Description
A smoky, vibrant green salsa made by roasting tomatillos, Hatch chilies, and aromatics in a skillet. This small batch recipe yields about two cups of rich, flavorful salsa perfect for tacos, chips, or topping main dishes.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) green tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
- 4–6 medium Hatch chilies, stems removed
- 1/2 medium white onion, chopped into large chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2–4 tbsp water (optional, for consistency)
Instructions
- Peel husks from tomatillos and rinse to remove sticky residue. Pat dry thoroughly. Remove stems from Hatch chilies; leave seeds in for heat or remove for mild salsa. Chop onion into large chunks and leave garlic cloves unpeeled.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with a tiny splash of oil. Add tomatillos, onion chunks, and garlic cloves. Do not crowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary.
- Let vegetables sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until dark brown spots appear. Flip and char the other side until tomatillos are blistered/soft, onions are translucent with charred edges, and garlic skins are blackened.
- Add Hatch chilies to the pan and char on all sides for 2-3 minutes until skin is blistered and blackened.
- Transfer roasted veggies to a bowl. While hot, peel garlic cloves and remove charred skin from Hatch chilies.
- Place roasted vegetables, cilantro, lime juice, and salt into a blender or food processor.
- Pulse to break up ingredients, then blend on high for 30-60 seconds until desired consistency is reached. Scrape down sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust salt or lime juice. Add water one tablespoon at a time only if the salsa is too thick.
- Let salsa rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
Do not crowd the pan to avoid steaming the vegetables; steaming results in bland flavor while charring creates complex smoky notes. Wear gloves when handling chilies if you have sensitive skin. For best flavor, let the salsa rest in the fridge for 30 minutes after blending. Do not freeze this salsa as the texture of fresh cilantro and roasted veggies will become mushy upon thawing. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Condiment
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 25
- Sodium: 150
- Carbohydrates: 5
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 1
Keywords: salsa verde, hatch chilies, charred salsa, small batch salsa, green salsa, roasted salsa, mexican condiment, fresh salsa