Oh, school. Its arrival is so bittersweet. Even though I liked school as a kid, I was never quite ready for summer to end–who is? And now that it’s my own kids heading happily back to class, a part of me is sorry to see them go. (Another part of me is looking forward to a few mornings a week alone with my baby, of course, and to the single hour of silence in my day at her naptime.)
So yesterday we celebrated the Last Day of Summer Vacation with swimming, ice cream cones dripping onto the sidewalk, and an afternoon in the park. Today dawned all business instead: breakfast, brushed hair, a stocked backpack, and then a bike ride to school to deliver our oldest to the rigors of first grade. (It looked pretty fun, actually.)
And by the end of the day we were all exhausted. Quesadillas, rice, beans from a can. And this salsa. This salsa! It brightened everything right up. Bring home a pound of tomatillos and a lime next time you’re out, and in five minutes you’ll be cheered right up. Have the energy to go beyond quesadillas? I love tomatillo salsa on black bean tacos, taco salads, huevos rancheros, and chilaquiles. Especially chilaquiles. Maybe it’s a good thing that the seasons are changing after all. 
Fresh Tomatillo Salsa: Remove the husks from a pound of tomatillos, lightly scrub them to wash off the waxy coating, and quarter them. Remove the seeds from a spicy green pepper (a serrano or jalapeno, say, or the one I got in my CSA box) and chop it coarsely; start with half if it’s quite spicy and consider adding the seeds if it’s not very spicy at all. Slice up 2 biggish cloves of garlic. Transfer tomatillos, peppers, and garlic to a food processor along with 3 Tbsp. lime juice and 1 tsp. salt. Pulse a few times, scrape down the sides, then puree until nearly smooth, leaving just a little texture. Taste and adjust the flavors with more lime juice (I used 4 Tbsp. total, but I suggest starting with 3 because your tomatillos may be more tart than mine), more salt, or more spicy pepper.
Emmy Cooks 
Looks delicious and so easy!!
It really is fast and easy! My favorite recipes usually are. :)
Love tomatillo salsa! This looks so good I could sip it from a cup. :)
Or put it on fish tacos! :)
Thanks for the tip. When I made salsa with Tomatillo Salsa would roast the tomatillo. Your recipe sounds delicious and a real time saver.
Ronda from Paradise
Hi Ronda! I hope you and your family are well! :) I like all kinds of salsa, but this is certainly faster than a roasted/cooked salsa, and the flavor is very bright. At this time of year when the veggies are so good I like to keep it simple. :) Take care!
I’m not sure of this will end up in the comments section or your inbox…I’m trying just replying to the Emmy Cooks email. Sounds like you had a terrific last day before school. The salsa looks so beautiful! I haven’t had good luck with tomatillo salsa…seems I always pick bitter ones. I think I’ll try again.
Lisa (Dinnerversions)
Interesting! It popped up in the comments–that’s fun! I wonder if you’d like the tomatillo flavor more if you tried to find ones that were a little softer and moving toward yellow instead of granny-smith-green?
Love these little five minute additions to a menu that can totally turn something for Ho-Hum to YUM!
Agreed! A five-minute investment is the kind I like to make. :)
I feel like a dunce, I’ve always roasted my tomatillos for salsa. Oops, this looks WAY better!
No, no–ALL kinds of salsas are awesome. This one just has the advantage of being both awesome and quick. :)
If we do a bigger quantity for the next day, let say… how long can we keep it in the fridge? Look soooo good! Will try to find some tomatillos here.
I think it would be best to eat it within a few days. If you have more than you can eat, though, this salsa should freeze well! I’m about to make and can or freeze a big batch myself. :)