By Becky Hardin
Updated Feb 27, 2025
I absolutely love making Charred Tomatillo Homemade Salsa Verde because it is simple to whip up in the blender and tastes delicious! The tangy zesty flavors from tomatillo combined with spicy jalapeños, garlic, cilantro and a dash of lime—I can’t get enough! Try it with tortilla chips for a fun dip!
Homemade Tomatillo Salsa
My homemade tomatillo salsa is a smoky, zesty, mouthwatering dip for tortilla chips or tacos. Its zesty flavor is a fun spin on regular salsa . With the inclusion of smoky, charred tomatillos, this is a dip every tortilla chip wants to be dunked in! Serve it at a party or for the next Taco Tuesday!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 2 unpeeled garlic cloves
- ▢ 1 pound fresh tomatillos husked, washed and stems removed
- ▢ 1 onion peeled & quartered
- ▢ 2-3 jalapeno chiles or 2 serrano chiles; stems removed
- ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ▢ ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ▢ ½ -1 teaspoon granulated sugar divided
- ▢ ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ▢ 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice divided
- ▢ ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ▢ ¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and set oven to broil. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Place garlic, tomatillos, onion, and chiles on the baking sheet and drizzle with 1½ tablespoons olive oil. Set the baking sheet on the oven rack and broil the vegetables until the skins on the tomatillos have darkened and are partially charred. 2 unpeeled garlic cloves, 1 pound fresh tomatillos, 1 onion, 2-3 jalapeno chiles or 2 serrano chiles; stems removed, 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Peel the garlic and scrape all the ingredients (including vegetables, juices & oil) from the baking sheet to a blender.
- Add cilantro, sugar, broth, lime juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. Purée to desired consistency (I prefer the salsa fairly smooth). ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, ½ -1 teaspoon granulated sugar, ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt, ¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 1½ tablespoons oil and pour the tomatillo salsa into the pan. Set the heat to medium and bring the salsa to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture reduces to about 2 cups, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with additional sugar, salt, pepper and lime juice, if needed.
- The salsa is even better when made the day before serving. Keep refrigerated, up to 1 week, in an airtight container.
Becky’s Tips
- To make this salsa spicier, you can add an extra Serrano pepper or two. Or to make it less spicy, omit the Serranos entirely (or use a jalapeño, which has slightly less heat). You can also core chile peppers (remove the seeds) to reduce the heat.
- If the salsa is too thick, feel free to add in 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water (or chicken/vegetable stock).
- If using canned tomatillos, drain the excess water.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Homemade Salsa Verde
Set oven to broil: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and set oven to broil. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Broil the vegetables: Place 2 unpeeled garlic cloves, 1 pound fresh tomatillos (husked, washed), 1 onion (peeled & quartered) , 2-3 jalapeño chiles or 2 Serrano chiles (stems removed), on the baking sheet and drizzle with half of olive oil (out of 3 tablespoons olive oil).
Then broil the vegetables until the skins on the tomatillos have darkened and are partially charred.
Add into the blender and blend well: Peel the garlic and scrape all the ingredients from the baking sheet to a blender.
To this add ¼ cup of chopped fresh cilantro, ½ -1 teaspoon of granulated sugar, ½ cup of low-sodium chicken broth, 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, ½ teaspoon of coarse kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Purée to desired consistency. I prefer the salsa fairly smooth.
Cook for 10 min and chill: In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining oil and pour the tomatillo salsa into the pan, bring to a simmer then cook on low until the mix reduces.
Season to taste with additional sugar, salt, pepper and lime juice, if needed.
The salsa is even better when made the day before serving. Keep refrigerated, up to 1 week, in an airtight container.
How to Store and Reheat
Store this in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-6 days.
Use freezer-grade plastic bags and pour in the salsa so you can freeze it flat for easy storage. You can also use a sturdy, heavy plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. Freeze for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and serve.
Serving Suggestions
Pair my Tomatillo Salsa with Chicken Tinga Tacos and Beef Folded Tortillas Quesadilla . I use this salsa in my Salsa Verde Chicken and Green Chicken Enchiladas for festive Mexican flavors.
More salsa recipes that you’ll love
Italian Salsa (Only 5 Ingredients)
Mango Salsa
Strawberry Salsa with Cinnamon Chips
Tomatillo Avocado Salsa
Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips
Pico de Gallo (Salsa Fresca)
Street Corn Salsa
Avocado Corn Salsa
Our homemade salsa verde recipe was originally published 2/3/20. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 2/21/25.
Homemade Salsa Verde Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 unpeeled garlic cloves
- 1 pound fresh tomatillos husked, washed and stems removed
- 1 onion peeled & quartered
- 2-3 jalapeno chiles or 2 serrano chiles; stems removed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ -1 teaspoon granulated sugar divided
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice divided
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and set oven to broil. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Place garlic, tomatillos, onion, and chiles on the baking sheet and drizzle with 1½ tablespoons olive oil. Set the baking sheet on the oven rack and broil the vegetables until the skins on the tomatillos have darkened and are partially charred. 2 unpeeled garlic cloves, 1 pound fresh tomatillos, 1 onion, 2-3 jalapeno chiles or 2 serrano chiles; stems removed, 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Peel the garlic and scrape all the ingredients (including vegetables, juices & oil) from the baking sheet to a blender.
- Add cilantro, sugar, broth, lime juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. Purée to desired consistency (I prefer the salsa fairly smooth). ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, ½ -1 teaspoon granulated sugar, ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt, ¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 1½ tablespoons oil and pour the tomatillo salsa into the pan. Set the heat to medium and bring the salsa to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture reduces to about 2 cups, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with additional sugar, salt, pepper and lime juice, if needed.
- The salsa is even better when made the day before serving. Keep refrigerated, up to 1 week, in an airtight container.
Notes
- To make this salsa spicier, you can add an extra Serrano pepper or two. Or to make it less spicy, omit the Serranos entirely (or use a jalapeño, which has slightly less heat). You can also core chile peppers (remove the seeds) to reduce the heat.
- If the salsa is too thick, feel free to add in 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water (or chicken/vegetable stock).
- If using canned tomatillos, drain the excess water.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
