Taquería-Style Creamy Avocado Salsa Verde

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The pourable green sauce that lives in a squeeze bottle on every good taco counter: tangy tomatillos blistered just long enough to lose their raw bite, blended with ripe avocado, serrano heat, and a fistful of cilantro until it turns pale, glossy, and thick enough to coat a carnitas taco without sliding off. No dairy — the avocado and a little olive oil do all the creaming.

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed (about 8 medium)
• 2 serrano chiles, stems removed
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 large ripe Hass avocado, halved and pitted
• 1 cup packed cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped white onion
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup cold water, plus more to thin
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin (optional)

• 2 tbsp finely chopped white onion
• 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the husked tomatillos and the whole serranos, reduce to a strong simmer, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, just until the tomatillos turn from bright green to a duller olive green and feel soft when pressed with a spoon. Do not let them burst and go watery.
2. Meanwhile, drop the peeled garlic cloves into the simmering water for the last 60 seconds to take the raw edge off. Drain everything in a colander and let it sit 5 minutes to cool and shed steam — reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid if you like, though cold water gives a fresher flavor.
3. Scoop the avocado flesh into a blender. Add the drained tomatillos, serranos (start with 1 1/2 if you are heat-shy), garlic, cilantro, chopped white onion, lime juice, olive oil, 1/4 cup cold water, salt, and cumin if using.
4. Blend on high for 45 to 60 seconds, scraping down once, until completely smooth and pale jade-green with no flecks of onion left. The sauce should be thick and glossy, like a loose crema.
5. Check the consistency: for a spoonable table salsa leave it as is; for a squeeze-bottle sauce that drizzles over tacos, blend in cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until it ribbons off a spoon. Taste and adjust with salt and a squeeze more lime — it should taste distinctly tart, since fat and tortillas mute acidity.
6. Transfer to a bowl or squeeze bottle and refrigerate at least 20 minutes to firm up and let the flavors settle. Stir in the finely chopped onion and cilantro just before serving if you want texture. Serve cold with tacos, grilled meat, eggs, or chips.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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