Equipment
Ingredients
Pasilla Tomatillo Salsa
- 2 dried pasilla chiles
- 4 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- ½ white onion, cut into chunks
- 2 garlic, unpeeled
- 120 ml boiling water
- 3 g kosher salt
- 15 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
Tacos
- 2 ripe avocados
- 6 corn tortillas
- 10 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- ¼ white onion, finely diced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 165 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 21 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 214 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 480 mg
- Calcium
- 40 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 46 mg
- Phosphorus
- 133 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 56 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 12 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 19 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.09 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.19 mg
- Niacin
- 2.1 mg
- Folate
- 53 mcg
- Water
- 121 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place a dry cast iron skillet over medium heat. Toast the stemmed and seeded pasilla chiles for 30 to 60 seconds per side, using tongs to press them flat, until fragrant but not smoking.
Transfer the toasted chiles to a heatproof bowl and cover with the boiling water at 100°C/212°F. Submerge fully and let soak to rehydrate.
In the same cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, dry-roast the tomatillos, onion chunks, and unpeeled garlic cloves. Turn occasionally until all sides show dark, blackened blisters.
Remove the roasted vegetables from the skillet. Once cool enough to safely handle, peel and discard the papery skins from the garlic cloves.
Place the rehydrated pasilla chiles, 60ml of their soaking liquid, roasted tomatillos, roasted onion, peeled garlic, lime juice, and kosher salt into a blender. Blend until a smooth, cohesive salsa forms.
Halve the avocados, remove the pits, and slice the flesh into thick wedges.
Wipe the cast iron skillet clean and return to medium-high heat. Toast the corn tortillas one or two at a time for about 30 seconds per side until warmed through and flexible.
Divide the sliced avocado evenly across the warmed tortillas, laying the pieces in a line down the center of each.
Top the avocados generously with the blended pasilla tomatillo salsa. Garnish with the finely diced white onion and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Always toast dried chiles before rehydrating them. This brief exposure to heat awakens dormant essential oils and deepens their complex, earthy flavors.
- Retain the soaking liquid from the pasilla chiles. It contains a wealth of leached flavor, but always taste it first before adding it to the blender, as it can occasionally develop a harsh bitterness depending on the chile crop.
- To keep corn tortillas perfectly warm and pliable, immediately transfer them from the skillet into a slightly damp, clean kitchen towel. The trapped steam acts as a natural hydrator and prevents cracking.
- Do not assemble the tacos until the exact moment of serving. Warm tortillas paired with the cool, creamy room temperature avocado provide a delicate textural contrast that deteriorates rapidly.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Salsa can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Store avocado and tortillas separately.
Freezer: 3 months — Salsa freezes well in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Warm tortillas individually on a dry skillet over medium heat until pliable.
Troubleshooting
Salsa tastes overly bitter
Cause: Pasilla chiles were burnt during the dry-toasting phase or the soaking liquid was unusually bitter.
Fix: Blend in a small pinch of sugar or a dash of agave nectar to balance out the bitterness.
Prevention: Toast chiles only until just fragrant, moving them constantly. Taste the soaking liquid before adding it to the blender.
Corn tortillas crack when folded
Cause: Tortillas were not heated thoroughly or dried out in the pan.
Fix: Double wrap the tacos (use two tortillas per taco) to hold the fillings.
Prevention: Heat quickly over high heat and stack in a clean kitchen towel immediately to trap steam.
Cultural Context
Pasilla chiles are the dried form of the chilaca pepper, named for their dark, wrinkled skin that resembles a raisin (pasilla). In traditional Mexican cuisine, their rich, deeply earthy flavor profile is classically paired with the bright, sharp acidity of roasted tomatillos to create complex table salsas that naturally elevate simple, foundational ingredients like fresh masa and avocado.
