Also known as Salsa Verde, this Roasted Tomatillo Salsa is a savory salsa with a spicy kick! This one comes from the master of Mexican cuisine himself, Chef Rick Bayless.
Learning from the best is an absolute privilege and we are On the moon having Mexican champion Rick Bayless on our podcast! Maybe you know Rick Bayless for his popular Frontera salsas, or Chicago’s Topolobampo or Frontera Grill restaurants? He was also the host of the PBS show Mexico – One plate at a timeis the author of 9 cookbooks, has won several James Beard Awards and Bravo’s master of great chefs. Basically it’s a complete one boss in his room. And after meeting him we discovered that he was a true teacher at heart and one of the most sincere souls. Read on for Rick’s own Roasted Tomato Salsa recipe!
Related: Homemade tortilla chips
Why Make Roasted Tomato Salsa?
Alex and I joke that all the chefs we know have a thing called a “cook brain”. The chef’s mastermind happens when you’re talking to a chef and he suddenly rambles and tells you exactly how he would cook a delicious recipe. And that’s exactly what chef Rick Bayless did on his episode of the A Couple Cooks podcast! Rick was a fountain of ideas, throwing up all sorts of recipe ideas, including this easy roasted tomato salsa.
After he mentioned it, we couldn’t resist buying some tomatillos and making Rick’s recipe. Why make roasted tomatillo salsa at home when you can easily buy it at the store? Because it is That’s good. It’s super spicy, garlicky, smoky and a little spicy, perfect for dunking endless mountains of tortilla chips. And gives you the feeling “Yeah, I did that!”. For the other times when you are pressed for time? I’m sure Rick wouldn’t mind if you bought his Frontera Salsa Verde!
What are tomatillos?
Despite their similar appearance and name, tomatillos and green tomatoes are two completely different foods. Tomatillos look like unripe tomatoes and have an envelope that leaves a sticky residue when peeled off. You can simply rinse the tomatillos under lukewarm water to remove the residue! Much denser than tomatoes, they contain less water and have a slightly grainy yet juicy texture. Their taste is tart and tangy: perfect for salsa!
Tomatillos can be eaten raw in salsas and on sandwiches, grilled or fried, and used in a range of sauces and soups. Some of our favorite ways to enjoy tomatillos are this Roasted Tomatillo Salsa, Artichoke Enchiladas, and Roasted Tomatillo Black Bean Soup.
How to Make Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
How do you make roasted tomatillo salsa? It takes a few minutes to roast the tomatillos, but it’s well worth the effort. Accompany this recipe with our homemade tortilla chips. They’re simple and a staple in our home. Here is a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Roast the tomatillos, serrano pepper and garlic.
Place the tomatillos on a baking sheet with the serrano pepper and garlic. Grill over high heat until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes, turning after 5 minutes.
Step 2: Shuffle!
Leave the vegetables to cool. Next, transfer all but half of the chili (including the juices) to a blender. Add coriander and water and mix to desired consistency.
Step 3: Chop an onion and stir in.
Finely chop a small white onion. Rinse under cold water and shake to remove excess moisture. Then toss with the tomatillo mixture in a serving bowl with the salt. Voila: roasted tomatillo salsa!
How to serve Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Once you’ve made this incredible Roasted Tomatillo Salsa, there’s no limit to how you serve it! Here are some of our favorite serving ideas:
Podcast: Listen to Rick Bayless!
We were thrilled to have Mexican chef Rick Bayless on our podcast; Hear him talk about this roasted tomato salsa recipe below.
Looking for more salsa recipes?
Aside from this salsa verde recipe, here are a few other salsa recipes that we love:
This Roasted Tomato Salsa recipe is…
Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, plant-based and without refined sugar.
The description
Also known as Salsa Verde, this Roasted Tomatillo Salsa is a savory salsa with a spicy kick! This one comes from the master of Mexican cuisine himself, Chef Rick Bayless.
- 8 ounces tomatilloless
- 1/2 Serrano pepper (or more to taste)
- 2 large cloves of garlic
- A handful of fresh cilantro
- 1 small white onion
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Remove the paper from the tomatillos and rinse them. Remove the stalk from the Serrano pepper. Peel the garlic cloves.
- Place the tomatillos, whole serrano pepper, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet and grill over high heat for 5 minutes, until just beginning to blacken and soften. Then flip the tomatillos and fry the other side for about 5 minutes (the tomatillos will turn from green to olive green).
- Allow to cool, then place all but half of the chili (including the juices) in a blender. Add cilantro and ¼ cup water and mix to desired consistency. Taste and add additional chilli if you like.
- Finely chop the onion, then rinse under cold water and shake to remove excess moisture. Mix with the tomatillo mixture in a serving bowl with the salt. Taste and add additional salt if needed.
- Category: aperitif
- Method: Mix
- Kitchen: Mexican
Keywords: Roasted Tomato Salsa, Green Tomato Salsa, Salsa Recipes, Mexican Recipes, Healthy Appetizer Recipes, Healthy Snack Recipes
Looking for more Mexican recipes?
Here are some of our favorite Mexican-inspired recipes:
