This Creamy Avocado Salsa Verde is the perfect summer condiment! First roast some tomatillos and serrano peppers, then blend them up with cilantro, onions, garlic, and lime. When you’re ready to serve it, add some creamy avocado. It’s the perfect combination of guacamole and salsa!
Love homemade salsas? Me too! Try this classic Pico de Gallo Salsa Recipe, or mix things up with my Mango Salsa.
Contents
The Perfect Tortilla Chip Dip!
If you can’t decide between guacamole or salsa, try this Creamy Avocado Salsa Verde and enjoy the best of both worlds!
A few weeks ago, I started making Authentic Salsa Verde, and smothering my salads and tacos with it. It’s super delicious, and bursting with nutritious ingredients.
One day I had half an avocado leftover, and decided to mix things up by processing it with the salsa. The result was this uber-creamy, tangy and spicy sauce, perfect for dipping tortilla chips, or drowning your favorite meats in.
Avocado Salsa Verde is the the perfect dairy-free, creamy condiment!
What is the Difference Between Avocado Salsa Verde and Guacamole?
Guacamole is thick and chunky, and is made by mashing avocados along with tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, onions, and seasonings like lime and salt. Avocado Salsa Verde is similar to a restaurant style green salsa, but with avocado blended into it, which lends a creamy consistency. Both are delicious, but I think Avocado Salsa is simpler to prepare!
You’ll love this recipe because:
- It adds the perfect creamy texture to Mexican food or salads, and is dairy free!
- It’s made in the food processor, so the chopping required is minimal. I recommend chopping the onions and garlic, but otherwise, toss everything in and give it a whir!
- Tomatillo Avocado Salsa Verde has healthy fats (avocados for the win!) and lots of fiber – meaning your condiment is working for you, making your meal more satiating and nourishing.
What You’ll Need
- Fresh Tomatillos (see notes for how to substitute canned tomatillos)
- Jalapeno or Serrano Peppers
- Onions (white or yellow)
- Garlic (freshly chopped garlic is the best!)
- Cilantro (leave this out if you really hate it!)
- Lime Juice (I freshly squeeze my juice, but jarred organic lime juice will work!)
- Sea Salt
- Ripe Avocado (they need to be on the softer side to blend in for the creamiest consistency!)
How to Pick the Best Tomatillos
Most of us don’t buy tomatillos often, so if you’re not sure how to buy them, you’re not alone!
Tomatillos are in the nightshade family and are related to tomatoes, but their flavor and use is different. They are more tart, less sweet, and have a much firmer texture.
Look for tomatillos that mostly fill their husk, and do not seem soft. Tomatillos that have been left on the vine too long and are overripe will have a more bland and less tart flavor.
How to Make Avocado Salsa Verde
Step 1: Peel the tomatillos by removing the papery husks, and add them to a baking tray along with a pepper (or two, if you’re feeling spicy!). If you’d like your salsa to be less spicy, cut the chiles in half and remove the veins and seeds prior to roasting.
Step 2: Broil the tomatillos and peppers for 5 minutes, then flip the vegetables and continue to broil the other sides for about 5 minutes, until the skins have started to blister and blacken.
Step 3: Add the tomatillos, pepper, onions, cilantro, garlic, lime juice and salt to a food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture forms a salsa, but still has texture. Taste the salsa and adjust the salt and lime as necessary.
Step 4: Chill the salsa for at least an hour, or until ready to serve.
Step 5: Add an avocado into the food processor along with 1/2 of the chilled salsa. If you’d like a large batch of salsa, add 2 avocados and the full amount of salsa into the food processor. Process until the avocado has created a smooth texture combined with the salsa.
*I recommend making 1/2 a batch at a time, and saving the other half for another time, unless you think you will go through a whole batch. Avocado Salsa Verde doesn’t last as long as other types of salsa, so splitting it into 2 batches makes a fresh bowl a few days later!
Step 6: Serve the salsa well chilled. Store leftover avocado salsa in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Variations and Frequently Asked Questions
How Long does Avocado Salsa Last in the Refrigerator?
Avocados oxidize and turn brown when exposed to oxygen, so Avocado Salsa Verde won’t last as long as a regular salsa when stored in the refrigerator. For this reason, I recommend splitting the recipe in half and only adding avocado to the amount you’ll consume in 2 days.
Once the avocado is blended in to the salsa verde, store it in an air tight container for up to 2 days.
You can store salsa verde with no avocado in the fridge up to 7 days, and blend avocado in fresh whenever you’re ready to enjoy it!
Can I Freeze Avocado Salsa Verde?
Yes! Avocados freeze well and this will keep them green and fresh tasting.
Freeze the salsa with or without the avocado, and then defrost it in the refrigerator when ready to enjoy.
Can I Make Avocado Salsa Less Spicy?
Yes! Control the heat of your salsa by testing your peppers prior to roasting them. If they are very spicy, remove the veins and seeds prior to roasting the peppers. You can also reduce the quantity by using 1/4 or 1/2 of a pepper if you’re really sensitive to spice.
How can I make Avocado Salsa Verde without Tomatillos?
Salsa verde is most commonly made with tomatillos. However, if you do not have access to them, you can make this salsa with green heirloom tomatoes. Buy tomatoes as firm as possible, and then substitute them for the tomatillos in this recipe.
Other Homemade Salsa Recipes
- Mexican Cabbage Salsa
- Mango Salsa
- Southwest Salsa (with corn & black beans!)
I’d love to connect with you on social media! Find me on Facebook or Instagram where I post daily healthy eating and lifestyle inspiration!
Creamy Avocado Salsa Verde
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos
- 1 serrano pepper or jalapeno (use more or less, depending on desired heat)
- 1/2 cup yellow onion diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt more or less, to taste
- 1 tablespoons lime juice fresh squeezed, or more, to taste
- 2 large avocados or 3-4 small avocados
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to broil on high.
- Remove the tomatillos from the outer husk, and place on a baking tray. Add the pepper to the tray along with tomatillos.
- Roast the vegetables for about 5 minutes, until they have begun to char. Flip the vegetables, and cook the other sides for an additional 5 minutes.
- Place the roasted vegetables in a food processor bowl, along with onion, garlic, cilantro, salt and lime juice. Process until the desired texture is reached (not super smooth, but green salsa tends to be less chunky than red salsas).
- Taste the salsa, and adjust the salt and lime juice. Also test the salsa for heat. Remember that the oils from the peppers will continue to intensify as the salsa cools, so don't worry if it isn't as hot as you'd like it right away.
- Refrigerate salsa to cool or until ready to use.
- When ready to enjoy or serve, add an avocado into the food processor bowl along with the salsa, and process until the avocado is fully mixed in and has created a creamy texture. I like to do this with 1/2 the batch at a time – so store 1/2 of the salsa verde for another day, and blend in 1 avocado. Repeat the process when ready to enjoy the other half of the avocado salsa verde.
Leave a Reply