When roasted, green, underripe tomatoes make a fantastic Verde-style salsa perfect for enchiladas or snacking on with tortilla chips. Plus, the recipe is so simple you'll want to make this Roasted Green Tomato Salsa all summer and fall long!
Thanks to the dirty tree rats (aka squirrels) that terrorized my tomatoes this year, nibbling on pretty much every nearly ripe one before I could pick ‘em, I decided to explore using underripe (green) tomatoes in recipes. Because damned if those dirty tree rats are gonna get all my tomatoes!
While I don’t recommend biting into a green tomato raw, roasting them mellows out their tartness and makes the base for a fantastic salsa. Paired up with onion, jalapeno, and garlic, the result is a slightly tart and acidic salsa verde that’s well balanced by its fellow roasted co-stars.
Try pairing this amazing roasted tomato salsa with Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos and Leftover Pulled Pork Tacos.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's a fantastic way to use up green (unripened) tomatoes. Don't overlook those green tomatoes still growing on the vine right before temperatures start dipping below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (they don't like that). Pick 'em all before it gets too chilly and use those unripened green tomatoes to make this amazing Roasted Green Tomato Salsa.
- It's simple. The ingredients are minimal and the results are simply delicious. Roasted veggies, treated simply - including onions, garlic, and jalapenos.
- It's a suitable tomatillo substitute. Minnesota isn't exactly known for freshly harvested tomatillos. However, unripened green tomatoes have a similar tart vibe to them. And I think it makes a unique but also familiar verde-style salsa made with green tomatoes that you'll want to make again and again.
Ingredients
- Green tomatoes (unripened) - Gather up those unripened green tomatoes, at least 2 pounds of them, for this recipe. I used a mix of Celebrity and Goliath from my garden, but feel free to use what you have. A farmer's market is also a great place to find green tomatoes.
- Yellow or white onion - I've used both here with success. Plus they get roasted along with the rest of the vegetables. Avoid red onion as it will discolor the resulting salsa and I wanted to keep it as green looking as possible.
- Garlic - I tend to use 4-5 garlic cloves, but you can certainly use more! Roasted garlic is much tamer than fresh garlic in this salsa.
- Jalapeno - I like the heat, so I add two jalapenos. You could also use serrano peppers.
- Lime juice - Freshly squeezed lime juice makes this roasted salsa pop!
- Paprika - This is optional, but I like to sneak in a little to lend some smokiness. Use smoked paprika if you've got it!
Suggested Additions
You can easily make this easy Green Tomato Salsa your own by adding in a few ingredients.
I usually season this roasted tomato salsa with paprika and salt, but you could also add some cumin, chili powder, and/or fresh or dried herbs like oregano or thyme.
Toss in an avocado for a creamier sauce that's also luxurious.
Sometimes I even add a couple of dashes of hot sauce, particularly Tabasco's Green Pepper Sauce because it's magical.
If you try something adding something to this easy roasted salsa recipe that turns out amaze-balls, please comment below so I can give it a try :).
How To Make Roasted Green Tomato Salsa - Directions
You can roast the ingredients in the oven or on a gas grill; I've tried both preparations with fantastic results. This recipe makes around 3 cups of salsa.
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively, preheat your propane grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (on my propane grill, this is turning all three burners to medium heat).
- Step 2: Cut the green tomatoes in half and remove the interior section around the stem. Then cut each half in half again to make quarters. Set the tomatoes, skin side down, on a baking sheet.
- Step 3: Cut the onion in half, then roughly cut into large pieces. Halve the jalapenos and remove the seeds. Remove the stem from each garlic clove and leave them whole.
- Step 4: Add the green tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapenos to the baking sheet.
- Step 5: Drizzle the vegetables with one tablespoon of oil and stir to coat.
- Step 6: Roast on the top shelf of your oven for 18-20 minutes. You should start to see some browning on the undersides before removing them from the oven. Alternatively, roast in your propane grill for 15-18 minutes. You should start to see some browning on the undersides of your veggies before they come off the grill.
- Step 7: Add the roasted vegetables, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and ½ teaspoon of salt to your food processor and process for 30 seconds. Stop, remove the lid, and stir. Continue processing until you reach desired consistency. I like to pulse a few more times until it’s smoother in consistency but still has some texture to it.
- Step 8: Taste for seasoning and add more salt and/or lime juice, if desired.
- Step 9: Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving to let the flavors meld.
Equipment Needed
- Food processor - A food processor makes quick work of this salsa. I have a Cuisinart Food Processor that I love; it's a lot like this 14-cup Cuisinart model. You can also use a blender if you don't have a food processor, though you'll have to do so in batches.
Top Tips for the BEST Green Tomato Salsa
Tip 1. Repurpose it as an enchilada sauce. If you're on Day 4 or 5 and are worried about how you're going to use this salsa, it makes a fantastic enchilada sauce! Add a tablespoon or two of water to thin it out before using as a sauce; you can also blend it further if you'd like a smoother result. If you dig enchilada sauce, you're going to want to try this creamy Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce.
Tip 2: Make it your own. This recipe is a great base for a simple roasted salsa - and a great way to use up green, underripe tomatoes. Feel free to add tomatillos, bell pepper, and fresh herbs like oregano or thyme. Or spices like cumin, chili powder, or ancho chili powder.
Recipe FAQs
Store this salsa in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. For best results, use within 5 days. You can also freeze it, but it should be used within 3-6 months.
While this roasted salsa goes great with tortilla chips, I recommend pairing with Grilled Chicken, Walking Tacos, and these Crispy Air Fried Tacos.
Any kind of medium to large-sized type of green tomato you please, as long as it’s an underripe tomato and not a green when ripe tomato. An underripe tomato is one that hasn’t ripened (turned red) yet, are green in color, are very hard, and has a tart flavor. While you won’t want to bite into an underripe tomato, their tart flavor is reminiscent of that of tomatillos and is what makes this salsa so fantastic. Think of this recipe as a green tomato salsa verde.
Yes! For best results, freeze and use this green tomato salsa within 3-6 months. Thaw in your refrigerator.
I've never canned anything before, so if you want to can this salsa in a sterile way at home, I'm going to direct you to a trusted resource: Canning Salsa Safely, by the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
More Salsas and Sauces to Try!
If you love homemade salsas and sauces as much as I do, give these a try.
If you tried this Green Tomato Salsa recipe (or any other recipe on Midwexican), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below!
Roasted Green Tomato Salsa
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds green tomatoes (green = unripe) (I used a mix of Celebrity and Goliath)
- 1 medium yellow or white onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 jalapenos
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon paprika (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively, preheat your propane grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (on my propane grill, this is turning all three burners to medium heat).
- Cut the green tomatoes in half and remove the interior section around the stem. Then cut each half in half again to make quarters. Set the tomatoes, skin side down, on a baking sheet.
- Cut the onion in half, then roughly cut into large pieces. Halve the jalapenos and remove the seeds. Remove the stem from each garlic clove and leave them whole.
- Add the green tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapenos to the baking sheet.
- Drizzle the vegetables with one tablespoon of oil and stir to coat.
- Roast on the top shelf of your oven for 18-20 minutes. You should start to see some browning on the undersides before removing them from the oven. Alternatively, roast in your propane grill for 15-18 minutes. You should start to see some browning on the undersides of your veggies before they come off the grill.
- Add the roasted vegetables, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and ½ teaspoon of salt to your food processor and process for 30 seconds. Stop, remove the lid, and stir. Continue processing until you reach desired consistency. I like to pulse a few more times until it’s smoother in consistency but still has some texture to it.
- Taste for seasoning and add more salt and/or lime juice, if desired.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving to let the flavors meld.
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