Will definitely make again, thanks for the recipe!!
Hy Kyr! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the salsa! Thanks for sharing about the seeds, that will be helpful for other readers!
Hi, we love this salsa recipe!
I read your salsa canning recipe and I saw that it requires vinegar to preserve. Since this recipe doesn’t contain vinegar would I need to add it in order to make this recipe safe for canning?
Thanks!
Great question! I would add 3 tablespoons bottled lime (or lemon) juice to the recipe. Bottled lime juice is more acidic than fresh squeezed lime juice—by using bottled you can ensure enough acidity is added for safety. You can also use white vinegar.
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any questions/how it goes.
Delicious! Besides using it for everything on your list, we love it on eggs and hash browns or home fries, and carne asada fries!
Oooh I love the idea of serving this with eggs and hash browns, YUM!
Hello! Is it necessary to cook the salsa before canning?
For food safety reasons, I would recommend cooking it briefly!
This is delicious! Grew my Tomatillos, so they were much smaller than the store. I used Jalapeños from my garden instead of Serranos.
I just made 3 batches of this salsa verde and it’s amazing! Getting ready to can it now. PS it was taste tested by 7 of my camping ladies last night and it was a hit. Cheers and thank you~
I’m so happy to hear you and your camping ladies enjoyed this (sounds fun!). I hope the canning process goes smoothly!
I love how easy this was to make! Can you tell me how to tone down the heat once the salsa is made? It’s a bit too spicy for me and my husband.
Of course! For a more mild salsa, I recommend using a jalapeño instead of Serrano. That alone will tone down the spice. For even less spice, you can halve the jalapeño lengthwise and remove the ribs and seeds before roasting (it may need slightly less roasting time, so pull it out early if needed). I hope this helps!