Easy Roasted Green Tomato Salsa Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more here.
Spice up your tacos and nachos with the vibrant, tangy flavors of this roasted green tomato salsa recipe. It’s a great way to end tomato season and a delicious solution for utilizing those extra green tomatoes from the garden!
I love growing a big bed of tomatoes every summer, but it’s always a rush to get them all harvested before the first frost! This means I usually end up with a lot of green tomatoes on my kitchen counter, patiently waiting for them to ripen indoors, but ripe tomatoes aren’t the only ones I look forward to! I like to roast the green tomatoes that are really green – the ones that haven’t shown any sign of ripening – to use them up instead of letting them go bad!
This roasted green tomato salsa verde recipe is seriously easy. Just roast a bunch of green tomatoes and blend them up in the food processor with lime juice, red onion, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, and more. It’s a great, short-season recipe that will always taste like the end of the season!
Check out this easy roasted green tomato recipe to learn how to roast your green tomatoes! Save your fresh cherry tomatoes to make this simple cherry tomato soup.
Can you make salsa with green tomatoes?
You absolutely can (and should)! Green tomato salsa has a unique, tangy flavor and is the perfect way to use up unripe tomatoes. Just be sure to roast them first! Then combine the roasted tomatoes with some spicy peppers, raw onion, citrus, herbs, and seasonings for a tasty green salsa.
In contrast, roasted tomatillo salsas, which are also green, are made of ripe tomatillos rather than unripe tomatoes. Tomatillos have a distinct tart and citrusy flavor, while green tomatoes have a more neutral and slightly tangy taste. Feel free to substitute the roasted green tomatoes with roasted tomatillos for this recipe.
What you’ll love about this green tomato salsa recipe
- SEASONAL DELIGHT – This is a great recipe to make at the end of tomato season before the first frost. In fact, all your green tomato recipes will be reminiscent of the harvest season.
- DELICIOUS FRESH FLAVOR – The robust roasted flavor of the tomatoes combined with simple, fresh ingredients like cilantro and hot peppers results in a satisfying and savory condiment – the perfect appetizer for any party or taco night.
- USE THE HARVEST – Whether you have your own tomato plants or find a deal at the farmers market, this is an excellent way to up those surplus green tomatoes. Although some tomatoes will continue to ripen indoors, those that haven’t started blushing with color won’t. Roast them to add to soups, salsa, and more!
Equipment
To make this green tomato salsa verde, you’ll need a:
- Food processor
- Cutting board
- Small knife
- Medium mixing bowl
- Zester
Ingredients
- Roasted green tomatoes – I like to roast green tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and a few spices to bring out their flavor.
- Red onion – Raw onions add a nice crisp texture to your salsa.
- Jalapeno – For a medium heat level, you’ll typically need one whole pepper for every pound of green tomatoes. For a hot salsa, add extra jalapeno and leave in the seeds.
- Lime juice – It wouldn’t be a salsa recipe without the sweet acidity of lime. You can also add lime zest for more flavor.
- Fresh cilantro – This adds a refreshing flavor that pairs perfectly with the lime.
- Sugar – I like to add a small amount of sugar to balance the savory flavors. It’s totally optional, so feel free to skip it!
- Garlic – Raw garlic cloves pack the most potent flavor, but you could substitute with garlic powder if needed.
- Seasonings – Salt and cumin are a great combination for this recipe.
How to Make Green Tomato Salsa
- Place the roasted green tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, and seasonings into the bowl of a food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour the blended tomato mixture to a medium mixing bowl.
- Finely dice the onion, jalapeno, red onion, and cilantro. Fold the chopped ingredients into the blended mixture.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings and heat level to your preferences. Feel free to add more lime juice if you prefer a tangier flavor.
- Serve in a large bowl and enjoy!
Storing
Store your homemade salsa in a canning jar or airtight container. It should last approximately 4-5 days in the fridge. Try not to leave your salsa sitting out at room temperature for more than 2 hours at a time.
This recipe has not been formulated for canning, so please do not try to can it.
Tips & Variations
- Always roast your green tomatoes first. While red tomatoes can be used raw in salsa recipes, green tomatoes should always be cooked. Green tomatoes contain the highest concentration of solanine, and the roasting process reduces this toxic compound while also adding a nice depth of flavor to this recipe.
- Make it a tomatillo salsa verde. Feel free to replace the roasted green tomatoes with roasted tomatillos or use a mixture of the two.
- This recipe will work with any type of green tomatoes, including green cherry tomatoes, slicing tomatoes, and more. I do recommend roasting tomatoes that are still fully firm and fresh.
- Add or substitute the jalapeno with spicier peppers. For extra heat, feel free to use a serrano pepper or add some cayenne pepper. Experiment with a mix of peppers until you find the perfect combination for your taste buds.
- For a smoother salsa, blend longer and add more lime juice. After processing the tomatoes, lime, garlic, and seasoning, blend the rest of the ingredients until you get the consistency you want.
- Try different flavor variations. For a smokier taste, try adding some smoked paprika. For more textured sweetness, add some charred corn kernels after blending.
How to Serve Green Tomato Salsa
I usually like to serve this salsa with tortilla chips, especially lime chips, for extra tanginess. Here are some other delicious ways to enjoy it.
- Top scrambled eggs or breakfast tacos with a generous spoonful
- Add some fresh tanginess to nachos and taco salads
- Top these chicken quesadillas or enchiladas
- Add a dollop to grain or rice bowls
- Use as a condiment on burgers or even grilled cheese
- Substitute for pico de gallo
FAQs
It’s not necessary to peel green tomatoes for salsa. The skin of green tomatoes is edible and contributes to the texture of the salsa. Plus, when your tomatoes are roasted, the skin is soft and less noticeable in the final dish. However, it all depends on your preferred texture. If you want to remove the skins for a smoother salsa, puree your roasted tomatoes and run them through a strainer before adding any other salsa ingredients to the food processor.
Yes, you can! Roasted green tomatoes are a good substitute for tomatillos, especially if you don’t have access to tomatillos or have a bunch of green tomatoes you don’t know what to do with. There are some slight differences in the flavor. Tomatillos are more tart and citrusy, while green tomatoes are more tangy and mild, though green tomatoes tend to take on the flavor of whatever they’re cooked with quite easily.
It’s not recommended. Tomatoes are part of the nightshade family, and green tomatoes have the highest concentration of solanine, which is a toxic compound. The solanine concentration reduces after cooking but can cause gastric distress and other symptoms. Because of that, I only ever recommend eating cooked green tomatoes, and you generally only eat small amounts as a dip or topping. It’s not a good idea to eat raw green tomatoes (unless they are a variety, like Green Zebra tomatoes, which are green when fully ripe).
Related Recipes
- Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup
- Dehydrated Jalapenos
- Roasted Jalapenos
- Lemon Dill Hummus
- Spicy Garlic Sauerkraut
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
Want more seasonal recipes? Subscribe for email updates or follow Milk Glass Home & Kitchen on social media. Join my Facebook Group Seasonal Slow Living to become part of the community!
Roasted Green Tomato Salsa Recipe
Equipment
- medium mixing bowl
- citrus zester
Ingredients
- 2 cups roasted green tomatoes
- 1 tsp kosher salt, (or 1/2 tsp table salt)
- 1 tsp sugar, optional
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1-2 limes, zested and juiced; adjust to taste
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1/4 cup red onion, minced
- 1/2 cup diced cilantro, to taste
- 1 jalapeno, destemmed and seeded; mince into small pieces
Instructions
- Place the roasted green tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, and seasonings into the bowl of a food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour the blended tomato mixture to a medium mixing bowl.
- Finely dice the onion, jalapeno, red onion, and cilantro. Fold the chopped ingredients into the blended mixture.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings and heat level to your preferences. Feel free to add more lime juice if you prefer a tangier flavor.
- Serve in a bowl and enjoy!
