Easy Copycat Ninfa’s Green Sauce Recipe (Famous Houston Avocado Salsa)
Ninfa’s Green Sauce holds legendary status in Houston’s culinary landscape, representing the innovative spirit of Mama Ninfa Laurenzo, who transformed a humble tortilla shop into a Tex-Mex empire. The brilliant combination of ripe avocados, tangy tomatillos, and fresh green tomatoes creates a sauce that’s both familiar and uniquely special, offering the perfect balance of creaminess and bright acidity that has kept Houstonians dipping tortilla chips into this sauce for a long time.
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Why This Recipe Works
The genius of Ninfa’s Green Sauce lies in cooking the tomatillos and green tomatoes before blending, which mellows their acidity while concentrating their flavors. This technique creates a more complex taste than raw salsas, while the addition of sour cream provides richness that perfectly complements the creamy avocados. The result is a sauce that’s substantial enough to use as a condiment yet smooth enough for dipping chips.
This creamy avocado salsa is low-carb friendly and is super easy to make. It’s similar to the commercially available Herdez Guacamole Salsa.
Recipe Ingredients for Avocado Tomatillo Salsa
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Avocados – Provide the creamy base and rich texture that makes this sauce special
- Green tomatoes – Add mild acidity and fresh vegetable flavor
- Fresh tomatillos – Contribute signature tangy brightness essential to authentic flavor
- Garlic – Provides aromatic depth and savory backbone
- Jalape̱o pepper РAdds gentle heat that can be adjusted to taste
- Fresh cilantro – Essential herb that gives a distinctive Mexican flavor profile
- Sour cream – Creates luxurious creaminess and balances the tart tomatillos
- Salt – Enhances all flavors and brings the sauce together
How to Make Creamy Mexican Green Sauce
- Peel and remove the seed from the avocados. Discard the skins and seeds.
- Put the avocado flesh in a blender.
- Place chopped tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, jalapenos, and cilantro in a medium saucepan.
- Bring the tomato mixture to a boil and cook it for 15 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked mixture to the blender with the avocados.
- Add sour cream and blend until smooth.
- Add salt to taste.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Freezing: Not recommended, as avocados and sour cream don’t freeze well and may become grainy when thawed.
- Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days. The flavors improve after 24 hours.
- Texture Changes: Natural separation may occur. Stir before serving to restore smooth consistency.
Love Tex-Mex dips? Try these recipes!
- Chili Cheese Dip
- Chuy’s Queso Recipe
- Copycat Chipotle Guacamole
- Mexican Hot Sauce Recipe
- Mexican Restaurant Queso
- Rotel Dip with Meat
- Pappasito’s Salsa
- Taco Dip
And let me know which one of these tasty Mexican dips is your favorite.
Favorite Mexican Recipes
- Authentic Cheese Enchiladas
- Carne Guisada Mexicana
- Chili Relleno Casserole
- Creamy Refried Beans
- Easy Chili Verde
Check out more of my easy sauce recipes and the best Mexican food recipes here on CopyKat!
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Ninfa’s Green Sauce Recipe – Easy Copycat Version
Ingredients
- 3 avocados
- 3 medium green tomatoes
- 4 fresh tomatillos
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 2-3 teaspoons fresh cilantro
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Peel and remove the seeds from the avocados.
- Place the avocado flesh in a blender.
- Chop the tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, jalapeno, and cilantro.
- Place tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, jalapenos, and cilantro in a medium saucepan.
- Boil the tomato mixture for 15 minutes.
- Transfer the boiled mixture to the blender with the avocados.
- Add sour cream and blend until smooth.
- Add salt to taste.
Always glad to find your emails in my inbox! I grew up in Houston with Ninfas but moved to E TX over 20 years ago. I still miss their amazing food, especially the tacos al carbon before they became ‘cool’. This recipe looks like it will be a winner. – Ninfa’s might have been the restaurant that started the ‘chips before meals’ tradition. If not, they sure did start the green sauce tradition with me! Thanks again!
My homemade version is even easier. About 55 percent French onion dip, 25 percent avocado and 20 percent salsa verde. No skillet needed.
I love trying new sauces although I have never eaten at Ninfa’s. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Try buying the smaller tomatillos they dont have as much of the bitter taste, the bigger they are the more tart they become
Great tip!
I just wanted to add that most of the green sauces I’ve eaten here in Texas, over my 66 yrs have all been tart. Tomatillos are tart so the sauce will have some of that tartness and that’s always been a good thing for me.
The recipe I saw said 2 tbs olive oil when you boil the tomatillos,tomatoes, garlic and Jalapeno.
It also says to let cool. Then throw that with the avocados and cilantro in a food processor. Then add sour cream. Not sure if that is the missing ingredient or not. Going to go try and whip some up now.
I made this recipe and cut the sour cream back to about 1/2 a cup. It still has a slight sour flavor. Could this be the green tomatoes or tomatillos? Anybody?
Sometimes fresh vegetables can vary in flavor. If something is a little extra sour, you can always add a touch of sugar to help offset the sour flavor.
Thanks for the recipe but you are missing some of the ingredients. I received the ingredients from Gringos but they wouldn’t tell me how to or how much of the ingredients to use.
What are the missing ingredients?
Ninfa’s IS STILL a popular Mexican restaurant. I ate at one of many locations just yesterday. Trying to make some bucks on your book, are you? Shame on you.
About 15 years ago there were many more of these than there are now. I think the chain lost its zing when Mama Ninfa sold the chain.
Thanks for the recipe! Since moving to NE Louisiana it’s proven impossible to find good Mexican food. I made this as directed and it tasted too much like sour cream. Next time I will start with only 1/2 cup of sour cream and add more if necessary.
Stephanie, I can’t tell you how long I have looked for this recipe. 🙂 You’ve made my day.
I am so happy I could be helpful!
This is great! I live in the Houston area and I’m so excited about trying this. I love the green sauce, it’s a must at Mexican restaurant.