This easy green enchilada sauce recipe is tangy and delicious with roasted chilies, tomatillos, and fresh herbs, so much better than store bought!
Easy Green Enchilada Sauce Recipe
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, especially with other staple Mexican ingredients, like the chili peppers, fresh herbs, and all those outstanding seasonings.
It's a lot like a salsa verde, but for enchiladas!
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!
So much better than anything you'll get from the grocery store.
Let's talk about how to make green enchilada sauce! So quick and easy!
Green Enchilada Sauce Ingredients
- Tomatillos. We'll roast them for delicious flavor and body.
- Garlic. Also roasted for depth and mellowness.
- Fresh Chili Peppers. I'm using a combination of jalapeno peppers, poblano peppers, and serrano peppers for a nice balance of heat and flavor.
- Spices. Fresh cilantro, cumin, chili powder, and salt and black pepper.
- Chicken Broth. You can also use vegetable broth.
- Lime Juice.
How to Make Green Enchilada Sauce - The Recipe / Method
Prep the Tomatillos. First, let's roast our tomatillos. Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Peel away the dry husk and rinse the tomatillos.
Chop them in half and set them skin sides up onto a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Prep the Chili Peppers. 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.
Broil the Tomatillos, Chilies, and Garlic. 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. Peel the skins from the roasted green chiles and add the peppers to a food processor with the tomatillos.
Squeeze the garlic from their skins and into the food processor they go.
Add the Spices and Process. Toss in the cilantro, cumin, chili powder and salt and pepper. Process everything to combine the mixture.
Chicken Broth. Next, pour in the chicken broth and process the whole thing until nice and smooth.
Simmer the Sauce. Finally, pour the green chili enchilada sauce into a pan or a pot and simmer for 5 minutes or so to let the flavors fully develop.
Use as desired! It's time to make some enchiladas verde, my friends! Or try my cheese enchiladas recipe.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Feel free to adjust the ratios of ingredients to your preference, such as doubling the lime juice or cutting back on the fresh herbs.
- Consider other herbs, such as fresh Mexican oregano or parsley, as a flavorful variation.
- For a thinner sauce, add a bit more chicken broth or water to achieve a consistency you prefer.
Adjusting the Heat Factor
Want some extra heat? Add a couple more serrano peppers, or maybe even a habanero or two.
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.
Serving Ideas for Green Enchilada Sauce
Green enchilada sauce is a versatile and flavorful sauce that can be used in a variety of ways to add a burst of flavor to your meals, and not just for making enchiladas. Here are some other serving ideas.
- Enchiladas. Enchiladas are the obvious use for this amazing sauce. Try my Chicken Enchiladas Verde recipe, or these others: Chicken Enchilada Casserole Verde, One-Pot Enchilada Stew.
- Tacos or Taco Bowls. Use green enchilada sauce as a taco sauce to add a tangy and spicy kick to your tacos. Drizzle it over grilled or roasted meats, seafood, or vegetables, and top with your favorite taco toppings. Patty LOVES it on Cochinita Pibil.
- Eggs. Elevate your breakfast game by serving green enchilada sauce over scrambled eggs or as a base for a breakfast skillet, like this huevos rancheros.
- Nachos. Use green enchilada sauce as a topping to change up your favorite nachos recipe. Layer tortilla chips with shredded cheese, black beans, diced tomatoes, and jalapenos, then bake until melted and bubbly. Drizzle with green enchilada sauce and serve with sour cream and guacamole for a crowd-pleasing appetizer or snack. Try this breakfast version of chilaquiles verdes.
- Dressing. Mix green enchilada sauce with Mexican crema, sour cream or yogurt for a creamy, tangy and dressing for salads, bowls, or dip.
- Marinade. Use it as a marinade for meats or vegetables for a few hours or overnight before grilling, roasting, or sautéing for a burst of flavor.
These are just a few ideas for serving green enchilada sauce. It's great with any Mexican food. Get creative and experiment with different dishes to enjoy the delicious flavors of this classic Mexican sauce.
Storage Information
You can store your green enchilada sauce in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 5 days, though it may last a bit longer with the acidic lime juice.
Green enchilada sauce freezes very well. Just freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months.
To enjoy it again, thaw it and gently warm in a pot. Then it's enchilada time!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy spicy cooking, I hope you'll check out my cookbook! 75 easy recipes with big, bold flavor.
- The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist (affiliate link, my friends!)
Recommended Product
Souper Cubes - 2 Tbsp, 1/2, 1 and 2 Cup Silicone Freezer Trays With Lids - Meal Prep and Kitchen Storage Solutions.
You will LOVE these cubes. I have been using them for over a year now and I use them for freezing sauces, salsas, soups, stews, and more.
Amazon Affiliate links, my friends! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Try These Other Enchilada Sauce Recipes
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 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 away the dry husk 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 4/28/23 to include new images and a video because it is such a great recipe! Originally published on 4/23/15.
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.
Rhonda says
Pasilla peppers are dried chilaca peppers. Poblano are usually used fresh. I know how you feel. Even a "Mexican" store was advertising poblanos as pasillas. I researched it and found the truth. You have probably been buying poblanos all along.
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!