• Recipe Index
  • Fall
  • Drinks
  • Vegetarian
  • Work With Me
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • Fall
  • Drinks
  • Vegetarian
  • Work With Me
  • About
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Fall
  • Drinks
  • Vegetarian
  • Work With Me
  • About
×
Home » Season » Fall

Roasted Salsa Verde

Modified: Jun 3, 2023 · Published: Oct 1, 2020 by Steve · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment
Jump to Recipe·Leave a Review

Wondering what to do with green tomatoes? Make a simple roasted salsa verde that turns these bland unripe tomatoes into a flavorful condiment.

bowl of roasted salsa verde

I have to say, picking green tomatoes is a depressing way to end the summer. But there was little choice. A couple of early hard frosts killed off our tomato plants. Even worse, we were away on our honeymoon when it happened. When we returned, we scrambled in the dark, filling up baskets and buckets of rescued tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. But hey, I'm not complaining. We got married and spent a few days out of town, neither of which are easy feats for 2020.

Between our wedding and then some time out of town, we were a little distracted from the garden for a couple of weeks. It hadn't even crossed my mind to prepare for a frost. Yet even if we were home, it likely would have been impossible to save all our plants from many nights of such cold. The most frustrating part is that as I write this, it's 80 outside, and the low is around 60.

What to do with green tomatoes

What do you do with several pounds of green tomatoes? Well, you could let them ripen until red, which shouldn't take more than a couple of weeks or so. Keep an eye on them and discard any that turn soft or moldy. This is fine if you have the space to do so and can use them as they're ready. I don't have much space in my condo to spread tomatoes everywhere, especially when my dog is known to snag tomatoes within his reach. One year I caught him pulling cherry tomatoes right off the plant!

Of course, you can always try making fried green tomatoes. They're appealing at first, but I can only eat so many. There's also green tomato chutney, which I tend to make with the inevitable few green tomatoes we get. It's a sweet, sour, and spicy condiment that pairs well with cheese and sandwiches. I love it on grilled cheese. But even after canning a few pints of chutney, my dining table was still covered in green tomatoes.

That's when I got creative. Or do I mean desperate? I already made roasted red tomato salsa, so why not try a green one? Green salsa, or salsa verde, is a popular Mexican salsa that is usually made with tomatillos. Since my tomatillo plant never produced, and I was drowning in green tomatoes, I figured it was a substitution worth trying.

What is salsa verde?

Traditional salsa verde is like other green sauces, such as Italian pesto or Argentinian chimichurri sauce. It's usually a thin salsa used as a condiment on anything from enchiladas to eggs. In this recipe, I roast the ingredients to help bring out some flavor because green tomatoes don't taste like much on their own. I also use a mix of jalapenos and poblanos for spice and earthiness. You can use all jalapenos if you like a spicier salsa or use all poblanos if you don't.

This roasted salsa verde is a thicker, more common style of salsa and not that much like the salsa verde you might know from restaurants. But if that's what you're looking for, all you have to do is keep pulsing it in the food processor and add water until it's thinned out a bit.

Print

📖 Recipe

clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Roasted Salsa Verde


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Steve
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 ½ cups 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Wondering what to do with green tomatoes? Make a simple roasted salsa verde that turns these bland unripe tomatoes into a flavorful condiment.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 ½ pounds green tomatoes
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 2 jalapeno peppers
  • 2 poblano peppers
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ⅓ cup lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Preheat your oven's broiler to high and place an oven rack as close to the broiler as possible. Now get a baking sheet and line it with foil.

Halve the tomatoes by slicing from end to end. Then cut out the core. Place the tomatoes on the baking sheet, cut side up. Slice the onion into ½ inch rounds and place the slices on the baking sheet with the tomato. Place the baking sheet under the broiler and cook for approximately 10-12 minutes, or until everything is well charred. Use a spatula to transfer the cooked vegetables to the bowl of a food processor.

Halve the jalapenos and poblano peppers, remove the seeds, and place them on the now-empty baking sheet. Crush the garlic with the back of a knife, remove the skin,s and add the garlic to the peppers. Broil for 5-10 minutes until charred, then transfer to the food processor.

Add the cumin, oregano, salt, lime juice, sugar, and cilantro to the food processor with the vegetables. Pulse several times until everything is well-chopped and looks the consistency of a thick salsa. It shouldn't take long. Pour the salsa into a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste and add any additional salt, sugar, spices, or cilantro to your liking.

Allow the salsa to cool, pour it into jars, and refrigerate for up to a month.

Notes

You can use bell peppers in place of the poblanos, if needed.

  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Category: Snacks
  • Method: Broiling
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment below and share your thoughts!

Comments

No Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

man eating pizza in italy

Hey, I'm Steve

Here you'll discover delicious recipes featuring fresh, whole foods inspired by my garden and local New England farms and producers.

About Me

Fall Eats

  • dish of roasted onions with balsamic glaze
    Roasted Balsamic Onions
  • a plate of spaghetti squash topped with a meat sauce, cheese, and basil
    Grilled Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce
  • bowls of potato and mushroom soup
    Potato and Mushroom Soup
  • mug of amaretto latte with almonds and whipped cream
    Amaretto Latte
  • a hand serving a cider cocktail
    Apple Cider Whiskey Cocktail
  • a delicata pizza on parchment paper
    Delicata Pizza with Ricotta and Bacon
  • two napa cabbage halves with sesame seeds
    Roasted Napa Cabbage
  • jars of date overnight oats
    Cinnamon Overnight Oats with Dates
  • a plate of red cabbage topped with sauteed apples and walnuts
    Instant Pot Red Cabbage and Apples
  • roasted brussels sprouts in a dish
    Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
  • small dishes of cherry crisp topped with whipped cream
    Apple Cherry Crisp
  • a bowl of soup with celery and leeks, and potatoes
    Creamy Celery Leek Soup with Croutons
  • cornmeal pudding dessert served at table
    Sweet Coconut Cornmeal Pudding
  • a large pan of cooked ratatouille
    Remy’s Ratatouille with Tomato Cream Sauce
  • dish of pumpkin pasta with sage
    Roasted Pumpkin Pasta with Sage
  • bowl of rhubarb chutney with apple slices
    Easy Rhubarb and Apple Chutney
See more Fall →

Footer

  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Privacy Policy
  • ↑ back to top

Copyright © 2025 What Steve Eats