This Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce is bright, fresh, and far better than anything from a jar. It’s simple to make, freezer friendly, and you choose the heat level to suit your taste.
Homemade always tastes best, and this Green Enchilada Sauce is proof. The vibrant flavor of roasted tomatillos and fresh lime simply can’t be replicated in a can. Use it to elevate green enchiladas, enchilada casseroles, tacos, or as a bright sauce for grilled proteins and roasted vegetables.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Fresh, bright flavor from tomatillos and lime that store-bought sauces can’t match.
- Easy to control the spice level — make it mild or fiery depending on how many chiles and seeds you include.
- Make ahead: it refrigerates for a week or freezes for up to three months.
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. The base is adaptable for low FODMAP diets as well.
Recipe ingredients
- Tomatillos — the star of the sauce. Remove husks, rinse, and halve or quarter depending on size. Tomatillos give the sauce a bright, acidic base.
- Onion and garlic — add depth and savory balance to the tomatillos.
- Green chiles — jalapeños are used here, but serrano, hatch, anaheim, or poblano peppers work. Remove seeds for milder sauce; include them for more heat.
- Water or stock — thins the sauce. Use water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock for more richness.
- Oil — a little olive oil helps the vegetables roast and develop color.
- Lime juice — fresh lime brightens and balances the sauce.
- Cilantro — optional, for fresh herbal notes.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
How to make tomatillo enchilada sauce
This sauce is straightforward to prepare, and roasting the tomatillos and chiles adds a wonderful depth of flavor. The steps are simple:
Pro tip: Increase the number of jalapeños or include the seeds if you want a spicier sauce.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss tomatillos, chiles, onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves with olive oil and a pinch of salt on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Roast until nicely charred on all sides, about 25–30 minutes, turning as needed. Allow to cool slightly.
- Peel the roasted garlic, remove stems and seeds from the chiles if you prefer less heat.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables and any pan juices to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
- Pour the puree into a medium saucepan, add water or stock, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens to your liking, about 5–10 minutes.
- Stir in lime juice and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm or cool and store.
Recipe FAQs
Green enchilada sauce is typically made from tomatillos, green chiles, onion, garlic, and lime juice. Cilantro and spices like cumin are sometimes added.
The main difference is that enchilada sauce is cooked and usually thinned with stock or water, while salsa verde is typically raw and served as a fresh condiment.
Heat depends on the peppers used and whether you include seeds. Both red and green sauces can be mild or very spicy.
Reduce the sauce by simmering longer or use less liquid when blending.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: For more heat, add extra jalapeños or include the seeds.
- Yields approximately 3 cups of sauce.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for up to three months.
- Low FODMAP option: omit white onion and garlic, use water instead of stock, and add 1/2 cup raw chopped green onions (dark green parts only) to the blender with the tomatillos.
More Mexican recipes you’ll love!
- Black bean sweet potato enchiladas
- Chicken enchiladas
- Grilled fish tacos
- Ground beef tacos
- Mexican rice casserole
- Oven baked turkey tacos
- Slow cooker chicken tortilla soup
- Slow cooker pork carnitas
Did you try this recipe? If so, leave a review below and tag @flavorthemoments on social media so the author can see what you made.
Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, halved or quartered
- 1 large white onion, peeled and halved
- 2–4 large jalapeño peppers (or substitute hatch, Anaheim, serrano, poblano)
- 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1 1/2 cups water (or vegetable/chicken stock)
- 1/3 cup freshly chopped cilantro
- Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss tomatillos, onion, chiles, and garlic with olive oil and a pinch of salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until browned and charred, about 25–30 minutes. Cool slightly.
- Peel the garlic, remove stems and seeds from chiles if desired (keep seeds for more heat).
- Blend the roasted vegetables and pan juices until smooth.
- Pour the puree into a saucepan, add water or stock and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer until thickened, about 5–10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in lime juice and cilantro. Adjust seasoning and serve.
Notes
- For spicier sauce, add more jalapeños or leave the seeds in.
- Yields approximately 3 cups of sauce.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.
- Low FODMAP option: omit onion and garlic, use water, and add 1/2 cup chopped green onion (dark green parts only) to the blender.
Nutrition (per recipe)
Calories: 105 kcal · Carbohydrates: 12 g · Protein: 3 g · Fat: 6 g · Fiber: 3 g · Vitamin C: 37 mg
Nutrition is estimated and intended for informational purposes only.
Note: This recipe was originally published in April 2019. Step-by-step photos and extra notes were added to improve clarity and readability.