Salsa Verde Shrimp is an easy, flavorful dinner that comes together quickly—especially when you use store-bought salsa. Tender shrimp sautéed in a tangy, slightly spicy salsa verde is delicious spooned over steamed rice. Below you’ll also find a simple homemade salsa verde method if you prefer to make it from scratch.
Salsa Verde Shrimp
If you use store-bought salsa verde, this dish takes almost no time—two cups of salsa is all you need. If you prefer homemade, the recipe below shows a quick way to make tomatillo-based salsa verde by boiling the vegetables before blending. The tomatillos give the sauce brightness and body, while Anaheim chiles, jalapeños and serranos add heat and green chile flavor.
The roasted or boiled tomatillos paired with chiles and onion produce a thick, tangy sauce that works well on many dishes. I also use this salsa verde for green chile chicken enchiladas and pork chile verde—it’s versatile and bright.
How long do you cook shrimp?
Shrimp cooks quickly—cook until the flesh is fully pink and opaque with no grey remaining. For jumbo shrimp I typically sauté 2 minutes per side, then add the salsa and cook about 2 more minutes in the sauce, for a total near 6 minutes. For smaller shrimp reduce the time by a minute or two. Avoid overcooking to keep shrimp tender and succulent.
What are tomatillos?
Tomatillos are the foundation of salsa verde. They provide a tangy, slightly fruity note and help thicken the sauce, similar to how tomatoes behave in red sauces. In Mexico they are known as “tomate verde” (green tomato) and are a staple in many green salsas and stews. For this recipe remove the papery husks, rinse, then boil with chiles and onion before blending. If you prefer more depth and charred flavor, you can grill or broil them instead of boiling.
How to make salsa verde sauce
- Remove outer husks from the tomatillos and peel any loose skin from the onion and garlic. Trim stems from the peppers and halve them lengthwise. Cut the onion in half.
- Bring about 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the tomatillos, chiles and onion and boil for 8 minutes.
- Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and transfer the tomatillos, chiles, onion, garlic and cilantro to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Use 2 cups of the salsa verde for the shrimp recipe below and reserve the rest for chips, enchiladas or other dishes.
Alternatively, you can char the tomatillos, chiles and onion under a broiler or on a grill, then blend for a smoky salsa verde.
This salsa verde also pairs beautifully with pork chile verde and many other Mexican-inspired dishes. If you have leftovers, you can quickly turn the cooked shrimp and salsa into a warming soup: combine the salsa verde shrimp with a small can of corn, cooked rice and about 4 cups of chicken stock. Heat through and serve for a simple, comforting bowl.
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Salsa Verde Shrimp
PrintRecipe
Ingredients
US Customary – Metric
- 2 lbs jumbo shrimp shelled and deveined
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups salsa verde (or see below homemade version)
- 2 cups steamed rice
- 1 cup cilantro leaves divided
Homemade Salsa Verde
- 1 lb tomatillos
- 6 Anaheim green chiles
- 2 jalapeños
- 2 Serrano chiles
- 1 large white onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch cilantro
Instructions
Homemade Salsa Verde
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Peel the outer husks from tomatillos and remove any loose skin from onion and garlic. Trim stems from the peppers and slice them in half lengthwise. Cut the onion in half.
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Bring about 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the tomatillos, chiles and onion and boil for 8 minutes.
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Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and transfer them with the garlic and cilantro to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Reserve extra salsa for chips or other recipes; use 2 cups for the shrimp.
Shrimp
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Season the shrimp with kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder in a bowl.
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the shrimp about 2 minutes per side. Pour in 2 cups of salsa verde and cook 2 more minutes, stirring to coat. Stir in half of the cilantro leaves.
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Spoon the shrimp and salsa over steamed rice and garnish with the remaining cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is an estimate and should not replace professional advice.
