This is the best tomatillo salsa verde recipe, thanks to the flavor from charred and roasted tomatillos, poblanos and jalapenos! Thanks to the simple cooking technique of oven roasting or charring (just as I do with my roasted Hatch chile, another favorite of mine!), this spicy roasted tomatillo salsa has so much flavor. Even better, it’s super simple to make. While they can be eaten raw, and you can make raw tomatillo salsa, I find the raw salsa verde to be too tangy. By roasting the tomatillos, the acidity is less pronounced, and you get more flavor from the tomatillos as well. Plus, the added charring yields even more flavor to this spicy salsa verde. If you’re using raw tomatillos to make salsa verde, you absolutely need to buy the best tomatillos you can find. This includes,
Beautiful bright green tomatillos, Firm to the touch, The husk should be tightly wrapped around the entire fruit (with only the bottom visible), and with no tearing. Skin that is lighter in spots and fruits that are soft can mean that the tomatillo is overripe.
Since we are oven roasting these tomatillos for the salsa verde, we don’t need to purchase picture perfect fruits. It’s OK to have some light spots on the skin (i.e. overripe). It’s OK if the tomatillos are a little soft. And it’s absolutely OK if the husks are a little torn up, as long as the fruit inside still looks good. So by making roasted tomatillo salsa, you can use up tomatillos that are a little old, or a little “ugly”, and still have a ridiculously delicious dip and sauce. Wash the poblano peppers and jalapeno peppers as well. Once rinsed, pat dry the tomatillos, poblano peppers and jalapenos. By drying them, it’ll be easier to get a nice char on them. I like making spicy tomatillo salsa, so I keep the jalapeno seeds, but if you don’t like spicy – you can deseed the jalapenos. Peel and slice the onion. You can simply halve it or quarter it too. Peel some garlic cloves and wrap them in foil. (Here’s my recipe for roasted garlic recipe.) Line a baking tray with foil and place all the ingredients on the baking tray. Toss them with some oil and salt. Place the baking tray in the oven and roast the tomatillos until you get a nice char on the tomatillos and peppers. Then, simply put all the ingredients in a food processor, along with some cilantro, cumin and salt, and pulse until you have a smooth oven roasted tomatillo salsa, made with charred tomatillos and peppers. All of that charring will add plenty of flavor! Finally, add a little lime juice and more salt to taste and you end up with the best salsa verde you’ve ever made! To make canned roasted salsa verde, once you have added just a touch of lime juice to the recipe, you must add
About 2 – 3 tbsp of white vinegar, OR 2 – 3 tbsp BOTTLED lime juice. This is the only time I recommend using bottled lime juice for a recipe, because it’s more acidic than fresh lime juice.
Make the salsa verde according to the recipe, but transfer the salsa into a medium pot and add the vinegar or bottled lime juice. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for about 10 – 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Place the jars in a canning rack to prevent the jars from touching the bottom of the pot. Preheat the jars in simmering water (180 F/83 C). Drain the water and place the jars on a flat surface. Transfer the hot, roasted tomatillo salsa verde into the jars, making sure there is a 0.5 inch gap between the salsa and the lid. Tap the jars to get rid of any air bubbles in the salsa. Wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth, as there should not be any salsa on the lips of the jars. Place the jars in the canning pot, with water 1 – 2 inches over the top of the jar. Bring the water to a rolling boil over medium heat, and let the jars sit for 15 – 20 minutes. Then switch off the heat and allow the roasted salsa bottle rest in the water for 5 minutes. Finally, remove the jars from the canning pot and let them rest on a flat surface for 12 – 24 hours. Check for the pop on the lid to make sure the salsa is sealed properly.
Freshly made salsa verde storage
This can be stored in the fridge for about 10 days. You can also freeze the salsa verde and keep it frozen for up to 3 months.
Canned salsa verde storage
If the canning worked (pop test on the lid), then you can place them in a dark and cool place for about 12 months. Once opened, it must be consumed within 10 days and be refrigerated.
