5 from 1 votes

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

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Unlock the magic of homemade roasted tomatillo salsa in just 10 minutes.

Imagine sinking your teeth into a crunchy chip generously dipped in a lush, smoky salsa, bursting with flavors of green tomatillos and roasted tomatoes you’ve effortlessly air-fried.

Say goodbye to store-bought jars and elevate your Mexican nights with this vibrant green salsa—a delicious cousin to the traditional red salsa—that not only makes for an irresistible dip with smoky flavor but also jazzes up white chicken enchiladas and air fryer steak.

ninja foodi roasted vegetables for salsa verde

Why the Air Fryer is Ideal for Fresh, Roasted Verde Salsa

Unlock the full potential of traditional salsa by using an air fryer to roast your natural ingredients. Quick, fresh salsa will soon become one of your favorite Mexican recipes.

Using an air fryer like the Ninja Foodi All-In-One or any other brand streamlines the preparation, making the salsa even more delicious than its raw counterpart.

Whether you’re serving this dip with Air Fryer Tortilla Chips or learning How to make Corn Tortilla Chips on the stove, air fryer recipes make creating authentic salsa with roasted tomatillos a breeze.

Ingredients:

  • Fresh tomatillos
  • One medium onion, quartered
  • One jalapeno pepper halved and seeds removed
  • Serrano chilies to taste
  • 1 Roma tomato
  • Minced garlic, Pinch of salt, black pepper
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Cooking spray

How to Make Air Fryer Verde Salsa with Fresh Ingredients

Prepare the Air Fryer: Generously spray the sides and bottom of your air fryer basket with cooking spray. This ensures that your fresh ingredients won’t stick during the cooking process.

Layer the Vegetables: Place green tomatoes (tomatillos), medium white onion quarters, halved jalapeno peppers, serrano peppers, and a Roma tomato in a single layer inside the air crisp basket. Make sure the vegetables are clean for even cooking.

Spritz and Season: Lightly spray the top of your vegetables with cooking spray. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and black pepper over them for enhanced flavor.

Set the Air Fryer: If using a Ninja Foodi, set it to the bake/roast setting at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. For regular air fryers, set the temperature to 350 degrees for the same duration.

vegetables in air crisp basket and once roasted, moved to food processor

Cool Down: After the cooking cycle, carefully open the lid and allow the roasted vegetables to stand and cool for about 5 minutes. The vegetables should be warm to the touch but not scalding hot before proceeding.

Process the Ingredients: Transfer the freshly roasted vegetables into a food processor. Blend for about 10 seconds or until you achieve a slightly chunky texture.

adding lime and seasonings into salsa

Add Flavor: Introduce minced garlic, a pinch of salt, fresh lime juice, and fresh cilantro into the food processor. There’s no need to remove the cilantro stems; they add to the rich, herbal flavor.

Final Blend: Process the mixture once more until all ingredients are well incorporated. Aim for a smooth salsa, but not to the point where the roasted tomatillos resemble soup.

adding cilantro into salsa verde

Serve or Store: Serve your spicier salsa immediately with tortilla chips for the freshest experience. If you have leftovers or want to prepare this in advance, transfer the salsa to an airtight container and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

Garnish: For an extra touch of freshness and presentation, garnish your salsa with diced tomatoes and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro before serving.

This recipe makes approximately 2 cups of mouthwatering salsa, perfect for family gatherings or a quiet evening at home.

Why Homemade Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Outshines Store-Bought Jars

Regarding salsa, nothing compares to the taste of fresh ingredients air-fried to perfection. This recipe combines the tangy goodness with the zesty flavor of lime, creating a fresh salsa that’s a cut above the rest.

This easy appetizer that’s sure to impress has a fresh homemade quality that easily outshines the over-salted and overly-preserved jarred salsas in stores.

Alternative Methods for Roasting Salsa Verde Taqueria Ingredients

While an air fryer offers a quick and convenient way to bring out the rich flavors in salsa, here are some different settings and techniques you can use depending on the kitchen appliances you have on hand.

Air Fryer Salsa Options:

  1. Standard Air Fryer Setting: Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees and roast your salsa ingredients for 10 minutes. This setting typically yields excellent results.
  2. Higher Temperature Air Fryer Setting: You can also set your air fryer to 400 degrees and roast for 7 minutes. This will speed up the process, but watch the ingredients carefully to prevent excessive charring.

Ninja Foodi Specifics:

  1. Bake/Roast Setting: If you’re using a Ninja Foodi, select the bake/roast setting and preheat it to 400 degrees. Roast your ingredients for 10 minutes for optimal flavor extraction.

Using a Broiler:

  1. High-Temperature Broiling: Set your oven’s broiler on high. Place your salsa ingredients on a baking sheet and broil for 4-5 minutes. Remember to rotate the tray halfway through to ensure even roasting. Keep the tray at a moderate distance from the broiler to prevent burning.
salsa verde on a chip

Heat Levels of Common Mexican Peppers for Variation.

Bell Pepper: SHU: 0 (Mild)

  • Common Uses: Stuffed peppers, fajitas

Poblano Pepper: SHU: 1,000 – 2,000 (Mild)

  • Common Uses: Chiles rellenos, mole

Anaheim Pepper: SHU: 500 – 2,500 (Mild)

  • Common Uses: Chile verde, enchiladas

Jalapeño Pepper: SHU: 2,500 – 8,000 (Moderate)

Serrano Pepper: SHU: 10,000 – 23,000 (Moderate-Hot)

  • Common Uses: Salsa, guacamole

Cayenne Pepper: SHU: 30,000 – 50,000 (Hot)

  • Common Uses: Hot sauces, spice blends

Habanero Pepper: SHU: 100,000 – 350,000 (Very Hot)

  • Common Uses: Hot sauces, salsas

Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia): SHU: Over 1,000,000 (Extremely Hot)

  • Common Uses: Extremely spicy dishes, hot sauces

FAQ’s

What is the difference between Salsa and Salsa Verde?

Salsa Verde uses fresh tomatillos, and regular salsa only uses fresh tomatoes.

Can Tomatillos be Roasted in the oven?

Don’t have an Air Fryer or a Ninja Foodi? No Problem! While Salsa Verde can be made simply from raw vegetables, it’s super easy to oven-roast as well. Simply prep and place vegetables on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Broil vegetables for about 4-5 minutes to get a nice char level, rotating as needed. As always, when using a broiler, monitor so you do not end up with a pile of burned mush.

Is there a way to thin out the salsa?

Salsa is such a personal thing, and if you prefer yours to be a little thinner, simply add up to 3 tablespoons of water into the food processor. Salsa tends to thicken a bit in the fridge, so it’s also a way to bring it back to life should that happen to you.

What are tomatillos?

Tomatillos are savory fruit that is grown wrapped in a husk and are found most predominantly in Mexico for their heartiness. While most US grocery stores have husks stripped already, if you get one with a husk, simply peel and proceed.

What is the sugar for?

Air Fryer Salsa Verde has quite a bit of acid, and the sugar helps cut through that. The salsa will not taste like sugar! And, of course, this ingredient can be omitted if you prefer.

salsa verde in a bowl with chips

Unlock More Mexican Flavors: Taco Tuesday Recipes You Don’t Want to Miss

From Mexican slow cooker chicken thighs to sheet pan quesadillas, air fryer salsa verde adds a pop of color and smoky goodness. But why stop there?

Explore our collection of mouthwatering Mexican dishes, including show-stopping dips like TikTok Queso and easy jalapeno cream cheese dip.

Trust us, once you dive into them, you’ll want to make every night Taco Tuesday!

5 from 1 votes

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa (Air Fryer Recipe!)


Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Air Fryer Salsa Verde with roasted Tomatillos, jalapeno, and serrano peppers is a perfect green tomatillo verde sauce. Easy to make roasted vegetables in the air fryer or bake/roast in Ninja Foodi, this popular green sauce is freshly homemade with great smoky salsa flavor.

Equipment

  • air fryer
  • Large Food Processor

Ingredients
 

  • 3 tomatillos
  • 1 onion quartered
  • 1 jalapeno pepper cut in half and seeds removed
  • 1 serrano pepper chili
  • 1 Roma tomato
  • cooking spray
  • 1/2 tsp white sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro with stems
  • tortilla chips for serving

Instructions

  • Prep the Vegetables:
    Quarter one onion. Slice one jalapeño pepper and remove the seeds.
  • Prepare the Air Fryer:
    Spray the basket of your Ninja Foodi Air Fryer (or similar) with cooking spray.
  • Arrange the Vegetables:
    Place the tomatillos, quartered onion, sliced and deseeded jalapeño pepper, serrano pepper, and Roma tomato in a single layer at the bottom of the air fryer basket.
  • Spray the Vegetables:
    Lightly coat the arranged vegetables with cooking spray.
  • Roast the Vegetables:
    Set the air fryer to the "bake/roast" setting at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.Roast for 10 minutes.
    Note: If you use a different roasting method, please consult the NOTES section for cooking time variations.
  • Cool Down:
    After the roasting cycle is complete, open the lid and allow the vegetables to cool for about 5 minutes. The vegetables should be warm, but not hot.
  • Blend the Roasted Vegetables:
    Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large food processor. Process for 10 seconds at a time, until the mixture is completely blended but not pureed.
  • Add Remaining Ingredients:
    Add minced garlic, salt, sugar, lime juice, and fresh cilantro to the food processor. Process until all ingredients are well-mixed.
  • Serve or Store the Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde:
    Serve immediately with tortilla chips; use it to smother tacos, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Cooking Settings to Roast Vegetables

  • AIR FRYER SETTING: 350 degrees at 10 min
  • NINJA FOODI Bake/Roast Setting: 400 degrees at 10 minutes
  • BROILER: Broil on high for 4-5 minutes, rotating half way (do not put too close to broiler)

Alternative Ingredients to add to Salsa

  • Vinegar or water to thin it out
  • Additional Jalapenos or Serrano Peppers for more Heat
  • Half an Avocado for Avocado Salsa Verde
Can Tomatillos be Roasted in the oven?
Don’t have an Air Fryer or a Ninja Foodi? No Problem! While Salsa Verde can be made simply from raw vegetables, its super easy to oven roast as well. Simply prep and place vegetables on parchment lined cookie sheet. Broil vegetables for about 4-5 minutes to get a nice char level, rotating as needed. As always, when using a broiler, monitor so you do not end up with a pile of burned mush.
Is there a way to thin out the salsa?
Salsa is such a personal thing and if you prefer yours to be a little thinner, simply add up to 3 tablespoons of water into the food processor. Salsa tends to thicken a bit in the fridge so its also a way to bring it back to life should that happen to you.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 23kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 356mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g

Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.

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5 from 1 votes
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