You will often see both homemade and restaurant-style dishes that marry tomatillos with sour (lemons and limes), bitter (cilantro), and savory (meats and beans) ingredients. The best tomatillo recipes complement these flavors and bring out the mild sweetness of the tomatillos.
When tomatillos come to mind, you probably think: salsa! But there is so much more you can do with this little green fruit. This is why I compiled a list of 20 recipes to give you plenty of tomatillo recipe ideas.
Why do we use tomatillos in so many Mexican recipes? They are among the most versatile vegetables. With their ability to fulfill the acidic niche nicely and their tendency to release an unusual complexity of flavors upon cooking, they are staples in Southwestern and Mexican cuisine.
They are quickly becoming popular in North America, hence why I can now find them regularly in local grocery stores and I even grow them in my own garden.
So grab a bag of tomatillos and have a look at all of the unique, fresh and delicious options I compiled below. Two of my favorites on this list are the grilled halibut tacos and easy tomatillo hot sauce. Enjoy!
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What are Tomatillos?
Tomatillos are small, round, green fruits in the nightshade family. Their name says, “Little tomato,” and they are shaped liked tomatoes but they are really only distantly related.
They are tangy and only slightly sweet. In addition, you must shuck them of a paper-like husk as if they were part of the corn family.
Unique Tomatillo Recipes
Tomatillo Recipes with Chicken
When you look at the most commonly used ingredients in Mexican and Southwestern cuisine, a few foods stand out. Could you cook every dish with cumin, cilantro, tomatillos, avocados, and chicken, beef, or pork? Just add tortillas, cheese, and corn and call it a day? Of course, you would not, but these mainstays show up again and again.
Chicken, in particular, is easy to complement with vegetables and spices because its own flavor is unassuming. We all know how fancy chicken becomes in the hands of some Latin chefs. The relatively delicate meat of chicken lends itself well to soups and salads and blends remarkably well with citrus-based lemon and zesty tomatillos.
Tomatillo Salsa Recipes
Salsa verde is a classic sauce and tomatillos are the star ingredients. You can use green tomatoes in a pinch, but nothing quite substitutes for the distinctive tart taste of the tomatillos. It is almost as if they were created for salsa.
Canned Tomatillo Recipes
Sometimes you just have to put yumminess in a jar and seal it up. Canning does a good job of preserving tomatillos and salsas for months if the seal remains undisturbed. It is also good for areas where it may be difficult to locate tomatillos.
You can use two methods to preserve tomatillos. There are others, but I found these most useful and delicious. If you make a salsa, which you will probably use a lot of anyway, you can it for future enchiladas or Rellenos. You can also pickle them and jar them in a more direct manner.
Conclusion
Did you enjoy this list of unexpectedly easy ways to prepare tomatillos? Does it make you want to cook up some tomatillos right now? As you can see there are many ways to get creative. Hopefully, you learned some interesting things about tomatillo dishes and have a few to add to your meal plan.
Tomatillo FAQs
Absolutely, raw tomatillos are edible. They will have a tart and slightly sweet flavor. You can slice or dice them for salads, tacos, salsas or as a condiment. Some prefer eating them whole.
Underneath their outer layer, tomatillos have a sticky sap. Although it's unnecessary to wash it off until you're ready to use them, keeping it helps protect the tomatillos in the refrigerator. However, make sure to wash it off before you begin cooking.
For optimal storage of ripe tomatillos, leave the husks on and place them in a paper bag within your fridge's crisper drawer. This will help to preserve their moisture and freshness for up to three weeks.
If you ❤️enjoyed this Tomatillo Recipes List or any other recipe on my website, please let me know what you thought in the 📝 comments below. And please share the post!
TUbIdY says
I can't believe how many delicious ways there are to use tomatillos! I'm excited to try the tomatillo salsa and the roasted tomatillo soup. Thanks for sharing these simple yet tasty recipes!
Joss Dyckson says
You're welcome and I hope you enjoy the salsa and soup. Thanks for the comment!
sound of Text says
These tomatillo recipes look delicious! I can't wait to try some of these dishes at home.
Joss Dyckson says
Yes, they're delicious! Thanks for the comment. 🙂
Lydia Priest says
How can I see the actual recipes? I click on the picture and nothing happens. Please help.
Joss D says
Hi Lydia, you need to click on the links below the pictures where it says 'photo and recipe credit' or 'full recipe'.