In this study we present the synthesis of Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) nanoparticles by microwave-assisted chemical synthesis employing organic solvents. The effect of reaction time, reactant concentration, solvent and additives (inorganic material) was studied on the structural and optical properties of the nanomaterials. The powder samples were analyzed by x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that the synthesis performed with triethanolamine and deionized water is better than others solvents, producing nanocrystals of quaternary phase (CZTSe) with stoichiometric relations similar to the reported research in the literature, which falls in the range of Cu/(Zn+Sn): 0.8–1.0, Zn/Sn: 1.0–1.20. The nanoparticles of CZTSe synthesized in this study present desirable properties in order to use them in solar cell and photoelectrochemical cell applications.