I blended roasted tomatillos, ripe avocado, and serrano pepper into a vibrant Avocado Salsa Recipe that reveals unexpected layers of tang, creaminess, and heat.
I first made this Mexican Avocado Tomatillo Spicy Salsa on a dare from a friend and it surprised me. Bright cooked tomatillos meet buttery avocado and the heat sneaks up, not polite about it.
I love how it walks the line between Salsa Guacamole and something you’d spoon over your favorite dish, you know, keeps you guessing. It’s messy and bold, not one of those tame Green Salsa Recipe things that hide in the fridge.
I keep finding reasons to make it, and every time it gets a little better even when I forget to measure, which happens a lot.
Ingredients
- Tomatillos: Bright tart fruit, low in calories, packed with vitamin C and fiber, gives tang.
- Avocado: Creamy and rich in healthy fats, potassium and fiber, makes everything silky.
- Serrano or jalapeño: Small pepper that brings heat, vitamin C and fresh green notes, seeds add kick.
- Onion: Sharp bite raw, a bit sweet when cooked, gives crunchy texture and depth.
- Garlic: Pungent, adds savory depth and allicin benefits, a little goes a long way.
- Cilantro: Bright herb, leafy freshness that lightens the salsa, tiny vitamins and aroma.
- Lime: Tart citrus juice that brightens and balances fat, gives zippy acidic lift.
- Salt: Essential seasoning, enhances flavors and balances acidity, use modestly to taste.
Ingredient Quantities
- 6 to 8 medium tomatillos, about 1 lb, husked and rinsed
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, a little soft not mushy
- 1 serrano pepper, or 1 jalapeño for milder heat, stem removed
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped white or red onion
- 1 garlic clove, or 2 if you like it more garlicky
- 1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves, stems trimmed
- Juice of 1 lime, about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt, adjust to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, a pinch or two
- 1 to 2 tablespoons water or olive oil, optional for thinning
How to Make this
1. Husk and rinse 6 to 8 tomatillos, pat them dry, and preheat a cast iron skillet or your broiler on high, you’ll want good char.
2. Place tomatillos, 1 serrano or jalapeño (stem removed), 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped onion, and a garlic clove on the hot skillet or a baking sheet under the broiler. Cook until the tomatillos are soft and have black spots and the pepper and onion are blistered, about 5 to 10 minutes, turning once, the garlic should be soft too.
3. Let everything cool a few minutes so you can handle it, peel the garlic if its skin is on, and if you want less heat scrape out the pepper seeds now or wear gloves, trust me it bites.
4. Transfer the roasted tomatillos, pepper, onion and garlic to a blender or food processor, add 1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves, juice of 1 lime (about 1 to
1.5 tablespoons), and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt plus a pinch or two of freshly ground black pepper.
5. Cut 1 ripe avocado in half, remove the pit and scoop the flesh into the blender. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water or olive oil only if you need to thin it, else skip it.
6. Pulse a few times then blend until you reach the texture you like, leave it a little chunky for bite or smooth if you prefer, dont overblend or it gets too thin and loses texture.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning, add more salt or lime if it tastes flat, add more pepper or another small chili if you want extra heat, or another splash of water or oil for a looser consistency.
8. Chill briefly or serve right away with chips, tacos, grilled fish or whatever, it keeps for a couple days in the fridge but use lemon or lime and press plastic on the surface to slow browning.
Equipment Needed
1. Cast iron skillet or rimmed baking sheet for broiling and getting a good char, whatever you got works
2. Blender or food processor to pulse and purée, dont overblend
3. Chef’s knife for chopping onion and halving the avocado, be careful
4. Cutting board, preferably something sturdy and not the dinner plate
5. Tongs or metal spatula to turn tomatillos, pepper and onion while they char
6. Spoon or rubber spatula to scoop avocado and scrape out the blender
7. Measuring spoons and a small cup or citrus juicer for the lime and salt
8. Disposable gloves, optional but wear them when seeding the chile, trust me it bites
9. Bowl plus plastic wrap or an airtight container to press on the surface and store in the fridge
FAQ
Mexican Avocado Tomatillo Spicy Salsa Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Tomatillos: canned or jarred tomatillos or salsa verde (easy shortcut), slightly underripe green tomatoes blended with extra lime for tartness, or roasted green tomatoes/green bell pepper plus a squeeze of lime to brighten it up
- Avocado: Greek yogurt or sour cream for creaminess and tang, Mexican crema if you want richer flavor, silken tofu blended for a vegan swap, or mashed peas as a cheap green creamy option
- Serrano/jalapeño: Fresno pepper for similar heat and fruitiness, poblano or Anaheim for much milder heat, red pepper flakes or cayenne powder if you dont have fresh chiles, or a tiny bit of habanero if you want way more heat (use sparingly)
- Cilantro: flat leaf parsley plus extra lime to mimic the bright note, culantro if you can find it it’s stronger so use less, or fresh mint/basil in a pinch for a different but pleasant herb twist
Pro Tips
– Char for flavor but don’t burn: get good black spots on the tomatillos and pepper for that smoky bite, but pull them off as soon as they’re softened. Overcooked char tastes bitter not smoky, so keep an eye and turn often.
– Control the heat safely: scoop or scrape out seeds and membranes if you want milder salsa, and wear gloves when handling hot peppers or rub your hands with oil right after to avoid accidental eye contact. Taste a tiny bit first before adding more chillies.
– Keep the avocado bright and the texture right: use just-ripe avocado, add it at the end, and pulse instead of running the blender full blast so it stays creamy not soupy. To slow browning press plastic directly on the surface or brush a little extra lime juice on top before chilling.
– Balance with acid and thinning smartly: lime juice wakes up tomatillo sweetness, so adjust acid before adding more salt. If it’s too thick, thin with cold water for a cleaner flavor or olive oil for silkiness, adding only a teaspoon at a time until you like it.
Mexican Avocado Tomatillo Spicy Salsa Recipe
I blended roasted tomatillos, ripe avocado, and serrano pepper into a vibrant Avocado Salsa Recipe that reveals unexpected layers of tang, creaminess, and heat.
4
servings
130.4
kcal
Equipment: 1. Cast iron skillet or rimmed baking sheet for broiling and getting a good char, whatever you got works
2. Blender or food processor to pulse and purée, dont overblend
3. Chef’s knife for chopping onion and halving the avocado, be careful
4. Cutting board, preferably something sturdy and not the dinner plate
5. Tongs or metal spatula to turn tomatillos, pepper and onion while they char
6. Spoon or rubber spatula to scoop avocado and scrape out the blender
7. Measuring spoons and a small cup or citrus juicer for the lime and salt
8. Disposable gloves, optional but wear them when seeding the chile, trust me it bites
9. Bowl plus plastic wrap or an airtight container to press on the surface and store in the fridge
Ingredients
-
6 to 8 medium tomatillos, about 1 lb, husked and rinsed
-
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, a little soft not mushy
-
1 serrano pepper, or 1 jalapeño for milder heat, stem removed
-
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped white or red onion
-
1 garlic clove, or 2 if you like it more garlicky
-
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves, stems trimmed
-
Juice of 1 lime, about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons
-
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt, adjust to taste
-
Freshly ground black pepper, a pinch or two
-
1 to 2 tablespoons water or olive oil, optional for thinning
Directions
- Husk and rinse 6 to 8 tomatillos, pat them dry, and preheat a cast iron skillet or your broiler on high, you'll want good char.
- Place tomatillos, 1 serrano or jalapeño (stem removed), 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped onion, and a garlic clove on the hot skillet or a baking sheet under the broiler. Cook until the tomatillos are soft and have black spots and the pepper and onion are blistered, about 5 to 10 minutes, turning once, the garlic should be soft too.
- Let everything cool a few minutes so you can handle it, peel the garlic if its skin is on, and if you want less heat scrape out the pepper seeds now or wear gloves, trust me it bites.
- Transfer the roasted tomatillos, pepper, onion and garlic to a blender or food processor, add 1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves, juice of 1 lime (about 1 to
- 5 tablespoons), and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt plus a pinch or two of freshly ground black pepper.
- Cut 1 ripe avocado in half, remove the pit and scoop the flesh into the blender. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water or olive oil only if you need to thin it, else skip it.
- Pulse a few times then blend until you reach the texture you like, leave it a little chunky for bite or smooth if you prefer, dont overblend or it gets too thin and loses texture.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, add more salt or lime if it tastes flat, add more pepper or another small chili if you want extra heat, or another splash of water or oil for a looser consistency.
- Chill briefly or serve right away with chips, tacos, grilled fish or whatever, it keeps for a couple days in the fridge but use lemon or lime and press plastic on the surface to slow browning.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 172g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 130.4kcal
- Fat: 9.11g
- Saturated Fat: 1.26g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.04g
- Monounsaturated: 5.88g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 595mg
- Potassium: 520.13mg
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 7.29g
- Sugar: 7.21g
- Protein: 2.42g
- Vitamin A: 122.5IU
- Vitamin C: 38.75mg
- Calcium: 30.85mg
- Iron: 1.09mg
