Tomatillo Green Salsa — NCHFP
Ingredients
- 5 cups tomatillos chopped
- 1 1/2 cups long green chiles seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup jalapeño peppers seeded and finely chopped
- 4 cups onions chopped
- 1 cup bottled lemon or lime juice
- 6 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin optional
- 3 tablespoons dried oregano leaves optional
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Equipment
- 1 Boiling-water canner with rack
- 5 Pint canning jars Use lids and bands compatible with the jars.
- 1 Large saucepot Choose a pot with room for the full recipe and safe stirring.
- 1 Nonmetallic bubble remover
Directions
- Preheat the canner water to 180°F for hot-packed jars. Wash and rinse the jars, then keep them hot. Prepare lids and bands as their manufacturer directs. Wear gloves when handling hot peppers; keep your hands away from your eyes and face.
- Remove tomatillo husks, wash the fruit and chop it; peeling and seeding are unnecessary. Seed and chop the peppers as specified.
- If peeling the long green chiles, slit each pepper and blister its skin under a broiler or in a 400°F oven for 6–8 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth, cool, peel, discard seeds and chop. Finely chopped peppers may retain their skins; jalapeños need not be peeled.
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil while stirring frequently, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Fill hot pint jars with hot salsa, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Release trapped air, correct headspace, wipe jar rims and fit lids.
- Use a rack and keep jars upright. Water must cover the lids by at least 1 inch, or 2 inches when processing longer than 30 minutes. Cover the canner; begin timing at a full boil and keep it boiling throughout. If boiling stops, bring it back to a boil and restart the full processing time.
- Process in boiling water: 15 minutes at 0–1,000 feet; 20 minutes at 1,001–6,000 feet; or 25 minutes above 6,000 feet. Follow the canner directions above.
- After processing, turn off the heat, remove the canner lid and wait 5 minutes. Lift jars out upright onto a towel or cooling rack. Leave undisturbed for 12–24 hours, then check seals. Refrigerate unsealed jars and use them first. Remove bands from sealed jars, clean and label them, and store in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
Recipe Notes
Private Notes
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Share your results how it turned out.Safety classification
Tested recipe: National Center for Home Food Preservation. Method: Boiling-water
Processing details
Method: Boiling-water
- Pack: Hot pack
- Jar size: Pint jars
- Headspace: 1/2 inch
- Yield: About 5 pints
Tested source
Preparation timeline
Prepare jars and vegetables; cook the tested mixture as directed; fill hot pint jars; process; cool undisturbed.
Equipment
Boiling-water canner with rack and lid, pint jars, jar lifter, funnel, bubble remover, and nonreactive saucepan.
Visual method guide
- Prepare the canner, jars, and measured ingredients.
- Cook and fill jars using the tested recipe card.
- Process with the schedule below, then cool jars upright and undisturbed.
Safety essentials
Keep the tested ingredient proportions and the specified amount of bottled lemon or lime juice. Do not use fresh juice.
About this recipe
A green salsa built around tomatillos, green chiles, onion, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and bottled citrus juice.
Before you begin
Hot pack only. Use pint jars and 1/2-inch headspace. Wear gloves when handling hot peppers.
Altitude/pressure schedule
| Elevation | Pints |
|---|---|
| 0–1,000 ft | 15 min |
| 1,001–6,000 ft | 20 min |
| Above 6,000 ft | 25 min |
Serving suggestions
Serve with tortilla chips, tacos, eggs, or grilled foods after opening.
FAQ
Can I change the peppers? Follow only substitutions explicitly allowed by the tested source; keep total quantities and acid unchanged.
Recipe context and comparison
Choose this recipe when you want a tomatillo-based green salsa rather than a tomato salsa.
Troubleshooting
If boiling stops, return to a full boil and restart the processing time. Refrigerate or reprocess an unsealed jar according to current NCHFP guidance.
Source and provenance
Safety-critical formulation and processing values are tied to the original NCHFP source. Editorial blocks do not replace that source.
Garden planning for this recipe
Plant, space, variety, zone, and timing estimates live on dedicated ingredient pages:
Typical canning season
Season: Summer, Fall
Months: July, August, September
How much of the main ingredient should I grow?
10–20 lb of Tomatillos per person per year
The source-cited calculator below can convert your pantry goal into medium-onion plant estimates where compatible yield data exists.
Garden yields vary by cultivar, climate, soil, pests, and care. Always measure the exact prepared ingredient amount required by the tested canning recipe.