Roasted Garlic Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bright, tangy, and fresh with a gentle roasted depth from charred tomatillos and sweet roasted garlic.
• Customizable heat: keep it mild by seeding the jalapeños or leave seeds in for extra kick.
• Just the sauce: a gorgeous, emerald-green salsa that shines in jars, bowls, and pourable pitchers.
• Meal-prep friendly: keeps for a week and freezes beautifully.

Grocery List

• Produce: Tomatillos (1 1/2 lb), 1 small white onion, 2 jalapeños, 1 small head garlic, 1 lime, fresh cilantro
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Olive oil, kosher salt, optional ground cumin, optional sugar

Full Ingredients

For the Tomatillo–Roasted Garlic Salsa Verde

• 1 small head garlic, top trimmed to expose cloves
• 1 tsp olive oil (for roasting the garlic)
• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) tomatillos, husked, rinsed to remove stickiness, and halved
• 1 small white onion (about 6 oz/170 g), cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 2 fresh jalapeños, stems removed (seed for mild, leave seeds for more heat)
• 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems (about 20 g)
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 large lime)
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 2–4 tbsp cold water, as needed for consistency

Optional Flavor Tweaks

• 1/4 tsp ground cumin (earthy depth)
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar or honey (to soften acidity, if desired)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Roast the garlic

Heat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice off the top 1/4 inch of a small head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle the cut surface with 1 tsp olive oil and a tiny pinch of salt, wrap tightly in foil, and place directly on the oven rack or in a small baking dish. Roast 35–40 minutes, until cloves are very soft and lightly caramelized. Cool enough to handle.

Step 2: Position the broiler and prep the veg

Move an oven rack so it sits about 6 inches (15 cm) from the broiler element and preheat the broiler to high. Remove husks from tomatillos, rinse off the sticky coating, and pat dry. Halve the tomatillos. Cut the onion into wedges and stem the jalapeños (leave seeds for more heat or remove for mild).

Step 3: Broil until blistered

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Arrange tomatillos cut-side down, onion wedges, and whole jalapeños in a single layer. Broil 6–8 minutes until blistered and blackened in spots. Flip everything and broil 4–6 minutes more until tomatillos are soft and juicy and onions are tender. Let cool 5 minutes and reserve all the flavorful pan juices.

Step 4: Prepare the garlic and chiles

Squeeze 5–6 cloves of the roasted garlic from their skins (use more to taste). For the jalapeños, remove stems and seeds for a milder salsa; keep some seeds or membranes for extra heat. Roughly chop the jalapeños if using a food processor.

Step 5: Blend to your preferred texture

In a blender or food processor, combine broiled tomatillos (plus pan juices), onion, jalapeños, roasted garlic, cilantro, lime juice, kosher salt, and 2 tbsp cold water. Pulse until mostly smooth with a little texture, or blend completely smooth if you prefer a pourable salsa. Add up to 2 tbsp more water to loosen if needed.

Step 6: Season and balance

Taste and adjust: add a pinch more salt if it tastes flat, another squeeze of lime for brightness, a pinch of sugar to mellow acidity, and/or the ground cumin for warmth. For more heat, blend in reserved jalapeño seeds or an extra half pepper.

Step 7: Rest, jar, and serve

Transfer to clean glass jars or a serving bowl. Chill for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld and the color brighten. Serve the sauce as-is. It’s gorgeous in clear jars, small stoneware bowls, or a spouted pitcher for easy pouring.

Pro Tips

• Keep the pan juices: they carry tons of roasted flavor and help the salsa blend smoothly.
• Use cilantro stems: they’re tender and pack big flavor—no need to strip every leaf.
• Control the heat: seed chiles before blending, then add seeds back little by little to dial it in.
• No broiler? Char tomatillos, onion, and jalapeños in a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, 10–12 minutes, turning to blister all sides.
• Texture matters: a short pulse makes a rustic salsa; a longer blend yields a silky, pourable sauce.

Variations

• Creamy Avocado Verde: Blend in 1 ripe avocado for a richer, spoonable salsa. Reduce added water.
• Roasted Poblano Verde: Add 1 roasted, peeled poblano for a smoky, slightly sweeter profile.
• Extra-Bright: Swap half the lime juice for 1 tbsp rice vinegar for a sharper tang.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate in airtight containers up to 7 days; flavor improves after 12–24 hours. For longer storage, freeze up to 3 months (ice-cube trays are handy; transfer cubes to a freezer bag). Thaw in the fridge and stir—if it separates slightly, give it a quick pulse in the blender. This recipe has not been tested for water-bath canning.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate for 1/4 cup: 25–35 calories; 5 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 2 g sugars; 0.5 g fat; 1 g protein; ~150 mg sodium.