Avocado Salsa

By Genevieve Ko

Updated July 19, 2021

  • Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Victoria Granof.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(403)
Comments
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Fresh tomatillos bring tanginess to this silky avocado salsa, and that acidity keeps the blend green even after days in the fridge. For more heat, double the chiles and keep all their seeds. If you don’t have a food processor, you can make this in a blender, but you may need to add a splash of water to purée the ingredients at the start.

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Ingredients

Yield:About 2 cups

  • 8 ounces tomatillos, husked, rinsed well and quartered (3 to 4 medium)

  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped white onion

  • ¼ cup chopped fresh epazote or cilantro

  • 2 jalapeño or serrano chiles, stemmed and coarsely chopped, seeded to taste

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more to taste

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste

  • 1 ripe medium Hass avocado, coarsely chopped

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

9 grams carbs; 105 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 8 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 290 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the tomatillos, onion, epazote, chiles, lime juice and salt in a food processor or mortar. Process or pound until very smooth. Add the avocado and pulse or pound until smooth. Taste, and add more lime juice and salt, if desired.

  2. Step 2

    Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed against its surface for up to 3 days. Use as a dip for chips, or drizzle over scrambled eggs, tacos, burritos or tortas. Spoon over grilled seafood, steak, chicken, pork or vegetables.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
403 user ratings
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Comments

terry94705

Maybe this should be called tomatillo salsa. They do overwhelm a single medium avocado. Best to double the avocados.

Herbie

Pro tip - dry roast the tomatillos before!

Chris

As I have been reading through these sauce recipes I have noticed several that require cilantro. Due to genetics that perhaps was a ancestral survival tactic in making sure the lye was rinsed out of lutefisk: cilantro tastes like soap to me (and it smells like stink bugs). I am assuming epazote also has a few aldehydes. (what is also "fun", I am a supertaster). From descriptions of what cilantro is supposed to taste like I would substitute arugula and/or oregano with some lemon.

Ames

@Fran I have totally used small green tomatoes, and the taste is very similar. I live in Appalachia where fried green tomatoes is common so I can find them pretty easily all year round, but that also might be hard to find at the store depending on where you live

Midwest USA

This is a similar recipe to one I came across from Rick Bayless that roasted the tomatillos and also added a few cloves of roasted garlic. Delish!

Keaton

Meh. I was hoping for a more avocado creamy texture. Instead it’s just a verde salsa

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