The Perfect Tomatillo Aguacate Salsa Verde

Taco topped with salsa verde de aguacate

When the warm weather hits, all we crave is a zesty, citrus-y salsa with a creamy finish to accompany all our taco, totopo, and quesadilla cravings. This is that salsa.

The ingredients are simple — tomatillos, white onion, serrano chiles, limes, avocado, cilantro, salt — but the results are impressive. The key is to make this in a molcajete, which we find makes a difference in a few key ways. You start by grinding your onion, chile, and cilantro together into something like a paste as a base for your salsa. When you blend onions (or other alliums like garlic or scallions) in a blender, their flavor can become sharp and take over. In a molcajete, the grinding action releases the natural oils of the ingredients, marrying them together to create big flavor and bright color in a way that spinning blades just can not. We also love the way this recipe calls for adding avocado to your desired consistency. Sometimes we're in the mood for something closer to salsa; sometimes we're in the mood for something closer to guacamole. This technique gives you all the control. ¡Provecho! 

Tomatillo Aguacate Salsa Verde

Tomatillo Aguacate Salsa Verde

Anderson Muñoz

Ingredients

  • 6 medium tomatillos, quartered

  • ¼ white onion

  • 1 serrano chile

  • Juice of 2 small limes

  • 1 avocado

  • ¼ bunch of cilantro

  • 1 tsp coarse salt

Directions

    blank

    1. Grind the serrano chile, cilantro, onion, and coarse salt in a molcajete.

    2. Add the quartered tomatillos and continue to grind until smooth.

    3. Stir in the lime juice.

    4. Scoop out the avocado and mash it into the salsa to your desired consistency.

    5. Mix well and adjust seasoning if necessary.

    6 comments

    MASIENDA |

    Hi Silvia! Yes, this salsa can be made in a blender.

    SILVIA |

    Can this be made in a blender?

    MASIENDA |

    Hi Conley, great question! The tomatillos in this recipe are raw, not boiled. Keeping them fresh gives the salsa a bright, tangy flavor. Let us know if you have any other questions!

    CONLEY |

    Do you boil these tomatillos like in the other recipe? Or are they raw?

    MASIENDA |

    Hi Virginia! That’s such a special molcajete to have from your Ama! Yes, you can recure it and use it again. Just clean it well, then season it with rice and salt to smooth out any rough spots. It’ll be good as new and ready to make some amazing salsas! Here’s our molcajete guide: https://masienda.com/blogs/learn/molcajete-mexican-mortar-pestle

    VIRGINIA CASTILLO |

    I have a molcajete that belonged to my Ama. Is it possible to recure it and use?

    Leave a comment

    Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.