Mexican · sauce

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde — from Rick Bayless's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 9:08

Video by Rick Bayless on YouTube · Open on YouTube

30 minMakes 12 × 2 tbsp14 kcal a portion
  • Low carb (2 g net carbs) but not keto: 20% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
  • Vegan
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Nut-free

Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

Charred tomatillos, chilli, garlic and herbs with no oil or sugar: 2 tbsp have about 13 kcal and 2 g of net carbs, a light way to add lots of flavour to tacos, eggs or grilled meat.

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Ingredients 7

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Heat the grill (broiler) with a shelf about 10 cm below it. Spread the tomatillos, unpeeled garlic and the stemmed jalapeño (halved, cut side down) on a baking tray. 0:33
  2. Grill for about 6 minutes until blackened in spots, turn everything over and grill another 6 minutes, until the tomatillos are soft and olive-coloured and the garlic is soft. Let cool. 2:43
  3. Peel the garlic and scrape everything, juices included, into a blender. Pulse to a coarse purée that still has some texture, then pour into a bowl. 3:19
  4. Chop the white onion into small dice, rinse it under cold water in a sieve to tame its bite, and shake dry. Slice the coriander, stems and all. 6:03
  5. Thin the salsa with a spoonful or two of water if it's too thick, season with salt, then stir in as much onion as you like and the coriander. 5:15

Tip. Makes about 1½ cups (12 portions of 2 tbsp). Keeps a few days in the fridge; stir in the onion and coriander just before serving if making ahead. Boiling the tomatillos instead of roasting gives a brighter, tangier salsa.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One portion (2 tbsp) gives you 1 of 12

Energy14 kcal60 kJ
Protein0.4 g1% of a day
Fibre0.7 g3% of a day
Carbohydrate2.7 g2 g net · 1.5 g sugars1% of a day
Fat0.3 g0 g saturated0% of a day
Sodium160 mg7% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 65%
  • Protein 13%
  • Fat 22%

For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

No vitamin or mineral reaches 10% of a day in one serve.

Show the other 15
Vitamin C7%

6.3 mg a serve, mostly from tomatillos (53%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Vitamin K5%

5.8 µg a serve, mostly from tomatillos (49%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Vitamin B63%

0 mg a serve, mostly from tomatillos (38%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Potassium2%

100 mg a serve, mostly from tomatillos (78%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Magnesium2%

7 mg a serve, mostly from tomatillos (81%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Iron1%

0.2 mg a serve, mostly from tomatillos (78%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Zinc1%

0.1 mg a serve, mostly from tomatillos (67%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin A1%

5.4 µg a serve, mostly from fresh coriander (52%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Vitamin E1%

0.2 mg a serve, mostly from tomatillos (57%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Folate1%

4.2 µg a serve, mostly from tomatillos (48%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Selenium1%

0.3 µg a serve, mostly from tomatillos (43%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Calcium0%

6.1 mg a serve, mostly from tomatillos (33%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Vitamin D0%

0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Vitamin B120%

0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Omega-30%

0 g a serve, mostly from tomatillos (81%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by Rick Bayless; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.