This Molcajete Salsa Verde Recipe is a tasty and fabulous treat. This is as authentic Mexican food gets and goes great with just about everything!
Watch the video and step-by-step pictures below to make this yummy dish at home.
Let’s say you are having the party of the century. Your house will full of people, and you want to wow your guests.
Well, this Molcajete Salsa Verde is a show stopper.
I’m not kidding you.
I would even make it right in front of people. Most people have never seen a molcajete or know what it is.
They will think you’re a culinary genius!
How to Make Molcajete Salsa Verde:
You need a molcajete. I place a towel underneath for a sturdier grip. You don’t want it to move around while you’re grinding.
What is a Molcajete?
The word “Molcajete” comes from the Nahuatl “molcaxitl.” This is a Mexican mortar and pestle used to grind food. It goes back thousands of years.
Molcajetes are round and made of volcanic rock.
You might see them decorated with carved heads of an animal and with short legs. They sort of look like short, stout animals.
How to care for a Molcajete
When you first get your molcajete, you need to cure or season it. Watch the video on how to season a molcajete video.
It’s actually very simple, but involves a lot of elbow grease.
You need rice, garlic, and lots of rinsing.
After all, we are talking about volcanic rock here.
Just know that you will never get it fully clean.
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.
That’s it. Easy, I know.
To make Molcajete Salsa Verde, you need tomatillo. These green tomatoes are tart.
Don’t eat them raw, or cooked for that matter.
Remove the husks and rinse well. There is usually dust underneath the husk.
They will be sticky to the touch.
How to Pick Tomatillos
For this molcajete recipe, be sure to squeeze the tomatillos at the grocery store.
Get firm, green tomatillos that are slightly coming out of the husk.
If you feel any softness, they are probably not good, and/or will go bad sooner than you want.
You also want green ones, not overly white ones. Those are not ripe and will take some time to ripen.
However, if you a making a salsa molcajete in a few days, the whiter ones might be good to take home.
These are two seeded and deveined jalapeños.
By removing the seeds and the veins from the inside, you are removing the seeds.
Sometimes, you can’t get all of the seeds or all of the veins. That’s perfectly ok.
One or two seeds won’t hurt.
You can also use serrano peppers. I always get whatever is on sale.
On a sheet pan, place all the ingredients.
Add oil to the ingredients.
You can use spray oil as well, but I am using the stuff in a bottle to coat them well.
I use extra virgin olive oil.
You can use whatever oil you like. Coconut oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, canola oil.
Once the oil is on the ingredients, the salt will stick better to the ingredients.
I use sea salt from Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico. It supplies all of Mexico with salt.
It’s an interesting town founded by an American who saw the massive amounts of raw salt in the area and decided to build a huge production factory.
Guerrero Negro also is home to a large lagoon where the whales come to give birth each year. On your way to docks, you will see mountains of salt.
It truly is a sight to see.
Place the ingredients in the oven under the broiler for a 8-10 minutes. Check everything after 8 minutes and remove the garlic and onion.
Then return the pan into the oven and under the broiler until the skin on the tomatillos are black.
Other Ways to Roast Tomatillos
You can also do this on a comal, or a griddle. During the summer months, you can also do this on the grill.
Roasting everything under the broiler is by far the easiest way to do this. I also find it easier to clean up.
If you don’t want to roast, you can also boil all the ingredients and continue the rest of the steps to making the Molcajete Salsa Verde Recipe.
Making Molcajete Salsa Verde is easy.
The first thing that goes in the molcajete is salt and garlic.
Mash that first before adding any other ingredients.
There are people who do this with raw garlic. That’s fine too, but we’re talking about RAW garlic.
When I do this, I make sure that everyone has some of the Molcajete Salsa Verde. That way we all have the same garlicky breath. LOL.
Roasted garlic, for me, is sweet and yummy. It’s what I prefer.
Next mash the roasted jalapeños.
Mash this up well.
Take your time in doing this.
You don’t want large chunks of jalapeño. Or your Molcajete Salsa Verde Recipe will be too spicy.
Please watch the video on how to make Molcajete Salsa Verde. I say this because there’s a trick when you add the tomatillos.
Any good molcajete recipe will tell you the same thing: You have to go slow.
Press down and be gentle. Or, it will squirt and go everywhere.
No bueno!
Mash slowly.
Add one tomatillo at a time.
You can also make Tomato Molcajete Salsa which is just as delicious.
It’s the same process with cooked tomatillos and cooked tomatoes in a molcajete. You need to start slow then continue mashing.
I roasted the diced onions. You can add raw onions instead, but it’s the same thing as raw garlic.
If you go raw, make sure everyone takes a bite of the salsa molcajete, and all is well.
Lastly lots of chopped cilantro.
I’ve been to restaurants in Mexico that serve Molcajete Salsa Verde. It comes with chopped cilantro just like this – piled on top.
I mix it, but I think it looks so pretty with the mountain of cilantro.
Molcajete Salsa Verde makes a great addition to chicken, fish, beef, or just as is.
With chips, there’s nothing better than a big bowl of salsa.
Hope you enjoy!
Don’t forget to watch the video on how to make Molcajete Salsa Verde
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.
More Mexican Salsa Recipes
Salsa de Aguacate, or Avocado Salsa
Salsa de Aguacate, or Avocado Salsa, is a spicy topping that’s perfect for tacos or any Mexican food favorites. Spicy, creamy, and totally dreamy.
Tomato Molcajete Salsa
Tomato Molcajete Salsa makes a delicious and tasty topping on your favorite Mexican dishes. Or, serve as is with chips and enjoy!
Chipotle Salsa
Chipotle Salsa is a yummy and flavorful appetizer. You can also use as the star ingredient for your Mexican dishes. Enjoy!
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde is one of the easiest Mexican salsas to make at home. Only a few ingredients and you get a robust and tasty appetizer that’s full of amazing flavors.
Salsa Borracha
Salsa Borracha (or Drunk Salsa) is a delicious topping for your carne asada tacos or grilled meats.
Molcajete Salsa Verde Recipe
This Molcajete Salsa Verde Recipe is a tasty and fabulous treat. This is as authentic Mexican food gets and goes great with just about everything!
leah says
oh yummy! I love anything with peppers in it plus salsa is my jam!
Em says
Totally need this! The recipe looks perfect!
Amberly says
My husband would love this!! I’ll have to make it soon.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Love a good salsa verde, that sounds like a winner.
Megan says
*flies to the store to get all of the ingredients to make this magic*