Salsa Verde is our favorite green salsa; instead of tomatoes we use tomatillos, which give this sauce its distinct green color and flavor. This salsa is zesty, tangy, and has a nice underlying smoky flavor from broiling the veggies. Grab some chips, you're going to need them!
BROIL TOMATILLOS: Place the oven rack about 4 inches below the heat source and preheat broil to high. Prep tomatillos (Note 1) and add those along with jalapeños (Note 2) to a sheet pan. Broil for 5 minutes or until blackened and beginning to blister. Remove the baking sheet and use tongs to carefully flip the tomatillos and jalapeños to the other side. Broil for another 3-5 minutes or until thoroughly blistered and nicely charred black.
BLEND OR PROCESS: Meanwhile, in a large food processor or blender add in all the other ingredients, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1-1/4 tsp fine sea salt and 1/2 tsp pepper). (Start with less lime juice and add more later to taste.) Pulse 15-20 seconds to break down.
ADD TOMATILLOS: Add charred tomatillos and jalapeños to food processor/blender. Pulse until mixture is mostly smooth with no large chunks. Scrape down the sides as needed. Taste and add any extra lime juice, salt, and/or pepper as needed until flavors are vibrant. It will seem a bit thin at first -- this is normal. Allow time for the sauce to thoroughly chill, it thickens quite a bit in the fridge. (The pectin in the tomatillos is responsible for the thickening.)
CHILL: Transfer salsa verde to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Enjoy with chips or in your favorite dishes!
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Notes
Note 1: Tomatillos: Try to find tomatillos roughly the same size. They should be firm to the touch, but not rock hard or squishy. Avoid tomatillos with loose husks that are shriveled or discolored. To prepare for this recipe: Pinch off the husks, scrub clean (they're sticky) under warm water. Dry, and leave them whole to broil.Note 2: Jalapeños: Leave these whole for broiling. Then, if you aren’t a fan of heat, be sure to remove the seeds and ribs before throwing them in the food processor. If you're very concerned about any spiciness, add small amounts of jalapeños at a time (keep in mind, not all jalapeños pack the same amount of heat -- there can be a lot of variation!) Note that tomatillos are fairly sweet and the spice of the jalapeños helps balance the sweetness. (On the flip side, if you love spice, leave in as many ribs and seeds as you can handle!)