Avocado Salsa Verde
This avocado salsa verde comes together in just two steps and under 15 minutes - roast the vegetables in the air fryer, then blend. Charring the serrano peppers, tomatillos, and onion first gives this Mexican dip a deep, smoky flavor you simply can't get from a fresh-blended salsa. Serve it with chips, spoon it over tacos, or use it as a sauce for grilled chicken or eggs.
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What Do I Need to Make This Avocado Salsa Recipe?
You only need a handful of fresh ingredients to make this delicious Mexican dip at home. Grab these supplies to make your own avocado salsa:
- Tomatillos
- Onion
- Garlic
- Serrano peppers
- Avocado
- Lime
- Cilantro
- Salt
- Olive oil (optional)
How Do I Make This Avocado Salsa Recipe?
You're going to love how quickly this comes together. Just five simple steps stand between you and the best avocado salsa you've ever made.
Step One: Roast the Vegetables
Preheat your air fryer to 390°F. Place the serrano peppers, tomatillos, one garlic clove, and onion in the basket. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil if you'd like extra flavor, or leave them dry - either way works. Air fry for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and slightly charred. That char is where all the smoky depth in this salsa comes from, so don't skip it.
Step Two: Cool the Vegetables
Remove the basket from the air fryer and let everything cool for a few minutes before blending. Adding hot vegetables directly to the blender can cause steam pressure to build up, so give them just enough time to cool slightly - five minutes is plenty.
Step Three: Add the Fresh Ingredients
Transfer the roasted vegetables to your blender. Add the remaining raw garlic clove, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and the avocado. The raw garlic goes in at this stage rather than the roasting stage because it adds a bright, sharp contrast to the smoky roasted vegetables - it's a small detail that makes a big difference in the final flavor.
Step Four: Blend to Your Preferred Texture
Blend until smooth, or pulse the blender a few times if you prefer a chunkier consistency. Season with salt to taste and blend once more to incorporate. If the salsa is thicker than you'd like, add a small splash of water and blend again until you reach your preferred consistency.
Step Five: Serve and Enjoy
Pour into a serving bowl and pair with tortilla chips, tacos, nachos, grilled chicken, or eggs. This salsa works as both a dip and a sauce, so don't limit it to the chip bowl.
Avocado Salsa Recipe Tips
You can see how simple this recipe is to make. But that doesn't mean you can't use a few tips and tricks along the way. Use these helpful hacks for preparing a batch of fresh avocado salsa at home:
- Pulse the blender for a chunkier consistency. If you prefer to have small chunks in your salsa, make sure to pulse the blades of your blender instead of fully blending the ingredients together. The number of times you pulse the ingredients will depend on how large you want the chunks to be in your salsa.
- Swap out the peppers. If you don't have any serrano peppers on hand, you can swap them out for jalapenos for added spice or green chiles for a milder flavor. Use more or less depending on the spice level you prefer.
- Roast your veggies in the oven. Don't have an air fryer? You can also prepare your vegetables in the oven before blending. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spread the vegetables in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake until the vegetables are softened and the tomatoes have turned from a bright green to a dark shade of green or slightly brownish color.
- Use green tomatoes in place of tomatillos. If you can't find tomatillos at your grocery store, swap them out for firm green tomatoes.
- Add water to thin. If your salsa is a little too thick for your liking, try adding a small amount of water to the blender to help thin the sauce.
How to Pick a Ripe Avocado
This creamy dip starts with a perfectly ripe avocado! But it can be difficult to know which avocados are ready to eat when you're shopping at the grocery store. A ripe avocado has a dark green skin - not black (overripe) or bright green (underripe). You can also gently press your fingers into the side of the fruit. If it has a slight give to it, it's ripe. If the avocado is hard, it's not ready to eat yet. And if it's squishy, it's probably past its prime.
What to Serve with Avocado Salsa?
There are so many delicious ways to enjoy your green avocado salsa after it's prepared. Try serving it as a dip or sauce for any of these delicious Mexican dishes:
- Tacos
- Burritos and burrito bowls
- Nachos
- Wrap sandwiches
- Tostadas
- Quesadillas
- Burgers
- Taquitos
- Taco salads or skillets
- Tortilla chips
Looking for a traditional salsa recipe with tomatillos? Try my Salsa Verde recipe without avocados.
How to Store Avocado Salsa
Since avocados brown easily, you'll need to take an extra step when storing your avocado salsa to prevent it from getting brown. While the brown color doesn't affect the taste or safety of your sauce, it does make it look unappetizing. That's why I suggest transferring the finished salsa to an airtight container, then pressing a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the salsa before putting the lid on. This extra layer of protection will help minimize air exposure, helping keep it from browning too quickly. When stored properly, the salsa will stay good for two to three days in the refrigerator.
Yes - roast the vegetables in the oven instead. Preheat to 400°F, spread the peppers, tomatillos, garlic, and onion on a baking sheet in a single layer, and roast until softened and slightly charred. The tomatillos are ready when they change from bright green to a darker green or slightly brownish color. Then follow the same blending steps.
Avocado browns when exposed to air - the same reason guacamole turns brown on the surface. To slow it down, press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the salsa before putting the lid on your storage container. This minimizes air contact and keeps it looking fresh for longer. The lime juice in the recipe also helps slow browning.
Yes, and it's actually a great swap. If you can't find tomatillos in the grocery store, you can use firm green tomatoes in their place. The green tomatoes will be larger, so you will just need 4 or 5 tomatoes.
With two serrano peppers it has a medium kick - noticeable heat but not overwhelming. For a milder version, swap the serranos for green chiles or use just one pepper. For more heat, add an extra serrano or leave the seeds in before roasting
Stored properly in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed against the surface, it stays fresh for two to three days in the refrigerator. The flavor is actually best on day one when the roasted and fresh ingredients are at their brightest, so this is one recipe worth making close to when you plan to serve it.
Yes - transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag, remove as much air as possible, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir well before serving. The texture may be slightly looser after freezing, which is normal.
Avocado Salsa Verde
Ingredients
- 8 tomatillos
- ⅓ onion
- 2 garlic cloves 1 roasted, 1 raw
- 2 serrano peppers adjust for spice level
- 1 avocado peeled, pitted
- juice of ½ lime
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon oil for roasting
Instructions
- Roast the ingredients: Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (200°C). Place the peppers, green tomatoes, one garlic clove, and onion in the basket. You can drizzle them with a bit of oil for extra flavor, or leave them as is. Air fry for 10 minutes, until slightly charred.
- Cool & blend: Remove from the air fryer and let the ingredients cool for a few minutes. Then, transfer them to a blender.
- Add fresh ingredients: Add the remaining raw garlic clove, cilantro, lime juice, and avocado.
- Blend to desired texture: Blend until smooth, or pulse for a chunkier consistency if preferred. Season with salt to taste.
- Serve & enjoy! Pair with tortilla chips, nachos, tacos, grilled meats, or even eggs for a flavorful kick!
