Forget Relish: This Is The Zesty Green Sauce Your Hot Dogs Have Been Missing

If you're on the market for a hot dog topping that's a little fresher than ketchup or mustard and a bit more novel than regular relish, here's a tip: Salsa verde. We're talking about the Mexican salsa verde, which leans on tangy tomatillos, not the milder Italian salsa that leans on parsley and capers. It's quite the flavor bomb, as it also features green chiles for heat, alongside onion, garlic, and cilantro. (Recipes may vary; for example, some might skip the garlic.) Dating back to Aztec times, there's a few ways it's made: Sometimes it's just made with raw tomatillos; other times, they may be cooked. Direct heat may be a wise move, as it can add some smoke and soften up the intense flavor of tomatillos, which are the main ingredient.

So, why does it pair with hot dogs? Frankly, hot dogs can be a bit on the greasy side, so something with some acidic punch like this can cut through the fat. That's especially the case if you're doing a classic Sonoran-style dog. These add bacon, which heightens the need for some acidic balance, as well as earthy pinto beans, which can be livened up by the salsa verde. Strictly speaking, this type of dog is served with a jalapeño salsa, but the two share similar ingredients (except the tomatillos), and salsa verde is clearly an appropriate substitute. 

Salsa verde shouldn't be too hard to find in stores, particularly specialty Mexican groceries, but it's also reasonably straightforward to make at home. Broil or roast some tomatillos (this will be trickier if you use the canned version, as they're much wetter) with onion, jalapeño, and garlic until they're a little charred, then blend it all together with some cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Serrano peppers work as well, if you prefer something spicier than jalapeños; around four per pound of tomatillos is a decent ratio.

If you're planning to make Sonoran dogs, you'll need a few other items: As mentioned, the bacon and beans are integral, with the dogs wrapped in the bacon and pan-fried and the beans cooked in the fat afterwards. Sonoran hot dogs also feature fresh chopped tomato and onion, as well as some mustard and mayo (you can work the mayo into the salsa verde if you prefer). They're typically served on bolillos, classic Mexican bread rolls, although Italian-style sub rolls work in a pinch. If you truly want to stack the hot dog high, guacamole, crushed potato chips, and chorizo are some other potential add-ins. Of course, if you just want to keep it simple, salsa verde will still work well solo on a hot dog, as the basic idea of cutting the fat still works.

Salsa verde should keep for three days in the fridge after you make it, and it won't be hard to use up. In Mexico, it goes alongside a lot of dishes from tacos to tamales, or chilaquiles, too.