This creamy Avocado Salsa is the perfect balance of bright flavor, smooth texture, and just the right hint of spice! Whether you’re dunking tortilla chips, drizzling it over chicken tacos, or adding a scoop to your favorite burrito bowls, this delicious salsa will be the star of your taco night.
- Why We Love This Recipe
- What You’ll Need
- How to Make Avocado Salsa
- Recipe FAQ’s
- Tips for Success
- What to Serve with Avocado Salsa
- Substitutions and Variations
- More Irresistible Mexican-Inspired Dishes to Try
- Avocado Salsa Recipe
This easy avocado salsa recipe is the perfect mix of creamy, zesty, and fresh flavors. Ripe avocados, roasted tomatillos, and serrano chiles create a gorgeous green color with a bright flavor that’s perfect for taco night, burrito bowls, or as a fun dip with tortilla chips.
Unlike chunky salsa, this creamy dip blends into a smooth, velvety texture that’s delicious over refried beans, taco salad, or grilled meats. Fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro add a crisp contrast, while serrano chiles bring just enough heat. No matter how you serve it, this restaurant-style salsa will be a new favorite!
One salsa is never enough! Try my Easy Mexican Restaurant-Style Salsa , Fresh Pineapple Salsa , Homemade Mango Salsa , Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips , and Cranberry Salsa with Cream Cheese for even more bold flavors and irresistible dips!
Why We Love This Recipe
- This creamy avocado salsa is packed with fresh flavors, blending tomatillos, avocado, and serrano chiles for a restaurant-style salsa that tastes amazing.
- It’s an easy avocado salsa recipe that comes together fast, making it perfect for taco night, burrito bowls, or as a fun dip with tortilla chips.
- With simple ingredients like fresh cilantro, garlic cloves, and lime juice, this delicious salsa has a smooth texture, bright flavor, and a gorgeous green color!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Tomatillos or Green Tomatoes – The base of this delicious salsa, bringing a bright, slightly tangy flavor. Tomatillos have a natural tartness, but green tomatoes work well too if your garden is overproducing.
- Onion – Adds a mild bite and depth of flavor. White onion is traditional, but red onion can add a slightly sweeter taste.
- Oil – Helps the ingredients roast beautifully, enhancing their natural sweetness and smoky flavor. Olive oil is a great option, but any neutral oil will work.
- Garlic Cloves – Fresh garlic gives this creamy dip a rich, savory note. Roasting one clove mellows the flavor, while the raw garlic adds a punch.
- Serrano Peppers – Brings the perfect heat levels to the salsa. For less heat, swap for a poblano pepper, or for extra spice, try a few green chiles.
- Avocado – The star of the show! Ripe avocados create a smooth, creamy texture and give the salsa its gorgeous green color. If you only have underripe avocados, let them soften in a paper bag for a day or two.
- Lime Juice – Fresh lime juice adds brightness and keeps the avocado from browning. Fresh is best, but bottled will work in a pinch.
- Fresh Cilantro – Brings a crisp, herbaceous flavor that pairs beautifully with the tomatillos and avocado. If cilantro isn’t your thing, try fresh parsley for a milder alternative.
- Kosher Salt – Enhances the flavors and balances the acidity. Sea salt works too, but start with less and adjust to taste.
How to Make Avocado Salsa
- Roast ingredients. Preheat the air fryer to 390°F (200°C). Place the serrano peppers, tomatillos or green tomatoes, one garlic clove, and onion in the basket. Drizzle with a little oil for extra flavor or leave them dry for a more roasted taste. Air fry for about 10 minutes until slightly charred.
- Cool and blend. Remove everything from the air fryer and let it cool for a few minutes. Transfer the roasted ingredients to a food processor (affiliate link) or blender.
- Add fresh ingredients. Toss in the remaining raw garlic clove, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and avocado in chunks. This keeps the balance between smoky and bright flavors.
- Blend to perfection. Blend until smooth for a creamy dip, or pulse a few times if a chunkier salsa is preferred. Adjust the salt to taste.
- Serve and enjoy. Pair this delicious salsa with tortilla chips, spoon it over chicken tacos , mix it into a taco salad , or drizzle it onto burrito bowls for the best way to add a creamy, flavorful kick!
Yes! This delicious salsa can be made 1-2 days in advance. Just store it in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface to prevent browning.
It has a medium heat level thanks to the serrano chiles. For less heat, use a poblano pepper or remove the seeds. If you love extra spice, try adding an extra serrano or a few green chiles.
Keep leftover avocado salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The fresh lime juice helps slow browning, but giving it a quick stir before serving will bring back its gorgeous green color.
Freezing isn’t ideal since the texture of the avocado may change. If needed, blend it again after thawing to smooth it out.
It’s perfect for dipping tortilla chips, spooning over refried beans, drizzling on burrito bowls, or adding a fresh, creamy kick to chicken tacos and taco salad!
Tips for Success
- Use the best avocados you can find. Ripe avocados make all the difference in achieving that smooth, creamy texture, while underripe avocados can make the salsa too firm. Let them ripen in a paper bag if needed.
- Roast the tomatillos and peppers well. A little charring adds depth and brings out their natural sweetness, giving the salsa that irresistible restaurant-style salsa taste.
- Adjust heat levels to your preference. Serrano chiles bring a nice kick, but for less heat, swap them for a poblano pepper, or for extra spice, throw in an extra chile.
- Keep the salsa fresh. Lime juice slows oxidation, but storing it in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed on top helps maintain its bright green color.
What to Serve with Avocado Salsa
Scoop it up with crispy tortilla chips for a fun dip, or drizzle it over chicken tacos and taco salad for an extra layer of bright flavor.
It pairs beautifully with burrito bowls , refried beans , or even a side of grilled sweet corn as part of a meal.
For a restaurant-style salsa experience, serve it alongside chunky salsa , tomatillo salsa, or even a mango avocado salsa for a variety of flavors!
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap tomatillos for green tomatoes if you can’t find fresh tomatillos. The flavor will be slightly less tangy but still delicious.
- Use a poblano pepper instead of serrano chiles for a milder heat, or add extra serrano for a spicier kick.
- Try red onion instead of white onion for a slightly sweeter and more colorful twist.
More Irresistible Mexican-Inspired Dishes to Try
- Baja Fried Fish Tacos Recipe
- Homemade Corn Tortillas
- Blackened Salmon Tacos Recipe
- New Mexican Posole
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn Dip
- Homemade Mexican Rice
- Grilled Pork Tacos al Pastor
- Mexican Hot Chocolate
Avocado Salsa
Ingredients123
- ▢ 8 tomatillos or green tomatoes
- ▢ ½ medium onion
- ▢ ½ teaspoon oil
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic divided
- ▢ 2 serrano peppers
- ▢ 1 ripe avocado peeled and pitted
- ▢ Juice of ½ lime
- ▢ ½ bunch fresh cilantro
- ▢ Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (200°C). Place the peppers, green tomatoes, one garlic clove, and onion in the basket. You can drizzle them with a bit of oil for extra flavor, or leave them as is. Air fry for 10 minutes, until slightly charred. 8 tomatillos, ½ medium onion, ½ teaspoon oil, 2 cloves garlic, 2 serrano peppers
- Remove from the air fryer and let the ingredients cool for a few minutes. Then, transfer them to a blender.
- Add the remaining raw garlic clove, cilantro, lime juice, and avocado in tablespoons. Juice of ½ lime, ½ bunch fresh cilantro, 1 ripe avocado
- Blend until smooth, or pulse for a chunkier consistency if preferred. Season with salt to taste. Kosher salt
- Pair with tortilla chips, nachos, tacos, grilled meats, or even eggs for a flavorful kick!
Notes
- Yield: Approximately 2 cups.
Storage & Make Ahead
- Store: Keep leftover avocado salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface before sealing to help prevent browning.
- Freeze: Freezing isn’t ideal since avocado changes texture, but if needed, store it in a freezer-safe container and blend again after thawing for a smoother consistency.
- Reheat: This salsa is best served cold or at room temperature, so no reheating is necessary—just give it a good stir before serving.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the salsa up to a day in advance and store it in the fridge with plastic wrap pressed on top to keep it fresh and vibrant.
Nutrition
Avocado Salsa
Ingredients
- 8 tomatillos or green tomatoes
- ½ medium onion
- ½ teaspoon oil
- 2 cloves garlic divided
- 2 serrano peppers
- 1 ripe avocado peeled and pitted
- Juice of ½ lime
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (200°C). Place the peppers, green tomatoes, one garlic clove, and onion in the basket. You can drizzle them with a bit of oil for extra flavor, or leave them as is. Air fry for 10 minutes, until slightly charred. 8 tomatillos, ½ medium onion, ½ teaspoon oil, 2 cloves garlic, 2 serrano peppers
- Remove from the air fryer and let the ingredients cool for a few minutes. Then, transfer them to a blender.
- Add the remaining raw garlic clove, cilantro, lime juice, and avocado in tablespoons. Juice of ½ lime, ½ bunch fresh cilantro, 1 ripe avocado
- Blend until smooth, or pulse for a chunkier consistency if preferred. Season with salt to taste. Kosher salt
- Pair with tortilla chips, nachos, tacos, grilled meats, or even eggs for a flavorful kick!
Notes
- Yield: Approximately 2 cups.
Storage & Make Ahead
- Store: Keep leftover avocado salsa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface before sealing to help prevent browning.
- Freeze: Freezing isn’t ideal since avocado changes texture, but if needed, store it in a freezer-safe container and blend again after thawing for a smoother consistency.
- Reheat: This salsa is best served cold or at room temperature, so no reheating is necessary—just give it a good stir before serving.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the salsa up to a day in advance and store it in the fridge with plastic wrap pressed on top to keep it fresh and vibrant.
Nutrition
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