Simple Salsa Verde
Although most people think of salsa as a dip for tortilla chips, the word salsa is simply the Spanish word for sauce. You can use this flavorful dip with chips, grilled meat, or seafood, or even pair it with ¾ pound of cooked pasta.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 1 cup
- 6 canned tomatillos, sliced
- ½ sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons jarred chopped jalapeño peppers
- ½ bunch chopped fresh cilantro leaves (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon reserved tomatillo juice, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Briefly process the tomatillos, sweet onion, chopped jalapeños, and cilantro in a food processor.
Add lime juice, reserved tomatillo juice, garlic powder or minced garlic, salt, chili powder, and pepper. Process until the salsa has a chunky consistency.
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Types of Salsa
While many people are familiar with the classic Mexican salsa that combines tomatoes and herbs with hot chili peppers and tart lime juice, there are many variations. In Mexican salsa verde, green tomatillos take the place of tomatoes (verde is Spanish for “green”). A spicy fruit salsa that is often served as a salad, pico de gallo means “beak of the rooster,” and refers to the spicy chili peppers used in the seasoning. And salsa ranchera or ranch sauce is a peppery sauce meant to be served with heuvos rancheros, the Mexican version of fried eggs.
