Our Taco Tuesday sauce lineup started with a spicy red sauce and a mild, tangy salsa verde. This creamy avocado version takes that green sauce in a silkier direction. Ripe avocado gives it a buttery texture, while tomatillos and fresh lime keep each bite bright. It’s thick enough to cling to a taco and easy to thin for a squeeze bottle.
Also called salsa verde con aguacate or avocado lime crema, this sauce gets its creaminess from the avocado. A little jalapeño adds warmth, but you can start with half a pepper and blend in the rest to taste. Try it over carnitas, grilled chicken, or fish tacos with shredded cabbage.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 to 5 medium tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, and halved
- 1 medium jalapeño, halved lengthwise, with seeds and white ribs removed
- 1 large ripe avocado, pitted and scooped
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped white onion
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
- Juice of 1 large lime, added to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water, as needed
DIRECTIONS
- Simmer the tomatillos and jalapeño. Place them in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the tomatillos soften and turn olive green.
- Drain and cool. Drain the tomatillos and jalapeño well and let them cool before blending.
- Blend the salsa. Add the tomatillos, half the cooked jalapeño, onion, garlic, cilantro, half the lime juice, and salt to a blender. Add the avocado and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more jalapeño or lime juice as desired.
- Adjust the consistency. For a drizzle that flows easily from a squeeze bottle, blend in cold water a tablespoon at a time. For a thicker salsa you can spoon onto tacos or scoop with chips, use just enough water to help it blend.
- Chill and serve. Transfer to a covered bowl or squeeze bottle and refrigerate until chilled. Stir or shake before serving.
Make-Ahead Tip
Lime juice helps slow browning, and limiting air exposure helps preserve the green color. If you’re making the salsa ahead, press food wrap directly against the surface before covering and refrigerating it. For the brightest color, serve it the day you make it.
Chef's Pro-Tips for Success
- Keep it Vibrant Green: Avocados naturally brown quickly when exposed to air. The natural citrus acid from the boiled tomatillos and fresh lime juice acts as a built-in preservative, keeping this sauce a beautiful pastel green in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
- Texture Control: If you want an even lighter, pourable consistency similar to what you find at a fish taco stand, you can blend in 2 tablespoons of cold water.
