• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Mexican Please

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Most Popular
    • Most Recent
    • Salsas
    • Appetizers/Sides
    • Beans
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Enchiladas
    • Main Dish
    • Mexican Cooking 101
    • Tacos
    • Soup
    • Tortillas
    • Vegetarian
  • Articles
  • Cooking Course
  • About Me
  • Contact

What Can I Make With Tomatillos?

July 4, 2019 By Patrick 12 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Pin
2759shares

It’s that time of year so be sure to take advantage of all the fresh tomatillos in the markets!

And if you’re not sure what to do with them I’ll list 13 authentic recipes below that will make you an expert in the art of Green Sauces.  All of the recipes are on this site — simply click the name or the pic and it will take you to a page  where you can print out the recipe.

But first, just in case you haven’t used tomatillos before, take a look at the photo below…

bunch of tomatillos in husks

Do those look familiar to you?

When tomatillos are fresh they are always sold in their husk — pull it back and you’ll find the key ingredient to Mexican green sauces.

Leftover tinga? Make Tingadillas! Cheesy Chicken Tinga Quesadillas with Green Sauce | mexicanplease.com

Tomatillos have a vibrant, tart flavor, and if you’ve ever had a fresh Salsa Verde then you’re already an expert on their taste.

Keep in mind that most recipes will call for tomatillos to be roasted before being combined with other ingredients — this will tame their tartness and sweeten them up a bit.

You’ve got plenty of options on how to roast them so don’t worry about the exact method too much.  Just be sure to apply sustained heat to them and you’ll have some happy faces in the kitchen.  For example, here’s my default roasting method lately…

Simply pull off the husks and give the tomatillos a good rinse — they’ll be sticky underneath the husks so be sure to rinse them well.

A rich Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa that's bursting with flavor. No one will believe you when you show them the tiny ingredient list. So good! mexicanplease.com

Then cut out the stems and plop them in a 400F oven for 15 minutes or so.

A rich Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa that's bursting with flavor. No one will believe you when you show them the tiny ingredient list. So good! mexicanplease.com

Once they start to wrinkle and turn army green in color they are officially roasted and you can use them in any of the following recipes.  For reference here are some other ways to roast tomatillos.

Store your fresh tomatillos in the fridge (in their husks) where they will keep for weeks at a time.

Okay, here are 13 authentic recipes for your fresh tomatillos.  I’ve made all of these recipes multiple times so feel free to ask any questions about them.  Good luck!

 

Homemade Salsa Verde

Definitely try this recipe first if you’re new to homemade Salsa Verde.  Compared to store-bought salsa you’ll get a massive upgrade in flavor by using fresh ingredients, and don’t forget that you can always substitute jalapenos for serranos and you’ll get an equally good result.

salsa verde in jar green sauce

 

Enchiladas Suizas

Want to take a guess at the key ingredient in green sauce enchiladas?  This is a great recipe to have in your arsenal and it will give you an instant upgrade compared to your local Mexican fare.

Add a bit of cream to a traditional green sauce and you've got everything you need to make mouth-watering Enchiladas Suizas. This recipe also uses a roasted poblano to enhance the flavor. So good! mexicanplease.com

 

Pickled Tomatillos

I’ve been making these Pickled Tomatillos on a regular basis and they are delish!  Sure, you can use them as a topping for tacos and tostadas, but they are quite satisfying to munch on all by their lonesome.

These Pickled Tomatillos will give you a tart burst of acidity and they work wonders on tacos, quesadillas, and even sandwiches. So good! mexicanplease.com

 

Spicy Chicken Tinga

Most Tinga recipes are tomato based, but it’s definitely worth adding tomatillos to your first batch.  The tang from the tomatillos really brightens up the flavor so I highly recommend trying it!

This is a delicious, fiery version of Chicken Tinga. The key is to use both tomatoes and tomatillos, along with plenty of chipotles! mexicanplease.com

 

Chili Verde

What a classic sauce to add to your repertoire!  I usually simmer pork shoulder in the Chili Verde but you could easily use it with your choice of protein.

This is a great recipe for a comforting batch of Chili Verde. I use the leftovers to make some killer burritos and quesadillas. So good! mexicanplease.com

 

Avocado Salsa Verde

By the way, once you get comfortable making Salsa Verde to your liking, try plopping an avocado in the blender and you’ll get a creamy green sauce that people will gush over.

Leftover tinga? Make Tingadillas! Cheesy Chicken Tinga Quesadillas with Green Sauce | mexicanplease.com

 

Migas

Salsa Verde works wonders with egg dishes and these Migas take full advantage of that!  Migas are eggs served with crispy corn tortilla strips and if you top them with a homemade Salsa Verde you’ll be a happy camper!

Migas are the perfect Mexican breakfast dish for lazy weekend mornings. We're topping this version with a freshly made Salsa Verde and it is delicious! mexicanplease.com

 

Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa

Tomatillos pair naturally with chipotles in adobo and if you’re new to the combo I would recommend starting with this Salsa.  I make it all the time and I’m still amazed at how much flavor you get from such a small ingredient list.

A rich Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa that's bursting with flavor. No one will believe you when you show them the tiny ingredient list. So good! mexicanplease.com

 

Pozole Verde

This Pozole Verde uses the same delicious ingredient combo that we used in the Chili Verde.  Combining tomatillos with poblanos creates a big, satisfying flavor that will keep you coming back for more.

Here's an easy Pozole Verde recipe that uses roasted poblanos to give the sauce some real flavor -- so good! mexicanplease.com

 

Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa

Most Salsas will typically use either tomatoes or tomatillos as the base, but if you use both you get a completely unique flavor.  I’ve been a big fan of this Salsa for the past few months so give it a whirl — and be sure to give it a taste after it’s been chilled as it seems to pop a little more when served cold.

This is a delicious Salsa to add to your repertoire! It uses both tomatoes and tomatillos to create a completely unique flavor. Yum!! mexicanplease.com

 

Chicken Burritos with Avocado Salsa Verde

I use the Avocado Salsa Verde from above to make some super satisfying chicken burritos.  Once you’ve got some of the creamy green sauce on hand then everything else is just a bonus, so feel free to get creative with your burritos!

Put some Avocado Salsa Verde in your burritos and everything beyond that is a bonus! I added chicken, Mexican rice, and cheese to this batch -- yum!! mexicanplease.com

 

Huevos Divorciados

And if you ever want to compare and contrast Red and Green Salsa then try making these Huevos Divorciados.  It’s an egg dish that’s topped with both Tomato Jalapeno Salsa and Salsa Verde — just in case you and your partner can’t agree on the breakfast menu!

This classic Mexican breakfast dish is served with two freshly made Salsas -- yes, two! I use a bottom layer of potatoes and chorizo, but corn tortillas are also a good option. mexicanplease.com

 

Easy Carnitas Recipe

And here’s one last combo I want to mention.  A sharp Salsa Verde is the ideal topping for some authentic Carnitas.  You can make this version in the oven and, you guessed it, the Carnitas are topped with an authentic Salsa Verde using your fresh tomatillos.

Giving the pork shoulder a quick brine is the key to this delicious Carnitas recipe. I served this batch with a sharp Salsa Verde -- so good!! mexicanplease.com

Tomatillo Pico de Gallo

This Pico de Gallo is made using raw tomatillos.  Yes, raw!  It has such a unique flavor and I’ve been using it for some awesome quesadillas lately.

This Tomatillo Pico de Gallo wants to be in your kitchen! Lately I use it for quesadillas and it's always a hit. mexicanplease.com

 

Okay, I hope this list gets your kitchen pumping out some authentic green salsas and sauces.  You can get so much from such a simple ingredient, so if it’s not a habit yet then it’s time to add tomatillos to your regular grocery list!

Feel free to use the Contact tab above if you ever have any questions about these recipes.

Enjoy!

Click here to see our latest post — a delicious batch of Carne Asada Tacos.

Still hungry?!

Want to receive Mexican Please recipes via email when they are posted?  Sign up below to subscribe.  All recipes are spam free.

And don't worry, we hate spam too!  You can unsubscribe at any time.

Thank You For Subscribing!

Filed Under: Most Popular, Most Recent, Salsas, Vegetarian

Previous Post: « Chipotle Hot Sauce
Next Post: Avocado Hummus and Cucumber Pico de Gallo Tostadas »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cheyenne

    July 9, 2020 at 11:27 am

    Thank you for some recipes. We are growing tomatillos in our garden this year and other than green sauce for enchiladas I wasn’t sure what else to do with them!! This helps alot.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      July 10, 2020 at 3:28 pm

      Ahh lucky you to have fresh tomatillos arriving soon! I hope you found some keeper recipes in this list. Cheers.

      Reply
  2. Cindy

    April 20, 2020 at 3:07 pm

    So excited to try these recipes! What an awesome collection! Hopefully our tomatillos do well this year. We started our seeds today. We normally have an over abundance of them and i love trying new recipes. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Patrick

      April 22, 2020 at 12:17 pm

      Thanks Cindy, I hope you are overflowing with tomatillos in a few months 🙂 Cheers.

      Reply
  3. SUSAN STAMM

    October 11, 2019 at 11:43 am

    Hello,
    Can I Roast Tomatillo and freeze them in Freezer bags?

    Reply
    • Patrick

      October 11, 2019 at 3:04 pm

      Hi Susan! Most likely yes, but to be honest I’ve never tried freezing them after roasting. I would probably be more likely to freeze them raw and then roast to order when you need them. Keep in mind though that they will probably be a little mushy when thawed. Cheers.

      Reply
  4. egirl

    July 6, 2019 at 4:15 pm

    Excellent recipes — thank you!

    Reply
    • Patrick

      July 7, 2019 at 4:49 pm

      Thanks Skyye!

      Reply
  5. Lupe

    July 6, 2019 at 11:54 am

    Great and pretty original ideas. Good job 👍

    Reply
    • Patrick

      July 7, 2019 at 4:50 pm

      Cheers Lupe.

      Reply
  6. Alice Bickers

    July 5, 2019 at 1:55 pm

    Nice to get these recipes bundled in one place. I have to say my husband and I both love RAW green salsa. Love that tart tomatillo taste. Great on chicken. Do you think you could sub tomatillos for fried green tomatoes?

    Reply
    • Patrick

      July 7, 2019 at 4:56 pm

      Thanks Alice! Yeah I’ve had a raw tomatillo salsa on my list for awhile but I haven’t fiddled with it yet, but will bump it up the list based on your note.

      I probably wouldn’t sub tomatillos for fried green tomatoes as their flavor profiles won’t match up too well. Cheers.

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Cindy Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hey, I'm Patrick! I spent 2 years living in Cozumel and got obsessed with Mexican food. I built this site to share all the recipes and techniques I've learned along the way. Read More…

Footer

Mexican Recipes

Cooking Course

Mexican Cooking 101

Ingredients

Salsas

Starting a Food Blog

Enchilada Recipes

About Me

Contact

Disclaimer

© 2020 Mexican Please
 - Privacy Policy