My Green Enchilada Sauce is made with fresh tomatillos, onions, and a vibrant mix of peppers and cilantro! This sauce is a game-changer for your Verde Enchiladas or any Mexican dinner. Perfect for canning if you want fresh and flavorful Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce all year long!
This recipe is designed to elevate your Mexican cuisine with the flavors of my homemade Green Enchilada Sauce, a beloved staple in my kitchen that’s poised to become a favorite in yours as well. With a focus on fresh, homegrown produce, I’ve spent summers refining this sauce to perfection. This canning-adapted recipe not only saves valuable freezer space but also ensures that you can enjoy this extraordinary sauce whenever you desire. Its texture remains impeccable, its flavor consistently vibrant, and the satisfaction it brings is simply immeasurable.
Why you’ll love this Enchilada Verde Sauce
This Canned Green Enchilada Sauce is a true game-changer for anyone passionate about authentic and vibrant flavors.
Firstly, it’s made with fresh, high-quality ingredients, ensuring a depth of flavor that simply can’t be found in store-bought varieties. The combination of tomatillos, onions, and a blend of peppers and cilantro creates a perfectly balanced, zesty, and slightly tangy taste that complements a wide range of dishes.
Moreover, the versatility of this sauce is unmatched. Whether you’re drizzling it over traditional enchiladas, using it as a marinade, or adding it to stews and soups, it brings a unique and delicious twist to your meals.
Another reason to love this sauce is its suitability for canning. This means you can prepare a larger batch and have it readily available in your pantry, saving you time and effort on busy days.
Ingredients for Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce
- Tomatillos: The main ingredient, tomatillos provide a tangy, slightly sweet base, essential for the sauce’s distinctive flavor.
- Onion: Chopped onion adds depth and a savory note, enhancing the overall richness of the sauce.
- Garlic: Adds a classic, savory flavor, essential in bringing out the depth in the sauce.
- Jalapeno: Chopped jalapeno brings a mild to moderate heat, offering a subtle spicy kick.
- Anaheim Pepper: This pepper adds a mild, fruity flavor, complementing the jalapeno’s heat.
- Cilantro: Chopped cilantro lends a fresh touch, balancing the sauce’s savory elements.
- Cumin: Ground cumin provides a warm, earthy spice.
- Salt: Salt is crucial for seasoning, accentuating the natural flavors of the other ingredients.
- Water: Used to adjust the sauce’s consistency, ensuring it’s not too thick.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is used for sautéing, before blending the recipe.
- Lime Juice: Lime juice finishes the sauce with a bright, acidic note, rounding out the flavor profile and is also used in the canning process.
How to make this Green Enchilada Sauce Recipe
1. Chop the tomatillos into quarters, dice the onion and peppers and mince the garlic.
2. In a sauté pan add chopped tomatillos, onion, garlic, and peppers.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and sauté for a few minutes on med-hi.
4. Add water, cilantro, cumin, and salt. Cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. When the tomatillos are soft add everything to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. A friend of mine also uses an immersion blender!
6. Add ¼ cup lime juice and softly mix it into the sauce.
Now it’s ready to be used! Pour the sauce into pint jars and it will stay good for 1 week in the fridge. You can also freeze it in ziplock bags for up to 3 months.
If you are wanting to bottle it, keep reading for instructions!
Canned Green Enchilada Sauce tips
- Freshness of Ingredients: Use the freshest tomatillos and herbs you can find. Fresh ingredients will greatly enhance the flavor of your sauce.
- Roast Your Vegetables: For a deeper, more complex flavor, consider roasting the tomatillos, onions, garlic, and peppers before blending them. This step adds a smoky richness to the sauce.
- Finely Chop Cilantro: Make sure the cilantro is finely chopped so that it distributes evenly throughout the sauce, giving a consistent flavor in every bite.
- Properly Season: Don’t forget to season your sauce adequately with salt and cumin. These spices are key in bringing out the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Smooth or Chunky: Decide on the texture you prefer. For a smoother sauce, blend all the ingredients thoroughly. For a chunkier texture, blend less or hand-chop some of the ingredients.
- Use Quality Lime Juice: If possible, use fresh lime juice as it offers a brighter, more natural flavor than bottled juice.
- Cool Before Canning: Allow the sauce to cool slightly before filling the jars. This can help reduce the risk of jar breakage due to thermal shock.
- Consistency Check: If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it with a bit of water or broth. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a bit longer to reduce and thicken.
How to bottle Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce
If you’re wanting to take this recipe and bottle it (aka ‘can’ or water bath) for long term saving, you totally can! You just need to add some additional Lime Juice and use a water bath canner.
Divide the recipe into clean and hot half-pint or pint jars. You want to add 1 additional tablespoon of Lime juice per ½ pint (so 1 tablespoon for each ½ pint jar or 2 tablespoons of lime juice for each pint jar). You’ll want to leave ½″ headroom to the jar in total after the lime juice has been added. This extra lime juice adds the extra acidity necessary for long term storage, so do not forget it!
Wipe the rims of the jar with a clean cloth, attach the heated jar lid (I leave my soaking in a saucepan with hot water on simmer until ready to use), and jar ring.
Process in a water bath canner for 40 minutes. When done, remove jars and place them on a towel on the countertop and allow the jars to cool. During the cooling process, you should hear the tops “pop.” Confirm that the jars have sealed corrected and then they can be stored in the pantry or a cabinet!
*If you’re not familiar with canning, please follow USDA canning guidelines.
Canning Tips
- Sterilize Your Jars and Lids: Before starting, make sure all your jars and lids are sterilized to eliminate any bacteria that might spoil your sauce.
- Use the Correct Acidity: Pay close attention to the amount of lime juice suggested in the recipe. Proper acidity is crucial for preventing bacterial growth.
- Maintain Consistent Heat: When cooking the sauce, keep the heat consistent to ensure even cooking and flavor development.
- Leave Adequate Headspace: When filling your jars, leave about a half-inch of headspace at the top. This allows for expansion during the canning process and creates a vacuum seal as it cools.
- Remove Air Bubbles: After filling the jars, use a non-metallic tool to remove any air bubbles. This step is important for preventing spoilage and ensuring a good seal.
- Check for a Good Seal: After processing, make sure your jars have sealed properly. The lid should not flex up and down when the center is pressed.
- Label and Date Your Jars: Always label your jars with the contents and the date they were canned. This helps in tracking how long they’ve been stored.
- Store in a Cool, Dark Place: Keep your canned sauce in a cool, dark place to preserve its flavor and prevent spoilage.
- Monitor for Spoilage: Before using, check each jar for signs of spoilage like a broken seal, mold, or off odors.
Following these tips will help ensure that your Canned Green Enchilada Sauce is delicious, safe, and shelf-stable.
Ways to use Enchilada Verde Sauce
- Classic Enchiladas: Use the sauce as the key ingredient in traditional enchiladas. Fill tortillas with your choice of protein or vegetables, roll them up, cover with the sauce, and bake.
- Tacos or Burritos: Drizzle the sauce over tacos or burritos for an extra kick of flavor.
- Breakfast Dishes: Enhance your morning eggs, whether they’re scrambled, fried, or in a breakfast burrito, with a spoonful of this zesty sauce.
- Mexican Rice: Stir the sauce into cooked rice for a simple yet flavorful side dish.
- Marinade: Use it as a marinade for chicken, pork, or beef before grilling or roasting.
- Nachos: Drizzle over nachos along with cheese, beans, and other toppings for a quick and tasty snack.
- Dipping Sauce: It can be a great dip for empanadas, taquitos, or even just simple chips.
- Quesadillas: Spread the sauce inside a quesadilla for a moist and flavorful filling.
- Baked Casseroles: Use the sauce in layered casseroles, like a Mexican lasagna, for a moist and flavorful addition.
- Mac and Cheese: Add a twist to your classic mac and cheese by mixing in some of the sauce for a spicy, tangy flavor.
- Huevos Rancheros: Top huevos rancheros with the sauce for an authentic Mexican breakfast experience.
- Salad Dressing: Thin the sauce with a bit of olive oil and vinegar to make a zesty salad dressing.
How to store Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce
How long does Enchilada Sauce last in the fridge?
After you’ve made it fresh, it can last in your refrigerator for one week. If you want to put it in an airtight plastic container or ziplock bag, you can freeze it for up to three months.
How long will canned Enchilada Verde Sauce last?
If you’re wanting it to last long term, I suggest following my instructions by bottling it using the hot bath method. Once bottled, it can last up to a year.
TOMATILLO ENCHILADA SAUCE
I am so excited about all of the sauce I can bottle this year! I love to give a sampling of my garden to my family each year for Christmas and I am excited to add this into their stash this upcoming year!
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CANNING GREEN ENCHILADA SAUCE
Green Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
Enchilada Sauce Ingredients:
- 6 cups Tomatillos cut in quarters or halves
- ½ cup Onion chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic diced
- 1 Jalapeno chopped
- 1 Anaheim Pepper chopped
- 3 tbsp Cilantro chopped
- ½ tsp Cumin
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- ¾ cup Water
- Olive Oil
- ¼ cup Lime Juice
Additional Ingredients Needed for Bottling:
- 6 tbsp Lime
Instructions
Cooking instructions for Enchilada Sauce:
- Wash tomatillos and then cut them into quarters or half.
- In a sauté pan add chopped tomatillos, onion, garlic, and peppers. Drizzle with olive oil and sauté for a few minutes on med-hi.
- Add water, cilantro, cumin, and salt. Cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 10 minutes.
- When the tomatillos are soft, add everything to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
- Add ¼ cup Lime Juice and gently mix it into the sauce.
Additional instructions for bottling the Enchilada Sauce:
- Divide the recipe into clean and hot half-pint or pint jars. You want to add 1 additional tablespoon of Lime juice per half-pint (so 1 tablespoon of lime juice for each half-pint jar or 2 tablespoons of lime juice for each pint jar). Leave ½" headroom to the jar in total after the lime juice has been added. This extra lime juice adds the extra acidity necessary for long term storage, so do not forget it!
- Wipe the rims of the jar with a clean cloth, attach the heated jar lid (I leave mine soaking in a saucepan of hot water simmering until ready to use), and jar ring.
- Process in a water bath canner for 40 minutes.
- When done, remove jars and place them on a towel on the countertop and allow the jars to cool. During the cooling process, you should hear the tops "pop." Confirm that the jars have sealed correctly and then they can be stored in the pantry or a cabinet for up to a year!
April
This has to be the BEST enchilada sauce EVER!
Pam Dana
Thank you so much!
Jessica
I love canning and this recipe did not disappoint. I already can’t wait to make enchiladas with it again!
Pam Dana
Yay! I’m so glad you love it!
Jen
Can I ask about how many tomatillos average do you use in your recipe?
Sherri Acevedo
Will it work ok if I fire roast the peppers? For canning method I was thinking of pressure canning do you know how long to process? Also can I add more cilantro and spice or would that mess up the canning process?
Pam Dana
Yes of course! I just updated the recipe with better pressure canning information. As for adding additional cilantro and spice – you could test it, but I have never added additional. The additional water pulled from the cilantro and pepper could throw off the acidity level, which would affect how long it stays good for.
Kim Dale
Can you tell me about how many pint jars one batch makes?
Pam Dana
It makes 3-4 pints, depending on the size of the tomatillos!
Katanahamon
It’s more money up front, but invest in a pressure canner! You worry less about safety, and it gives you much, much more flexibility to can your stuff. For beginners, a water bath (non pressure canner) can only heat the interior so far, so you counter that problem by making the environment too acidic for the bad organisms. This must be calculated carefully. By using a pressure canner, you don’t have to worry about adding acids. You simply calculate the time necessary at your altitude and add acids like lime juice for the flavor. Going through more effort by caramelizing onions, peppers and tomatillos in the oven, using roasted chicken stocks instead of water, controlling the salt levels and then canning yourself gives you a superior enchilada sauce you simply open and pour over your tray, an incredible time saver for a superior result, because I’ve tried all the store bought canned enchilada sauces, and not only are their flavors terrible, they are way too salty!
Becky Hardin
I have to make this sauce. It sounds so amazing!!! Perfect with tacos and nachos!!
Pam Dana
It’s so good! Hope you love it too!
Steph
This is my favorite sauce to make enchiladas with! So yummy!
Pam Dana
I’m so glad you love it!
lauren kelly
I am so excited for this recipe! Thanks so much!
Pam Dana
Hope you love it!
Valentina
This homemade sauce is going to make my enchiladas taste so much better. Cannot wait to try making the sauce.
Pam Dana
It’s so easy! Hope you love it!
Anna McNamara
I had NO idea you could make this at home. We’ve been buying it for years. Now I know!!!
Pam Dana
Plant some tomatillos this Spring! It’s so easy to make!!
Katanahamon
If you have favorite storebought tomatillos, just slice them up and bury the slices 1/4-1/2 inch in the soil..they will grow from the seeds! Mine come back every year from the ones I miss..!
Melody
I just wanted to thank you for this recipe. I made this last year and my family loves it! I planted extra tomatillos this year to be able to make more, as we ran out last year.. It is especially good with pork enchiladas, we also make a great salsa Verde but this is one of my absolute favorite canning recipes!
Pam Dana
YAY! I’m SOO glad to hear this! It’s for sure a go-to for me and many of my extended family! Happy Canning!!
Alecia
Just getting started with the canning, gardening, house wife roll full time. I’m loving it! Funny i am also a graphic designer…lol maybe its a trend! I am also hoping to enter the blogsphere soon!
Pam Dana
Yay!! It’s a lot of work, but so fun and a great community! Good luck!
Rachel
What elevation are you canning this (amazing) sauce? In other words, at sea level, would it be processed at 30 minutes? Then add from there?
Karen
You can also process this in a pressure canner (not to be confused with a pressure cooker). I like to do so, because I like to add more peppers. (Good for flavor, and using up bumper crops!)
Pam Dana
Great info! Thanks!
A Fisher
Can I roast the tomatillos and peppers 1st as I do normally? I am new to canning.
Pam Dana
Yes, you could!
Jodee Weiland
This is such a great idea! I love the recipe…thanks for sharing it!
Ann Marie
Just saw your post. This sauce sounds yummy. I’m looking forward to trying it this year! Here is a similar recipe that I found on the National Center for Home Food Preservation. http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_salsa/tomatillo_green_salsa.html This website is sponsored by the USDA and all of their recipes have been tried and tested for safety. For folks with questions about canning, try calling your local county extension agency. They are really helpful. They also will reference the NCHFP. There is actually a great canning book that is basically their website. It is a great resource. Happy canning!!
lesley
Are the jalapeno and anaheim peppers required for canning purposes? I don’t like things too spicy.
Jenna
No, actually they will bring the acid level down. You want a higher acid level if you are going to water bath. This recipe is close to an approved salsa recipe that I use so it should be safe to can. You may want to at least put the Anaheim peppers in for flavor.
johnlisa02
Anaheim peppers are not spicy at all. Even with the jalapeno this is not very spicy but I don’t think you would need it for the canning.
nicola feggetter
How much does this recipe make?
MikeB
Thanks for the recipe!
am not going to add the extra water since the tomatillos have plenty of moisture in them. I figure I can always thin it out when I use it if need be.
mikeB
I made a double batch and it turned out really well. I did wind up using half the amount of water in the recipe and twice the cilantro. I just can’t seem to follow a recipe… Wound up canning 10 pints with one left over to eat now. Ate some with chips like salsa verde. Very delicious.
Thanks!
Camille
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I am new to canning and saw this recipe and made it that night! It only cost 3 dollars to buy the ingredients I didn’t have on hand. One recipe only made two pint jars so the next day I bought double the ingredients and it only cost 5 dollars. So cheap! It is very delicious and I can’t wait to try this with my enchilada recipe. The only concern I have is that the sauce separated in the jars 24 hours later. I hope that doesn’t affect the taste later. Thanks again!
Lisa
Hi Camille! Its not a problem that it separated. You can just mix it when you are ready to use it. Just a word of caution – not every enchilada sauce recipe can be canned. Its a bummer because I have a salsa recipe I love that I can not bottle because the acid level is not high enough. You probably need to do some research on what ph is necessary for canning and then calculate the ph level of your recipe.
Suz's
Are the Anaheim pepper, hot or mild?
Kate
I just bought a pressure canner. How long should I process this with my new toy?
Judy Mulvaney
I made this today and really would like to use quart jars but not sure how long to process the quarts in the boiling water bath? Can you help me?
Lisa
I am not sure. I had someone help me adapt the recipe and she only helped me with the pints. I know with some canning salsa recipes you cant process them in quarts because the heat cannot penetrate the
larger jars in a manner in which it will kill all the bacteria. I actually use 2 pints each time I make enchiladas.Wish I could be more help but this is already a recipe that has some low acid foods so I don’t think I would try a quart of it.
Judy Mulvaney
Thank you Lisa…….I ended up freezing! Really like this recipe and plan on making more!
Marzette
Can you tell me the recipe to put it in the freezer I dont know how to can but would love to make this
Lisa
Hi Marzette. Its the exact same thing only I would cut the 1/4 cup lime juice and just squeeze 1 lime into sauce after you blend it. The lime juice is to up the acid to make it safe.
Janet
Looks AWESOME. I’m growing tomatillos for the first time and am glad to have a second recipe in which to use them. I’ve already made some excellent salsa. Thanks.