Quick and easy Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce made with tomatillos, peppers, onion, and cilantro that is packed with flavor and freezes well too.

Easy Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce, One Pan Chicken Enchilada Casserole and Easy Shredded Meat and Corn Enchilada Bake are some great enchilada recipes to start with.

green enchilada sauce surrounded with peppers and garlic on cutting board

Easy Green Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Recipe ingredients

Tomatillos: these are a fun vegetable that might not be known to you. They come in a papery husk and are smooth and limey green on the inside. When buying them look for tomatillos that have a crispy tan husk on the outside and feel firm to the touch. The tomatillo size doesn’t matter a lot (they can mature even at small sizes), but be sure it doesn’t have any obvious blemishes or soft spots where it’s starting to go bad.
Anaheim peppers: these mild to lightly spicy peppers are easy to find and easy to work with. I’d say if they have any heat it’s normally just above bell peppers and definitely less than a jalapeno.
Cilantro: this fresh herbs gives it that classic Mexican flavor that we all love.
Other herbs and spices: onion, garlic, jalapenos, and salt. These simple additions add a robustness to the sauce and give it a lot of flavor.

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! You'll use white onion, peppers, tomatillo, spices, and some chicken broth.
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.

ingredients for green enchilada sauce set out

How long does enchilada sauce last?

Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When tomatillos, peppers, onion and garlic are in season, late in the summer, I always make large batches to freeze for later in the winter.

How do I pick the best tomatillos?

When buying tomatillos pick ones that have crispy tan husks and no blemishes.

What makes this sauce green?

This enchilada sauce is green because it has a base of tomatillos, Anaheim peppers, and cilantro. Those three things all blended up make this recipe very green.

Red enchilada sauce has a red chili base which gives it its color.

Video of how to make green enchilada sauce:

how to make enchilada sauce collage of 4 pictures

Can I freeze enchilada sauce?

Yes! It freezes wonderfully and that's my preferred method of preserving it when I make large batches in the summer. If you aren't making a large batch, consider simply doubling the recipe and saving half for later. I'm a big fan of cooking once and eating twice.

To freeze, simple 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.

ingredients for green enchilada sauce on cutting board

Ways to use homemade green enchilada sauce:

Easy Shredded Meat and Corn Enchilada Bake
Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Cilantro Rice and Bean Bake (vegetarian enchilada casserole)
You can also make your own enchilada filling with recipes like Instant Pot Chipotle Chicken Taco Meat or Easy Crispy Instant Pot Pork Taco Recipe and just roll them up and cover them with enchilada sauce and cheese.
I also like to use green enchilada sauce as part of my homemade chili, it's full of great flavor and is a nice addition to things like chili, taco soup, and bean dishes. It's nice that it's gluten free!

Easy Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce

★★★★★

4.7 from 9 reviews

Author: Melissa Griffiths - Bless this Mess
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 cups 1x

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Description

Quick and easy green enchilada sauce made with tomatillos, peppers, onion, and cilantro that is packed with flavor and freezes well too.

Ingredients

Scale

2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
5-6 cloves garlic
2-4 Anaheim peppers, chopped
1-2 jalepenos, seeded
1 ½ pounds tomatillos, husked and cut in half
½ bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 ½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ teaspoon cumin
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

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Instructions

Place all of the ingredients in the blender and process until smooth. (If the jar of your blender doesn't fit it all, add all of the ingredients except for the chicken or vegetable stock. Add only enough stock to allow the blender to process everything until smooth. Add the rest of the stock to the pan before cooking)
Add the blended mixture to a large pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes. If the sauce is thicker than you like, add a little more chicken or vegetable stock.
Serve inside burritos or pour it over enchiladas for a smothered styled meal. I also use this as part of my liquid in tortilla soup and chili!
Freeze any extras for later use or make a double batch to keep some on hand in the freezer.

Notes

If you'd like your enchilada sauce extra smooth, blend it a second time after you cook it to achieve a more velvety texture.
Poblano peppers can be substituted for Anaheim in this recipe.
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.

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Category: Sauce
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Mexican

Keywords: homemade enchilada sauce recipe, enchilada sauce recipe, easy enchilada sauce recipe, how to make enchilada sauce

Easy Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce Recipe (made in the blender!)

I hope this quick and easy Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce makes your dinner just a little easier and as tasty as ever! Plus it freezes great, so make a double batch and keep some in the freezer for a busy night. Enjoy!

Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce