Get your enchiladas ready with this homemade green enchilada sauce recipe made with fresh tomatillos, jalapenos, serranos and poblano peppers, from scratch in your own kitchen.
You know what I love about a good green enchilada sauce? It's the combination of roasted tomatillos and roasted chili peppers. Tomatillos are staple Mexican ingredients and they're easy to cook with.
While they look just like little green tomatoes, with a papery outer layer that you must peel away, they have a different taste and are quite different from the tomatoes you're used to.
You can eat tomatillos raw, but they are so good when roasted and blended up, especially with other staple Mexican ingredients, like the chili pepper and all those outstanding seasonings.
Patty and I get a little excited about making homemade sauces from scratch because they taste so much more personal. You can customize a recipe to your personal preference that particular day.
In the mood for more garlic? Toss in a couple more cloves. I usually do!
Adjusting the Heat Factor
Want some extra heat? How about a couple more serrano peppers, or maybe even a habanero or two? Yes! Want to keep it milder? Omit the serranos and even the jalapenos if those are too hot for you, and focus on the poblano peppers, which are outstanding peppers in their own right, especially when roasted.
This green enchilada sauce recipe is an alternative to the more traditional red enchilada sauce.
I recently did a One-Pot Enchilada Casserole (called it a stew) that you can check out with a very simple red enchilada sauce recipe. Some people are hard core one way or the other, green or red, though we like them both. We're not picky!
How to Make Green Enchilada Sauce - The Recipe / Method
First, let's roast our tomatillos. Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Peel and rinse the tomatillos. Chop them in half and set them skin sides up onto a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Next, slice all of the peppers in half lengthwise and set them onto the baking sheet. You might need more than one sheet. Also, remove the innards of the poblano before placing them.
Add the garlic to the baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the pepper skins are nice and charred. You can also broil them, but don't set them too close to the heat source. Remove from heat and let everything cool a bit.
Peel the skins from the peppers and add the peppers to a food processor with the tomatillos. Squeeze the garlic from their skins and into the food processor they go.
Toss in the cilantro, cumin, chili powder and salt and pepper. Process everything to combine the mixture.
Next, pour in the chicken broth and process the whole thing until nice and smooth.
Finally, pour the enchilada verde sauce into a pan or a pot and simmer for 5 minutes or so to let the flavors fully develop.
Use as desired!
Recipe Variations and Tips
As a variation, squeeze in a bit of lime juice for a fresh citrus blast.
Use this with your next enchilada recipe, of course, but it has other uses, too. Think soups, stews, and casseroles. I like a good multi-purpose sauce.
Enjoy!
Try These Other Enchilada Sauce Recipes
- Chicken Enchiladas Verde with Cheese
- Quick and Easy Enchilada Sauce Recipe
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole Verde
- One-Pot Meatless Enchilada Stew
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.
Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce with Roasted Tomatillos - Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound tomatillos
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- 2 poblano peppers
- 2 serrano peppers
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- ½ tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon spicy chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Juice from 1 lime
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel and rinse the tomatillos. Chop them in half and set them skin sides up onto a lightly oiled baking sheet.
- Slice all of the peppers in half lengthwise and set them onto the baking sheet. You might need more than one sheet. Also, remove the innards of the poblano before placing them.
- Add the garlic to the baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the pepper skins are nice and charred. You can also broil them, but don't set them too close to the heat source. Remove from heat and let everything cool a bit.
- Peel the skins from the peppers, if desired, and add to a food processor with tomatillos. Squeeze the garlic from their skins and into the food processor they go.
- Add cilantro, cumin, chili powder and salt and pepper.
- Process to combine.
- Add chicken broth and lime juice and process until smooth.
- Pour the green enchilada sauce into a pan or a pot and simmer for 5-10 minutes or so to let the flavors fully develop.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
This recipe was updated on 6/26/18 to include new images and a video because it is such a great recipe! Originally published on 4/23/15.
Cara says
This recipe sounds amazing. I'm definitely going to try it. Will green hatch chili powder change the flavor? I'd like to keep things nice & green. I'm really hoping this will be similar to my favorite green sauce (made in Tucson, AZ). I'm desperate to come up with something close because the family owned company went out of business due to covid. Is this safe to bottle up like so many other shelf brands? Do I need to use vinegar? I just worry that freezing will water it down upon defrosting. I'm looking to use this sauce not only on enchildas or in/on tamales, but also on tacos. What are your thoughts on my ridiculously long reply? Can't wait to 'mess around' this week. Finally, using the exact peppers in the recipe, what do you think the heat level compares to? Say, like Korean fire noodles, or hot Buffalo chicken wings. I need some comparison. I love heat, so I need to know if I should add a habanero.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Cara. You can use chili powder for this, but test your ratios to get a consistency you like. If you want to bottle it, check the acidity, and yes, you probably need to add vinegar. Shoot for a pH of 3.5 or lower for the water bath method. For me, it's not very hot, but flavorful.
Stephanie says
This sauce is sooooo good! The only issue I had was after adding the chili powder it turned red, so not a green sauce for me but it did not matter.
I could not find poblanos so used Anaheim peppers, and I didn't have cumin so I omitted it.
I will definitely double next time and freeze half!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great to hear, Stephanie! Glad you enjoyed it!
Michael G says
I've made this sauce a BUNCH of times and love it! I usually double the batch and freeze half for quick weeknight enchiladas! As Michael encourages us to do, I like moderating the heat and flavor profile with different chilies and rations. Gracias amigo!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Michael! We love this recipe! SO good.
Brittany says
I didn’t change a thing. Made it for the third time tonight and thought I better comment this time. 🙂 thank you so much for the perfect recipe. A lot of times I double the batch and freeze half. Turns out beautiful every time. Thank you!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Brittany! Glad you enjoy this one!
Bernice Vanover says
I kind of made this I did follow the recipe to a point but I used 1.17 lb of the materials I used one Anaheim pepper too small onions minced garlic about two teaspoons and salt and pepper and cilantro I put it all in a blender and blended it up I did not roast it it comes out brighter and I added lemon juice instead of lime the recipes really good I just don't like roasted salsa
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds good, Bernice. A great way to do it.
Logan Spradling says
Phenomenal sauce. If you are someone who forgets things at the grocery store like me, a great alternative to chicken stock or broth is 2 cups of water with about a table spoon of olive oil!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Logan!!
Pegi Marecek says
WOW! This recipe is perfect! Absolutely delish! I'll be making your red enchilada sauce next.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Pegi! Glad you enjoyed it! I hope you like the red enchilada sauce, too.
Nancy says
Made my first batch today. Very tasty! Used jalapeños since that's what I had on hand. Question....do you typically include all the liquid that comes from roasting the tomatillos and tomatoes? (I didn't want mine to be too runny so I reserved almost all of it. Thought I'd use it in a soup. )
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, Nancy! I DO use all of the liquid, but you can omit some if you feel it is too watery. Or you can simmer it to reduce.
Alka Shah says
I made this sauce today, but forgot to peel off skin of peppers. I tasted the sauce, it’s has a little bitter after taste.
Sarah says
I don’t have serranos. Can I just leave them out? Would chipotle peppers be a good (but different) substitute?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
You can leave them out, Sarah. Try jalapenos instead. Chipotles would work, but yes, would have a very different flavor.
tod says
UPDATE
I fell down the "PEPPER NAME" rabbit hole.
I think your poblanos are my pasillas.
Found almost as many answers on the web as sites I searched.
Tod says
Hi Mike,
I came to this recipe from your red enchilada sauce page.
LOVE THEM BOTH. Two questions if you don't mind.
I would be interested to read your thoughts.
Why cut the tomatillos in half?
and
Poblanos vs Pasilla vs Anaheim vs plain old green peppers?
Poblanos are the only ones I never seem to see, Love pasillas, not real familliar with anaheims. I'm thinking green peppers have a very different flavor profile.
(this is about flavor, not spice).
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Tod. Thanks. Glad you are enjoying the recipes. I cut the tomatillos in half so they cook down faster, but you really don't have to. You can just toss them into the oven and cook them. Would still be good that way. Poblanos, pasillas, Anaheims and green peppers are very different peppers for sure. Poblanos are more traditionally used, as fresh pods. Anaheims can be used as an alternative, but don't have that earthy poblano flavor. Poblanos are just unique. Green peppers will work, but yep, very different flavor, more "green" vegetal, zero heat. They'd work, but the results would be different from poblanos, closer to Anaheim. Pasillas are dried chilaca peppers and would be completely different in a whole different way. You'd need to toast then rehydrate them, then puree them with tomatillos, etc. I think it would be very tasty, but wouldn't have that roasted pepper flavor. I hope this all makes sense! Enjoy!
Marilyn says
Hi. This looks delish & easy to make, I have jalapeño & Serrano peppers but no poblano. What can I use in place of poblano.
Thank you,
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Marilyn, poblanos are pretty unique and hard to replace, but you can use some peppers like New Mexican peppers or maybe pasillas. Skip them if you'd like. It's still very good.
Dianna Light says
i LOVE this recipe. It takes me about 3 1/2 hours from start to finish when I make chicken enchiladas with this recipe. I would like to grow peppers, prepare, and can this sauce. Does anyone know if I would need to use a pressure canner, or water bath? I appreciate any advice!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Dianna! I appreciate it. For canning, if you can get the pH to 3.5 or lower (with vinegar or citrus), you can use a water bath method. If it is higher, a pressure canner should be used. Good luck!
Deanna says
Made it tonight for enchiladas tomorrow. I did cut back to 1 large jalapeño for my spice level but next time I will use 2. The sauce is delicious! Thanks for a great recipe. It is a keeper.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent! Thanks, Deanna! I hope you enjoy the enchiladas!
Donna M Williams says
why are the carbs so high?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Donna, the carbs are calculated for the entire recipe, but I updated it to 4 servings. FYI. Most of the carbs are in the tomatillos.
Eve Reisner says
Tonight was the third time I’ve used this recipe. So so Good!!! Love it!!! Not difficult at all, I put it over chicken enchiladas .... turned out great. This one is a keeper. Thank you
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Eve! I agree, so easy! And super tasty. Glad you love it.
Samantha says
Hi there! In reading through the prep, (I am most likely being obtuse) It says to heat oven to 350, but further down it says to broil for 20-30 minutes. Are you saying broil just as a way of describing the cooking process, or do I need to heat to low broil? Could you clarify this please? SO looking forward to making this but don't want to mess it up! Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Samantha. I edited the recipe card to make things more clear. You can just bake them, or broil if you have a broil setting, but be careful not to place them too close to the heat source. If broiling, check them half way through, as they can char up more quickly. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Hughes says
Made this sauce and loved it, and I will be making it again and adjusting the sauce.
Love it.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent!!!
Catherine says
I'm wondering if we remove skins from the tomatillos?
Looks like a great recipe, especially for someone overrun with end-of-season tomatillos, jalapenos and ancho/poblanos! Was wondering what the jalapeno to do with them! Well, enchiladas here we come!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Catherine. I do not remove the skins.
Brett says
Great enchilada sauce! I had several jalapenos, pablanos and mirasols in the garden, so I decided to try this enchilada sauce. I made it and now I'm hooked on it! So good. I'll be making many more batches and will can the sauce! Enchiladas are calling out to me!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That's great, Brett! Thanks!
Sam says
I loved this! I put some on top of the nachos we had for dinner it was amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Sam! It's definitely a favorite here as well.
Gabi says
I would really like to make your wonderful spicy multi-purpose sauce, Mike. Will rush to the grocery and check,if they offer all those different pepper types?! I'm living in Germany, so this might be a challenge to get everything on your ingredient list. But hey, time to get creative;)
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds GREAT, Gabi. I hope you can find the peppers!
Sara says
This looks wonderful! I have never made homemade enchilada sauce, but I feel like that is about to change!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great news, Sara!
Jaclyn Anne says
We love Mexican dishes in our house, and especially enchiladas! Thanks for this easy green enchilada sauce recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
You are SUPER welcome, Jaclyn! Thanks!
Jessie says
Looks like an enchilada night is calling my name!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Me, too!
Dannii says
We make a big batch of enchilada sauce every month and use it for so many different recipes. I am craving some now.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
So great, isn't it?
Amber Roman says
Made it the 2nd time in 2 weeks. This is soooo delicious! I used one jalapeno and the poblanos peppers and it came out pretty hot because of the poblanos which aren't usually that spicy I thought. Glad I didn't add serranos also for the kids sake.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That's GREAT, Amber! Super happy you enjoyed it.
Amy Walz says
I am assuming you roast the Serranos also? And take out the seeds? Does this recipe turn out super spicy because of them?
Could jalapeños be used instead or would that change the flavor too much?
Thanks, ~ Amy
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Amy, the peppers are basically roasted in the oven with the tomatillos. You CAN seed them if you'd like and remove the innards for less heat. The heat is more in the whitish insides, not in the seeds. Yes, you can use jalapenos instead without any real flavor changes, just less heat. I hope this helps!
rick says
I want to use it to cover my Echiladas and bake in the oven....this won`t affect the salsa ...or will it?
REPLY: Rick, you can use this sauce for enchiladas. Maybe save some to finish them after they come out of the oven. Let me know how it turns out. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Ally says
So it's my finances bday and he wants green salsa enchiladas. I'm gonna recreate this recipe hopefully it comes out good and tasty for tonight. I'll let you know how it comes out!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, yes! Please let me know!
Terri says
Whew! Nice and hot! I was surprised there was no onion but I resisted the urge to add it. My sauce seems a bit redder, maybe due to the hot Mexican chili powder I used. Can't wait to taste the chicken enchiladas I'm making with it this evening.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds perfect, Terri!
Allie says
Do you still need to simmer the sauce? I noticed other recipes call for raw ingredients and then simmering.
REPLY: Allie, you can simmer if you'd like, though everything is roasted, so it will be fine to serve after you process it. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Joel says
I like the looks of this recipe and will make it today. Question for you: does it freeze well? It's more than I need for what I'm preparing tonight but it would be handy if it did freeze. Thank you! I'll post again when I've sampled it later on.
REPLY: Joel, yes, this will freeze just fine for you. Best! -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Ariana says
Hi! About how much sauce does this make?? I'm planning on making some wet burritos with the sauce and I wanted to make sure I had enough sauce.
REPLY: Ariana, this will make you close to 4 cups. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Nagi@RecipeTinEats says
Oooh! I've been meaning to make green enchilada sauce for AGES! Perfect prompt, thank you! 🙂
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Nagi! I love this stuff!