Tequila Salsa: A Twisted Tomatillo-Tequila Delight

Don’t knock it until you try it – Tomatillo Tequila Salsa. Photo: Los Muertos Crew/Pexels

When you hear about tequila-food pairings, you’re typically going to read about a good tequila to drink with your food — not a good tequila to put in your food.

From Tequila Lime Shrimp to Tequila Poached Pears, the boozy recipe options for tequila are endless. Oftentimes, you’ll see recipes that pair tequila with a variety of citrus-heavy or salty flavors.

As for tequila salsa?

Well, we think that the Bloody Mary has definitively proved that the flavor of tomatoes and alcohol can mix excellently. Even if you aren’t a big fan of the Bloody Mary (don’t worry, you’re not alone), we think that this recipe will have something for you. Rather than doubling down on tomatoes, this recipe’s main ingredient is tomatillos.

Tomatillos, Spanish for ‘Little Tomatoes.” Photo: Mark Stebnicki/ Pexels

Earthier and slightly more acidic than the average tomato, tomatillos will give your salsa a hearty bite that stands up to the lingering notes of tequila.

As such, we’d recommend using either a tequila Blanco or a mezcal for this recipe. While a tequila Blanco will add a light alcoholic nip to the dish, a dash of mezcal will add smokier notes that will pair perfectly with the flavor of tomatillos.

Credit to Richard Ampudia over at Thrillist for the recipe. Hope you enjoy!

Twisted Tomatillo-Tequila Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 oz Tequila Blanco OR 2 oz Mezcal
• 4 Tomatillos
• 1 Roma Tomato
• 1/4 Large White Onion
• 3 Cascabel Chilies
• 2 Arbol Chilies
• 1 Clove Garlic
• 2 oz Olive Oil
• 2 tsp Salt

Directions

1. Boil 2 cups of water in a medium pot. Add cascabel and arbol chilies and boil until soft (about 5-7 minutes). With a slotted spoon, remove chilies and reserve half a cup of the cooking water. Remove stems from the cooked chilies, then add to a blender.
2. Cut a quarter of a large white onion into thick slices, then place in a pan alongside the whole tomato, tomatillos, and garlic clove. Roast over medium heat. Remove garlic and onion once they char and place in blender. The tomato and tomatillos will take a bit longer – once they are charred evenly on all sides, add them to the blender as well.
3. Add half a cup of the reserved cooking water to the blender. Pulse ingredients 3-4 times for 10 seconds each until broken down.
4. Place an empty pot on the stove. Add olive oil, and heat until the oil is smoking. Add the salsa mixture from the blender and cook over medium heat. Once the mixture starts bubbling, add the tequila or mezcal then cook for another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add salt. Pour the salsa into a bowl or container, then refrigerate.
5. For best results, let the salsa rest for at least three hours. To finish it off, you can add lime or fresh-cut cilantro as garnish.

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