This Salsa Verde Molcajete will take your Mexican meals to the next level.
This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Made with roasted tomatillos, jalapeños, garlic, and cilantro, it’s mashed by hand in a traditional stone mortar for a rustic and authentic touch.
Serve it with chips, tacos, or grilled meats, and you’ll see why this homemade salsa always steals the show.
Table of Contents
🌋 Seasoning a Molcajete
A molcajete (or Mexican mortar and pestle) is made out of volcanic stone. When you first get your molcajete, you need to cure or season it. Watch the video: how to season a molcajete.
It’s actually very simple, but involves a lot of elbow grease. You need rice, garlic, and lots of rinsing. Grind until there the water runs clear.
🧼 How to Clean a Molcajete After Use
Don’t use soap. Use a good brush and lots of warm water.
For sticky or hard to get areas, use lemon. Then continue scrubbing. Rinse it well. Then let it air dry.
🔥 Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Tomatillos
- White Onion
- Jalapeños
- Garlic Cloves
- Cilantro
- Salt
Additions and Substitutions
🌟 Instead of olive oil, you can also use vegetable oil or grapeseed oil.
🌟 Swap out jalapenos for serrano chiles. Please note, serranos are spicier. Or use a mixture of the two.
🌟 Sea salt, Himalayan pink salt, or regular salt work well.
🌟 Want to make your salsa last longer? Add to tablespoons of white distilled vinegar or add lime juice.
👩🏼🍳 Step by Step Instructions
- Place the tomatillos, onion, jalapeños, and garlic on a sheet pan.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Mix everything well.
- Broil on HIGH for 8 minutes, then remove the onion and garlic.
- Check the tomatillos. If they need more time, broil for an additional 2 minutes until nicely charred.
- In a molcajete, add salt and garlic. Grind until smooth.
- Add jalapeños and continue grinding until crushed.
Always start with the garlic. It’s your only opportunity to mash the garlic well.
Whether you’re making chilaquiles or enchiladas, this salsa is a keeper!
- Add tomatillos one by one.
- Start by pressing gently, then mash.
- The consistency: You’ll end up with large chunks and not fully smooth, similar to what you would get from pulsing a food processor. That’s the beauty of a molcajete salsa, or salsa molcajeteada.
You can also make Tomato Molcajete Salsa which is just as delicious.
- Stir in the onion and cilantro. Mix everything together.
- Taste and adjust with more salt if needed.
- Serve with tortilla chips or use as a topping for your favorite Mexican dishes.
🫙 How To Store Leftovers
Store Salsa Verde Molcajete in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors will deepen as it rests, making it even more delicious the next day. If you’d like to keep it longer, you can freeze the salsa in freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays for up to 3 months. Just thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes! If you don’t have a molcajete, use a mortar and pestle or a blender. The texture will be smoother in a blender, but the flavor will still be delicious.
This depends on the jalapeños. For less heat, remove the seeds and veins before roasting. For more spice, leave them in.
Absolutely. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors will get even better as it rests.
It’s perfect with tacos, grilled chicken, carne asada, or simply with tortilla chips.
More Mexican Sauces
- Birria Consome
- Guajillo Sauce
- Cilantro Lime Crema Recipe
- Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce
- Adobo Sauce
- Jalapeno Crema
- Poblano Cream Sauce
An authentic Mexican molcajete is guaranteed to impress guests. Whether you make it for a party or simple family meal, serve with chips or vegetables.
This Salsa Verde Molcajete is smoky, zesty, and full of flavor. One bite and you’ll want to make it again and again.
😋 Hungry for More?
Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest for my latest recipes and videos.
Molcajete Salsa Verde Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 6 tomatillos
- ¼ onion diced
- 2 jalapeños – halved seeded, and deveined
- 1 garlic clove
- Handful of cilantro chopped
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- On a sheet pan, add the tomatillos, onions, jalapeños, and garlic.
- Drizzle with olive oil.
- Mix to coat well.
- Sprinkle with salt.
- Place under a broiler on HIGH for 8 minutes.
- Remove the onion and garlic.
- Check the tomatillos.
- If they are not fully charred, place them back under the broiler for 2 more minutes.
- If they need are done, continue with the recipe.
- To a molcajete, add a teaspoon of salt and the garlic.
- Grind up the garlic with the salt.
- Add the jalapeños.
- Grind up the jalapeños as best as you can.
- Add tomatillos one at a time.
- Gently press down at first, or the tomatillo will squirt out all its juices.
- Then continue mashing.
- Do this for all the tomatillos until there are none left.
- Add the diced onions and chopped cilantro.
- With the pestle, mix to combine.
- Taste for salt.
- Serve with chips or as a topping for your Mexican favorite dishes.
I’ve never made this homemade before! It looks delcicious!!
I hope you can try it, it’s the best!
I’m now drooling. Oh my heavens! 🥰😍
Right? So easy and delicious
This salsa verde was sooo good! Made a big batch so we could have some extra for another meal but it all got smashed!
I think so too so good. Glad you liked it
Love salsa verde, never tried Mexican version. Will definitely give it a go, thanks for sharing
I think you will love this recipe! salsa verde is the best.
This Molcajete Salsa Verde looks really delicious! Perfect for my dishes!
It’s delicious! Hope you try it
So many delicious uses for this lovely salsa Verde – LOVE the flavours.
Glad you liked it. Hope you try it!
This looks incredible, it will elevate any dish for sure – and you can’t beat homemade salsa and chips! Yum!
Yummy, love homemade salsa and chips. Hope you try it!
Wow this looks so amazing. I have never had this before but I love that it is low carb and spicy; two of my favorite things!
Thank you! Hope you try it.
I’ve always wanted a molcajete and now I am totally getting one…and then making this recipe. Thanks for all of the great tips on caring for the gadget and making this salsa!!
I’m so glad you liked all the tips and recipes! This salsa recipe is really good.
Clearly I need a molcajete in my kitchen!! Salsa – YUM
So easy and delicious! You definitely need a molcajete in your kitchen, it makes all the difference when making salsas!
Yummy! So authentic.
Right? and delicious too!
*flies to the store to get all of the ingredients to make this magic*
Love a good salsa verde, that sounds like a winner.
What size molcajete do you use for this and the tomato salsas?
I use a standard size. It fits about 4 cups of salsa.
My husband would love this!! I’ll have to make it soon.
Totally need this! The recipe looks perfect!
oh yummy! I love anything with peppers in it plus salsa is my jam!