Salsa Verde is a richly flavored traditional Mexican green salsa. Slightly tart and earthy this salsa also has a touch of heat. One of the simplest salsas to make at home or on a camp out, you can blend it until it is creamy and smooth or leave it chunky for the best textured salsa around. The authentic way to create this is by cooking all the ingredients until they soft and break down. But, we love the way this salsa develops a deep smoky flavor when we cook the ingredients over a campfire or on a BBQ. Creating a good char on the peppers adds a natural smokiness to the mixture, taking it a step further and roasting the onions and garlic develop a creamy texture and soft taste.
Veering from the traditional way by adding tomatoes to this salsa adds sweetness and that earthy tomato taste which compliments the peppers perfectly. If you use jalapeños, the spice will be milder than using the serrano peppers. Experimenting and finding that perfect heat balance is what salsa making is all about.Try to find your tomatillos with the husks still on, they will be papery and slightly sticky. Just rinse the peeled tomatillos under cool water that that stickiness washes away.
How Do I serve Campfire Salsa Verde?
Having a bowl full of thick-cut tortilla chips is our go to for enjoying this appetizer but here are a few other ways to enjoy it. In a quesadilla nestled in with the cheese so all the flavors heat and melt together. Top hash browns and scrambled eggs with the Salsa Verde to get your morning going, use it as a topping for your beef fajitas. Cooking in a camp Dutch oven? What about adding this salsa to the layers in a stacked enchilada bake? Or how about using it as a quick marinade for over fire roasted chicken? However you use it know that it will quickly become you go to for adding bright, smoky flavor to your dishes.
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Ingredients
- 12-14 tomatillos
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp water or lime juice
Instructions
- Line a baking tray with foil and spray with non stick cooking spray.
- Peel, wash and cut tomatillos in half, place on baking tray.
- Add chopped onions and garlic to the baking pan
- Wash and cut pepper in half, remove the seeds if you want a milder flavor, place on baking pan.
- Drizzle olive oil over all the ingredients, toss with your hands and sprinkle kosher salt evenly over the peppers, onions and garlic.
- Broil for 5-8 minutes or until you see them soften and start to char.
- Remove from broiler allow to cool for 15 minutes. Place cooled ingredients in a blender, add in the water or lime juice, blend until smooth.
- Transfer to container taste and adjust seasoning. Place lid on and keep in the refrigerator up to 4 days or freeze up to a month.