Salsa Verde: Cooking and Fermenting Tomatillos


Food, Make it Yourself, Obtain a Yield, Recipie, Use and Value Gifts from Nature / Saturday, October 18th, 2014

  • Save

Rob and I recently made some lovely batches of Salsa Verde using some very simple ingredients.  I thought I’d share the recipes, in case anyone else has bushels of tomatillos to use up too!

  • Save

This recipe is very easy!  Since it’s fermented, you also get the added benefits of live cultures!  It turns out slightly stronger than the cooked version because of the raw garlic and onion.

Fermented Salsa Verde

1 lb. tomatillos, husked

3 jalapeño peppers – seeds removed for less spice

3 TBSP lime juice – use fresh if possible

1 TBSP salt

4 garlic cloves

1/2 cup onion, coarsely chopped

1 tsp cumin

1/4 cup cilantro – roots removed

INSTRUCTIONS: Chop ingredients in a food processor by pulsing in batches until the desired consistency is reached (depending on whether you like a chunkier salsa).  Once all ingredients are mixed, place into a sterile non-metallic jar.  Any clean glass jar will work.  Place lid on filled jar, and allow to ferment at room temperature for 3-4 days.  Open it to spell it after 2-3 days, if it smells vinegary, sour and sweet it’s ready to taste.  If it is sour to your liking, place it into the fried until you’re ready to use it.  It will keep for a long time!

Fermenting is optional, and if you prefer a raw recipe, reduce the amount of salt and put it straight in the fridge.  It will last unfermented for about a week.

  • Save
Cooked Salsa Verde:

10 lbs Tomatillos, husked and washed

5 cups onion – coarsely chopped

3 jalapeño peppers – seeds removed makes it less spicy for the kids

8 garlic cloves

1 bunch cilantro – just need to remove roots, include the stems too!  (We used frozen from our summer crop, and it worked just fine.)

1 cup lime juice

2 TBSP ground cumin

1.5 TBSP salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS: Chop ingredients using a food processor until desired consistency is reached.  Boil on the stove.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until desired consistency is reached (the longer you boil, the thicker it gets).  While it cooks, sterilize your mason jars.  Once salsa is cooked, ladle into hot jars.  Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (boil the full, sealed jars.  They should not touch each other or the sides of the pot.  They should be covered by 1 inch of water).

4 Replies to “Salsa Verde: Cooking and Fermenting Tomatillos”

    1. Ooh, sounds interesting! We do really well growing tomatillos (although they are an annual), and after a trip to Mexico, the taste brings back MANY memories 🙂 Do let me know how it works out with gooseberries, I would love to know! Our gooseberry bushes are too small yet to produce more yield than our children consume in the yard!

Leave a Reply

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