Gabriela Cámara’s Salsa Verde Cruda Recipe
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Dec 21, 2024 • 1 min read
In Mexico, each region has its own specialty salsa based on the local ingredients and local palates. Salsas crudas—like salsa verde and pico de gallo—are uncooked, unlike others that might rely on the deep flavor of charred vegetables and toasted chiles.
Salsa verde, or green salsa, gets its name from a lush profile of green ingredients: fresh green tomatillos, green chiles, perfectly ripe avocado, a handful of aromatic cilantro, and crisp lettuce. The result adds a spicy-but-cool, brightly herbaceous character to everything from tacos to tamales and beyond.
Learn From the Best
Watch Gabriela Cámara Demonstrate How to Make Salsa Verde Cruda
5 Ways to Serve Salsa Verde
Making salsa verde from scratch is a breeze, and once you have it on hand, it goes well with just about everything you can think of. Here are some ways to serve salsa verde:
- Tacos: There is no canvas more versatile than the taco: salsa verde is a natural partner for any kind of taco, from carnitas to carne asada to tinga de pollo.
- Tamales and sopes: Salsa verde is a perfect complement for anything featuring the earthy sweet undertones of masa, like tamales, sopes, quesadillas, of fresh totopos, or tortilla chips.
- Enchiladas: Use salsa verde to bring brightness into baked, casserole-style dishes like enchiladas.
- Huevos divorciados: Have a well-balanced breakfast of huevos divorciados: douse one half in salsa verde, and the other in salsa roja.
- Grilled meat: Serve salsa verde alongside grilled fish or meat; the cool acidity and fresh flavor adds levity to salty smoke and char.
Gabriela Cámara’s Salsa Verde Recipe
makes
about 1,200gprep time
5 mintotal time
10 mincook time
5 minIngredients
This raw, creamy salsa is simple to make. It packs medium heat and a lot of fragrance. You can use hearts of romaine instead of little gem lettuce here; the idea is to add freshness and crispiness to the mix. Seek out a very ripe avocado—it should offer no resistance when touched lightly from the outside and be soft enough to press a spoon into.
It’s important for the tomatillos, a type of green tomato known as a Mexican husk tomato, to be fresh—canned versions of roasted tomatillos tend to lack the bright acidity necessary to make the sauce shine. Fresh tomatillos are commonly available at Latin or farmers' markets and are likely available in your local supermarket.
- 1
Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend on high speed until smooth and combined.
- 2
Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Serve immediately.
Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by culinary masters, including Gabriela Cámara, Chef Thomas Keller, Massimo Bottura, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Alice Waters, and more.