Try these tomatillo recipes for zesty green sauces, lively salsas, and savory dishes with a pleasantly tart little bite.
These tomatillo recipes turn those bright green, papery little fruits into smoky salsa, bubbling enchiladas, tender chicken chile verde, juicy shrimp tacos, and a creamy roasted corn soup that tastes far more impressive than its ingredient list suggests!
Tomatillos bring a lively tartness that wakes up chicken, seafood, cheese, corn, and warm spices, which means dinner tastes fresh and exciting without requiring seventeen tiny bowls or a sink full of regret.
How to Prepare Tomatillos
Pull each husk away from its fruit, twisting gently near its stem if it refuses to cooperate.
Rinse tomatillos thoroughly, rubbing away sticky residue with your fingers, then pat them dry before roasting. Excess water creates steam, and steam is not invited when you are trying to make beautifully browned vegetables!
Tomatillos can be roasted whole, halved, broiled, grilled, simmered, or chopped raw. For most recipes below, roasting at 425°F gives reliable browning without scorching their skins before their centers soften.
They are ready when their bright green color has changed to a darker olive shade, their skins have blistered, and juices have begun collecting around them.
Do not discard those roasting juices! They carry concentrated tartness and sweetness, so scrape every spoonful into your blender, soup pot, or sauce. That little puddle on your sheet pan may look unimportant, but it has been doing excellent work while nobody was watching.
Tomatillo Recipes
1. Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde
This roasted tomatillo salsa verde tastes bright, smoky, tangy, and lightly spicy, with fresh cilantro and lime keeping everything lively.
Roasted onion becomes sweet around its edges, garlic turns mellow, and jalapeños provide enough warmth to keep every tortilla chip interested!
I prefer roasting all vegetables together rather than boiling tomatillos because roasting creates brown spots that give salsa a richer flavor. Do not skip this step, because raw onion and garlic can taste harsh while roasted versions blend into a smooth, balanced salsa.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, about 10 to 12 medium tomatillos
- 1 medium white onion, peeled and cut into 6 wedges
- 2 jalapeño peppers
- 3 garlic cloves, left unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
- 2 to 6 tablespoons cold water, as needed
How to Make It
Heat your oven to 425°F and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or foil, which makes cleanup much easier once tomatillo juices become sticky around their edges.
Remove husks, rinse tomatillos well, pat them dry, and arrange them on your pan with onion wedges, whole jalapeños, and unpeeled garlic cloves.
Drizzle vegetables with oil, then turn everything with your hands until surfaces have a thin, even coating. Keep vegetables in one layer with a little breathing room between them, because tightly crowded vegetables steam instead of brown, and we want blistered edges rather than a tray of green bathers!
Roast for 18 to 22 minutes, turning jalapeños and onion after about 12 minutes. Watch for softened tomatillos, split skins, bubbling juices, and brown spots around onion edges. Garlic cloves may soften sooner, so remove them after 15 minutes if their skins become very dark.
Let everything cool for 5 minutes, then peel garlic and remove jalapeño stems. For mild salsa, remove all seeds and pale inner membranes. For medium heat, leave seeds from one jalapeño.
Heat levels vary from pepper to pepper, so taste a tiny piece before letting both peppers charge into your blender like they own it!
Transfer roasted tomatillos, their juices, onion, garlic, jalapeños, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and cumin to a blender or food processor. Pulse several times for chunky salsa, or blend for 20 to 30 seconds for a smoother texture.
Add cold water one tablespoon at a time only if salsa seems thicker than you prefer, then taste and adjust salt or lime juice. Salsa will thicken slightly as it cools, so stop just before it reaches your ideal consistency.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this salsa with tortilla chips, breakfast tacos, scrambled eggs, grilled chicken, quesadillas, roasted potatoes, or rice bowls.
Spoon it over black beans and avocado for a quick lunch, or stir a few tablespoons into sour cream for a fast taco sauce!
Refrigerate salsa in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Its flavor becomes slightly rounder after several hours, although waiting that long requires impressive self control.
2. Creamy Chicken Enchiladas Verdes
These chicken enchiladas verdes combine tender shredded chicken, warm corn tortillas, melted Monterey Jack, and a creamy tomatillo sauce with just enough chile heat.
Each bite is tangy, cheesy, and rich without becoming heavy, because tomatillos cut through cream and cheese beautifully!
I like making enchilada sauce from roasted vegetables rather than using bottled sauce because you control salt, heat, and thickness.
Keep sauce slightly thinner than salsa so it can soak into tortillas while enchiladas bake, but do not make it watery or your finished dish may require a spoon and a small rescue boat.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For Tomatillo Sauce
- 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 1/2 medium white onion, cut into thick wedges
- 3 garlic cloves, left unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
For Enchiladas
- 12 corn tortillas
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup finely diced white onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, for greasing baking dish
- Sliced avocado, cilantro, lime wedges, and sour cream, for serving
How to Make It
Heat oven to 425°F and arrange tomatillos, poblano, jalapeño, onion, and garlic on a rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle everything with olive oil and roast for 18 to 22 minutes, turning peppers halfway through, until tomatillos have collapsed slightly and peppers show dark blisters.
Remove garlic earlier if needed, because garlic moves quickly from golden and sweet to bitter and dramatic.
Place roasted poblano in a bowl and cover it with a plate for 5 minutes. Trapped steam loosens its skin, making it easier to peel.
Remove stem, seeds, and as much loose skin as comes away easily, but do not spend twenty minutes chasing every tiny fleck. A little char adds flavor!
Peel roasted garlic, then place it in a blender with tomatillos and their juices, poblano, jalapeño, onion, broth, cilantro, cumin, salt, and lime juice.
Blend until smooth, then pour sauce into a medium saucepan and simmer over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let sauce cool for 3 to 4 minutes before whisking in sour cream.
Adding cold sour cream to fiercely bubbling sauce can cause separation, so a brief pause gives you a smoother result.
Lower oven temperature to 375°F and lightly grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Spread about 3/4 cup sauce across its bottom, making sure corners receive some love too, because dry corners are where tortillas go to become crackers.
Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 40 to 60 seconds, or warm them briefly in a dry skillet. Work with several tortillas at a time and keep remaining ones covered.
Warm tortillas bend without splitting, which is one of those tiny steps that saves an unreasonable amount of frustration.
Combine shredded chicken, 1 cup cheese, diced onion, and chopped cilantro in a bowl. Place about 1/4 cup filling down each tortilla, roll it snugly without squeezing filling out of both ends, and arrange enchiladas seam side down in your baking dish.
Pour remaining sauce evenly over enchiladas, using a spoon to cover any exposed tortilla edges, then scatter remaining cheese across top. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until sauce bubbles around edges and cheese has melted with a few pale golden spots.
Let enchiladas rest for 8 to 10 minutes before serving, which allows sauce to settle and keeps each portion intact.
Serving Suggestions
Serve enchiladas with cilantro rice, black beans, shredded lettuce, sliced avocado, lime wedges, or a crunchy cabbage salad.
Add pickled red onions when you want extra acidity and a beautiful flash of color!
For a lighter plate, serve two enchiladas with a large chopped salad. For bigger appetites, add rice and beans and prepare for very quiet conversation once everyone starts eating.
3. Tender Chicken Chile Verde
Chicken chile verde is a flavorful tomatillo stew filled with juicy chicken thighs, roasted poblanos, garlic, warm cumin, oregano, and a smooth green sauce.
Chicken becomes fork tender as it simmers, while sauce thickens around each piece and fills your kitchen with a roasted pepper aroma that makes everyone suddenly curious about dinner!
Boneless chicken thighs work especially well because they remain tender during simmering and reheat better than chicken breast.
Browning chicken first also leaves flavorful bits in your pot, and those bits dissolve into sauce later. Do not skip browning unless time is truly chasing you around your kitchen!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved
- 2 poblano peppers
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 1 medium white onion, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, left unpeeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth, divided
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Avocado, radishes, cilantro, and sour cream, for serving
How to Make It
Heat oven to 425°F. Arrange tomatillos, poblanos, jalapeño, onion, and garlic on a rimmed sheet pan, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and roast for 20 to 25 minutes.
Turn peppers and onion after 12 minutes, then continue until tomatillos have softened, vegetables have browned around their edges, and pepper skins have blistered.
Place poblanos and jalapeño in a covered bowl for 5 minutes, then remove stems, seeds, and loose skin.
Peel garlic and transfer all roasted vegetables, including every drop of pan juice, to a blender with 1 cup chicken broth, cilantro, cumin, oregano, and coriander.
Blend until mostly smooth. A few tiny flecks are welcome because chile verde does not need to look like green paint!
Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels, then season them with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium high heat.
Brown chicken in two batches for 3 to 4 minutes per batch, turning pieces when they release easily from your pot.
Chicken does not need to cook through yet, but each batch should develop golden edges. Crowding everything at once cools your pot and creates steam, so give chicken enough room.
Return all chicken to your pot, pour in tomatillo mixture, and add remaining cup of broth. Scrape your spoon firmly across pot bottom to release browned bits, then bring sauce to a gentle boil.
Reduce heat to medium low, partially cover your pot, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes. Stir every 8 to 10 minutes, especially near pot bottom, until chicken feels tender when pressed with a spoon and sauce has thickened enough to lightly coat each piece.
If sauce becomes too thick before chicken is tender, add broth or water 1/4 cup at a time.
Remove lid during final 5 minutes when you want a thicker chile verde. Stir in lime juice, taste, and add remaining salt only as needed.
Acidity becomes more noticeable as sauce reduces, so taste at end rather than adding a heroic amount of lime too early!
Rest chile verde for 10 minutes before serving. This brief pause allows flavors to settle and sauce to thicken just enough to cling to rice or tortillas instead of immediately running toward edge of your plate.
Serving Suggestions
Serve chicken chile verde over white rice, brown rice, cilantro lime rice, quinoa, or creamy polenta.
Warm corn tortillas are excellent for scooping up sauce, while sliced avocado, radishes, sour cream, and fresh cilantro provide cool contrast.
Leftovers also make excellent taco filling. Shred chicken slightly, simmer uncovered until sauce becomes thick, then spoon it into tortillas with cabbage and avocado!
4. Sheet Pan Tomatillo Shrimp Tacos
These tomatillo shrimp tacos bring together smoky roasted salsa, juicy spiced shrimp, crunchy lime slaw, and warm corn tortillas.
Shrimp cook quickly, slaw can be prepared while vegetables roast, and everything reaches your plate in about 45 minutes!
Shrimp are best when they curl into loose C shapes and remain plump. Tightly curled circles usually mean they have cooked too long, so begin checking at 7 minutes. Seafood does not send a calendar invitation before becoming overdone, unfortunately!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For Roasted Tomatillo Sauce
- 1 1/4 pounds tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 1/2 medium white onion, cut into wedges
- 3 garlic cloves, left unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For Shrimp
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For Lime Slaw
- 3 cups thinly sliced green or red cabbage
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For Serving
- 8 small corn tortillas
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese, optional
- Lime wedges
How to Make It
Heat oven to 425°F and arrange tomatillos, poblano, jalapeño, onion, and garlic on one side of a large rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle vegetables with 1 tablespoon oil, toss gently, and keep cut sides of tomatillos facing down where they can develop better color.
Roast vegetables for 17 to 20 minutes, turning peppers and onion halfway through, until tomatillos soften and release their juices. If garlic darkens early, move it to a small plate rather than letting it become bitter while everyone else finishes roasting.
While vegetables roast, combine cabbage, cilantro, mayonnaise or yogurt, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Toss until cabbage receives a thin coating rather than swimming in dressing.
Let slaw stand for 10 minutes, which softens it slightly while preserving a lively crunch.
Pat shrimp dry and toss them with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Dry shrimp roast rather than steam, and spices cling far better to a dry surface, so this small step matters!
Transfer roasted vegetables to a blender, peeling garlic and removing pepper stems first. Remove seeds for less heat or keep some for a brighter kick. Add cilantro, lime juice, and salt, then pulse until sauce is spoonable but still lightly textured.
Carefully wipe excess liquid from your warm sheet pan or use a second pan. Spread seasoned shrimp in one layer and roast at 425°F for 7 to 9 minutes, depending on their size.
Remove them as soon as centers become opaque and tails curl loosely. Residual heat continues cooking shrimp for another minute, so waiting for them to look extremely firm is a classic path toward seafood with chewing gum ambitions.
Warm tortillas in a dry skillet for 20 to 30 seconds per side, or wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 45 seconds. Keep tortillas wrapped in a clean towel until serving so they remain flexible.
Spoon roasted tomatillo sauce into each tortilla, add shrimp, then finish with lime slaw, avocado, cotija, and another small spoonful of sauce. Serve immediately while shrimp are hot and slaw is crisp!
Serving Suggestions
Serve these tacos with black beans, grilled corn, cilantro rice, watermelon salad, or sliced cucumbers with lime and chile powder.
Keep extra sauce on your table because somebody will use more than expected, and that somebody may be you!
For a taco bowl, skip tortillas and serve shrimp, slaw, avocado, and sauce over rice or quinoa.
5. Creamy Roasted Tomatillo Corn Soup
This creamy roasted tomatillo corn soup combines tart green tomatillos, sweet corn, soft potatoes, roasted poblano, cumin, and a small pour of cream.
Blending only part of your soup gives it a velvety base while leaving plenty of corn and potato pieces for texture!
Sweet corn softens tomatillo acidity naturally, while potato thickens your broth without requiring flour.
I like using frozen corn when fresh corn is unavailable because it goes straight into your pot and behaves beautifully, which is more than can be said for every ingredient on a busy evening!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut into wedges
- 1 poblano pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, left unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, about 12 ounces, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- Sour cream, avocado, corn, or tortilla strips, for serving
How to Make It
Heat oven to 425°F and arrange tomatillos, onion, poblano, and garlic on a rimmed sheet pan.
Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, turning pepper and onion after about 12 minutes, until tomatillos have softened, poblano skin has blistered, and onion edges look golden.
Place poblano in a covered bowl for 5 minutes, then remove stem, seeds, and loose skin. Peel roasted garlic and keep all roasted tomatillo juices on your pan, because they belong in your soup rather than disappearing down your drain.
Place potatoes, 2 cups corn, broth, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a large pot. Add roasted tomatillos, onion, poblano, garlic, and accumulated juices. Bring everything to a gentle boil over medium high heat.
Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes can be crushed easily against pot side with your spoon.
Cut potatoes into evenly sized pieces before cooking, because one giant cube surrounded by tiny ones will still be hard while everyone else has surrendered.
Carefully transfer about half of your soup to a blender and blend until smooth, leaving vent space in its lid so steam can escape. You may also use an immersion blender directly in your pot, pulsing only until soup becomes creamy while some corn and potato pieces remain.
Return blended soup to your pot and stir in remaining cup of corn. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, then lower heat and add cream. Keep soup below a boil after adding dairy so its texture remains smooth.
Stir in lime juice and cilantro, then taste carefully. Add another pinch of salt if flavors seem muted, or another teaspoon of lime juice if soup needs brightness. Add broth when it feels too thick, or simmer uncovered for several minutes when you prefer a fuller consistency.
Let soup stand for 5 minutes before serving. Ladle it into bowls and finish with sour cream, diced avocado, cilantro, toasted corn, crushed tortilla chips, or thin tortilla strips!
Serving Suggestions
Serve this soup with cheese quesadillas, grilled chicken, black bean tostadas, cornbread, or a crisp cabbage salad.
A simple quesadilla dipped into creamy tomatillo broth is an excellent dinner and requires very little negotiation from tired cooks.
For a vegetarian meal, use vegetable broth and serve soup with black beans or cheese filled tortillas. For a dairy free version, leave out cream or replace it with unsweetened cashew cream.
These tomatillo recipes prove that this bright green ingredient can do far more than fill a salsa bowl!
Hungry for more feel-good meals? Explore these 21 Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Recipes for a nourishing start and 10 Anti-Inflammatory Dinner Recipes for delicious evenings that make healthy eating easy!
