Avocado and Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to roast or boil tomatillos for salsa? ›

Roasted tomatillos might taste better eaten plain beside a boiled one, but they do not make better Salsa Verde. So says the Chef. Tomatillo Salsa can be made in huge batches and then canned, or made in small batches to enjoy over the course of a week.

A touch of sweetness can help mask bitterness in your salsa. Adding a small amount of honey or agave syrup can balance out the flavors and create a more well-rounded taste. Start with a teaspoon and adjust to your preference. Be cautious not to add too much sweetness, as it may overpower the other flavors.

Salsa verde, or green salsa, is growing in popularity as more people are willing to try different salsa beyond the common salsa roja. Instead of red tomatoes, salsa verde uses tomatillos. Tomatillos are closely related to tomatoes, but it is important to know that they are not simply unripe or baby tomatoes.

I wouldn't try to substitute one for the other. Happily it's not difficult to find fresh tomatillos in supermarkets that stock Mexican ingredients. If you can find only canned tomatillos, an 11-ounce can be substituted for 1 pound of fresh tomatillos in this week's recipes.

The reason I gravitate to a roasted tomatillo version when I'm cooking at home is this: Tomatillos are acidic and roasting adds welcome sweetness (think about the difference between boiled carrots and roasted ones). Plus, the bits of charred skin add a rustic gutsiness.

Raw tomatillos can be acidic, you want your finished salsa to be tangy, but not mouth-puckeringly sour. If your finished salsa is too sour, add more sugar, ¼ teaspoon at a time until the flavor is more balanced.

A heads-up about those tomatillos: If you boil them, make sure you cool the tomatillos (and the water) completely or else the salsa will congeal. If your salsa is lacking tang and you don't want to add tomatillos or lime juice, you can add a splash of vinegar.

Using iodized salt instead of canning salt may produce metallic or bitter notes and make your salsa cloudy.

Sticky Fingers: Once you peel off that outer layer, tomatillos are sticky with sap. While you don't need to wash that off until you plan to use your tomatillos -- it helps protect them while being stored in the refrigerator -- it should be washed off before you start cooking. Just a light scrub with water will do it.

If any insects get through the papery husk, the tomatillo's first line of defense, they encounter the sticky film. This film contains chemical compounds called withanolides that insects find bad tasting. So voila, they leave the tomatillos alone! Luckily for us tomatillo eaters, the sticky film rinses off quite easily.

Is it okay to eat raw tomatillos? ›

You can eat tomatillos raw or cooked -- I prefer cooking them to tone down their distinctly sour flavor. The tomatillos you find at the supermarket are mostly imported from Mexico. You may be able find some at your local farmers' market from late July through September.

Typically red salsas are served slightly chilled, while green salsas can be served chilled or as a warm sauce. Another general rule? Red salsa is hotter than green.

Green tomatoes can take the place of tomatillos in guacamole, in a chile verde sauce for enchiladas, raw in salads, as a fresh topping for tacos, simmered in a vegetable soup or turned into a chicken posole stew.

The green tomatoes are a little sweeter than tomatillos would be, and I think this is excellent when paired with something that's tangy and spicy, like my BBQ Pulled Sweet Potato Sandwiches or my Chipotle Roasted Beet Tacos.

Roasting the vegetables in a high-heat oven intensifies the flavor of the tomatoes, mellows the onions and garlic, and adds a touch of smokiness. (I use the same roasting method to make my favorite salsa verde, replacing the tomatoes with tomatillos.)

You can eat tomatillos raw or cooked -- I prefer cooking them to tone down their distinctly sour flavor. The tomatillos you find at the supermarket are mostly imported from Mexico. You may be able find some at your local farmers' market from late July through September.

Simply add a bit of sugar when your tomatillo sauce tastes like sour or tart.