Avocado and Tomatillo Salsa (Salsa Verde)

Some Mexican-American restaurants serve one or two types of red salsa, ranging from mild to hot, with tortilla chips prior to ordering your meal.

One Mexican restaurant in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona serves three types of salsa including a salsa verde (green salsa) made with tomatillos and avocados.

Tomatillos look like green tomatoes with a thin parchment paper skin. They originated in Mexico and are a common ingredient. Many U.S. supermarkets now carry tomatillos in the produce section.

When buying tomatillos, look for firm fruit with a dry, uniformly colored skin.

Jarred salsa verde is available in the Mexican food section of many supermarkets, but they can be high in sodium and thickened with gums. This recipe has 55% less sodium, but is higher in calories due to the avocado.

Omit the avocado and the nutrition values are about the same as fresh salsa (pico de gallo) and with less sodium than prepared salsas.

Adding avocado gives it a creamy texture. Avocados are high in monounsaturated fat and low in saturated fat.

Cook’s Tip

• For green chili tomatillo salsa, omit the avocado.
• Add salt to taste.

Ingredients

• 8 oz. (225 g) tomatillos (3 to 4 medium)
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 or 3 hot green chili peppers (serranos or jalapeños)
• 1/4 cup or more fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
• 1 (200 g) small to medium Haas avocado
• 1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt or to taste

Method of Preparation