Green enchilada sauce
A fresh, tangy green enchilada sauce of tomatillos, green chilli and coriander. The sauce for enchiladas verdes.
Make this once, then cook it into 33 different dishes.
- Time45 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.72 a head
- Makesabout 850 ml, enough for 2 enchilada dishes for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the grill to its highest setting. Put the tomatillos, jalapeños, green pepper (skin side up) and unpeeled garlic on a foil lined tray. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes until blistered and blackened in places, turning the tomatillos once.
10 min - 2
Let cool for 5 minutes. Peel the garlic and the pepper skin if it comes away easily. Remove the stalks from the chillies. Keep all the juices from the tray.
- 3
Put the tomatillos with their juices, chillies, pepper, garlic, onion, cumin, salt and half the stock in a blender. Blend until smooth, then add the coriander and pulse briefly.
- 4
Heat the oil in a wide pan over a medium-high heat. Pour in the sauce carefully (it will spit) and fry for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until it darkens slightly and thickens.
7 min - 5
Add the rest of the stock and simmer gently for 10 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
10 min - 6
Taste and adjust the salt. It should taste bright, tangy and savoury. Cool in a shallow container and chill within 2 hours. Use in the dish recipes that call for your ready made green enchilada sauce.
About green enchilada sauce
Green enchilada sauce is a tangy, silky sauce made from tomatillos, fresh green chillies, onion, garlic and coriander, blended and then simmered with stock. It is the sauce for enchiladas verdes, chilaquiles verdes and many Mexican egg and chicken dishes.
It differs from a simple salsa verde because it is fried and simmered until thickened, which mellows the acid and makes it cling to tortillas. A green pepper (or poblano) gives body and a mild vegetal sweetness, while jalapeños add heat and coriander adds freshness.
The flavour is bright, tangy and savoury with medium heat. Use it for enchiladas verdes with chicken, cheese or beans, spoon it over eggs, braise pork or chicken in it, or stir it into rice. Tinned tomatillos work as well as fresh.
Tips
- Char the tomatillos, peppers and chillies under a hot grill until they blister and blacken in places. This cuts the sharpness and adds a deeper, almost smoky flavour.
- If using tinned tomatillos, drain them well, skip the grilling for them and fry the blended sauce for a few minutes longer to reduce the extra water.
- Blend the coriander in last for a short pulse to keep the sauce green. Over blending turns it a dull brown.
- Fry the blended sauce in oil before adding stock. It deepens the flavour and cooks off the raw edge.
- If the sauce is too sharp, add a pinch more salt and a small pinch of sugar. Tomatillos vary in acidity from batch to batch.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 2 hours, then keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze in 400 ml portions for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to a simmer until steaming hot all the way through. The colour darkens slightly.
Dishes you can make with green enchilada sauce
Enchiladas Suizas (Swiss-Style Chicken Enchiladas)
EFNFGFChilaquiles Verdes con Pollo (Green Chicken Chilaquiles)
GFEFNFPollo en Salsa Verde con Arroz (Chicken in Green Sauce)
GFDFEFTacos de Pollo en Salsa Verde (Green Sauce Chicken Tacos)
DFEFNFFlautas de Pollo con Salsa Verde (Crispy Chicken Flautas)
GFDFEFTamales Verdes de Pollo (Chicken Tamales in Green Sauce)
DFEFNFPechuga de Pavo en Salsa Verde (Turkey Steaks in Green Sauce)
GFDFEFBurritos Ahogados de Pavo (Smothered Turkey Burritos)
EFNFTortas de Pollo en Salsa Verde (Chicken Torta Sandwiches)
EFNFDFPollo con Rajas en Salsa Verde (Chicken with Poblano Strips)
EFNFArroz con Pollo Verde (Mexican Green Chicken and Rice)
GFDFEFAlbóndigas de Pavo en Salsa Verde (Turkey Meatballs in Green Sauce)
GFDFNFQuestions
Can I use tinned tomatillos?
Yes. Drain them well and use about 600 g. Fry the blended sauce for 3 to 4 minutes longer to cook off the extra water. Tinned tomatillos are sold in many world food aisles and online.
What can I use if I cannot find poblano peppers?
A green pepper (bell pepper) plus an extra jalapeño works well in the UK. It gives a similar body and mild flavour. Charring it first helps.
Is green enchilada sauce spicy?
Medium. Three jalapeños with seeds make a medium sauce. Remove the seeds for mild, or add a serrano for heat.
Is green enchilada sauce vegan and gluten free?
Yes, as written. It uses gluten free vegetable stock, tomatillos, peppers and herbs, so it is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free. Check the stock label.
Can I freeze green enchilada sauce?
Yes. Freeze it in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and simmer until steaming hot. The colour will be a little darker but the flavour is still good.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.