Tomatillo Guide
Learn what tomatillos are, how they taste, how to use them and why they are essential for authentic Mexican salsa verde, enchiladas, chilaquiles, tacos and traditional Mexican cooking.
Quick Facts
A simple guide to tomatillos, also known as Mexican green tomatoes, including flavour, uses and the best ways to cook with them.
What They Are
Tomatillos are small green Mexican fruits often called Mexican green tomatoes, but they are not the same as regular tomatoes.
Origin
A classic Mexican ingredient used in salsa verde, stews, sauces, enchiladas, tacos and traditional home cooking.
Flavour
Fresh, sharp, slightly tangy and bright. They bring a clean acidity that works perfectly in green sauces.
Best Uses
Perfect for salsa verde, green enchilada sauce, chilaquiles verdes, tacos, soups and marinades.
Canned Option
Canned whole tomatillos are convenient, ready to use and ideal when fresh tomatillos are hard to find in the UK.
Best With
Pair with green chillies, jalapeños, onion, garlic, coriander, lime and salt for classic Mexican flavour.
Featured Tomatillo Products
Shop authentic Mexican tomatillos for salsa verde, enchiladas, chilaquiles, tacos and restaurant-style Mexican cooking.
La Costeña Tomatillos 794g
La Costeña Tomatillos are a great choice for home cooks who want to make authentic Mexican salsa verde, green sauces and traditional Mexican dishes with real Mexican green tomatoes.
- Great for salsa verde and green enchiladas
- Convenient tin size for home cooking
- Ready to blend with chillies, onion and coriander
Carey Whole Tomatillo 340g
Carey Whole Tomatillo 340g is a handy size for making small batches of salsa verde, taco sauces, dips and everyday Mexican meals at home.
- Useful smaller tin size
- Ideal for quick homemade salsa verde
- Perfect for tacos, nachos and enchiladas
El Mexicano Tomatillo Whole 767g
El Mexicano Whole Tomatillo 767g is a useful larger tin for making green sauces, chilaquiles verdes and bigger batches of salsa for family meals or food service.
- Good size for batch cooking
- Great for salsa verde and chilaquiles
- Useful for home kitchens and small catering
All Tomatillo Products
Browse the full MexGrocer range of Mexican tomatillos, including smaller tins for home cooking and large wholesale tins for restaurants, caterers and food businesses.
- Home and wholesale sizes available
- Perfect for Mexican green sauces
- Useful for restaurants and retail customers
Wholesale Tomatillos
Large tins of tomatillos are ideal for restaurants, taquerias, caterers, kitchens and food service businesses making salsa verde in bigger quantities.
La Costeña Whole Tomatillo 2.8kg
La Costeña Whole Tomatillo 2.8kg is a practical wholesale option for restaurants and commercial kitchens making green salsa, enchilada sauce and Mexican dishes in larger batches.
- Large 2.8kg catering tin
- Ideal for restaurants and food service
- Great for salsa verde and batch cooking
El Mexicano Whole Tomatillo 2.8kg
El Mexicano Whole Tomatillo 2.8kg is suitable for busy kitchens that need reliable Mexican green tomatoes for sauces, stews, enchiladas and chilaquiles.
- Wholesale tin for commercial kitchens
- Useful for sauces and restaurant prep
- Great for Mexican menus and catering
Clemente Jacques Whole Tomatillo 3kg
Clemente Jacques Whole Tomatillo 3kg is a strong option for wholesale customers, food service and kitchens making large quantities of Mexican salsa verde and green sauces.
- Large 3kg wholesale size
- Ideal for salsa verde production
- Useful for restaurants, bars and caterers
Molcajete Volcanic Stone 20cm
A molcajete is a traditional Mexican grinding bowl used for making rustic salsas, guacamole and sauces. It is perfect for crushing tomatillos, chillies, garlic and herbs by hand.
- Traditional tool for salsa making
- Great for rustic salsa verde
- Useful for guacamole, chillies and spices
How To Use Tomatillos
Tomatillos are most famous for salsa verde, but they can also be used in sauces, stews, marinades and many Mexican dishes.
Salsa Verde
Blend tomatillos with green chillies, onion, garlic, coriander and salt to make classic Mexican green salsa.
Tacos
Spoon tomatillo salsa over tacos filled with chicken, beef, pork-free fillings, beans, fish or vegetables.
Enchiladas Verdes
Use tomatillos to make green enchilada sauce, then pour over filled tortillas before baking.
Chilaquiles Verdes
Simmer tortilla chips in tomatillo salsa for a classic Mexican breakfast or brunch dish.
Soups & Stews
Add blended tomatillos to chicken soups, pork-free stews, pozole-style dishes or vegetable sauces.
Roasted Salsa
Roast or pan-char tomatillos, chillies and onion before blending for a deeper, smoky flavour.
MexGrocer tip: For a quick salsa verde, drain the tomatillos, blend with jalapeños or serrano chillies, onion, garlic, coriander and salt. For a more traditional texture, crush everything in a molcajete instead of blending.
Why People Love Tomatillos
Tomatillos bring the fresh green flavour that makes many Mexican sauces taste bright, sharp and authentic.
Fresh Tangy Flavour
Tomatillos add a sharp, clean flavour that balances rich meats, beans, cheese, tortillas and spicy chillies.
Easy To Use
Canned tomatillos are ready to blend, cook or crush, making salsa verde quick and simple.
Authentic Mexican Ingredient
Tomatillos are essential in Mexican cooking and are used in salsa verde, enchiladas, chilaquiles and traditional sauces.
Tomatillo FAQ
Useful answers for cooking with tomatillos, Mexican green tomatoes and homemade salsa verde.
What are tomatillos?
Tomatillos are small green Mexican fruits often called Mexican green tomatoes. They have a fresh, tangy flavour and are commonly used in salsa verde and Mexican green sauces.
Are tomatillos the same as green tomatoes?
No. Tomatillos are often called Mexican green tomatoes, but they are different from unripe tomatoes. Tomatillos have a sharper, brighter flavour and are usually covered by a papery husk when fresh.
What do tomatillos taste like?
Tomatillos taste fresh, tangy and slightly sharp. Their flavour works very well with green chillies, coriander, onion, garlic and lime.
What can I make with tomatillos?
You can use tomatillos to make salsa verde, enchiladas verdes, chilaquiles verdes, taco sauce, marinades, soups, stews and green Mexican sauces.
Can I use canned tomatillos for salsa verde?
Yes. Canned whole tomatillos are very convenient for salsa verde. Drain them, then blend or crush with chillies, onion, garlic, coriander and salt.
Do I need a molcajete to make salsa verde?
No, you can use a blender, but a molcajete gives salsa verde a rustic texture and a more traditional Mexican style.
Ready To Make Salsa Verde?
Browse authentic Mexican tomatillos and traditional kitchen tools to make salsa verde, enchiladas, chilaquiles and green Mexican sauces at home.
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