Tomatillo Salsa with Fresh Tomatillos

Wondering how to make tomato sauce? Spicy Homemade Tomatillo Salsa with fresh tomatillos is a perfect late summer appetizer!

Before I became interested in Latin American cuisine, the word tomatillo would have fallen on deaf ears. A few years ago I probably would have walked past these weird little green “tomatoes” at first glance. But when I saw a huge pile at the Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market this weekend, I knew exactly what I wanted to try — a homemade tomatillo salsa made with fresh tomatillos. Admittedly, not everyone was as enthusiastic about these little guys as I was. Her prize was sold on purpose as no one seemed to bite.

Related: Homemade tortilla chips

We had only tried store-bought tomato salsa before, so we were excited to try a fresh tomato salsa recipe. The taste of a fresh tomatillo was like nothing I can describe – a combination of sour, sweet and earthy. Yummy! There are many cooked versions of the tomatillo salsa – which would look like a salsa verde you would find at the store. However, we liked the raw taste so much that we decided to stick with a fresh salsa verde. The addition of some sugar gives the tomatillos just the right balance of acidity.

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 a skin that leaves a sticky residue when removed (just rinse the tomatillos under warm water to remove the residue!). Much denser than tomatoes and containing less water, they have a slightly grainy texture but are still kind of juicy.

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 our homemade Salsa Verde and this Roasted Tomatillo Black Bean Soup.

How to make fresh tomatillo salsa

Preparing this homemade salsa is as simple as dicing the ingredients and mixing everything together. I suggest slicing the tomatillos fairly thinly as they are a bit dense, and you should wash your hands thoroughly after touching the jalapeño to avoid getting pepper juice in your eyes. If the red onions are too hot for you, try running the sliced ​​onion under cold water for a few seconds and drying it before adding it to your salsa. The water softens the flavor of the onions without affecting the overall flavor of this salsa.

This homemade tomatillo salsa is ready to eat but tastes better the longer it’s refrigerated. If you have the time, I recommend letting this salsa sit for at least an hour to allow the flavors to combine. Maybe you could use this time to make homemade tortilla chips – the ways to enjoy this salsa are endless!

How to store tomatillo salsa

Store this fresh tomatillo salsa in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to a week, but you’ll need to stir it a bit before serving (the juice will settle to the bottom of the container, but that’s normal!).

Ways to Enjoy Tomatillo Salsa

This homemade salsa goes with just about anything – fries, tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, etc. It adds a touch of freshness to any dish without being overwhelming. Here are some of our favorite ways to eat this fresh tomatillo salsa:

• On the tacos — This salsa goes well with vegetarian and regular tacos. The replacement store bought salsa verde for this tomatillo salsa recipe on these vegan lentil tacos.
• With scrambled eggs — Transform these easy scrambled eggs by topping them with a few spoonfuls of homemade salsa.
• On grilled vegetable burgers — Tomatoes on veggie burgers are normal, so putting salsa on top makes perfect sense! Our Grilled Veggie Burger recipe is a fan favorite and would taste amazing with tomatillo salsa on top.
• Scatter enchiladas on top — Enchiladas often taste quite heavy. Add a dash of fresh flavor by topping them with salsa! We especially love these sweet potato and black bean enchiladas.
• On sweet potatoes — Sweet potatoes go incredibly well with a spicier salsa. Top a simple roasted sweet potato with tomatillo and black bean salsa and prepare to be blown away.

Looking for more homemade salsa recipes?

Aside from this tomatillo salsa, here are some of our favorite salsa recipes:

Looking for easier Mexican recipes?

This tomato salsa recipe is…

Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based and dairy-free.