Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed well
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and stem cut off
- 4 poblano peppers (or Anaheim peppers), seeded and stems removed
- 1 small onion, cut in half
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro (stems and leaves)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (use vegetable for a vegan option)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 425°F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment or foil to catch any drips—makes cleanup a breeze.
- Place the tomatillos, jalapeño, poblanos (or Anaheims), onion halves, and garlic on the sheet in one layer. No need for oil unless you want a bit more char; I usually skip it to keep things light.
- Slide the sheet into the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes. Flip everything halfway to get even browning. The peppers should blister, tomatillos soften and maybe split a little, and the garlic should smell amazing without burning.
- Pull the tray out and let the veggies cool just enough to handle. Toss them into your blender along with the cilantro bunch (no need to chop), cumin, oregano, bouillon, and salt. Add about 1 cup of the broth to get things moving.
- Blend on high until it’s smooth and green—no chunks left. If it sticks, stop and scrape the sides with a spatula. This takes 1-2 minutes tops.
- Pour the pureed mix into a medium pot. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of broth. Set the heat to medium and bring it to a simmer—don’t let it boil hard.
- Once it’s bubbling gently, lower the heat and let it cook for 15 minutes. Stir every few minutes so it doesn’t stick. The sauce will reduce a bit and get that nice coating texture.
- Squeeze in the lime juice right at the end and give it a good stir. Taste it—add a little more salt if your broth was mild, or another drop of lime for brightness.
- Take it off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. It’ll thicken up as it cools. That’s it—your green enchilada sauce is ready to use.
Notes
- Rinse tomatillos thoroughly after peeling; that sticky sap can make the sauce taste off if left on.
- For milder sauce, remove all seeds from the jalapeño; leave a few for a subtle kick.
- If your blender struggles, work in batches to avoid overflow.
- Mexican oregano has a citrusy note—regular works fine, but hunt it down at a Latin market if you can.
- Taste the broth before adding; low-sodium versions might need extra salt.
- Don’t skip the cilantro—it’s what gives the sauce its signature herby punch.
- If the roasted veggies are super juicy, drain a bit before blending to control thickness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tbsp
- Calories: 90 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg