Salsa verde is one of my favorite Mexican food condiments. This is my version of a homemade green salsa recipe. A great recipe for using up extra tomatillos.
If you love this green salsa recipe be sure to try my black bean corn salsa recipe. I love to serve these two salsa recipes with taco stuffed shells or my One Pot Enchilada Casserole. If you have never made your own pickled onions, you NEED to make them and add them to every Mexican dish. This recipe would be great to serve along with sous vide sea bass.
I wanted to call attention to one of the most popular posts on my site: the Philly cheesesteak eggrolls.
What is salsa verde?
Salsa verde translates from Spanish to 'green sauce'. I am making this recipe as the green salsa from Mexican cooking with ingredients of tomatillos, garlic, jalapeño peppers, green peppers, lime juice, and salt. This salsa can be served fresh but by adding vinegar you are able to can the salsa with the hot water bath canning method.
What is Salsa Verde made of?
Salsa verde is made from tomatillos, garlic, jalapeño peppers, green bell pepper, vinegar, salt and lime juice. This recipe can be served fresh or follow the easy canning instructions.
Ingredients:
- tomatillos, peeled
- garlic (optional)
- jalapeño peppers
- Green peppers, bell or poblano
- vinegar
- lime juice (fresh if you have it)
- lime zest (if you are feeling fancy)
- salt
5 Days To Canning Confidence
How To Make Salsa Verde:
- Peel the papery husk off the tomatillos and blanch them in simmering water for 5 minutes.
- Drop them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
- Give the tomatillos a rough chop and throw them in the food processor.
- Pulse them in the food processor until they are thoroughly pureed.
- Pour into a large bowl.
- Plus together the garlic, jalapeño peppers and 2 cups of green peppers in a food processor.
- Combine your tomatillo puree and pepper puree in a large pot.
- Add 1 cup vinegar 1 Tablespoon lime juice, zest of the lime, 1 teaspoon salt
- Stir till combine and slowly bring to a boilover
- Boil 5 minutes over high heat.
- Get a big spearing spoon and skim the white foamy stuff off the top of your salsa.
- Cool and enjoy!
Canning instructions:
- Pour the hot salsa into hot jars.
- Place on a clean, new lid.
- Finger tighten a ring onto the jar.
- Carefully lower the jars into the hot water bath with at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.
- Process 10 minutes.
- Remove from the hot water and allow to cool completely.
Storage Tips
How long will this recipe keep?
Unopened, and properly canned it will last on the shelf, or in your pantry for a year. Once you open the jar store it in the refrigerator with a lid and a ring for up to two weeks.
FAQ's and Tips
As with any salsa, the answer is, it depends. If you use spicy green peppers, then your salsa will be spicy. If you use the green bell peppers exclusively, your salsa verde will be milder. The wonderful part about making your own salsa verde is you are able to customize the spiciness to your own liking.
While tomatillos can resemble green tomatoes they are not the same. Both are fruits but tomatillos will not 'ripen' to a color other than green and they are covered in a natural sticky film along with a papery outer shell that easily peels off.
Red salsa differs from salsa verde in that a red salsa will use red tomatoes and chili or jalapeno peppers, whereas salsa verde, will use tomatillo and/or green tomatoes. Both are delicious and both are great seasonal salsas.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds tomatillos peeled
- 4 cloves Garlic optional
- 6-7 jalapeño peppers
- 2 Cups chopped Green peppers bell, poblano
- 1 Cup vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice fresh if you have it
- zest of the lime if you are feeling fancy
- 1 Teaspoon salt
Instructions
Salsa Verde Directions
- Blanch the tomatillos in simmering water for 5 minutes.
- Drop them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
- Give them a rough chop and throw them in the food processor.
- Process them until till they are thoroughly pureed.
- Pour into a large bowl.
- Puree together with the garlic, jalapeño peppers, and 2 cups of green peppers
- Combine your tomatillo puree and pepper chop in a large pot.
- Add 1 cup vinegar 1 Tablespoon lime juice, zest of the lime, 1 teaspoon salt
- Stir till combine and slowly bring to a boil.
- Boil 5 minutes.
- Get a big spearing spoon and skim the white foamy stuff off the top of your salsa.
How To Can Salsa Verde
- Pour your salsa verde into your hot jars.
- Pop on a clean new lid.
- Finger tighten a ring onto the jar.
- Carefully lower the jars into the hot water bath with at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.
- Process 10 minutes.
- Remove from the hot water and allow to cool completely.
Nutrition
Notes
I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 15 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
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originally published Jul 21, 2012
Beth says
Can I add cilantro safely to this recipe when canning?
Thanks!
Beth
Lana M says
I finally made my first Salsa Verde from scratch using this recipe. It’s absolutely delicious. I did cut the recipe in half to make sure I was going to like it. I hate green bell peppers; used green chilies instead. It came out awesome!!
Sarah Mock says
I love how you adjusted the recipe to meet your own tastes. That is an excellent substitution.
Sarah
jan says
im going to try and make the salsa verde tomorrow, can you add cilantro or just you just add it fresh when you open a new jar of salsa?
Sarah says
Jan,
I would add it fresh when you go to use the salsa. Adding fresh herbs to canned items is not advised as it could throw off the Ph of the salsa.