Roasted Tomatillo and Avocado Salsa
This savory salsa is packed with flavor by roasting the peppers and tomatillos before blending with spices and avocado. Great for dipping with bell peppers, cucumber slices, on top of chicken, or your favorite low-carb tortilla chip. I love to make tortillas out of EggLife tortilla shells. Simply sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cayenne, then spritzing with avocado oil and baking at 425 for 20 minutes until crunchy.
What are Tomatillos?
Tomatillos may look like tomatoes but are far from it in flavor. They are harvested in late summer and if allowed, would turn to shades of purple and red but the unripened green stage is where the best flavor is found.
Tomatillos have a lemony flavor that enhances other flavors in your dish.
How to Choose and Store Tomatillos
Tomatillos will be found in your produce section, typically piled up. You’ll want to look for fruits that are firm but not rock-hard and their husks will look fresh and less intact. They can be stored at room temperature for up to two days. After 2 days, it’s best to loosely wrap and store them in a refrigerator.
Before using in a recipe, remove husks and discard, then remove the stems. Rinse in cool water as they will feel sticky to the touch.
Health Benefits of Tomatillos
Tomatillos are great for promoting digestion, they can also help to lower blood pressure, improve heart health, boost one’s immune system and even help to prevent cancer. It’s important to note that tomatillos are nightshades that could trigger some arthritis symptoms if consumed frequently.
They are high in vitamin C (about 20% of RDA), vitamin K,A, and E but it’s there fiber that really promotes digestion by preventing bloating and excess gas.
Their anti-bacterial properties help soothe cold, flu, and strep throat symptoms. Incorporating them into your healthy way of eating will round out a balanced diet.
Enhancing the Flavor
Jalapenos can be a love hate. This recipe calls for 1 small jalapeno with the membrane and seeds removed. I recommend starting with half the jalapeno and adding the other half if you need to further enhance the flavor without bringing too much heat to your blend. The roasting process brings all of the heat to the surface and unless your goal is to bring the heat, start small and work more in during the blending process.
Red Bell Peppers, when roasted provide a sweeter pop of flavor that goes well with the tomatillos and avocado.
Lime juice will bring out the lemony flavor from your tomatillos while the avocado provides that creamy almost dairy like addition to the blend.
I’d love to know how you “tomatillo” your recipes up.
My Pepita Seed Tortillas also make excellent chips by rolling very thin onto a parchment-lined sheet and cutting into triangles then baking for 25 minutes.
If you want to round out your Mexican food night, try incorporating some of these Top Keto Mexican Food Recipes
Roasted Tomatillo and Avocado Salsa
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Oven
- Food Processor or Blender
Ingredients
- ½ pound Tomatillos, husked and halved
- 1 small Jalapeno, Seeds and membrane removed. 1 large for a spicier taste
- 3 clove Garlic cloves
- ½ small Red bell pepper, seeds removed and halved
- ¼ cup Onion, slices
- 3 large Avocados, pits removed
- 1 tbsp Avocado Oil
- ¼ cup Cilantro, fresh, stems removed
- ½ tsp Cumin
- ½ tsp Mexican Oregano
- 1 tbsp Lime juice
- 1 tsp Salt, more to taste
- 1 tsp Fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F
- Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Spritz with oil to coat.
- Arrange tomatillos, red bell pepper, onion, jalpeno, and garlic cloves on the sheet pan. Group each together to easily remove in batches as they reached completion.
- Roast for 15-30 minutes. Checking frequently as garlic and onions will finish before peppers and tomatillos
- Cool all roasted ingredients for 10 minutes before adding to food processor with the S-blade affixed.
- Add ½ tbsp of lime juice with all ingredients listed and pulse until creamy. Taste before adding additional salt, pepper or lime juice
- Serve with your favorite keto tortilla chip or yellow bell peppers. Tastes great on top of chicken.
Notes
