Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa

Name: Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 1/4 pounds of fresh Tomatillos - About 6 to 7 of them; 3 Chipotles in Adobo sauce; 3 Garlic cloves; 1/2 Onion – red works excellent for this recipe for great flavor and color, but any kind will do; 1/2 cup of fresh Cilantro leaves (no stems); 1/4 cup of Water; 1 tablespoon of Vegetable Oil for coating the pan (optional); 1 teaspoon of Salt; 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper

July 12, 2022 by Juyali (ju-ja-lee) 36 Comments

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe· 5 from 15 reviews

Homemade Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa is a perfect condiment for many dishes like tacos, eggs, fajitas, and of course, to dip your favorite chips. The star of this salsa is the charred tomatillos blended with garlic, onions, and smoky chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

An easy, smokey and savory salsa recipe done in under 15 minutes. Que rica!!!

tomatillo-chipotle-salsa-in-white-bowl-and-tortilla-chips

If you are a Chipotle fan like me, this is your recipe. While store-bought salsa serves its purpose of convenience, this homemade Tomatillo-Chipotle salsa is worth the few minutes it takes to make it.

But before we get into the details, let’s start with…

Jump to:

What is Tomatillo?
What is Chipotle in adobo?
Equipment needed to make this salsa
How to Make this simple and flavorful Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa recipe step-by-step.
The ingredients
Instructions
Oven Broiled Tip
Serving suggestions for Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa
Substitutions
Storage
Other Latin Inspired Salsas and Sauces you may like
📖 GET THE RECIPE! 🍽️

What is Tomatillo?

Tomatillo, also known as the Mexican husk tomato, is a green or green-purple fruit that originated in Mexico and is a staple of Mexican cuisine. Tomatillos are eaten raw or cooked in various dishes, like this delicious Salsa Verde recipe.

I had never heard of Tomatillos until I moved to the United States. Thanks to the powerful culinary influence of our Mexican neighbors, I am happy I found Tomatillos and am learning more about how to use them in my kitchen.

Tomatillos can be found year-round at grocery stores and Latin markets; I bought mine for this recipe at Whole Foods. While they may look unripe due to their green color, they are used just like that.

Tomatillos have a dry, papery shell (husk) that you must remove before cooking. You will feel a sticky residue from removing the husk, which you can quickly rinse off. Tomatillos are tart and have a crunchy texture in their raw form but turn sweet and soft when cooked. If you have never tried using Tomatillos in your kitchen, please give them a try in this delicious salsa.

What is Chipotle in adobo?

Chipotles are dried, smoked jalapenos rehydrated, and marinated in a savory adobo sauce. They are typically canned and found in Latin markets or grocery stores' international or ethnic sections.

They have a deep smoky flavor that complements vegetables and meats. The adobo sauce mixes garlic, vinegar, and spices in a tomato puree. They have such a deep flavor from the peppers and adobo sauce that you do not need to add any other spices to this salsa, just some salt, and pepper.

Other Latin sauces to explore:

Latin drinks to sip while enjoying this salsa

Peruvian Pisco Sour Cocktail
Passion Fruit Margarita
Mexican Paloma
Brazilian Passion Fruit Caipirinha
Alcohol-free Agua de Jamaica (the best hibiscus Agua Fresca)

Equipment needed to make this salsa

Electric blender (or food processor)
Skillet
Cutting board
Large knife
Glass container for storing.

How to Make this simple and flavorful Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa recipe step-by-step.

See the printable version of the recipe card with ingredient quantities.

The ingredients

Fresh Tomatillos - About 6 to 7 of them. Because they are naturally tart, no lime juice is necessary for this tomatillo salsa.
Chipotles in Adobo sauce - for slightly milder heat, you can remove the seeds (I do!)
Garlic – I like to char them for a sweeter and less pungent flavor.
Onion–red works excellent for this recipe for great flavor and color, but any kind will do. Charring with the tomatoes caramelizes it for an extra sweet touch.
Fresh Cilantro leaves (no stems) add a fresh Latin touch to this salsa.
Water
Vegetable Oil (optional) for coating the pan, but if using a cast-iron skillet like me, it’s not necessary.
Salt
Black pepper

Instructions

Char the veggies

This is the longest part of the process, but it is pretty simple. Charring the veggies deepens their flavor, brings out their natural sweetness and adds a touch of charred texture and flavor that shows up beautifully in this colorful and rustic salsa.

roasting-tomatillos-onion-garlic-in-skillet

Remove the husk from the tomatillos, rinse well, and cut them in halves. Divide the half onion into two pieces without removing the skin.
Add the tomatillos, unpeeled onion, garlic, and sear on a hot heavy skillet (like Cast-iron) for 2-3 minutes per side until you see that beautiful charred look. This process intensifies the flavors and caramelizes them. Do not crowd the pan with the tomatillos; leave room in between and char them in batches if necessary.

roasted-tomatillos-onion-garlic-in-skillet

Depending on your skillet, you may need to coat the pan with vegetable oil. A cast-iron skillet works like magic for this step, and no greasing is necessary.

Oven Broiled Tip

You can char them in an oven-safe dish under the broiler for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn once or until the tomatillos are blackened in spots and softened. Allow them to cool.

Look at these gorgeous colors and textures! The beauty of fresh veggies cooked to perfection!

roasted-tomatillos-onion-garlic-in-white-plate

Blend the Ingredients and finish the salsa

roasted-tomatilo-chipotle-salsa-ingredients-in-food-processor

Remove the onion and garlic skin and add them to a blender or food processor along with the tomatillos, cilantro, chipotle peppers, water, salt, and pepper.

blended--tomatillo-chipotle-salsa-in-food-processor

Pulse for a chunky and thick salsa which is how I did mine, but you can blend it longer for a smoother texture.

I hope you enjoy this delicious and simple-to-make Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa. Disfruten!

Serving suggestions for Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa

This tasty salsa will elevate just about any dish from your grill (or kitchen!).
Use it as a condiment, dip, or topping for:

Carnitas Tacos and Pulled Pork Carnitas Quesadillas
Huevos (eggs) or on these Breakfast Tacos
Grilled meats (Carne Asada)
Dipping Tostones or Plantain Chips
Over rice and beans for extra flavor.

Substitutions

You may use canned tomatillos straight out of the can into the blender. I recommend still charring the onion and garlic.

Storage

Tomatillo salsa is best stored in an airtight glass container (like a mason jar) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze cooled tomatillo-chipotle salsa in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. You may notice some extra liquid after it is thawed, so give it a stir and enjoy it again!