Turn fresh tomatillos into a fresh, tangy salsa with a hint of heat. Tomatillos have a more acidic taste than tomatoes, which gives this recipe a different flavour from a salsa made with tomatoes.
Originally published on August 5, 2021. Updated in August 2025.
This easy Salsa recipe is made from tomatillos, which are known as husk tomatoes. They have a dry, leafy covering on them and are more acidic than tomatoes. This Easy Tomatillo Salsa recipe makes a great alternative to tomato-based salsa.
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Ingredients For Tomatillo Salsa
This recipe is made with only a few ingredients:
- Tomatillos.
- White onion.
- Jalapenos.
- Garlic.
- Avocado oil.
- White pepper.
- Salt.
- Lime juice.
- Cilantro.
Make It Hotter or Milder
If you prefer a hotter salsa, the jalapenos can be replaced with red chillis, or any other hot pepper.
For less heat, try using poblano peppers in place of the jalapenos.
Cleaning Tomatillos
Tomatillos have a dry, leafy husk that needs to be removed. Under the husk, the tomatillos have a sticky film on them that also needs to be removed. When removing the husks, wearing rubber gloves is recommended since the tomatillos are sticky under the husks.
To clean the tomatillos, I use a large bowl of room-temperature water. As the husks are removed, place the tomatillos in the water to soak. After all the husks are removed, use a clean towel to wipe the film off the tomatillos as they are taken out of the water, one at a time.
Raw vs Cooked Tomatillos
Tomatillos can be eaten raw or cooked. This recipe calls for cooked tomatillos, which are less acidic. But if you prefer a more acidic sauce, you can skip the roasting part of the recipe.
To roast the vegetables, we use the BBQ to roast the tomatillos, onions, hot peppers, and garlic. Avocado oil is our choice to roast the vegetables, but olive oil or vegetable oil can be used as well.
When making this recipe with raw vegetables, skip the avocado oil. It is only used for roasting vegetables.
Equipment for Making This Recipe
To make this recipe, you will need a blender to process the salsa. A food processor can also be used.
Serving Tomatillo Salsa
Tomatillo salsa can be used like any other salsa. We like to serve it on tacos, fajitas, and nachos.
Use this salsa as a dip for chips and fresh vegetables.
Try our Homemade Fresh Salsa to serve alongside this salsa for tacos, nachos and more.
Storing Easy Tomatillo Salsa
This recipe makes three pint-sized jars of salsa. It should be stored in the fridge and used within 14 days.
It can be canned using a water bath if you would like to store it outside the fridge and for longer than 14 days. Directions for canning can be found on Bernardin’s website, using the directions for the high-acid food.
Have you made this recipe? Leave a comment below to let us know.
Easy Tomatillo Salsa
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 2 pounds tomatillos
- ½ white onion, sliced
- 2 jalapenos, seeded and halved
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Remove husks from tomatillos and wash thoroughly to remove sticky film.
- Cut tomatillos in to wedges.
- Place tomatillo wedges, sliced onion, jalapenos and garlic on a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle avocado oil over vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.
- Roast vegetables in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven when vegetables are lightly browned and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Place roasted vegetables in a blender with lime juice and cilantro.
- Pulse until desired consistency. A few pulses for a chunky sauce, longer for a smoother sauce.
- Pour into mason jars and refrigerate.
Never used tomatillos before and this great recipe offered a good option to do so!