Updated! This avocado tomatillo salsa is the perfect dip for crisp tortilla chips, and it makes a tasty topping for quesadillas, tacos, and chalupas. It’s zesty, tangy, and creamy. This recipe is even creamier with two avocados.
I only recently discovered cooking with tomatillos. I’ve eaten tomatillo salsa out of jars plenty of times, but I didn’t have a clue what to do with fresh tomatillos. Good news! Tomatillos are super easy to work with, and the results are amazing.
Jump to Recipe
Tomatillos are related to tomatoes, but they’re like that cousin of yours that parties more than you do. They’re tart, tangy, and a little bit sharp. Those characteristics make for a terrific salsa. Tomatillos have a papery husk around them. When you remove that husk and wash them, they’re shiny green fruits just waiting to become this salsa.
Ingredients
You’ll need fresh tomatillos and avocados, along with cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and cumin. Half a jalapeno gives the salsa some kick. Remove the jalapeno seeds if you like your salsa mild, or leave them in for a spicier salsa. While the recipe calls for one avocado, use two if you like a creamier salsa.
Making the Avocado Tomatillo Salsa
How many tomatillos do you need? They vary in size so I put these five tomatillos on the scale and they weighed in at 8 ounces. When you remove the husks from the tomatillos, you’ll notice that they are somewhat sticky. Rinse them in warm water to remove that stickiness. Cooking the tomatillos makes them more mellow, so steam them for a few minutes. Go ahead and steam the jalapeno too.
When I first wrote this post and recipe, I used one large Hass avocado. The last couple of times I’ve made this salsa, I’ve used two avocados and I really like it that way. Give it a try and see what you think.
After you steam the tomatillos, they’re not as shiny and green, but don’t worry – this all turns out a beautiful shade of green in the end, thanks to the cilantro and avocado.
Put everything in the food processor. You can leave the tomatillos whole, but be sure to pinch the cilantro leaves off the stems. When pureed, the cilantro shows up as the tiny green pieces that you see in the finished salsa.
Pulse the ingredients in the food processor for a few seconds and, once you transfer the salsa to a bowl, it’s ready to eat.
This recipe comes together quickly, so in just a few minutes you’ll have a creamy, green bowl of salsa.
Grab some chips and dig in!
This recipe makes about 12 ounces of avocado tomatillo salsa. (More if you use two avocados.) If you can resist eating it right away, it keeps in the fridge for up to three days. The lime juice and the tomatillos help maintain that fresh green look.
I loosely based this recipe on one found on Self Proclaimed Foodie, but I added cumin and lime juice and changed the proportions.
Avocado Tomatillo Salsa
Ingredients
- 4-6 tomatillos husked and rinsed about 8 ounces
- 1/2 jalapeno Use a whole one if you like more heat
- 1 large Haas avocado 2 for creamier salsa
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1 T lime juice
- 1/3 cup cilantro leaves cut off the stems
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Remove the husks from the tomatillos and wash them in warm (not hot) water to remove the stickiness.
- Cut the jalapeno in half and remove the seeds (unless you want it hotter).
- Put the tomatillos and the jalapeno in a steamer basket and steam for 5-7 minutes.
- Transfer these items to a bowl to let them cool for 3 minutes or so.
- While those ingredients are cooling, pinch off the leaves of the cilantro until you have a third of a cup of leaves.
- Chop the jalapeno and garlic into small pieces.
- Measure the cumin, salt, and lime juice.
- Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until creamy.
- Transfer the salsa to a bowl and serve.
Notes
- Steam time will vary depending on the size of the tomatillos but plan on 5-7 minutes after the water has started to boil.
- We sometimes use two avocados depending on how creamy we want the salsa. With one avocado, the salsa will be tart and tangy, while adding two makes it creamier.
Products used in this recipe
I use store-bought tomatillo sauce all the time; I can’t wait to try making my own at home.
I hope you like it. We make it a lot now.
Tomatillo salsa is my favorite, I always get it at our local taco restaurant! Now, I know how to make my own!
I hope you enjoy it!