BHA & BHT Free Salsa Verde Stir-Fry Sauce
Bright, tangy, and just a little smoky from the cumin, this salsa verde stir-fry sauce brings serious weeknight energy to whatever hits your wok. Tomatillos are simmered until soft and olive-drab, then blended with jalapeño, fresh cilantro, scallion greens, and a squeeze of lime into something that smells absolutely incredible. A splash of tamari and a touch of maple syrup round out the flavor with savory depth and the faintest hint of sweetness. The cornstarch slurry at the end is the secret weapon — it transforms the blended sauce into something glossy and clingy that actually coats your vegetables or protein instead of pooling at the bottom of the pan. For anyone avoiding synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT, bottled stir-fry sauces can be a minefield of ingredient labels and fine print, but every single component here is a whole, recognizable food. It comes together in minutes and keeps in the fridge for up to five days, so you can make a batch ahead and have a preservative-free sauce ready to go all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the sauce
- 8 oz (about 5–6 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 2 tbsp garlic-infused oil
- ½ cup scallion greens, thinly sliced (green tops only)
- 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp fine salt, or to taste
For the slurry
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- 1
Place the tomatillos in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 8–10 minutes, until the tomatillos are fully softened, have turned from bright green to olive-drab, and are just beginning to split.
- 2
Drain the tomatillos and transfer them to a blender. Add the scallion greens, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, tamari, maple syrup, cumin, and salt. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 30 seconds.
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