Hmmm I’m getting lots of tomatillo questions lately, so I hope you get some ideas from this post!
Here are 17 recipes where you’ll get the most bang for the buck with these beauties. I get tons of mileage out of the Chicken Chile Verde and the Avocado Salsa Verde so if you’re new to those please give them a try!
But first, just in case you haven’t used tomatillos before, take a look at the photo below…
Do those look familiar to you?
Tomatillos are typically sold in their husk — pull it back and you’ll find the key ingredient to Mexican green sauces.
They 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 so please don’t skip this step!
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…
I start by pulling off the husks and giving the tomatillos a good rinse — they’ll be sticky underneath the husks so be sure to rinse them well.
Then I cut out the stems and plop them in a 400F oven for 15 minutes or so.
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 17 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 making green salsa. Compared to store-bought salsa you’ll get a massive upgrade in flavor, and don’t forget that you can always substitute jalapenos for serranos and you’ll get an equally good result.
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, definitely one of my favorites.
Breakfast Tacos
These Breakfast Tacos are designed to be as efficient as possible for when you need food now! They are a great example of the magical pairing of Salsa Verde and eggs. Add in some bacon and you are in for a treat 🙂
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.
Spicy Chicken Tinga
Most Tinga recipes are tomato based, but it’s definitely worth adding tomatillos if you want some real deal Tinga. The tang from the tomatillos really brightens up the flavor so I highly recommend trying it!
Chile Verde
What a classic sauce to add to your repertoire! I usually simmer pork shoulder in the Chile Verde but you could easily use it with your choice of protein.
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. I use this sauce all the time for quick burritos.
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!
Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa
Tomatillos pair naturally with chipotles in adobo and if you’re new to the combo you’re in for something special! I make this Salsa all the time and I’m still amazed at how much flavor you get from such a small ingredient list.
Pozole Verde
This Pozole Verde uses the same delicious ingredient combo that we used in the Chile Verde. Combining tomatillos with poblanos creates a big, satisfying flavor that will keep you coming back for more.
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. Be sure to give it a try after it’s been chilled as it seems to pop a little more when served cold.
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!
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!
Chicken Chile Verde
I like keeping big batches of this Chicken Chile Verde in the fridge for some quick, no-thinking-involved meals. You can serve it up in a number of ways, with Tostadas being one of my favorite options.
Chile Verde Rice and Beans
Don’t forget that you can pair homemade Chile Verde with plain ol’ rice and beans for a quick, satisfying meal. The Chile Verde sauce is exploding with flavor when it’s freshly made and you don’t need much else to make for some easy eats.
Enchiladas Verdes
And if you want a quick enchilada dish then try these Enchiladas Verdes. You’re essentially thinning out a Salsa Verde with stock and adding a hint of Mexican oregano — it’s a super easy sauce to make and it’s wildly satisfying.
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.
Okay, I hope this list gets your kitchen pumping out some authentic green Salsas and sauces. You can get so much from a simple ingredient like tomatillos, so if it’s not a habit yet then it’s time to add them to your regular grocery list!
Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions about these recipes.
Enjoy!
Here are links to all of the recipes:
Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa
Chicken Burritos with Avocado Salsa Verde
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Marina
Hi! Unfortunately I haven’t seen tomatillos anywhere here in Germany, but the comments have inspired me to at least go look for some seeds! I do still have one can of tomatillos in my pantry – do you think if I bake them on high heat, I can achieve the same effect as roasting fresh tomatillos would? What would you do with a can of them? I’ve been dying to make some salsa verde but I haven’t worked up the courage yet 🙂
Patrick
Yeah go for it Marina! Even if you use canned tomatillos you’ll still get a result that’s superior to a jar of salsa that’s been sitting on the grocery store shelf for months.
The only thing with canned tomatillos is they’ve been resting in liquid for so long that roasting them doesn’t have quite the same effect as roasting fresh tomatillos. They disintegrate under the heat and I’ve found the change in flavor profile to be minimal so I tend to use canned tomatillos as is.
Try them with the Salsa Verde I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised 🙂
Cheers.
Margo D
I keep all your recipes that I try, or hope to try, in my “Copy Me That” app.
I file them in my “Mexican” collection. I always look forward to your posts.
Thanks so much.
Patrick
Thanks Margo!
Hèlène
Hi Patrick! Tomatillos even do well in our Dutch backyard: they grow and self seed like mad! We were quite taken by their look and taste when on holiday in Mexico a long time ago, and brought back a packet of seeds… I’ve read somewhere about a homesick Mexican in London who had the brilliant idea to substitute English green (unripe) gooseberries for tomatillos in his beloved salsa verde… which works amazingly well!
Patrick
Ahh that’s so good to know, such a great image to think of tomatillos migrating to the Netherlands 🙂
And thanks for mentioning the gooseberries as a tomatillo substitute, that is new to me and will put it on my to-do list. Cheers.
Todd
If you have room in the back yard, grow your own tomatillos. Make sure to plant at least 2 as they need cross pollination to produce fruit. I usually grow two green tomatillos and one purple tomatillo (smaller and sweeter than the green ones). Tomatillo seeds are cheap and will last several years, plus you’ll have more fresh tomatillos than you’ll know what to do with. A good problem to have!
Patrick
Hey Todd! Yeah I hope to have that dilemma sometime soon 🙂
MaryLinda
Tomatillos will also grow in pots! I have been growing them in pots for several years. So far this year they are producing more than in previous years, but2 plants in pots have been enough for the two of us.
Steve
Do you think I could grow some in the UK? We’re not really know for our warm climate lol.
Brian
I grow tomatillos in my
Polytunnel in durham England
Brian
Cheyenne
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.
Patrick
Ahh lucky you to have fresh tomatillos arriving soon! I hope you found some keeper recipes in this list. Cheers.
Cindy
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!
Patrick
Thanks Cindy, I hope you are overflowing with tomatillos in a few months 🙂 Cheers.
SUSAN STAMM
Hello,
Can I Roast Tomatillo and freeze them in Freezer bags?
Patrick
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.
egirl
Excellent recipes — thank you!
Patrick
Thanks Skyye!
Lupe
Great and pretty original ideas. Good job đź‘Ť
Patrick
Cheers Lupe.
Alice Bickers
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?
Patrick
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.