Tomatillos add a lovely brightness and acidity to salsas, sauces, and soups. Get everything you need to know in this guide.

What are Tomatillos?

Shaped like a green tomato, tomatillos technically aren’t tomatoes, but rather a distant relative. 

Also called the Mexican husk tomato, tomatillos are round, green fruits covered in light brown husks.

While they will turn yellow, red, or purple once ripened, they’re one of the few fruits and vegetables that taste best when they’re still unripe. 

Flavor-wise, tomatillos have a bright, acidic flavor that’s similar to a lemon. While delicious roasted or fried, they’re most often used in sauces and stews. 

However, once ripened, they become sweeter and can be used to make jams and jellies. 

Nutritional benefits of Tomatillos

One medium provides: 

• 11 calories
• <0.5 grams of fat
• <0.5 grams of protein 
• 2 grams of carb
• 0.7 grams of fiber
• 1.3 grams of sugar

They’re also a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, niacin, potassium, manganese, and magnesium. 

As with many fruits and vegetables, they’re also an excellent source of antioxidants. 

Specifically, tomatillos contain lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants play an important role in protecting our retinas from blue light, which we’re exposed to from LED lights and electronics, especially TV screens, computers and smartphones. 

By protecting our eyes from blue light, they may help reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration. 

How to select and store tomatillos

Tomatillos should be firm, but not rock-hard and have fresh-looking husks. The more brown and drier the husks, the longer it’s been since they’ve been harvested. 

For storage, keep them at room temperature for 1-2 days. Or you can wrap them in plastic and store in the fridge for up to 1 week. 

Just be sure to keep the husks on until you’re ready to start cooking with them. 

How to use in cooking and baking

To use tomatillos, remove the husks and rinse well under running water. You’ll notice the skins will be sticky or waxy-feeling before rinsing – don’t worry, that’s completely normal! 

Healthy tomatillo recipes

• Broiled Tomatillo Salsa Verde
• Oven-fried green tomatoes from Eating Well
• Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Chile Verde from Ambitious Kitchen
• Green Shakshuka from Love and Olive Oil
• Strawberry, Tomatillo, and Watermelon Salad from Pickled Plum