I’ve rounded up my 25 best tomatillo recipes, all of which are pretty easy, super delicious, and cover everything from my favorite tomatillo salsa verde recipe to a modern twist on Huevos Divorciados. Keep reading to find your new favorite!
First posted March 24, 2017. Last updated October 3, 2023.
If there’s one thing I know for sure, the best way to jazz up any meal takes one simple ingredient—tomatillos!
They are essential to Mexican cooking, go amazing with spicy chiles, peppers, and avocado, and even take well to the cooling effects of sour cream. Keep reading to find your new favorite tomatillo recipe!
what are tomatillos?
If you have a weakness for Mexican cuisine you may be a tomatillo lover and not even know it. Tomatillos (tomatillo physalis) are essential to many Mexican food recipes and were first cultivated in Mexico by the Aztecs centuries ago. The name might not be familiar but I’m sure you have seen them, they have a bright green color (or sometimes purple) and look like a little tomato wrapped in a crinkly paper husk.
Tomatillos, also known as Mexican husk tomatoes are members of the nightshade family like tomatoes but bear little resemblance as far as flavor goes. Fresh tomatillos taste more sour than sweet with a vibrant tangy flavor. They provide an addictive bright contrast to many Mexican dishes like green salsas and more!
how to buy tomatillos
When buying tomatillos, look for firm-fleshed fruit with no bruises or browned spots. The best tomatillos are on the smaller side, about the size of a ping pong ball, the bigger they are the more bitter they tend to be. If you have a Latin market in your town, they tend to have the freshest tomatillos at the best price.
That being said, tomatillos have become so popular, most grocery stores now have a beautiful selection as well as cilantro, jalapeños, and everything else you need to make many of these recipes using tomatillos. Once you bring them home, store tomatillos in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Even better, plant a tomatillo plant in your garden. They rarely suffer from disease or insect problems and you’ll be promised ripe tomatillos all summer long!
What Do You Do With Tomatillos?
To cook with tomatillos, remove the papery husk and give them a rinse under cold water. They don’t need to be peeled or seeded and despite popular myth, can be eaten raw or cooked. Raw tomatillos are not poisonous, but their leaves, stems, and flowers are.
One of my favorite ways to prep them is to char them over medium high heat for about 15 minutes or until their skin gets blackened. After they are charred their tart flavor can be used to bring a tangy zing to everything from salsas and dips to chicken enchiladas and Chile Verde.
I’m just in love with tomatillos and have tons of tomatillo recipes to share. Here are 25 of my family’s favorite tomatillo recipes.
25 insanely delicious tomatillo recipes
tomatillo salsa recipes
1. Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa
This creamy, tart salsa is the one we always, always have in our fridge. It is a simple (and simply addictive) tomatillo avocado salsa with raw tomatillos, avocados, and chili peppers, and blended until smooth, ready in 10 minutes!
2. super simple salsa verde
Homemade Salsa Verde is about the easiest thing in the world to make. Blended tomatillos, onion, jalapeños, and cilantro is all it takes to make a swoon-worthy salsa your friends will die for. This version has you boil the tomatillos. See number 4 for the charred version.
3. tomatillo pineapple pickle relish
Homemade tomatillo-pineapple pickle relish is a must have for summer. Super delicious, tart and sweet. Great for grilled sausages and hot dogs. This relish is a requirement at all of our family barbecues.
4. charred tomatillo salsa
A roasted tomatillo salsa that requires a simple spin in the blender or food processor. This Mexican green sauce is made with charred tomatillos, onions, chiles, salt and pepper is not just for chips! Use over fried eggs, enchiladas, or anywhere you want zip!
*Health Tip: Tomatillos are a great source of fiber so drizzle this salsa liberally over everything for that extra health boost!
5. chunky avocado tomatillo salsa
If you’ve been hunting for an easy Avocado Salsa recipe, look no further! Ripe avocado, tomatillos, fresh cilantro, and lots of spicy jalapeños with a delightful chunky texture. This is salsa is on the spicy side. If you are sensitive to heat, lower the amount of jalapeños in the salsa, or remove their seeds.
6. roasted tomatillo and avocado hummus
This Roasted Tomatillo and Avocado Hummus is a fluffy, airy dip rich with ripe avocado instead of loads of olive oil, charred tomatillos, and serrano chiles. Make a batch and create a snack board loaded with fresh veggies, chips, and pretzels with the tomatillo hummus as a centerpiece.
7. tomatillo pico de gallo
Like I mentioned, you can eat tomatillos raw. One recipe that shows off fresh, raw tomatillos in all their glory is this fresh, raw Tomatillo Pico de Gallo is a zesty salsa that captures the essence of tart tomatillos, chiles, and onions. Perfect for chips or tacos.
8. fiery habanero tomatillo salsa
If you like spicy, this salsa is for you. This habanero salsa is not for wimps made with charred habanero chiles, onions, a little orange juice, and tomatillos it will warm you from the inside out. Leave me a comment below if you’re a habanero fan and what’s your favorite habanero recipe.
9. Roasted Green Hatch Chile Salsa
When we were driving through New Mexico this summer, I got to experience the start of Hatch Chile season first hand. This simple, healthy Roasted Green Hatch Chile Salsa is the perfect thing to make when this special time of year rolls around. It’s tangy and tart without being too spicy.
tomatillo recipes: not salsa
in soup
10. tangy green tomato (or tomatillo) chili
This Green Tomato Chili makes use of all those green tomatoes that never ripened making for the perfect fall chili. However, swapping out the green tomatoes for tomatillos means we can make it all year long.
*Health Tip: Tomatillos are rich in nutrients like lutein that supports healthy vision.
11. caldo de res {Mexican Vegetable Beef Soup}
Tomatillos aren’t traditional but I love adding them for a bright spin on this simple and tasty recipe. It is pure comfort food with tender beef, carrots, potato, and squash all simmered in a rich broth. Leave the beef out and use vegetable broth for a vegan version.
12. vegan pozole verde
A spicy Pozole Verde that just so happens to be vegan. Made with green chiles, tomatillos, jalapeños, pinto beans and hominy. Garnish with toasted pepitas, dried oregano, minced onion, and thinly sliced radishes.
13. instant pot pork chili verde
We’re taking your favorite Instant Pot Pork Chili Verde recipe up a notch with handfuls of melty mozzarella cheese in each bowl for supreme chili status. Drop me a comment below and let me know if you’ve tried this recipe. It’s a keeper!
14. Chicken Tomatillo Stew
This nourishing Chicken Tomatillo Stew with butternut squash, carrots, tomatillos, chicken, and chiles makes for a healthy and satisfying dinner. I love this stew so much, it has amazing flavor and hits all the cozy vibes.
for breakfast
15. green chilaquiles with fried eggs
This recipes takes green salsa soaked tortilla chips and tops them with Cotija cheese, sour cream, jalapeños, sliced radishes, scallions, and a fried egg. In other words, chips coated in green chile sauce is my favorite way to start the day!
*Health Tip: Tomatillos contain a group of naturally occurring compounds that lead to the death of cancer-causing cells!
16. Cali-Style Huevos Divorciados
A veggie-forward take on the traditional Mexican dish or two eggs with green and red salsa. The green salsa is a creamy yogurt tomatillo sauce and the red is a savory beet relish. Serve over tahini-fried potatoes for a decadent breakfast. See recipe below!
For a more traditional huevos divorciados recipe, check out my cookbook, Plant Powered Mexican.
17. Grilled Chicken Chilaquiles Verdes
Use the Hatch Green Chile Salsa above to make Chilaquiles Verdes from scratch with a bold grilled lime chicken, and freshly-fried tortilla chips. Leave the chicken off for a delicious vegetarian version.
tomatillo recipes for dinner
18. slow cooker carne adobada
This just might be your new favorite way to cook a roast. Covered in adobo sauce and slowly simmered until tender, it’s just delicious! Instead of lime juice, this recipe has a few tomatillos added for a tangy twist. Serve in a rice bowl with black beans or as tacos.
19. chile verde chicken tamales
These Chile Verde Chicken Tamales are like fluffy masa present waiting to be unwrapped; stuffed with tender poached chicken and mild green tomatillo salsa. What’s you favorite kind of tamal? Drop me a comment below and let me know.
20. shrimp and melon ceviche tostadas
Jump into spring with this shrimp and melon ceviche! Pile this bright and citrusy salad on top of crunchy tostadas for a light meal or an easy appetizer at your next backyard party. I like to make this ceviche in advance. It’s an easy one because the shrimp is poached first and just gets tastier as it sits in the tomatillo and melon marinade.
21. chicken mole verde
This chicken mole verde is a fresh springtime mole with tender pieces of braised chicken are cooked in a mixture of tomatillos, jalapeños, cilantro, basil, and thickened with pumpkin and sesame seeds.
*Health Tip: Low in calories and high in water content, tomatillos are a great way of filling up and feeling satisfied.
22. Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos
Tender poached chicken breasts (or thighs) tossed in a tangy charred tomatillo salsa makes the best chicken tacos! This is an awesome gluten-free, dairy-free dinner.
23. Chicken Flautas Mexicanas
Flautas Mexicanas or Authentic Mexican Flautas filled with shredded salsa verde chicken above and fried until golden brown and crisp. Serve over shredded lettuce with queso fresco and pico de gallo for a dinner everyone loves.
24. pork tamales with salsa verde
Pork Tamales with Salsa Verde- authentic Mexican Tamales filled with tender pork shoulder and tangy tomatillo salsa, make for the holidays! I’d love to hear if this these tamales are your favorite way to enjoy tomatillos. Drop me a comment below!
25. Enchiladas Verdes with Chicken
Shredded chicken wrapped in warm corn tortillas coated in homemade enchilada sauce made with charred tomatillos, poblano pepper, serrano chiles, and onion then baked until the cheese is melted. You are going to love this recipe. It is on constant rotation at our house!
More Delicious Farmers Market Recipes To Try!
- Authentic Chile Relleno Recipe
- Pickled Red Onions {Cebollas Curtidas}
- Jugo Verde {Mexican Green Juice}
- Veracruz-Style Hominy
- Cilantro-Lime Fish Taco Slaw
- Vegan Ceviche with Avocado and Lime
- Papas con Chile {Crispy Potatoes in Red Sauce}
so, which recipe will you make first?
Whether it’s the salsa verde recipe or my new take on Huevos Divorciados, I’d love to hear how you liked these tomatillo recipes! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so that I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Huevos Divorciados with Creamy Tomatillo Salsa & Roasted Beet Relish
Huevos Divorciados: 2 eggs smothered in creamy tomatillo salsa & roasted beet relish on fried tahini breakfast potatoes.
Ingredients
For the Tomatillo Salsa:
- 2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
- 1 small white onion, quartered
- 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 2-3 jalapeños], stemmed and cut in half (add as many or as few [jalapeños as you like depending on how spicy you want the salsa to be)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
For the Beet Relish:
- 4-6 small beets, trimmed and washed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 jalapeno, stemmed and minced (seeds removed if you'd like it less spicy)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Tahini Potatoes:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 4 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tahini paste
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
For the Eggs:
- 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-4 large eggs
- Crumbled queso fresco, optional
Instructions
To Make the Tomatillo Salsa:
- Heat oven: Heat oven to 425°F and arrange rack in the upper third of the oven.
- Season vegetables: Combine tomatillos, onion, garlic, and jalapeños on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Toss to coat.
- Roast vegetables: Roast veggies until softened and brown, about 20 minutes.
- Blend with remaining ingredients: Transfer veggies to a blender (removing the skin from the garlic first), add cilantro and yogurt and season with salt (I used 2 teaspoons) and blend until smooth. You might need to do this in two batches depending on the size of your blender.
- This will make a lot more salsa than you'll need but extra salsa is never a bad problem to have.
- Keep oven on to roast the beets.
For the Beet Relish:
- Roast beets: Place beets in a baking dish and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with salt and cover with foil. Roast beets until they can be easily pierced with a knife, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool.
- Peel beets. Peel beets by rubbing the skin off with a paper towel or a pairing knife then cut into small dice.
- Mix with remaining ingredients. Combine beets with remaining relish ingredients and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste.
For the Potatoes:
- Fry potatoes. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet or nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and potatoes and season with salt.
- Add tahini. Cook, undisturbed a few minutes then add remaining potato ingredients and stir until tahini has coated the potatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and let cook, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered.
For the Eggs:
- Fry eggs. I like to fry my eggs one at a time. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil per egg in a medium nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering crack the egg into the middle of the oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Turn off heat and let cook, undisturbed 1-2 minutes. Flip if you want an over easy egg and finish cooking to your liking. Repeat with remaining eggs.
To Serve:
- Divide potatoes between 2-4 plates, depending on how many you are serving. Place 2 eggs on each plate and top each egg with the different salsas. Sprinkle a little queso fresco over the top if you want, serve immediately.
Notes
To make both salsas at the same time, roast the tomatillo salsa vegetables on one rack and the beets on another rack in the oven simultaneously.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 326Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 207mgSodium: 353mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 3gSugar: 10gProtein: 15g
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Tomatillos are not self-pollinating. You must plant at least 2 seedlings if you hope to harvest. I learned the hard way, but this year I have a bumper crop with three plants.
That is so interesting, I had no idea! Thanks so much for sharing. Now I know why they never work for me. 🙂
Too much motormouthing before getting to the recipe. You should do what forward-thinking sites are doing, putting a button at the top that says “Jump to Recipe/Not interested in the motormouthing.”
Hi Stevan, you’ll find the “Jump to Recipe” button directly under the first photograph. All my best!
I haven’t tried any recipe yet, but they look tasty.
The negative ratings based on silly things is not okay. I almost did not click on it because of the 1 star rating.
Thanks to Kate for putting this together for this tomatillo fan. I plant them and want to do more than salsa and verde sauce.
Aww, thanks so much Carrie! Let me know when you give a recipe a try. Excited to hear what you think.
Just have to say, that I’ve made the Divorced Eggs recipe twice now and both times, it’s been AMAZING. Cannot overstate what a HUGE hit it is in my house. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you so much Alex! I’m so thrilled you loved it.
I just found this wonderful website. Thank you for these scrumptious looking recipes! I also grow tomatillos – they just come up every year and produce tons of fruit. I make tomatillo salsas and use them in omelets, but always look for other ways to use them.
Btw, I enjoy your posts – it’s not “motormouthing” to me. It reads as if someone is standing next to me in the kitchen, very friendly and readable. Can’t wait to try many of your recipes!
Thank you Marcia! I wish I had your luck growing tomatillos—mine always die before they even become seedlings. I could use some pointers LOL.