I just whipped up Homemade Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce that’s roasty, tangy, and a little spicy so you’ll be scheming what to pour it on next.

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I’m obsessed with Homemade Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce because it hits that punchy tartness I can’t quit. Roasty char and really bright acid from tomatillos cut through heavy dinners and make me reach for seconds.

I love the cilantro note too, it keeps the sauce singing and fresh instead of flat. But it’s messy in the best way, bright, herby, a little spicy if you let it.

Salsa Verde Enchilada Sauce that actually tastes like real food, not some canned afterthought. And yeah, it’s perfect for enchiladas, tacos, or spooning over anything that needs attitude.

Try not to lick the bowl.

Ingredients

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Tomatillos: tart core, don’t skimp on them.
Onion: sweet backbone, gives real savory roundness.
Garlic: punchy warmth, small cloves go far.
Jalapeños or serranos: choose your heat level.
Basically poblano adds smoky depth, love it.
Oil: helps roast and keeps things silky.
Cilantro: herbal bright finish, not for everyone.
Lime juice: zippy acidity, brightens everything.
Broth: thins sauce and adds mild savory notes.
Cumin: warm earthiness, keeps it cozy.
Oregano: little herbal backbone, Mexican works best.
Salt: ties flavors, season slowly.
Black pepper: subtle bite, quick bright snap.
Sugar or honey: tames tartness, use sparingly.
Water: thin to desired consistency.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed (about 10 to 12 medium), they’re kind of tart so don’t skimp

1 medium white or yellow onion, quartered

3 to 4 garlic cloves, smashed

1 to 2 jalapeños or serranos, stems removed for less heat, keep seeds if you want it spicy

1 poblano pepper, seeded and quartered, optional but I like the smokiness

1 tablespoon olive oil or other neutral oil for roasting

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed, stems trimmed

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, about 1 lime

1/2 to 1 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth, add more for thinner sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sugar or honey, optional to balance the acidity

Water as needed to adjust consistency

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment. Toss tomatillos, quartered onion, garlic cloves, jalapeños or serranos, and the seeded poblano with the tablespoon of oil and spread in a single layer.

2. Roast vegetables until charred in spots and softened, about 15 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway through; if you like more smokiness or blistered skin roast up to 25 minutes.

3. Let the roasted vegetables cool just enough to handle, then remove any stems from peppers and peel off loose skins from tomatillos if they bother you. Smash the garlic out of its skin.

4. Transfer everything to a blender or food processor. Add the cilantro, lime juice, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and the teaspoon of sugar or honey if you want to tame the acidity.

5. Pulse to combine, then blend on medium until mostly smooth but still a little texture. If the sauce is too thick, add 1/2 cup of the low sodium broth and blend again; add more broth or plain water a tablespoon at a time until you reach the consistency you like.

6. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more salt, lime, or heat by blending in extra jalapeño seeds or a pinch of cayenne if you want it hotter.

7. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes to meld flavors and cook off raw edge from the raw cilantro and garlic. If it looks too thin after simmering, cook a little longer; if too thick, whisk in a splash more broth or water.

8. Cool slightly before using in enchiladas, as a salsa, or drizzled over grilled meats. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

9. Hacks and tips: roast under the broiler for faster charring but watch closely, save a spoonful of seeds for extra kick, and add a tablespoon of neutral oil at the end if you want a silkier mouthfeel.

10. Final check: reheat gently, stir well, and always taste for balance before adding to your dish. Adjust lime, salt, or sugar as needed.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheated to 425°F)
2. Baking sheet lined with foil or parchment
3. Cutting board
4. Chef’s knife (and a small paring knife)
5. Bowl or plate for cooled roasted veggies
6. Blender or food processor
7. Saucepan for simmering
8. Measuring spoons and measuring cup
9. Tongs or a slotted spoon for turning and transferring veggies

FAQ

Q: Can I skip roasting the vegetables and just boil them?

A: Yes, you can boil or simmer the tomatillos, peppers, onion and garlic until soft, then blend. Roasting or pan-charing gives a nicer smoky, deeper flavor, but boiling is faster and still tasty.

Q: How do I make the sauce milder or hotter?

A: For less heat remove seeds and membranes from the jalapeños or serranos, or use just one pepper. To make it hotter keep the seeds or add a hotter pepper. Taste as you go, you can always add more spice but you cant really take it away.

Q: How long will the sauce keep in the fridge or freezer?

A: In the fridge it will stay good about 4 to 5 days in an airtight container. In the freezer it lasts up to 3 months; freeze in small portions so you can thaw only what you need.

Q: Can I use canned tomatillos or green tomatoes instead?

A: If you can find canned tomatillos they're fine, but fresh are best. Green tomatoes are not a perfect substitute, they taste more starchy and less tart, but they'll work in a pinch.

Q: My sauce is too thin or too thick. How do I fix it?

A: Too thin add a few minutes of simmering to reduce and concentrate it, or blend in a small roasted tomatillo to thicken. Too thick just stir in a bit more broth or water until you like the consistency.

Q: Can I make this vegan or vegetarian?

A: Absolutely, just use vegetable broth instead of chicken. Everything else is already plant based except for optional honey, swap that for sugar or maple syrup if you want it fully vegan.

Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Tomatillos: substitute with an equal weight mix of green tomatoes and a squeeze of lime juice. Green tomatoes are less tart so add a bit more lime to wake it up, it wont be exactly the same but it works.
Poblano pepper: use roasted green bell pepper or anaheim pepper if you want a milder, less smoky flavor. If you want some heat, toss in a roasted jalapeño with it.
Cilantro: swap with a mix of chopped parsley and a little extra lime juice. Parsley gives freshness but not cilantro’s punch, so add more acid to make up for it.
Chicken/vegetable broth: use water plus a teaspoon of bouillon or a splash of white wine. Bouillon gives body and flavor, but taste as you go so it doesnt get too salty.

Pro Tips

1) Roast for contrast. Let some bits get nicely charred so you get that smoky pop, but don’t burn everything to a crisp. A little blistering on the tomatillos and poblanos gives way more depth than just soft roast.

2) Manage the heat in layers. Remove stems and most seeds for mild, leave some seeds in for medium, and pulse a tiny spoonful of seeds in at the very end if you want it nuclear. You can always add more heat, can’t take it out.

3) Balance acidity with fat and sweet. If the salsa tastes too sharp, stir in a teaspoon of honey or sugar and a tablespoon of oil or a pat of butter while it’s warm. It rounds out the bite without hiding the tomatillo tang.

4) Texture and freshness matter. Don’t overblend if you want character; pulse until slightly chunkier for a rustic sauce. Also simmer briefly to mellow raw edges, but finish with fresh chopped cilantro or a squeeze more lime right before serving for brightness.

Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Recipe by Pho Tsventichi

0.0 from 0 votes

I just whipped up Homemade Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce that’s roasty, tangy, and a little spicy so you’ll be scheming what to pour it on next.

Servings

servings

Calories

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheated to 425°F)
2. Baking sheet lined with foil or parchment
3. Cutting board
4. Chef’s knife (and a small paring knife)
5. Bowl or plate for cooled roasted veggies
6. Blender or food processor
7. Saucepan for simmering
8. Measuring spoons and measuring cup
9. Tongs or a slotted spoon for turning and transferring veggies

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed (about 10 to 12 medium), they're kind of tart so don't skimp
1 medium white or yellow onion, quartered
3 to 4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 to 2 jalapeños or serranos, stems removed for less heat, keep seeds if you want it spicy
1 poblano pepper, seeded and quartered, optional but I like the smokiness
1 tablespoon olive oil or other neutral oil for roasting
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed, stems trimmed
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, about 1 lime
1/2 to 1 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth, add more for thinner sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar or honey, optional to balance the acidity
Water as needed to adjust consistency

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment. Toss tomatillos, quartered onion, garlic cloves, jalapeños or serranos, and the seeded poblano with the tablespoon of oil and spread in a single layer.
Roast vegetables until charred in spots and softened, about 15 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway through; if you like more smokiness or blistered skin roast up to 25 minutes.
Let the roasted vegetables cool just enough to handle, then remove any stems from peppers and peel off loose skins from tomatillos if they bother you. Smash the garlic out of its skin.
Transfer everything to a blender or food processor. Add the cilantro, lime juice, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and the teaspoon of sugar or honey if you want to tame the acidity.
Pulse to combine, then blend on medium until mostly smooth but still a little texture. If the sauce is too thick, add 1/2 cup of the low sodium broth and blend again; add more broth or plain water a tablespoon at a time until you reach the consistency you like.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more salt, lime, or heat by blending in extra jalapeño seeds or a pinch of cayenne if you want it hotter.
Pour the sauce into a saucepan and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes to meld flavors and cook off raw edge from the raw cilantro and garlic. If it looks too thin after simmering, cook a little longer; if too thick, whisk in a splash more broth or water.
Cool slightly before using in enchiladas, as a salsa, or drizzled over grilled meats. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Hacks and tips: roast under the broiler for faster charring but watch closely, save a spoonful of seeds for extra kick, and add a tablespoon of neutral oil at the end if you want a silkier mouthfeel.
Final check: reheat gently, stir well, and always taste for balance before adding to your dish. Adjust lime, salt, or sugar as needed.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.