Healthy Tomatillo Recipes

Here's a pro tip from chef Rick Bayless, who shared this skirt steak taco recipe: puree a can of chipotles in adobo sauce and keep it in your fridge. Adobo is a vinegary tomato sauce, so along with the chipotles (smoked jalapeños), it becomes an all-purpose marinade that's spicy, smoky and salty, all in one. In this recipe you brush it on the steak before grilling but Bayless also does the same move on eggplant, chicken and fish. And having the sauce on hand means you're ready to whip up this easy grilled dinner at a moment's notice.

In this healthy Mexican-inspired tomatillo and pork chili recipe, poblano peppers, chipotle chiles and oregano add spice without adding too much heat. To keep the saturated fat low, we use one pound of ground pork and add whole-grain bulgur to boost the volume and fiber in this chili recipe. After all the ingredients are added to the pot, we like to slowly simmer our chili for close to an hour to develop the best flavor, but if you're in a hurry, reduce the liquid by half and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

Roasting the tomatillos and chiles in this easy homemade enchilada sauce recipe adds a little time but brings out a deeper flavor that really elevates this sauce over store-bought versions. Plus, making homemade allows you to control the ingredients to make a delicious sauce that meets your dietary needs. Make a double batch so you'll always have some on hand.

This easy fried tomatillo recipe is a healthier twist on the crispy Southern favorite--fried green tomatoes. These oven-fried tomatillos make a tangy, dunkable appetizer or a decadent topping for a burger.

This tomatillo-based gazpacho is gorgeously green with a tart flavor that complements the sweet shrimp and salty olives. Make this meatless by substituting ricotta salata or feta for the shrimp. Serve with: Cheese quesadillas.

Make this cold soup in the middle of summer, when garden tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are at their peak. Start with 1 cup of broth, adding more to reach the desired consistency. Very ripe (and juicy) summer tomatoes will need less broth; less-ripe tomatoes will need more.

Raw tomatillos replace the tang usually provided by buttermilk in this creamy salad dressing recipe. Toss with your favorite greens or serve with crudités or roasted potato wedges.

This shrimp and grits recipe get a zesty makeover with a vibrant salsa verde. Any type of whole-grain (or stone-ground) cornmeal will work for these Southern-style grits, but for the best texture, we recommend using medium-ground cornmeal or grits.

Beautiful green slices of tomatillo and melted Muenster cheese sit atop these grilled turkey burgers. A teaspoon of chopped chipotle peppers is added to the ground turkey mixture, providing just a touch of heat to these mouthwatering burgers.

Tomatillos are delicious raw, but they take on a sweet, smoky flavor when cooked on the grill. This quick salsa makes a great topping for grilled meats and fish and it's excellent with eggs and corn tortillas. If you like, add some diced avocado just before serving.

Tomatillos provide a distinctive tart flavor to a super-easy salsa that cooks with the catfish. Try it with tomatoes too.

Grilling the tomatillos in this salsa adds a lovely smoky flavor and aroma.

The tart and tangy flavor of tomatillos is mellowed by buttery avocado in this zesty salsa verde. Vary the heat level according to your taste. If you have leftover salsa, it holds well in the refrigerator for a couple days, but its vibrant green color fades quickly.

This Cuban-inspired fish-and-tomato salsa medley makes a healthy, summer-fresh diabetic meal any time of year. The swordfish steaks are full of lime and cumin flavor and make the perfect partner for a zesty tomato, tomatillo, and avocado salsa.

This versatile, spicy green sauce is made with tomatillos; it goes well with beef, pork, poultry and fish. And, of course, you can spoon it over a couple poached eggs sitting on corn tortillas and melted cheese to make a mean green version of huevos rancheros.

Tomatillo-sauced chicken is a tasty filling for tamales, tacos or enchiladas.