About this salsa
This is the salsa I make when I want something smoky and spicy without much effort. Tomatillos and garlic roasted on the comal until charred, blended with a chipotle chile in adobo. The tomatillo brings acidity and brightness, the chipotle brings smoke and heat. Together, they make one of my favorite everyday salsas.
It takes 15 minutes and goes on everything: tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, chilaquiles, or just with chips and a cold chelada.
Ingredients
- Tomatillos: husked and rinsed. Look for firm ones with tight green husks.
- Garlic: roast it with the peel on so it doesn’t burn. It gets sweet and mellow when charred properly.
- Chipotle chiles in adobo: canned. Start with one, add more if you want more heat and smokiness.
- Salt
How to make it
Roast the tomatillos and garlic (with peel on) on a dry comal or skillet over medium-high heat. Turn them as they char. You want the tomatillos soft and blistered with dark spots, and the garlic soft inside its skin. About 8 to 10 minutes.
Peel the garlic. Put everything in the blender: tomatillos, garlic, one chipotle chile in adobo, and a good pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Taste. If you want more smoke and heat, add another chipotle and blend again.
That’s it. 15 minutes, one blender, done.
Make it your own
- Spicier: add a second or third chipotle. Or a spoonful of the adobo sauce.
- Creamier: blend in half an avocado.
- Tangier: squeeze in some lime juice at the end.
- Milder: use only half a chipotle and more tomatillos.
What to eat it with
- Crispy potato tacos
- Chilaquiles
- Sopes
- Scrambled eggs or Mexican scrambled tofu
- Chips and a cold chelada
Roasted Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa
Equipment
- Skillet or comal
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 5 tomatillos husked and rinsed
- 2 garlic cloves unpeeled
- 1 canned chipotle chili in adobo or more to taste depending on how spicy you want it
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon if using less
Instructions
- Roast the tomatillos and garlic (with peel on) on a dry comal or skillet over medium high heat. Turn them as they char. The tomatillos should be soft and have dark spots, and the garlic should be soft inside. About 8 to 10 minutes.
- Peel the garlic. Put the tomatillos, garlic, one chipotle chile in adobo, and salt in the blender.
- Blend until smooth. Taste. If you want more heat or smokiness, add another chipotle and blend again.
- Adjust salt and serve.
Notes
- Start with one chipotle. You can always add more. Two chipotles makes it pretty spicy.
- Always roast the garlic with the peel on. It protects it from burning.
- A spoonful of the adobo sauce (not just the chile) adds even more smoky depth.
- Store in a jar in the fridge for up to a week.
- This salsa is great for chilaquiles, drizzled on tacos, or as a dip with chips and a cold chelada.
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Hi, I’m Ale Graf!
I’m a Mexican home cook based in Texas and the voice behind AleCooks and Piloncillo & Vainilla.
I create easy, family-friendly recipes with Mexican roots and a plant-forward mindset—always flexible and made to bring people together. I’m also the co-author of Yo Cocino Latino and love helping home cooks feel more confident in the kitchen.
Come say hi on Instagram—I’d love to hear what you’re cooking.