Green Chile Enchilada Sauce

Made with green chiles and fresh tomatillos, this tangy, spicy green chile enchilada sauce is great for enchiladas and other Mexican foods. Because it’s so good, I usually double the recipe and freeze some for later. It also works as a spicy dip for quesadillas or chips. Yum!

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About this green chile enchilada sauce

After a little experimentation and using my own red enchilada sauce recipe as a starting point, I came up with this quick, easy-to-make recipe. Also, it’s a vegetarian recipe, and because it has no dairy either, it’s vegan. Some brands contain chicken broth, as do many restaurant enchilada sauces.

Green chile enchilada sauce ingredients

• Green chile powder – main spice ingredient
• Tomatillos – add some tart flavor to this recipe
• Green chiles – canned, any brand will do but look for Hatch if you can find them.
• Garlic broth – I use the garlic version of Better than Bouillon.
• Cumin – rounds out the spicy flavors
• Oil – heats up the spices to bring out flavors and makes the sauce smooth
• Flour – thickens the sauce
• Salt – brings out other flavors

Green chiles

I use green chile powder and canned green chiles to make this green enchilada sauce. This is the part where I tell you that I live near Hatch, NM so whenever I run out of chile powder, I just drive up to the quaint town of Hatch and pick some up. I’m lucky that I can do that, but you can order some from the Hatch chile website if you can’t find good green chile powder near you.

Green chile powder is made from fresh-picked green chiles that have been dried and ground into a powder. Usually, when we think of chile powder our minds go to the red variety (also great!) made from ripened chiles. But it’s also common to dry and roast the chiles before they ripen – while they’re still green – giving us the tasty green chile powder. I happen to like both types of chile powder, but in this recipe, I used green chile powder and I can tell you that it’s a big favorite in our house and it’s definitely guest-approved. For more info about chiles, check out this website.

You can find cans of green chiles at your local grocery store. If Hatch green chiles are available where you shop, pick up a can of those. If not, any green chiles will do.

Fresh tomatillos

While every ingredient in this recipe contributes to the great flavor of this sauce, fresh tomatillos are the main flavor sidekick to the green chile powder. You can also find these tasty little fruits in my avocado tomatillo salsa. Again, maybe I’m lucky to live somewhere where tomatillos are easy to find, but I hope you can find them where you live. Tomatillos are tart, tangy, and a little bit sharp. Those characteristics make a terrific addition to this sauce. Tomatillos have a papery husk around them. When you remove that husk and wash them, they’re shiny green fruits just waiting to be a part of this sauce.

Making green chile enchilada sauce

Step 1: Get the tomatillos ready.

• Remove the husk.
• Wash the tomatillos with warm water to remove the sticky coating, and cut each one into 4 pieces.
• Steam them for 7 minutes.
• Set them aside to cool.

Step 2: Prepare the broth and other ingredients.

• Add 1 tsp bouillon to one cup of water to prepare the garlic broth.
• Warm the broth in the microwave for 1 minute.
• Measure other ingredients so the recipe will come together quickly.

Step 3: Blend the tomatillos and green chiles.

• Put the tomatillos and green chiles in a blender.
• Add some of the broth if necessary.
• Use the puree setting and blend for about 40 seconds.

Step 4: Make the enchilada sauce in the skillet.

• Put the oil, flour, cumin, and green chile powder in the skillet.
• Stir on low-medium heat until browned (barely brown; don’t overdo it).
• Add the broth and stir until thickened.
• Add the contents of the blender to the pan (or skillet) and stir to combine.

Serving green chile enchilada sauce

Now your very own green chile enchilada sauce is ready! I usually make this sauce when we want to have enchiladas, but when it’s just the two of us there is plenty of sauce leftover for other meals. We use it with quesadillas, burritos, or any other dish that could use a spicy topping. And, because you can freeze it, you can save some for later.

Tips and variations for using green chile enchilada sauce

• Add more heat – If you like your dishes hotter, increase the amount of green chile powder in the recipe. You can also add jalapenos. One way to do this is to add a fresh jalapeno to the tomatillos and steam it. Then toss it in the blender with the rest of the blender ingredients.
• Garnishes – Sprinkle some fresh cilantro and chopped green onions on top of the enchiladas just before serving.
• Freeze leftovers – You can also freeze whatever sauce is leftover and use it later in other recipes.
• Use garlic broth – Veggie broth will work, but garlic broth adds flavor and ensures that the sauce has a nice greenish color. Veggie broth can make the sauce too brown. It still tastes good, but it looks less appetizing.

Other recipes that you might like

• Veggie enchiladas
• Quesadillas
• Red chile enchilada sauce
• Instant pot Spanish rice