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Roasted Tomatillo salsa captures the smokey flavor of fire-roasted tomatillos in a delicious tested tomatillo salsa canning recipe. Use Habaneros for plenty of heat, or substitute in a milder pepper to suit your tastes.
If you’re on the lookout for a salsa that packs a punch, Tomatillo Habanero Salsa is just what you need! With its vibrant green color and a delightful blend of tangy tomatillos and fiery habanero peppers, this salsa is sure to awaken your taste buds.
Roasting the tomatillos gives them wonderful smokey notes, and concentrates their flavor. It also ensures that this salsa comes out nice and thick, perfect for dipping!
If you’re looking for a thinner sauce or salsa, I also have canning recipes for regular tomatillo salsa and tomatillo enchilada sauce, as well as a really smokey chipotle tomatillo salsa. That said, this one is my favorite tomatillo canning recipe to date, and I’m really happy with the deep flavor that roasting the tomatoes and onions gives the finished salsa.
This salsa is great in homemade green sauce enchiladas or tossed into a crock pot with a pork shoulder for extra flavorful pulled pork.
Whether you’re using it as a dip, a topping for tacos, or a zesty addition to grilled meats, this salsa is incredibly versatile and oh-so-delicious.
Ingredients for Tomatillo Habanero Salsa
This tested recipe is adapted from the All New Ball Book of Canning. It makes about 5 to 6 half-pints, making it perfect for sharing or keeping stocked in your pantry. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 2½ lbs tomatillos, husked, roasted, and chopped
- 4 habanero peppers, seeded and minced
- 1 red onion, peeled, quartered, roasted, and chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup lime juice
Habaneros give this salsa plenty of heat but feel free to substitute in a milder pepper (like jalapenos, anaheim peppers, or even a single small sweet pepper).
The original recipe calls for red onions for color, but you can use any onion in this recipe.
All tomatillo salsa recipes can be made with green tomatoes instead as a substitution, and unripe green tomatoes work really well in this recipe. (Though, of course, they give it quite a different flavor.
Do not reduce the lime juice in this recipe, as it’s required for canning safety.
How to Make Tomatillo Habanero Salsa
Start by roasting the tomatillos and onions at 425°F (220°C) for about 20 minutes, or until they begin to char and soften.
Once they’ve cooled enough to handle, chop the tomatillos and onions into ½ inch pieces.
Next, combine all the ingredients in a large stock pot and bring the mixture to a boil. After it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. This step helps to meld the flavors together and enhances the overall taste of the salsa.
Once you’ve simmered the salsa, ladle it into prepared jars, leaving a ½ inch headspace.
Canning Tomatillo Habanero Salsa
Canning this salsa is a fantastic way to preserve the fresh flavors. While you can also store it as a refrigerator or freezer salsa (it keeps well for a few weeks in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer), I prefer canning. Freezer space is often a challenge, and having jars of salsa ready to go in the pantry makes meal prep a breeze. Properly canned, this salsa will maintain its peak quality for 12 to 18 months, as long as the jars remain sealed. Just remember to refrigerate any opened jars.
When it comes to the canning process, follow these simple steps: Fill your jars, leaving that crucial ½ inch of headspace. Use a bubble remover to eliminate any air bubbles, then check and adjust the headspace again if necessary. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth to ensure a good seal, and then apply the two-part canning lids until they are fingertip-tight.
Load the jars into a preheated water bath canner. Bring the canner to a full rolling boil and process the jars for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude if necessary.
Altitude Adjustments
Since water boils at a lower temperature at higher altitudes, you’ll need to process the jars for a bit longer based on your elevation. Here’s a handy guide for altitude adjustments:
- 0 to 1,000 Feet in Elevation: Process pint and half-pint jars for 15 minutes.
- 1,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation: Process pint and half-pint jars for 20 minutes.
- Above 6,001 Feet in Elevation: Process pint and half-pint jars for 25 minutes.
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs tomatillos, husked, roasted, and chopped
- 4 habanero peppers, seeded and minced
- 1 red onion, peeled, quartered, roasted, and chopped
- 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup lime juice
Instructions
- Roast tomatillos and onions at 425°F for about 20 minutes until charred and soft.
- Once cool, chop the tomatillos and onions into ½ inch pieces.
- In a stock pot, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Ladle salsa into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch headspace.
- Process jars in a water bath canner for 15 minutes for half pints and 20 minutes for pints, adjusting for altitude.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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