Salsa Verde
/ˈsal.sa ˈbeɾ.ðe/noun
A green sauce, especially one made with herbs, green chiles, or tomatillos.
Did you know?In Mexico, salsa verde is commonly built around tomatillos and green chiles, while Italian salsa verde is an herb-based sauce—one name, two culinary traditions.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sal-
“Salt; a mineral associated with preservation and flavor”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wer- / *werdʰ-
“Green or growing”
Classical Latin
Latin
salsus
“Salted or seasoned with salt”
Classical Latin
Latin
viridis
“Green, flourishing, or fresh”
Medieval Spanish
Spanish
salsa verde
“Green sauce; a sauce identified by its green color”
Modern English
English
salsa verde
“A green sauce, commonly associated with Mexican or Italian cuisine”