Green enchilada sauce made with fresh roasted peppers is a vibrant sauce for enchiladas, tamales, tacos, and more. We love it as a dip for tortilla chips!
If you’ve made my Red Enchilada Sauce or my Red Chile Sauce you know that chile sauces are surprisingly easy to make, and the flavors are super exciting ~ especially to those of us raised on tomato based sauces. And a homemade chile sauce isn’t even remotely like the canned stuff. The flavors are bright and acidic ~ they pop! This green enchilada sauce is made with a variety of Mexican peppers that are roasted under the broiler for a smokey element. Blend them up with a few simple ingredients and you’ve got a glorious fresh green sauce for all kinds of south of the border recipes.
what you’ll need to make homemade green enchilada sauce
You’ll note my sauce does not include tomatillos, a basic ingredient in many green enchilada sauces. Tomatillos are not commonly available in all US supermarkets, and can be hard to source, so my sauce is made without them. If you would like to include tomatillos simple peel off their papery skins and roast them along with your peppers. You do not need to seed them, just pop them in the blender along with your peppers.
- fresh green chiles
- I used poblano, Anaheim, banana and jalapeño peppers. You have many choices here, see below for details.
- chicken or veggie stock
- olive oil
- garlic
- lime juice
- salt
choosing chiles for green enchilada sauce
The specific types of green chiles used can vary based on what you like and what’s available in your grocery store. Here are some common types of green chiles that are used in making green enchilada sauce:
- Anaheim Chiles: These are mild to medium heat chiles that are commonly used in green enchilada sauce. They have a slightly sweet and earthy flavor.
- Hatch Chiles: Grown in the Hatch Valley region of New Mexico, these chiles are known for their smoky, slightly fruity flavor and varying levels of heat. They come in mild to hot varieties and are available all over the US these days, starting in late summer.
- Poblano Chiles: These are mild to medium heat chiles with a rich, slightly smoky flavor. When used in green enchilada sauce, they add depth and complexity.
- Banana Peppers: A mild yellow-green chili pepper that’s elongated and has a curved, banana-like shape, which is where they get their name.
- Serrano Chiles: These smaller and hotter chiles can be used to add some extra heat and intensity to the sauce if desired.
- Jalapeño Chiles: Sometimes, jalapeños are used in combination with other milder chiles to add a bit of heat to green enchilada sauce.
- Tomatillos: While not a chili pepper, tomatillos are often included in green enchilada sauce. These small, green, tomato-like fruits have a thin papery skin and a tart flavor.
5 ways to roast peppers
The secret to so many Mexican sauces is the flavor you develop by roasting your ingredients! There are lots of ways to get that amazing char…
- Open Flame: Hold peppers with tongs or a fork over an open flame, like a gas burner or grill. Rotate them to char the skin evenly.
- Oven Broiling: Place peppers on a baking sheet under the broiler in the oven. Keep a close eye on them and rotate as needed until the skin is blistered and charred on both sides.
- Oven Roasting: Place whole peppers on a baking sheet and roast in a preheated oven at a high temperature, around 450°F. Turn the peppers occasionally until the skin is blistered and charred.
- Stovetop Skillet: Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Place peppers directly on the skillet and turn them as needed until the skin is charred. Use a cast iron skillet for this, not a non-stick pan.
- Outdoor Grill: Place whole peppers directly on a hot grill. Turn them to char the skin evenly.
Use caution when working around open flames, and be sure to work in a well ventilated area if indoors. Long tongs are super helpful.
making green enchilada sauce, step by step
The method for making this vibrant sauce is so simple: you roast peppers, de-stem and de-seed them, and puree. The flavor stays fresh and the color bright because you’re not cooking it down. Here’s how:
step 1. Place chiles on a lined baking sheet
I roast my peppers year round under my broiler. It’s quick and easy. Be sure to line your pan completely with foil for easy cleanup. Make sure your chiles are in a single layer and make sure they are dry. Do not add any oil to your peppers.
step 2. Roast or blister the chiles under the broiler or over a flame
This is the key step in this green enchilada sauce recipe. Blackening the peppers takes just seconds, but it adds such a deep smokey flavor. Flip the peppers over to blacken both sides.
step 3. Cover hot chiles with plastic to steam
Steaming the peppers lets them continue to soften and cool a bit.
step 4. Remove plastic
You’re left with peppers that are gorgeously soft and charred on the outside, but with still slightly firm flesh.
step 5. De-stem and de-seed the chiles
You can gently tug on the stem ends to remove the stems, and use a teaspoon to scrape out any seeds. Don’t worry about removing every last one, they’re perfectly edible. The skins of the peppers will peel off easily. Personally I don’t remove the skins because the blackened skin can be quite flavorful, and I want every bit of that charred flavor in my sauce!
step 6. Blend the sauce
Give the chiles a rough chop and add to a blender with garlic, stock, salt, and lime juice. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and lime juice if necessary.
That’s it ~ your sauce is ready!
You can use immediately or refrigerate for up to a week. Freeze for longer storage.
how to freeze homemade green enchilada sauce
Freezing is a great way to preserve your sauce. I love to make several batches when peppers are in high summer season.
- Add the sauce to a freezer container or heavy duty zip lock bags and leave space for expansion.
- Label and date each container or bag.
- Remove air from bags before sealing tightly.
- Freeze containers or bags on a flat surface.
- Thaw in the refrigerator before use.
how to use your green enchilada sauce
For enchiladas, of course.
Use as you would any salsa, with chips.
On tacos, drizzled on top or used as a sauce for the filling.
Add to Sweet Corn and Hatch Chile Salsa
Use in Creamy White (leftover) Turkey Chili
Use in Chile Verde with Chicken
Drizzle over baked fish or shrimp.
more Mexican and Tex-Mex recipes to try
- Fire Roasted Salsa Negra (black salsa)
- Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe
- Mexican Short Rib Tacos
- Fire Roasted Gazpacho (Black Gazpacho)
- Mango Salsa
- Melon Salad with Chile and Lime
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Green Enchilada Sauce
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs fresh green peppers, I used Anaheim, Poblano, and Banana peppers. Jalapeños are optional.
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 cup water
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Line your sheet pan completely with foil. Arrange the peppers on the pan in a single layer. They should be dry, with no oil added to them.
- Set your oven rack to the highest setting, close to the broiler.* Broil the peppers until they blacken on one side. Then remove the pan, flip them over, and broil again until blackened. Keep a close eye on them as they will blacken quickly.
- Remove the pan from the oven and cover with a heavy duty plastic wrap to allow the peppers to steam for 15 minutes. Note: if you're not comfortable covering the hot pan with plastic wrap you can place the chiles right into a heavy duty zip lock baggie or paper bag and seal it up to steam them. You just need an environment that will hold in the steam.
- Remove the plastic and de-stem and de-seed your peppers. You can use a spoon to scrape out the seeds, they'll come out easily. Don't worry about getting every last one, they're perfectly edible.
- Give the peppers a rough chop and put into a blender along with the stock, water, olive oil. lime juice, garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as you like. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week. Freeze for longer storage.
I made a variation of this recipe, the results were spectacular nonetheless. I did not have a blender, so I minced everything and simmered the sauce covered until it was nearly a puree. I will recommend this recipe to my Mom who is a World class Chef.