Tomatillos are one of those garden crops that can suddenly leave you with far more than you expected. Once those papery husks start filling out, you can go from waiting for the first harvest to staring at a basket of tomatillos wondering how many batches of salsa verde one household can possibly eat.
Thankfully, salsa is only the beginning. Tomatillos have a bright, slightly tart flavor that works beautifully with chiles, cilantro, lime, avocado, chicken, pork, and even fruit, so they can easily make their way into dips, enchiladas, tacos, pozole, and hearty bowls of chili. If your garden is producing faster than you can use them, these recipes should give you plenty of ideas.
Pozole Verde
Pozole verde is one of those recipes that turns a pile of fresh tomatillos into the start of a really good dinner. Blend the tomatillos with green chiles, herbs, and other seasonings to create a flavorful green base for a hearty soup filled with hominy and chicken.
Pile on fresh toppings like sliced radishes, cabbage, avocado, cilantro, and lime before serving. It’s especially good with warm tortillas or tortilla chips on the side.
Make this recipe: Pozole Verde
Classic Tomatillo Salsa Verde
If you have a lot of tomatillos, salsa verde is probably a go-to. Tomatillos pair well with peppers, onion, cilantro, garlic, and lime to make a fresh salsa that’s tart, savory, and just spicy enough, depending on the peppers you use.
Keep a batch in the refrigerator for chips, tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, eggs, or grilled vegetables. It’s also a great starting point for enchiladas and other dinners, so making extra rarely feels like a bad idea.
Make this recipe: Salsa Verde
Slow Cooker Barbacoa Tacos With Tomatillo Salsa
Sometimes the best way to use tomatillos isn’t to hide them inside a dish but to make a salsa good enough to steal the show. These tacos pair slow-cooked barbacoa beef with a fresh tomatillo salsa, giving you rich, savory beef and bright salsa in every bite.
Load the tacos with avocado, cheese, cilantro, onions, or whatever toppings you usually reach for. It’s a great weekend dinner when you can let the slow cooker do most of the work and use freshly harvested tomatillos for the finishing touch.
Make this recipe: Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa
Roasted tomatillo rice
Roasted tomatillo rice is a fresh take on Mexican-style arroz verde, made with roasted tomatillos, onion, garlic, green peas, and jalapeño simmered together with fluffy rice. Serve it alongside roasted vegetables or your favorite protein, or top it with a fried egg for an easy meal.
Make this recipe: Roasted tomatillo rice
Tomatillo Avocado Salsa
Tomatillo and avocado are such a good combination because the rich avocado balances the naturally tart bite of the tomatillos. Add peppers, lime, cilantro, and a few simple seasonings, and you’ve got something between salsa verde and guacamole.
Spoon it generously over tacos, burrito bowls, grilled corn, quesadillas, or roasted vegetables.
Make this recipe: Avocado Tomatillo Salsa
Serrano Tomatillo Salsa
If you like salsa with a little more kick, serrano peppers pair naturally with tomatillos. You still get that familiar bright tomatillo flavor, but the serranos bring considerably more heat than a mild green salsa.
This is a good one for taco night, especially with grilled meats, beans, roasted vegetables, or anything that can stand up to a spicier salsa. A squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro can make those flavors pop even more.
Make this recipe: Serrano Salsa
Chile de Árbol Tomatillo Salsa
For even more heat, chile de arbol takes tomatillo salsa in a whole new direction. The dried chiles bring a deeper, fiery flavor that pairs well with the tartness of the tomatillos.
A little goes a long way on tacos, breakfast burritos, eggs, grilled meats, or roasted vegetables. If your regular salsa verde never seems spicy enough, try this recipe.
Make this recipe: Chile de Arbol Tomatillo Salsa
Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa
Chipotle peppers give tomatillos something they don’t have on their own: a smoky, deeper chile flavor. Pair the two together and you get a salsa that’s tangy, smoky, and spicy without tasting like another version of basic salsa verde.
Use it with tacos, quesadillas, burritos, grilled vegetables, or as a dipping salsa for tortilla chips. It’s also delicious spooned over roasted sweet potatoes or a bowl of black beans and rice.
Make this recipe: Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa
Pineapple Tomatillo Salsa
Pineapple probably isn’t the first ingredient you’d think to pair with tomatillos, which is exactly why this one caught my attention. The pineapple’s sweetness balances the tart tomatillos, while chiles keep the finished salsa firmly in savory territory.
Try it with tacos, grilled chicken or fish, or simply scoop it up with tortilla chips. It’s also a fun salsa to serve when you want something a little different from the usual red and green options.
Make this recipe: Pineapple Tomatillo Salsa
Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas
If you want to turn tomatillos into a full dinner, enchiladas are hard to beat. Salsa verde gives the chicken and tortillas bright, tangy flavor, while cheese and other toppings make it a warm, satisfying meal.
Serve the enchiladas with rice, black beans, avocado, sour cream, or a simple salad. This is also a great way to use homemade salsa verde when you’ve made a large batch and don’t want to eat it all with chips.
Make this recipe: Roasted Poblano Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas
Mexican Pork Chili Verde
Mexican pork chili verde is a hearty dish made with tender pieces of pork simmered in a green sauce of tomatillos, green chiles, garlic, onions, and seasonings. As everything cooks together, the pork becomes tender, and the tomatillos give the sauce a slightly tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with the meat.
Serve it with warm tortillas, Mexican rice, beans, or a few slices of avocado. It’s a great way to use up a fresh harvest of tomatillos, especially as the weather cools and you crave something warm and filling.
Make this recipe: Mexican Pork Chili Verde
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Roasting tomatillos is one of my favorite ways to bring out more of their flavor. The heat softens their sharp tartness while adding slightly charred, roasted flavors that make homemade salsa so much better than something straight from a jar.
Serve it with tortilla chips or spoon it over tacos, nachos, grilled vegetables, chicken, or breakfast eggs. It’s also a good recipe to try when you’ve already made traditional salsa verde and want something a little different from the next round of tomatillos.
Make this recipe: Tomatillo Green Chili Salsa
Tomatillo Red Chili Salsa
Tomatillos may be green, but they certainly don’t have to stay that way once they become salsa. Pairing them with dried red chiles creates a deeper red sauce that keeps the tomatillos’ tartness while adding richer chile flavor and plenty of heat.
This style of salsa works especially well with tacos, burritos, nachos, eggs, and grilled foods. If you’re a fan of Chipotle’s hot red salsa, a couple of copycat versions are also worth trying.
Make this recipe: Tomatillo Red Chili Salsa – Copycat Chipotle Hot Salsa
