This easy avocado salsa recipe is the perfect mash-up of guacamole + salsa verde. It’s amazing as a chip dip, but also tastes great on burritos, taco salads, nachos, burgers, sandwiches, and more! (Gluten-Free, Paleo, Vegan)
Hi, I’m Emily, and avocados are my love language.
Not *really,* but if I had to choose one food to bring with me to a desert island, avocados would be at the top of the list. I enjoy them basically any way I can (from sauces to desserts!), and I’m always looking for new avocado recipes to try.
Enter: avocado salsa.
You’re Going To Want To Put This Salsa On Everything
If you’ve never had it before, avocado salsa is a perfect mix of guacamole and salsa verde. And if that wasn’t enough to draw you in, I don’t know what will be. This vibrant, creamy green dip is packed with flavor, made in a blender or food processor (so easy!), and tastes amazing on all kinds of delicious dishes.
🍋🟩 EASE: It only takes a few minutes and a few simple ingredients to make. If you’ve got a blender or food processor, you can make this!
🥑 FLAVORS: Creamy avocado, tangy tomatillo, fresh cilantro, and fresh lime flavor take the lead here, with smoky jalapeño coming in close behind. It’s such a great balance of flavors!
🌶️ TOP TIPS: The lime will keep this dip looking vibrant for days, but press plastic wrap onto the surface when storing for even better results!
Happy dipping! xo, Emily
Gather Your Ingredients
Since this is the perfect marriage of guacamole + salsa a lot of the ingredients overlap. Here are the simple ingredients you’ll need to get started:
How To Make Avocado Salsa, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Combine. Place avocado, tomatillos, onion, 1/2 jalapeño, cilantro, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, juice of 1/2 lime in a blender or food processor.
- Blend. Pulse until you reach your desired texture or puree until smooth. Taste avocado salsa and add additional salt, pepper, onion, lime juice, or jalapeño to taste.
- Chill. If possible, cover the avocado salsa and chill 1-2 hours to let the flavor develop. If you don’t have time, it will be ok!
- Serve & Store. Enjoy or store leftover salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 3-4 days.
Variations To Try
We almost always make this avocado salsa recipe exactly as written, but here are some tasty twists to experiment with when you’re craving a change of pace:
- SWAP THE WATER FOR ORANGE JUICE. It’ll give the avocado salsa a bright, citrusy flavor that’s awesome with Cuban flavors and spicy dishes. (Kind of like my Citrus Avocado Dip!)
- TRY GREEN CHILES. If you want a more mild flavor, try adding 1-2 Tbsp. of canned green chiles instead of the jalapeño, or use a fresh poblano pepper! It’s up to you!
- ADD SOME CUMIN. For a deeper, smokier flavor, try adding a little ground cumin to your avocado salsa. 1/4-1/2 tsp. is plenty for this dish!
- USE GARLIC. Feel free to add a minced garlic clove!
What To Serve With Avocado Salsa
Avocado salsa plays nice with basically anything that tastes good with guacamole or green salsa. So, we’re talking…
- TACOS. Avocado Sala is dynamite on my Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos or Famous Fish Tacos. (It’s also great on breakfast tacos…just sayin’…)
- BURRITO BOWLS. Build a burrito bowl (all the yummy burrito fillings without the tortilla) with things like rice/cauliflower rice, beans, grilled chicken, beef carnitas, or sweet pork, then top with fresh goodies like lettuce, tomato, cilantro, and a hefty dollop of avocado salsa.
- WRAP SANDWICHES OR BURRITOS. Or, wrap all that goodness up in a tortilla or wrap! Build an epic burrito or wrap sandwich and top or stuff it with avocado salsa.
- TOSTADAS. We’ve been on a tostada kick lately. Try these yummy Black Bean Tostadas or pile tostadas high with your favorite meaty protein or cheese, then add a little avocado salsa to them after they come out of the oven.
- BURGERS OR POPPERS. Grilling season is just around the corner! Avocado salsa tastes amazing on top of a chicken burger or veggie burger and is mind-blowing with my Chicken Zucchini Poppers.
- GRILLED CHICKEN. While you’re at the grill, feel free to smother your grilled chicken in a little of this magic green sauce.
- TAQUITOS. My Baked Chicken Taquitos are perfect for parties, appetizers, game-day, or a crunchy twist on taco night. Dip in avocado salsa and enjoy!
- NACHOS. Your weekend plans just got more epic. Pile tortilla chips with your favorite nacho toppings, then dip, dollop, or drizzle your nachos with avocado salsa.
- TACO CAULIFLOWER RICE SKILLET. For the paleo or lower-carb folks, my taco cauliflower rice skillet tastes ahhhhmazing with a dollop or three of this avocado salsa on top!
- CHIPS. Then, of course, I have to include tortilla chips! Avocado salsa makes a PERFECT dip for salty, crispy tortilla chips.
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Avocado Salsa
I CAN’T FIND FRESH TOMATILLOS…ANY TIPS? I live in the Southwest, so they’re pretty commonly stored next to tomatoes, avocados, etc. in the grocery store. If you can’t find fresh, canned will totally work! Just know canned tomatillos are a bit more juicy, so you may not want to add as much water when you blend.
HOW TO STORE AVOCADO SALSA. Avocado tends to oxidize (turn brown when exposed to oxygen). The coloring is harmless, but doesn’t look all that appetizing, so minimizing air exposure is the best way to store avocado salsa. I recommend storing avocado salsa in an airtight container and pressing food wrap (plastic wrap, waxed paper or beeswax wrap) down onto the surface, before covering it with a lid.
HOW LONG WILL AVOCADO SALSA LAST? Like most avocado dishes, you’ll want to enjoy this sooner than later. The lime juice will help keep your salsa vibrantly green for 2-3 days in the fridge, especially if you follow the storing tips above.
PRO TIP: YOU CAN FREEZE AVOCADO SALSA! Did you know avocados freeze well? They do! And, the lime juice will help keep this pretty in the freezer. Transfer avocado salsa to a freezer-safe bag, press out any excess air and freeze flat (for faster thawing). Thaw in the refrigerator and stir to re-combine before serving.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Easy Avocado Salsa recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Easy Avocado Salsa (SO GOOD!)
Ingredients
- 1 ripe avocado peeled & pitted
- 3-4 tomatillos, quartered (fresh or canned–husks removed & rinsed if using fresh)*
- 1/4-1/3 cup white onion or sweet onion – diced
- 1/2-1 jalapeño – diced*
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt more or less, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper more or less, to tastenc
- Juice of 1/2 lime about 1 Tablespoon
- 3-4 Tablespoons water OPTIONAL – to blend
- Optional: 1/4 tsp. cumin
Instructions
- Combine. Place avocado, tomatillos, onion, 1/2 jalapeño, cilantro, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, juice of 1/2 lime in a blender or food processor
- Blend. Pulse until you reach your desired texture or puree until smooth. Taste avocado salsa and add additional salt, pepper, onion, lime juice, or jalapeño to taste.
- Chill. If possible, cover the avocado salsa and chill 1-2 hours to let the flavor develop. If you don't have time, it will be ok!
- Serve & Store. Enjoy or store leftover salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 3-4 days.
Notes
- Tomatillos. You can use fresh OR canned tomatillos for this recipe. If using fresh tomatillos, you’ll want to remove the papery husk, rinse the tomatillos, then quarter them for easier blending.
- Try Roasting. This salsa was designed to be made with fresh or canned tomatillos. Raw tomatillos have a brighter, tangier flavor, which I love here. If you prefer, you can broil or roast the tomatillos first, for a slightly different flavor.
- Storage Tip. The lime and tomatillos will keep this avocado salsa looking green for several days, but for even better storage, press a piece of plastic wrap or food wrap onto the surface of the salsa before storing.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/avocado-salsa/This recipe was originally published April 2020. Updated with improved recipe notes, new photos, and video and republished September 2025. Here’s a peek at our original photos!
So good! It really is the perfect matchup of salsa verde and guacamole
This sauce looks beautiful, tastes addicting, and is actually healthy. I appreciate that it is raw, too. I like to use it on fried or scrambled eggs, with canned black beans, on sliced rotisserie chicken, or of course just with salty tortilla chips, etc. I think it could be used just about anywhere savory. My curiosity is, is there any way to translate the flavors in a nightshade-free way? It would be impossible for it to taste exactly the same, but how would someone go about getting close?? I wonder. Regardless, I will continue to enjoy the deliciousness as is.
Hi, S! I’m not a nightshade free expert, but Unbound Wellness is a great resource! She uses kiwi and cucumber in her recipe instead of tomatillos!
Excellent! Very easy to make. My husband loves it! Thanks! ❤️
Awesome recipe!! Add a pinch more salt and jalapeño for heat. This is a keeper!
This was a huge hit! I love how it takes the best of guacamole and salsa verde.
This didn’t have much flavor so I added fresh garlic. Now it’s great.
There’s no mention in the instructions of when to add the tomatillos. Are they chopped or added to the blender to puree? I have never used them before, so I’d like a little more info on preparation.
Thank you
Hi Sheryl! So sorry for the confusion. They go in with the other ingredients to blend. The only preparation you’ll need is to remove the papery husk on the outside, then give them a quick rinse. (If using canned tomatillos, they’ll already be husked and rinsed.) I’ve clarified this in the recipe card for the future 🙂
Your Avocado Salsa Recipe caught our attention, so we added it to our list. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe. Keep up the good work!