• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
    • Meats
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Turkey
    • Seafood
      • Shellfish Recipes
        • Calamari
        • Clams
        • Crab
        • Lobster
        • Mussels
        • Oysters
        • Scallops
        • Shrimp
      • Fish
    • Salsas and Dips
      • Salsas
      • Dips
    • Soups
    • Side Dishes and Drinks
      • Side Dishes
      • Drinks
    • Breads and Grains
    • Vegetarian Dishes
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • and More!
  • Recipes by Type
    • Puerto Rican Recipes
    • Mexican Recipes
    • Recipes
  • Beyond the Kitchen
    • and More!
    • My Best Blogging Tools
  • Library

Mexican Appetizers and More!

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Puerto Rican Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Puerto Rican Recipes
    • Recipes
    • About Me
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Salsas and Dips » Salsas » Habanero Tomatillo Salsa

    Published: Feb 1, 2017 Modified: Jun 10, 2023 by Catherine Arena 7 Comments

    Habanero Tomatillo Salsa

    Share on Social!

    • Facebook
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Habanero Tomatillo Salsa is excellent with steak, chicken, fish, tacos, tostadas, burritos and even tortilla chips if you’re daring enough. Excellent salsa!

    Habanero Tomatillo Salsa

    This Habanero Tomatillo Salsa has simple ingredients and is very easy to make.

    However, let me forewarn you my foodie friends, if you do not like spicy salsas, maybe you should not make this one. As for me though, I do truly enjoy having some spice and heat in my food but also not where it is so overpowering that I will not enjoy or taste my dish.

    Surprisingly, this salsa for me is not overpowering and a little of it goes a long way!

    I find this salsa perfect for steak, fish and chicken. Of course you can also choose to enjoy it with some tortilla chips if you’re a little daring!

    Tomatillos

    Tomatillos, originated in Mexico and were cultivated in the Pre Columbian Era. They are known as the Mexican husk tomato because of its outer husk and are a true staple in Mexican cooking.

    They are used raw or cooked in a variety of dishes especially in salsa verde.

    Interestingly enough, tomatillos keep well refrigerated for two weeks and freeze well kept whole.

    Check out my Chilaquiles Verde with Chicken recipe made with tomatillos. One recipe that will certainly not disappoint you.

    Tomatillos and habanero peppers on a wooden cutting board for the Habanero Tomatillo Salsa

    Habanero Pepper

    Habanero peppers are extremely hot and were once the hottest pepper in the world ranging at 100,000 to 350,000 units on the Scoville Scale. Today they are a little further down the Scoville Scale and the Carolina Reaper holds the title of the hottest pepper in the world at 2,200,000 SHU!

    Unripe habaneros are green but come in a variety of colors, from orange, red, white, yellow, brown and even purple. They are believe to have originated in Mexico and currently grow in Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Columbia and also in some parts of the states, Idaho, Texas and California. However, today the largest producer of habaneros is in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

    Today I also made Roasted Poblano Tacos and added this salsa to them and it just made my tacos that much more delicious…look for recipe in the next couple of days.

    Update:  Here’s the recipe for Roasted Poblano Tacos (Tacos Rajas Poblanas)

    Enjoy!

    Buen Provecho foodie friends!

    📖 Recipe

    Habanero Tomatillo Salsa served in a wooden bowl with a side of tortilla chips.

    Habanero Tomatillo Salsa

    This Habanero Tomatillo Salsa is excellent with steak, chicken, fish, tacos, tostadas, burritos and even tortilla chips if you’re daring enough.  Excellent salsa!
    4.63 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salsa
    Cuisine: Mexican, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 5kcal
    Author: Catherine Arena

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs tomatillos husks removed and rinsed well
    • 2 habanero peppers rinsed
    • ½ Half onion chopped
    • 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse them well to remove stickiness from outer skin. Rinse habaneros. 
      Add water to a small pot and over medium heat, boil tomatillos and habaneros for 10-15 minutes. 
    • Remove from pot and place tomatillos and habaneros in a blender after removing stems from habaneros. Blend for a few seconds until you have a chunky salsa. 
      Add salt and pepper to taste.
    • Place salsa in a dip bowl. (Could refrigerate for 30 min if you would like) Chop onion and cilantro and top salsa with both.
    • Serve with steak, chicken or fish. Use in tacos, tostadas or burritos. Or if you’re a little daring, serve with some tortilla chips.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 6 | Calories: 5kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Potassium: 24mg | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Click the stars above or below to rate or leave a comment down below!

    And as always please do not forget to come back and leave me your comments and let me know how much you enjoyed the Habanero Tomatillo Salsa!

    More Salsas

    • Guava BBQ Sauce (Salsa de Guayaba) in a mason jar with whole heads of garlic beside and lime wedges.
      Guava BBQ Sauce
    • Puerto Rican Salsa Criolla (Puerto Rican Creole Sauce) in a pot surrounded by bell peppers, garlic and cilantro.
      Puerto Rican Salsa Criolla
    • Tomatillo Pico de Gallo served in a clear bowl.
      Tomatillo Pico de Gallo
    • Jalapeño Salsa served in a glass bowl and topped with sliced jalapeños.
      Super Easy Jalapeño Salsa

    Subscribe

     
     

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mr. E. Panda says

      January 15, 2024 at 12:55 am

      This is an easy tasty recipe. However, I had to make it with 4 habaneros to make it somewhat spicy.

      Reply
    2. Steve says

      July 29, 2019 at 4:58 pm

      Ilive on Vancouver Island BC Canada . I had a very sucessful veggie garden last year and decided to add tomatillas and habeneros to the crop this year. Each of the tomatilla plants has 20-30 tomatillas and another 20-3- flowers. The habeneros are slower but very healthy. What size should the tomatillas reach before harvest or do they fall off the branch when ripe? Not too many grown around here so there’s no one to ask. Can you help. Gracias. Esteve

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        July 29, 2019 at 8:57 pm

        Hello Steve from Canada! 😄 Thanks for writing in! So happy to hear you have had success in your gardening crop and have since added habaneros and tomatillos. To answer your questions, tomatillos can grow anywhere from a golf size to a full size beefsteak tomato. They’re usually good to harvest when the fruit has filled out the husk and husk is green, then you can simply twist off to harvest. If they are left longer on stem you will notice the husk start to split some and if not removed, the tomatillos will start to ripen further and turn color. Here is a great article if you like, https://bonnieplants.com/how-to-grow/growing-tomatillos/. Hope this helps to answer your questions! Let me know how the habaneros continue growing!

        Reply
        • Steve Woods says

          August 14, 2019 at 11:46 pm

          I am happy to report that I am getting all the tomatillos a man could have wanted. You are certainly right about what I needed to be looking for. The biggest are twice as bid as a golf ball. I will have enough for a couple gallons of salsa verde. Thanks

          Reply
          • Cathy says

            August 16, 2019 at 4:56 am

            Haha Steve! That is so great! I’m so happy to hear your tomatillos have done so well!!! A couple of gallons huh?! Haha! You will have to send some my way!! I have quite a few recipes here for all those extra tomatillos. Here are some ideas if you like, Ceviche Verde-Green Ceviche, Creamy Sour Cream Salsa Verde Sauce, Avocado Salsa Verde, and Chuletas de Puerco (Pork Chops in Salsa Verde). For more recipes, just search salsa verde and/or green sauce in the search bar and you will see a more detailed list. Hope this helps. How are the habaneros growing? Thanks for keeping me updated on the tomatillos!

            Reply
      • Tony O' Mahony says

        September 28, 2019 at 10:46 pm

        Tomatillos should reach the size of a regular tomato and the outer husk should start to life before it’s time to pick them. It always helps to squeeze them and if they’re still hard, they most likely aren’t ripe enough to pick. Hope this helps.

        Reply
        • Cathy says

          September 29, 2019 at 12:39 am

          Thanks Tony! Appreciate your input! 🙂

          Reply
    4.63 from 8 votes (6 ratings without comment)

    Join the Discussion Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Profile Picture of founder of Mexican Appetizers and More

    HOLA! WELCOME!

    I'm Cathy! Here we like to talk about food, especially Latin food and appetizers. Love Mexican, Puerto Rican and other Latin food? Come and indulge with me in some of the tastiest Latin appetizers and dishes. 

    More about me →

    Recipes We're Loving this Month

    • Puerto Rican Chicken Soup (Sopa de Pollo) in a white bowl with white rice on the side.
      Puerto Rican Chicken Soup

    • Carne Molida (Puerto Rican Picadillo) cooked in a black skillet.
      Easy Delicious Carne Molida (Puerto Rican Picadillo)

    • Carne frita served in a white platter with a side of garlic dipping sauce.
      Carne Frita (Fried Pork Chunks)

    • Sopa de Salchichon (Salami Soup) cooked in a large caldero (dutch oven pot) with a side of white rice and avocado halves.
      Sopa de Salchichon

    • Pollo Chuco (Pollo con Tajadas) assembled on a white plate and pickled red onions on the side.
      Pollo Chuco (Pollo con Tajadas)

    • Puerto Rican Fried Pork Chops served on a white platter.
      Puerto Rican Fried Pork Chops

    • Espagueti con carne molida (Puerto Rican Spaghetti) served in a white bowl with a side of bread, tossed salad and grated parmesan cheese.
      Espagueti con Carne Molida

    • Ensalada de Coditos con Jamon (Macaroni Salad with Ham) served in a white salad bowl and a glass salad bowl.
      Ensalada de Coditos con Jamón

    Dinner Recipes

    • Costillas Fritas (Fried Ribs) served on a white platter with lime wedges and a side of garlic aioli and garlic vinaigrette.
      Costillas Fritas (Fried Ribs)

    • Mojarra frita laying on top of a bed of white rice surrounding by slices of red onions and avocado slices.
      Mojarra Frita

    • Espagueti con carne molida (Puerto Rican Spaghetti) served in a white bowl with a side of bread, tossed salad and grated parmesan cheese.
      Espagueti con Carne Molida

    • Fully cooked Sudado de Pollo (Colombian Chicken Stew) in pot.
      Sudado de Pollo

    Yummy Desserts

    • Flan de Calabaza served on a white and black patterned plate with caramel sauce around.
      Flan de Calabaza

    • Flan de Café (Coffee Flan) on a white platter and a smaller flan on another white plate topped with coffee granules.
      Flan de Café (Coffee Flan)

    • A slice of Budin de Pan on a small white plate with the rum sauce beside it in a gravy bowl.
      Budín de Pan

    • Arroz con Dulce Puertorriqueño (Puerto Rican Rice Pudding) served in a white casserole topped with ground cinnamon.
      Arroz con Dulce Puertorriqueño

    • Tembleque de Coco served in a rimmed mold, topped with coconut flakes.
      Tembleque de Coco

    • Flan de coco served on a large platter and two individual side servings with whipped cream.
      Flan de Coco (Coconut Flan)

    • Limber de Coco (Coconut Limber) prepared and frozen in plastic cups, topped with shredded coconut and ground cinnamon.
      Limber de Coco

    • Limber de Leche (Limber de Crema) served in plastic cups, topped with cinnamon and one flipped over inside cup. Cinnamon sticks laying beside limbers.
      Limber de Leche

    Popular Recipes

    • Puerto Rican Chicken Soup (Sopa de Pollo) in a white bowl with white rice on the side.
      Puerto Rican Chicken Soup

    • A batch of arroz blanco cooked in a caldero (dutch oven pot). Beside it is a white plate with a serving of rice and avocado slices and a small bowl of habichuelas guisadas (stewed beans).
      Arroz Blanco (Puerto Rican White Rice)

    • Chicharrones de Puerco (Pork Cracklings) served on a white plate with cilantro garlic aioli and lime wedges.
      Chicharrones de Cerdo

    • Carne frita served in a white platter with a side of garlic dipping sauce.
      Carne Frita (Fried Pork Chunks)

    • Refreshing Agua de Platano (Banana Agua Fresca) served in Mason Jars and topped with fresh banana slices and cinnamon.
      Agua de Plátano (Banana Agua Fresca)

    • Authentic Mexican Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce served on a green and white platter.
      Authentic Mexican Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2025 Mexican Appetizers and More

    Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material without express and written permission from this site's owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mexican Appetizers and More with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.