Name: Green Tomato Salsa
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 8 ounces green tomatoes (about 5 small); 1 jalapeño pepper (without seeds); 3 large cloves garlic; 1 medium white onion; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 tablespoons lime juice

Wondering what to do with green tomatoes? Make green tomato salsa, of course! They blend into a zesty dip that tastes just like salsa verde.

Got a garden full of green tomatoes? We’re here to help! Because, get this: the only tomatoes we got this year were green ones. Yep, without going into scientific detail, let’s just say it wasn’t a great year for tomatoes. But! Now we have a whole bush of green tomatoes. There are so many ways to use green tomatoes: like this electric green fancy toast, or green tomato pickles (so good!).

But our new favorite way to use green tomatoes? Salsa. This green tomato salsa that tastes just like salsa verde. Salsa verde is made with tomatillos, but using green tomatoes works just as well: or better! Here’s how to do it.

What green tomatoes to use?

Before we start, it’s important to clarify exactly what type of green tomato to use. Can you use any tomato that is green in color? Actually, no. This recipe is for unripe red tomatoes that are the color green. The confusing part is there are actually varieties of tomatoes that are bred to be green when ripe! The green zebra tomato is a good example of a green-when-ripe tomato. We used this variety of tomato in our Mozzarella Tomato Basil Salad to bring in a lovely contrasting color. In this case, the green tomato tastes juicy and sweet, just like a red tomato.

This green tomato salsa recipe should only be made with red tomatoes that haven’t yet ripened, leaving them green and hard. Why? They have tart, zingy flavor that absolutely makes this salsa. Green-when-ripe tomatoes are absolutely as delicious in their own right: just different.

How to make green tomato salsa

Making green tomato salsa is very similar to making a salsa verde, like our roasted tomatillo salsa. All you need to do is broil the veggies, then pop them into the blender with the other ingredients. Here are the basic steps for making green tomato salsa (scroll down for the full recipe).

Step 1: Broil the vegetables.

Place the green tomatoes on a baking sheet with a quartered white onion, halved jalapeño peppers, and peeled garlic cloves. Broil on high for about 5 minutes per side until tender and browned.

Green tomatoes and onion on baking sheet

Step 2: Blend!

Add the roasted vegetables to a food processor or blender (but start with half the jalapeño). Add cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Pulse until the desired texture forms.

Step 3: Taste!

Taste and adjust flavors as needed. If you like it very spicy, add the other half of the jalapeño or some of the seeds. You may want to refrigerate until serving since the salsa will be warm from the roasting; or leave it at room temperature until serving.

How to serve green tomato salsa

So, once you’ve got that green tomato salsa: what to do with it? We can think of lots of ideas!

With chips. Obviously! Our Homemade Tortilla Chips are a fun kitchen DIY and taste delicious.
As a topping for fish. We happened to have some baked salmon around and it was absolutely fabulous on top! Or try our even quicker broiled salmon (skip the bourbon marinade).
On tacos. Of course, it’s perfect on tacos! Try our Easy Vegan Tacos, Grilled Shrimp Tacos, or Instant Pot Tacos.
On enchiladas. Substitute it for the salsa verde in Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas and Artichoke & Quinoa Enchiladas.

This green tomato salsa recipe is…

Vegetarian, gluten-free, plant-based, dairy-free, and vegan.