Mexican🥫 Sauces & condiments

Roasted Tomatillo Sauce Base

Name: Roasted Tomatillo Sauce Base
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb tomatillos; 4 garlic cloves; 2 serrano chiles; 4 oz onion; 1 tsp salt; ~¼ cups water; ~¼ cups cilantro

⏱ 25 min

Tomatillos are unique to Mexican cuisine and define authentic Mexican flavors with their distinctive citrusy profile. This foundational sauce base combines roasted tomatillos, garlic, serrano chiles, and onion. It can be enjoyed as a salsa on its own or serve as the foundation for countless Mexican dishes.

Adapted from a video by Rick Bayless

Let's make a Roasted Tomatillo Sauce Base

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

tomatillosabout 8 pieces, husked1 lb
garlic cloves4
serrano chilesstems removed; adjust to 1 if you prefer less heat2
onionabout half a large onion4 oz
saltto taste1 tsp
waterto thin the sauce to desired consistency~¼ cupsest.
cilantrofresh, thinly sliced (optional; varies by recipe)

Steps

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1
Prepare the tomatillos by removing their husks. Arrange the tomatillos, garlic cloves, serrano chiles, and onion in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
2
Place the baking sheet under a preheated broiler at the highest rack position. Roast dry (without oil) for about 6 minutes until the vegetables start to darken.
3
Flip the vegetables and roast the other side for about 6 minutes. Watch the garlic and chiles as they may finish before the tomatillos and onion—do not let them burn. The tomatillos and onion should develop good color.
4
Allow the vegetables to cool slightly. Remove the garlic cloves and peel away their papery husk.
5
Cut the roasted onion into smaller pieces. Transfer all roasted ingredients—the cut onion, tomatillos, serrano chiles, peeled garlic, and all the flavorful juices from the pan—into a blender.
6
Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Blend until the mixture reaches a coarse puree consistency.
7
Pour the sauce into a serving dish. Thin it with a little water to reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.
8
Optional: Stack fresh cilantro leaves and cut them into thin slices (chiffonade), including the tender stems, and gently fold into the sauce.
9
The sauce keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for several days. If it sets up or becomes too thick (due to pectin in the tomatillos), simply stir it or whisk to break it back down, or pulse it a few times in the blender if needed.

Roasted Tomatillo Sauce Base

Ingredients

Steps

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