Learn how to make homemade Trader Joe’s salsa verde right in your own kitchen. Made with a few simple ingredients like tomatillos and jalapenos, my copycat Mexican green salsa recipe is vibrant, bold, and just as good as TJ's without the jar!
❤️ Why You'll Love This Green Salsa
- Trader Joe’s Flavor: This is the best salsa verde recipe! It hits all the same notes of tangy bright flavor as TJ's but it’s even better because it's fresh and free of preservatives.
- Super Simple Recipe: You only need a few simple ingredients and 20 minutes. No fancy steps or special skills needed to make this homemade salsa.
- Perfect on Everything: It goes well with everything from tortilla chips, vegan tacos, bowls, and nachos to roasted corn and breakfast potatoes.
- Great For Meal Prep: Salsas keeps well in both the fridge and freezer, which means you can make it ahead of time for weekly meals, parties, and lunches.
Ingredient Notes
- Tomatillos: These little fruits that look like green tomatoes are the backbone of this authentic salsa verde recipe and give it its tart, citrusy flavor and texture.
- Jalapeño Peppers: This ingredient is what adds spice and depth. You could also use serrano peppers or green hatch chilis if you prefer.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves add another layer of flavor that complements the roasted tomatillo flavor.
- Onion: Raw onion adds a little sharpness that cuts through the tartness. I used organic yellow onion but red onion is an option.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds the perfect herby flavor and pop of bright green. Feel free to leave it out if you're not a cilantro lover or use less.
- Sea Salt: Balances both the acidity and heat. No salsa recipe is complete without a little salt.
- Lime Juice: A splash of fresh lime juice adds brightness and the perfect finish that brings all the flavors together.
How To Make
Learning how to make homemade Trader Joe's salsa verde is so easy you'll be impressed. Once you have all the tomatillo salsa ingredients it takes less than 30 minutes.
Start by turning on your broiler and putting an oven rack about 4 inches below the heat source. This ensures the tomatillos and chiles roast without burning.
Next, place the husked tomatillos and whole jalapeños on a rimmed baking sheet and slide the pan under the broiler. Then let everything roast for about 5 minutes, or until you see blackened spots forming. Flip the tomatillos and peppers over, and broil for another 4 to 5 minutes, until they’re soft and blistered all over.
While those roast, add the chopped onion, cilantro, garlic, and about ½ teaspoon of salt to your blender or food processor. Once the roasted veggies are ready, transfer everything into a food processor or blender including any juices that collected on the pan.
Pulse the mixture until it’s mostly smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. You’re looking for a pourable texture with just a few chunks. Stir in the lime juice, taste, and add more salt and lime if necessary.
That’s it! Let your roasted tomatillo salsa verde cool, and either serve it right away or store it in the fridge or freezer.
🌟 Top Tip
Let your Mexican salsa verde chill before serving. It might seem a little thin right after blending, but don’t worry tomatillos naturally contain pectin, which helps the salsa thicken as it chills. Chilling also gives the flavors time to settle and become more intense.
Frequently Asked Questions
It keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container or glass jar. The flavor actually improves after the first day as everything settles and melds.
Yes. Let the green salsa verde cool completely, then freeze it in a small container or even ice cube trays for easy portioning. It’ll keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just let it thaw in the fridge and stir before serving.
This fresh tomatillo salsa recipe is pretty spicy with the jalapeño seeds left in. For less heat, remove the seeds before roasting. If you want a medium salsa just use one jalapeno.
Broiling gives the homemade salsa verde some flavor, but if you don’t have a broiler, you can roast the tomatillos and peppers in a hot oven (around 425°F) or even char them in a dry skillet. You can even boil them and drain the water.
How To Serve
This copycat Trader Joe's salsa verde isn’t just for chips! It’s the kind of green salsa sauce that instantly brightens up whatever you pair it with.
Spoon it over tacos, layer it into enchiladas, add it to soups, or drizzle it on top of grain bowls loaded with roasted vegetables or tofu.
There is so much you can do with this recipe for salsa with tomatillos! You can even mix it with some tomato salsa like my pico de gallo and my vegan crema to make a dip!
⭐️ One Last Thing! If you make my homemade Trader Joe's salsa verde please leave a review and rating to let me know how you liked it! Your feedback makes a difference.
Copycat Trader Joe's Salsa Verde
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds fresh tomatillos, husks removed and cleaned (about 10)
- 1-2 fresh jalapeño chiles (take the seeds out for less heat, leave them in for more spice)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (about ¾ cup)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, packed
- ½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler to HI and put an oven rack about 4 inches from the heat source.
- Place the cleaned tomatillos and fresh jalapeños on a rimmed non stick baking sheet. I always spray mine with cooking spray to be sure nothing sticks.
- Put the baking sheet under the broiler and let the tomatillos and chiles roast for about 5 minutes or until you start to see a few black spots. Then flip them over and let them broil for another 4 to 5 minutes. They are ready once soft and blistered.
- Add the chopped onion, cilantro, and ½ teaspoon of salt to a food processor or blender. Then add the garlic and roasted tomatillos and jalapeños along with whatever juice is on the sheet pan.
- Pulse the food processor until the mixture is mostly smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. It should still have a little texture.
- Stir in the lime juice, then taste and add more salt if needed.
- The salsa verde will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days stored in an airtight container or glass jar. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Tomatillos: Make sure to remove the husks and rinse them well. They have a sticky coating that should be washed off.
- Spice level: For a milder salsa, remove the seeds from the jalapeños. If you prefer more heat, keep the seeds in for super spicy salsa.
- Lime juice: Not traditional in most green salsa, but a little lime brightens it up.
- Texture: The salsa will be on the thinner side right after blending but will thicken up in the fridge.
Kim Grimmett says
Unbelievably easy to make and goes on everything!