Summer Produce Guide: Tomatillos

Tips for buying, storing, and cooking tomatillos, plus our favorite tomatillo recipes.

A cousin of the tomato, the tomatillo has been a staple ingredient in Central America since Aztec times. Pale green and ranging from the size of a walnut to a tennis ball, they’re encased in a loose papery protective husk. Once the husk is removed, tomatillos can be incorporated raw into dishes where they impart a citrusy tartness. Cooking the fruit deepens its flavor and softens the tough skin; broiled and puréed, they bring a tangy, fruity flavor to salsas, moles, and stews.

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  • HOW TO BUY

    Look for firm, taut-skinned tomatillos with fresh-looking, closely fitting husks. Avoid soft, bruised fruits or dried-out, shriveled husks. Smaller tomatillos have a more concentrated flavor.

  • HOW TO STORE

    Store tomatillos loosely packed in a paper bag in the refrigerator. Don't remove the husks until you're ready to cook.

  • HOW TO PREPARE

    Remove and discard the papery husk and wash the fruit under cold water just before using.

Tomatillo Recipes

More Tomatillos