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Salsa verde

From WikiTacos, the taco encyclopedia · Salsa
Also known as: Green salsa, Salsa de tomate verde

Salsa verde is the family of Mexican green sauces built on tomatillo, green chile, onion, garlic and cilantro. Served raw, boiled or fire-roasted, it is one of the two standard table salsas of the taquería.

Contents
  1. Description
  2. Styles
  3. At the taquería
  4. Recipe
  5. Reviews
  6. See also
  7. References

Description

In Mexico the word tomate on its own usually means the green, husked tomatillo, a native Physalis that is firm and tart and is consumed above all in central Mexico. Larousse describes salsa verde as several green sauces sharing tomatillo, garlic, onion, green chile and cilantro, prepared across the central states.

Styles

There are three main methods. Salsa verde cruda blends or grinds everything raw, smooth or chunky; Puebla and Tlaxcala cooks may add pipicha or pápalo, and in Oaxaca garlic, chile and the small miltomate are ground in a chilmolera and finished with cilantro and onion. Salsa verde cocida boils the tomatillos and chiles before blending, sometimes with epazote, and is frequently fried in oil or lard; it doubles as the sauce for enchiladas verdes and chilaquiles. Salsa verde asada chars the ingredients on a comal and grinds them in a molcajete, giving a smoky flavor popular in central Mexico; see salsa de tomatillo asado.

At the taquería

A green salsa sits beside a red one on most taquería counters. Larousse notes that the cooked version also serves as the base for enchiladas verdes and chilaquiles verdes, so the same pot often feeds both the counter and the kitchen.

Recipe

Makes About 2 cups · Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 500 g tomatillos, husked and rinsed
  • 2 to 4 serrano chiles, stemmed
  • 1/4 white onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/3 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • 1 tsp salt

Steps

  1. Put the tomatillos and chiles in a pot, cover with water and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, until the tomatillos turn olive green and soften.
  2. Drain, reserving a little of the cooking water.
  3. Blend with the onion, garlic, cilantro and salt to a slightly chunky puree, adding cooking water if it is too thick.
  4. Taste, adjust salt and serve at room temperature.

For salsa cruda, skip the simmering and blend the raw tomatillos with the other ingredients.

Reviews

Reviews and tips open at launch. Readers will be able to share where they found the best version of this and how they make it at home.

See also

References

  1. "Salsa verde". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  2. "Tomate". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
Categories: Central Mexican cuisine Salsas Salsas and garnishes Tomatillo dishes