Name: Green Sauce Recipe For Enchiladas | Quick & Easy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 cups
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2-3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion (roughly chopped); 5-6 cloves garlic; 2-4 Anaheim peppers (chopped); 1-2 jalepenos (seeded); 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos (husked and cut in half); 1/2 bunch cilantro (coarsely chopped); 1 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin; 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Quick and easygreen sauce recipe for enchiladasuses fresh tomatillos, peppers, and herbs to create a versatile sauce that transforms ordinary enchiladas into restaurant-quality meals. Perfect for anyone who wants to add authentic flavor to weeknight dinners without spending hours in the kitchen!

A jar of green sauce from a green sauce recipe for enchiladas sits on a wooden board surrounded by ingredients: garlic cloves, green peppers, and tomatillos. Fresh cilantro is scattered around, adding a pop of color.

I hope this quick and easyHomemade Green Enchilada Saucemakes your dinner just a little easier and as tasty as ever! This is a great sauce to make during summer’s garden harvest of tomatillos. It also freezes well, so make a double batch and keep some in the freezer for a busy night.

Beyond enchiladas, you can use it in soups, chilies, or as a topping for grilled meats. Making ahead and storing in meal-sized portions is great for those nights when you need dinner on the table fast but don’t want to sacrifice quality or nutrition for convenience!

green enchilada sauce topping beef burrito.

Why You’ll Love This Green Sauce Recipe For Enchiladas

Make-Ahead Time Saver:Prepare this sauce on the weekend and refrigerate or freeze for quick weeknight meals. Double the recipe and freeze portions for later use. Having homemade enchilada sauce ready to go means you’re always just minutes away from a delicious dinner your family will love.
Versatility Champion:This isn’t just for enchiladas! Use it as a simmer sauce for chicken, a base for tortilla soup, or even as a zesty salsa with chips. One sauce, endless possibilities.
Customizable Heat Level:You control the spice! Adjust the jalapeños up or down depending on your family’s preference. It’s perfect for households with varying spice tolerances.
No Artificial Ingredients:Unlike store-bought versions, this homemade sauce contains no preservatives, artificial colors, or excessive sodium. Just pure, fresh ingredients that you can feel good about serving your family.

🍽️ My family’s most requested meal using this sauce isOne Pan Chicken Enchilada Casserole, but I share more delicious meals to make with this sauce below!

Recipe Ingredients

Tomatillos —Fresh tomatillos will be in a papery husk and are smooth and limey green on the inside. You can also used canned tomatillos for this recipe.
Anaheim peppers —Mild to lightly spicy peppers that are easy to find and work with. These peppers don’t have much heat; it’s normally just above bell peppers and definitely less than jalapeños.
Jalapeño peppers
Cilantro
Onion
Garlic

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

ingredients for green enchilada sauce set out.

How to Make Green Enchilada Sauce

Blend:Throw all of your ingredients in the blender or food processor and let the appliance do the chopping! If your appliance won’t hold all of the broth, just use as much as needed to blend up the vegetables and add the rest of the stock to the pan.
Cook:Add everything you blended up to a large stock pot or Dutch oven and simmer until it thickens.
Use:Use this for your favorite enchilada sauce, as a salsa verde for dipping chips into, or mix it with equal parts sour cream for an easy dip.

how to make enchilada sauce collage of 4 pictures.

Recipe FAQs

How thick should the sauce be?

The consistency is a matter of preference. After simmering for 30 minutes, you’ll have a medium-thick sauce. For thinner sauce, add more stock; for thicker sauce, simmer longer. Remember that the sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.

How do I pick the best tomatillos?

When buying tomatillos, pick ones that have crispy tan husks and no blemishes. If you can’t find tomatillos locally, you can use canned tomatillos for this recipe.

How spicy is this green enchilada sauce?

The heat level is completely customizable. As written, with 1-2 jalapeños, it provides a mild to medium heat that most family members can enjoy. Remove all seeds and membranes from the jalapeños for milder flavor, or add more peppers if your family loves spice.

Can I make this sauce ahead of time?

Absolutely! This sauce actually improves with time as the flavors meld together. Make it up to 5 days ahead and store in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Expert Tips

Freezer Friendly:To freeze, simply let the mixture cool and store it in a freezer-safe container. Mark the lid and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
Choosing Tomatillos:Look for firm tomatillos with tight-fitting husks. The stickiness under the husks is normal and actually a sign of freshness. Rinse them well under warm water to remove this natural residue.
Depth of Flavor:For an even richer flavor profile, try roasting the tomatillos, peppers, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet at 425°F for about 15-20 minutes before blending. This extra step adds wonderful smoky complexity to your sauce.
Blend In Batches:If your blender is smaller, work in batches rather than overfilling. This ensures everything gets properly incorporated and results in that velvety-smooth texture we’re looking for. My new fave way to make this sauce is by using animmersion blenderdirectly in the panto blend the ingredients and have less clean-up!