Keto Green Enchilada Sauce

There is something about making your own keto green enchilada sauce that completely changes an enchilada recipe. Roasted tomatillos, jalapeños, Serrano pepper, garlic, onion, fresh cilantro, and lime come together to create a bright, slightly smoky sauce with just the right amount of heat.

And because this homemade version doesn't rely on flour, cornstarch, added sugar, or other unnecessary fillers, it's naturally low in carbs and gluten-free. You're welcome!

If you have only ever used canned green enchilada sauce, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by just how much fresh flavor you can get from a handful of simple ingredients.

Roasting the vegetables under the broiler is especially important. It softens the tomatillos and peppers while adding those slightly charred flavors that make this sauce taste so good.

The recipe makes approximately three cups, so you'll have plenty for a batch of keto green enchiladas with a little extra for drizzling over your favorite Mexican-inspired low-carb meals.

Homemade Keto Green Enchilada Sauce

Traditional green enchilada sauce is generally made from tomatillos and green chiles rather than the dried red chiles used to make red enchilada sauce.

Tomatillos are the star of this recipe. Although they look a little like small green tomatoes, they have their own distinctive tart, slightly citrusy flavor.

Once roasted, their sharp flavor mellows and becomes the perfect base for a low-carb green enchilada sauce.

I use both jalapeño and Serrano peppers because they add layers of flavor as well as heat. You can easily control how spicy the finished sauce is by removing the seeds and membranes from the peppers.

Then I add cumin, oregano, cilantro, fresh lime juice, garlic, and onion for a sauce that's flavorful enough to turn even a roasted chicken into something special.

Why You'll Love This Low-Carb Green Enchilada Sauce

There are plenty of reasons to make your own enchilada sauce instead of reaching for a can.

My recipe is:

• Naturally low in carbohydrates
• Gluten-free
• Sugar-free with no added sugar
• Dairy-free
• Made with simple, wholesome ingredients
• Easy to adjust from mild to spicy
• Free of flour and cornstarch
• Great for meal prep
• Freezer-friendly
• Useful for much more than enchiladas

If you follow a paleo diet, the sauce can also fit easily into that lifestyle when you choose a compliant vegetable stock.

What Are Tomatillos?

If you've never cooked with tomatillos, don't let those little papery husks intimidate you.

Tomatillos are a staple in many Mexican green sauces. Underneath their dry outer husk is a firm green fruit with a tart, fresh flavor.

Before using them, simply peel away the husks and rinse the tomatillos well. You'll probably notice that the surface feels a little sticky. That's completely normal and rinses away easily.

For this recipe, the tomatillos are cut in half and broiled along with the peppers, onion, and garlic.

Broiling concentrates their flavor and gives the sauce more depth than simply blending the ingredients raw.

Ingredients Needed For Gluten-Free Green Enchilada Sauce

One of my favorite things about homemade sauces is being able to control exactly what goes into them.

Here's what you'll need to make this recipe:

Tomatillos: These create the tangy green base of the enchilada sauce.

Jalapeño peppers: Jalapeños add fresh chile flavor along with a moderate amount of heat.

Serrano pepper: Serranos are typically hotter than jalapeños and give the sauce an extra kick.

Onion: Roasting the onion helps mellow its sharpness and brings out its natural sweetness.

Garlic: Whole garlic cloves roast alongside the vegetables and add plenty of savory flavor.

Vegetable stock: Stock thins the roasted vegetables into a pourable enchilada sauce and gives it more depth of flavor.

Olive oil: The blended sauce is briefly cooked in olive oil after blending. This extra step brings all the flavors together.

Cumin: Ground cumin adds a warm, earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with tomatillos and green chiles.

Oregano: A little dried oregano adds another layer of flavor without overpowering the sauce.

Fresh cilantro: Cilantro gives the finished sauce its unmistakably fresh flavor.

Lime juice: Fresh lime juice brightens everything and complements the natural tartness of the tomatillos.

Salt and black pepper: These simple seasonings help bring all the flavors together.

How To Make Keto Green Enchilada Sauce

Start by removing the husks from the tomatillos and rinsing them well. Cut them in half, then place them on a rimmed baking sheet with the jalapeños, Serrano pepper, quartered onion, and garlic cloves.

Place the vegetables on the upper rack of your oven under the broiler.

Broil until the vegetables soften and develop dark, blistered spots, turning them about halfway through so they roast evenly.

Don't be afraid of a little char. Those blackened spots give homemade green enchilada sauce wonderful roasted flavor.

Once the vegetables are cool enough to handle, remove the stems from the peppers.

For a milder sauce, remove the seeds and membranes as well. If you enjoy a spicier green enchilada sauce, you can leave some or all of the seeds in place.

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender or food processor along with the vegetable stock, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper.

Blend until smooth.

Next, heat the olive oil in a saucepan and carefully add the blended tomatillo mixture. Cook the sauce briefly before stirring in the chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice.

Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or lime juice if needed.

Your homemade keto green enchilada sauce is now ready to use.

How Spicy Is Green Enchilada Sauce?

My recipe uses both jalapeño and Serrano peppers, but you have complete control over the heat.

For a milder sauce, remove all the seeds and membranes from both types of peppers before blending.

You can also reduce or omit the Serrano pepper if prefer a milder sauce.

For more heat, leave some of the seeds intact.

Keep in mind that peppers naturally vary in heat, so one batch can be spicier than another even when you use the same number of peppers.

Green Enchilada Sauce Vs. Salsa Verde

Green enchilada sauce and salsa verde have a lot in common, especially when both are made with tomatillos, green chiles, onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime.

However, they aren't always interchangeable.

Salsa verde is generally served as a salsa or condiment and can range from chunky to smooth.

Enchilada sauce is designed to coat tortillas and other ingredients before baking. It is typically thinner and more sauce-like.

In this recipe, vegetable stock creates the right consistency for enchiladas, and lightly cooking the blended sauce in olive oil gives it a deeper, more developed flavor.

That said, don't feel like you can only use this sauce for enchiladas. It's far too delicious for that.

Ways To Use Keto Green Enchilada Sauce

Once you have a batch in the refrigerator, you'll find all sorts of ways to use it.

Try it:

• Over shredded chicken or pork
• With grilled chicken
• Over scrambled or fried eggs
• Over cauliflower rice
• With grilled shrimp
• As a sauce for roasted vegetables
• Over carnitas
• Mixed into shredded chicken for meal prep
• Drizzled over lettuce-wrapped tacos
• As the base for a Mexican-inspired chicken casserole

You can even stir a little into soups or stews when you want to add tomatillo and green chile flavor.

Tips For The Best Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce

Get some color on the vegetables. Those blistered, dark spots created under the broiler add a lot of flavor.

Watch the garlic carefully. Garlic can burn faster than the larger vegetables, so remove the cloves early if necessary.

Adjust the peppers to your preference. Removing seeds and membranes will reduce the heat.

Use fresh lime juice. It adds a brightness that bottled lime juice can't quite match.

Taste after adding the lime and cilantro. This is the best time to decide whether the sauce needs a little more salt.

Blend to your preferred consistency. I like green enchilada sauce fairly smooth, but you can leave yours slightly textured if you prefer.

Make a double batch. Since the sauce freezes well, making extra can help you get another low-carb dinner on the table faster.

Can Keto Green Enchilada Sauce Be Made Ahead?

Absolutely. In fact, this is a great sauce to make ahead when you're planning keto green enchiladas or Mexican-inspired meals later in the week.

Allow the sauce to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and refrigerating.

For longer storage, freeze it in smaller portions.

I especially like freezing green enchilada sauce in one-cup portions. That way, you can thaw only what you need instead of defrosting the entire batch.

Can You Freeze Green Enchilada Sauce?

Yes, this tomatillo enchilada sauce freezes very well.

Allow the sauce to cool before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. Be sure to leave a little room at the top for expansion.

Freezing it in one-cup portions is particularly convenient.

When you're ready to use it, thaw the sauce in the refrigerator and give it a good stir before reheating.

Is Green Enchilada Sauce Keto-Friendly?

It certainly can be.

The main ingredients in this homemade version are tomatillos, green peppers, onion, garlic, olive oil, stock, herbs, spices, cilantro, and lime juice.

There is no flour, cornstarch, or added sugar required to thicken or flavor the sauce.

As always, be sure to check the label on your vegetable stock since carbohydrate counts and added ingredients can vary between brands.

Making your own sauce also gives you much more control over the ingredients than buying a prepared enchilada sauce.

Is Green Enchilada Sauce Gluten-Free?

This recipe is naturally gluten-free because it doesn't use wheat flour or another flour-based thickener.

When purchasing vegetable stock, seasonings, or other packaged ingredients, check the labels if avoiding gluten for medical reasons since manufacturing practices can vary between brands.

Homemade Sauce Makes All The Difference

A good sauce can completely transform a recipe, and this low-carb green enchilada sauce is a perfect example.

The combination of roasted tomatillos, jalapeños, Serrano pepper, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and fresh lime creates layers of flavor you just don't get from many canned sauces.

Plus, when you make it yourself, you control the heat, the seasonings, and every ingredient that goes into it.

Whether you're making a pan of keto enchiladas or simply want a flavorful low-carb sauce to spoon over chicken, eggs, tacos, or cauliflower rice, this is one recipe worth keeping on hand.

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