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You are here: Home / Salsas & Sauces / Classic Salsa Verde

Classic Salsa Verde

Douglas Cullen, This blog generates income via ads and affiliate links which earn us a small commission.

Salsa Verde or “Green Sauce”

Salsa verde is a staple in every Mexican kitchen. It’s great for making enchiladas verdes or for topping carne asada tacos. We also think it is great on eggs. It is a simple to make, versatile salsa.

Bowl of Authentic Mexican Salsa Verde

Use it on just about anything. The taste of fresh homemade salsa puts the bottled salsas to shame. Give this one a try!

What to Expect From this Recipe

Boiled Salsas vs. Roasted Salsas

There are generally two ways that Mexican salsas are prepared, with boiled ingredients or fire roasted / pan roasted ingredients. These two methods create distinctive flavor profiles.

This is a recipe for a classic boiled salsa.

Boiled salsas tend to be milder in flavor where the taste of the vegetables are out in front. Roasted salsas are bolder in flavor where the smoky flavors from charring add a deeper element.

Bowl of Classic Boiled Salsa Verde

A Healthy Recipe

Mexican food gets a bad rep for being greasy, heavy and, unhealthy but stop and think for a second. Salsa is nothing but concentrated vegetables.

It’s the tastiest way ever to get your daily veggies. You can eat as much as you want guilt-free. It’s rare that your favorite food can be the healthiest food too. So enjoy.

Authentic Mexican Salsa Verde in Bowl

How to Make Salsa Verde

Our Salsa verde recipe is really easy to make and the ingredients are available at almost every supermarket.

We prepared ours with tomatillos which look like small green tomatoes and are covered in a papery husk. You can also use larger green tomatoes, called tomates verdes. Both make excellent salsas.

Ingredients for Salsa Verde

The recipe calls for three serrano peppers but you can use fewer if you want to reduce the heat. We like it on the hot side. You can substitute jalapeño peppers for the serranos The flavor won’t be as bright and the heat will be milder but it will still be tasty.

HOW TO MAKE SALSA VERDE | 1-MINUTE VIDEO

Prep the Tomatillos First

First, remove the papery husks from the tomatillos.

Tomatillos with Husks Removed on Table

Then rinse them under warm water to remove the sticky residue.

Rinsing Tomatillos in Sink
Quartered Onion on Cutting Board

The preparation is really simple. Add all of the ingredients to your pot except the cilantro and just cover with water.

Ingredients to Make Salsa Verde in Pot

Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Notice how the ingredients change color. This lets you know that the ingredients are fully cooked.

Cooked Ingredients to Make Salsa Verde in Pot

For the next step, blend the ingredients with the cooking water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. You can use a blender or food processor for good results.

Blending the Ingredients for Salsa Verde

When blending, you want the salsa to keep a little bit of texture. It shouldn’t be liquified. Use the picture of the prepared salsa to guide you. Notice the bright green color.

Blended Salsa Verde in Blender Jar

The Salsa Making Secret

The next thing you are going to do is fry the salsa. This is the magic step that is used in making almost all cooked salsas in Mexico. Do not skip this step. It gives a superior result.

Heat two tablespoons of oil on high.

Heating the Oil to Fry the Salsa

Slowly pour the blended salsa into the pan. This develops a deeper richer tasting salsa. This step is called “seasoning.”

Pouring the Salsa Verde into the Hot Oil in Pot

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Salsa Verde Simmering in Pot

The Importance of Salt

Add 1 ½ tsp. salt to your salsa stir well and taste. You will probably want to add more. The salsa is perfectly salted when it is just a little bit too salty when tasted by alone.

Remember that you will be adding salsa to your food to season it and once mixed with the food the salt in the salsa will bring out the flavor of the food without seeming overly salty.

Adding Sal to Salsa Verde

Notice how the salsa darkens in color when cooked.

Simmered Salsa Verde in Pot

Now you have the perfect salsa verde!

Closeup of homemade Salsa Verde

Problems with your salsa? How to Fix It

Sometimes your salsa doesn’t come out exactly to your liking. Keep in mind that the ingredients are all-natural products and can vary in freshness and flavor due to seasonal differences and how the ingredients have been handled. One time when you buy peppers they may be super hot and the next time you buy the exact same pepper is very mild.

Here are a few methods to correct your salsa:

  • Too runny? Simmer until it has reduced to the desired consistency.
  • Too thick? Add water 2 tablespoons at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
  • Too hot or acidic? Add only one of the following to reduce heat or acidity: ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 to 2 teaspoons agave syrup.
  • Too bland? Try adding more salt ¼ of a teaspoon at a time until you get the desired taste.
  • Pale color? Try simmering for 10 extra minutes to deepen the color.

When you make adjustments, add ingredients a little at a time. A small modification can have a surprisingly large effect. Some people like to add a squirt of lime juice.

What are you going to use it on?

Chicken enchiladas, tortilla chips, pork, chops, chilaquiles, burritos, and many more dishes pair well with this salsa. Be adventurous.

Bowl of Traditional Mexican Salsa Verde
Bowl of Homemade Salsa Verde
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3.75 from 279 votes

Salsa Verde Recipe

Recipe for an authentic "salsa verde," or "green sauce," a staple in every Mexican kitchen. It is so simple to make from easy to find ingredients. You make it mild or spicy depending on how many peppers you add. You will love it. Give it a try!
Course Sauce
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword green salsa, green sauce, salsa, salsa verde, tomatillos
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 28kcal
Author Douglas Cullen

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ lb. tomatillos or green tomatoes
  • 1 white onion
  • 4 serrano chiles
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 12 sprigs cilantro
  • 2 tbsp. cooking oil
  • 1 ½ tsp. salt + to taste

Instructions

  • Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and rinse to remove the sticky residue.
  • Quarter the onion.
  • Add all of the ingredients except the cilantro and salt to a large pot and just cover with water.
  • Bring the water and ingredients to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Blend the cooked ingredients and the cilantro with the cooking water until smooth. (About 30 seconds)
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in the pot.
  • Pour the blended salsa back into the pot with the hot cooking oil.
  • Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Add the salt and adjust if necessary.

Notes

Preparation
  • Too runny? Simmer until it has reduced to the desired consistency.
  • Too thick? Add water 2 tablespoons at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
  • Too hot or acidic? Add only one of the following to reduce heat: ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 to 2 teaspoons agave syrup.
  • Like it hot? You do not have to seed the serrano chiles. You can seed them if you want to reduce the heat of the salsa.
Substitutions
  • You can substitute jalapeño chiles for the serranos but the flavor won’t be as bright but it will still be tasty.
Storage
  • The salsa will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.
  • This salsa freezes very well. Make a double batch so that you always have some on hand.
Other Names
  • You may also know this salsa as green salsa, green sauce, verde salsa, salsa verda, or tomatillo salsa.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 28kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 245mg | Sugar: 3g

Alternate Names & Common Misspellings

You may also know this salsa as green salsa, green sauce, verde salsa, salsa verda, verde sauce, or tomatillo salsa. Whatever you call it, it’s still delicious :)

More Mexican Salsas You Might Like

  • Dried Guajillo Salsa
  • Rustic Molcajete Salsa
  • Salsa Roja for Enchiladas
  • Restaurant Salsa
  • Salsa Roja
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Avocado Salsa

More Authentic Mexican Salsas

  • Chunky Mango Salsa
  • Chipotle Salsa
  • Pineapple Habanero Salsa
  • Salsa Roja with Queso Cotija

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mike says

    October 06, 2020 at 1:55 pm

    Hi my salsa vedrde is bitter is it normal ? ( I use tomatillos in can )

    Reply
    • Ernie R says

      December 22, 2020 at 3:29 am

      Hey Mike,
      Yes sir,
      I am pretty sure thats the reason why. I think those tomatillos are already pre cooked. So now your cooking them twice and losing the main flavor.

      Reply
  2. Tessa says

    October 10, 2020 at 6:14 pm

    5 stars
    Great tasting salsa! My first batch was a double batch and 2nd was a quadruple batch (garden is still pumping out tomatillos). I used my serranos seeds and all which makes for a very tasty, but spicy final product. If you don’t like heat, be sure to remove the seeds and/or step down to a less spicy pepper. Looking forward to freezing this and eating it for weeks to come, but I know it won’t last long.
    Note: if you use all the cooking water like I did, I found it takes quite a bit of extra cooking to get the consistency right. I didn’t want to discard it because it has all the flavor from boiling the veggies. It is worth the wait though.

    Reply
  3. TamTam says

    October 17, 2020 at 4:56 pm

    This salsa turned out AMAZING! After reading the comments I opted to add water as I needed it while blending (I didn’t add much).
    It reminds me of authentic salsa verde I’ve had in Mexico. Highly recommend, I will be adding this to my recipe book.

    Reply
  4. Hilda Garcia says

    October 18, 2020 at 2:28 pm

    5 stars
    Loved it! its so delicious, I just put 6 Serrano and its HOT but I love it..
    I always make red salsas or other green ones but I have never simmered them in oil after wards, I do taste the difference. Thanks

    Reply
  5. laurie mickey says

    October 21, 2020 at 8:52 pm

    5 stars
    I was looking for something to do with a mountain of green tomatoes. This was it! So delicious. I reduced the onion to about 1/4, added a variety of chiles. I charred 1/2 of the tomatoes under the broiler which really improved the flavor. I also added some smoked paprika and chipotle for smokiness. A pinch of baking soda and some sugar reduced the acidity. Better than any store bought salsa verde. This recipe is a KEEPER!

    Reply
  6. Stevie Five One says

    October 22, 2020 at 4:57 am

    5 stars
    Just made a large batch which tastes fantastic and ive stored it in steriled sealed bottles – any idea how long it keep in my store cupboard?

    Reply
  7. Ernie R says

    December 22, 2020 at 3:23 am

    5 stars
    WOW!!!! Amazing Flavor!!! Follow these steps and you will be amazed!!! My vegetarian enchiladas have never tasted so good!!! YOU GUYS FREAKING ROCK!! HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021!!!

    Reply
  8. Ariella says

    December 24, 2020 at 9:43 am

    If you really want to make this amazing, simmer with pork in it for multiple hours. 🤤

    Reply
    • Douglas Cullen says

      December 24, 2020 at 1:22 pm

      That will definitely make it amazing. Our recipe for pork chops in salsa verde is similar https://mexicanfoodjournal.com/pork-chops-in-salsa-verde/

      Reply
  9. Sebastian M says

    January 14, 2021 at 9:28 am

    5 stars
    Great recipe, very versatile and easy to prepare.

    Reply
  10. rv says

    January 26, 2021 at 1:53 pm

    5 stars
    I have basically been making this salsa for years with great results, and this recipe really codifies the process to yield a more consistent, tasty salsa. Many recipes call for broiling or grilling the ingredients, which you would think might add flavor, but grilling produces much more uneven and inconsistent results without much benefit to the flavor. When making salsa verde, remember that it will seem far too thin while hot but if it will thicken as it cools and will set like Jello if you don’t add enough water which seems to alter the taste (as well as the texture). My wife likes the too thick “tomatillo Jello” though.

    Reply
  11. Selina Gomez says

    January 28, 2021 at 5:00 am

    Hi.. This looks amazing. The best part is that it is sonicely explained and the whole process will take around 40 minutes, I am surely gonna try this. Thanks for sharing.s

    Reply
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Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

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Most Popular Recipes

  • Classic Salsa Verde
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D. Cullen Profile Picture

Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

More about me →


Most Popular Recipes

  • Classic Salsa Verde
  • Restaurant Style Salsa
  • Traditional Sopa de Fideo
  • Red Pork Pozole
  • Chicken Tinga
  • Agua de Jamaica
  • Tres Leches Cake
  • Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Viniagrette
  • Red Enchilada Sauce
  • Mole Poblano

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