The Best Tomatillo Sauce

Creamy, tangy, garlicky, and a little bit spicy, this Tomatillo Sauce is the perfect sauce for all your favorite Mexican meals. It’s easy to make, freezes like a dream, is versatile, and so gosh darn good!

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Look at the color of that sauce! Mmmm, I could eat this stuff by the spoonful! It’s so easy to make, and it is so good on so many things. I’ve even served this as a salsa, gobbling it up with tortilla chips. I’ve got all sorts of ideas for you below, but the first step is to make it!

What’s A Tomatillo?

Tomatillos might look like green tomatoes, but they’re not tomatoes at all. Also known as Mexican husk tomatoes, tomatillo means little tomato in Spanish, but these nightshades are more closely related to gooseberries than tomatoes. They are sold in a papery husk that you’ll need to remove before dicing and wash them, too, because dirt and sticky sap can get trapped under the surface of the husks.

Look for firm, bright green tomatillos when buying them at the store. Size isn’t so important – they can be small or large – they all work in this easy Tomatillo Pico de Gallo.

Ingredients

• Tomatillos – Look for firm, bright green tomatillos with the husks still on. Size isn’t so important.
• Onion – I use yellow cooking onions in this recipe.
• Jalapenos – Fresh jalapenos. Remove the seeds and membrane if you don’t like it too spicy.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves work best!
• Cilantro – Fresh cilantro.
• Cooking oil – Optional. Adds richness and some fat, but that’s it.

How To Make The Best Tomatillo Sauce

Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.

Start by removing the papery husks from the tomatillos and rinsing them well under warm water to remove the sticky residue. Cut the tomatillos into quarters and set them aside.

Peel the onion and cut it into large chunks.

Remove the stems from the jalapeños. If you prefer a milder sauce, remove the seeds and membranes before chopping them into large pieces.

Peel the garlic cloves and lightly crush them with the side of a knife.

Arrange the tomatillos, onion, jalapeños, and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with cooking oil if desired and toss to coat.

Roast the vegetables in a preheated 400°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until they are softened and beginning to brown around the edges.

Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. There will likely be hot juices on the pan, so let everything cool for a few minutes before handling.

Transfer the roasted vegetables and all of the pan juices to a blender or food processor.

Add the cilantro and blend until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. For a smoother sauce, blend longer. For a chunkier texture, pulse a few times.

Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

How To Use This Tomatillo Sauce

• Season it and spoon it over burritos to feast on verde wet burritos or green burritos.
• Mix the sauce with sour cream and make Chuy’s famous deluxe tomatillo sauce for chimichangas.
• Use it as a tomatillo salsa for tortilla chips.
• It’s a great dip. Dunk your flautas (aka taquitos) into it.
• Grilled shrimp and chicken LOVE this tomatillo sauce!
• Use it with your favorite enchilada recipes.

Chef Jenn’s Tips

1. This tomatillo sauce will burn if you leave it too long. Check it after 15 minutes. If the veggies are soft with golden brown edges, they’re done.
2. Add more garlic or jalapenos to suit your tastes.
3. Make a double batch and freeze this sauce to use later. I vacuum seal it, and it keeps for a few years in the deep freeze.
4. You can pulse the sauce to be as chunky or smooth as you like.

Storage

You can keep leftover Tomatillo Sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days, or freeze it! I almost always make a double or triple batch of this sauce and vacuum seal it. It’ll keep in the freezer for a year or more if it is vacuum sealed.