Green Enchilada Sauce (Tomatillo Sauce)

5 from 1 vote

Green Enchilada Sauce (Tomatillo Sauce)

A tangy, green Mexican-inspired sauce that usually tops chicken enchiladas but works in so many ways. See post for ideas. Freezes beautifully for breakfasts, snacks and dinners. Note - the arrowroot starch makes a thicker sauce but it's optional.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: salsa, Sauce

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: yield 5-6 cups

Calories: 29kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Equipment

blender

Ingredients

2 ½-3 pounds green tomatillos
1 medium onion
1 large Anaheim chili pepper
1 large jalapeno chili pepper
2 large garlic cloves chopped
1 cup water
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon arrowroot starch optional

Instructions

Prep tomatillos, onions, chilies

Remove paper husks from the tomatillos, wash and chop them. Roughly chop the onion. Split the chiles in half lengthwise, remove seeds and membrane, then chop. Peel and smash the garlic cloves.

Cook the enchilada sauce

Add everything to a medium (4-5 quart) saucepan with the water, cumin, oregano, coriander, and salt. Bring to a boil then turn down to low. Cover and simmer with a lid on for approximately 15-20 minutes, until it all falls apart and gets very soft.

Puree and portion

Carefully pour hot salsa into a blender. Fix the lid on tightly and pulse briefly for a few seconds to puree as thick or fine as you want. If your blender is smaller, do this in two batches.
Use as is (warm) or cool and refrigerate, or portion and freeze. Salsa will last 5 days in the refrigerator or several months in the freezer. To thicken, see note below.

Notes

How to Thicken Green Enchilada Sauce

If you prefer a slightly thicker green enchilada sauce with more body, you can thicken it right in the blender. With the sauce still hot, add 1 tablespoon of arrowroot starch directly to the blended sauce and pulse until smooth. It thickens almost immediately and evenly, without the extra step of making a slurry.

Arrowroot also holds up much better through freezing and thawing, keeping the sauce smooth and stable. Cornstarch can break down after freezing, making sauces watery or separated.

Nutrition