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Roasted Tomatillo and Avocado Salsa

5.0

(1)

Bowl of green dip on plaid surface.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca

This dip is inspired by salsa de aguacate and Venezuelan guasacaca, two condiments that feature avocado blended until smooth rather than coarsely mashed as in guacamole. By roasting the onion, spicy jalapeño, smoky poblano, and vegetal tomatillo, you concentrate their flavors. After letting everything cool, blitzing them with avocado (plus garlic, lime, and cilantro) creates a velvety texture that’s just begging to be scooped up with a crunchy chip. Plantain chips (or super crunchy store-bought tostones) are great here for their heft and mellow flavor, but tortilla chips work just as well, as do homemade tostones.

A note on heat: There’s a lot of room to customize the spice level in this dip. Two jalapeños with their ribs and seeds will yield a gentle buzz of heat. If you’re sensitive to spice, remove the ribs and seeds before roasting. If you like things hot, swap in serrano chiles for one or both of the jalapeños.

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What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    6–8 servings

Ingredients

1 large onion, quartered
2 jalapeños, halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed if desired
1 poblano chile, halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed
8 oz. tomatillos (about 5 medium), husks removed, rinsed, halved, quartered if large
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
2 medium ripe avocados, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
⅓ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
6 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Plantain chips (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 425°. Place 1 large onion, quartered, 2 jalapeños, halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed if desired, 1 poblano chile, halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed, and 8 oz. tomatillos (about 5 medium), husks removed, rinsed, halved, quartered if large, on a large rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and season with 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Toss to coat and arrange in an even layer. Roast until tomatillos burst and are jammy and onion and chiles are tender and blistered in spots, 17–22 minutes. Let cool.

    Step 2

    Transfer vegetables to a food processor. Add 2 medium ripe avocados, coarsely chopped, 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped, ⅓ cup coarsely chopped cilantro, and 6 Tbsp. fresh lime juice and process until smooth. Taste salsa and season with more salt if needed.

    Step 3

    Transfer salsa to a small bowl and serve with plantain chips for dipping.

TagsSnackHealthyishNut FreeDairy FreeGluten FreeVegetarianVeganRoastMexicanLatin AmericanCondimentSalsaTomatilloVegetableAvocadoBon Appétit

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