Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
This creamy tomatillo dressing is delicious and versatile. It is rich, thick, flavorful, and tastes like the creamy tomatillo from Costa Vida or Cafe Rio, and is the perfect addition to your favorite Mexican cuisine. Serve it with tacos, burritos, nachos, or salads. It adds a burst of flavor to any dish, and is perfect for making ahead to use later for your Taco Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo celebration, or just on a night when you want to elevate dinner.
Serve with Chicken Carnitas , Black Beans and Cilantro Lime Rice for the perfect meal!
Homemade dressings are my favorite, whether it is a Balsamic Vinaigrette for a spinach salad, a 5 Minute Honey Mustard Vinaigrette, or Tzatziki Ranch Dressing there is just something so much better about making your own dressing versus store bought. And this creamy tomatillo is hands down one of my favorite options.
What is Creamy Tomatillo Dressing?
Creamy tomatillo dressing is a tangy, slightly spicy, and creamy sauce made with fresh tomatillos, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeños, buttermilk and mayonnaise. It is slightly green in color thanks to the tomatillos and the cilantro, and it is absolutely delicious.
The tomatillos, also known as Mexican green tomatoes, are the star of the show in this dressing. They have a unique tart flavor and a firm texture that makes them perfect for dressings and sauces. And this is my favorite way to use them!
I love using tomatillos in recipes like this Creamy Tomatillo Buttermilk Ranch and Easy Pork Enchiladas.
What You Need to Make Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
Making creamy tomatillo dressing is incredibly easy and can be done in a matter of minutes. Here’s a simple list of ingredients you need to make this cilantro lime dressing:
- Tomatillos, husks removed
- Garlic clove
- Cilantro
- Buttermilk
- Mayonnaise
- Ranch seasoning
- Lime
- Jalapeno
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Choosing Tomatillos
Everything is pretty easy to find, the trick to maximum flavor is getting ripe and good quality tomatillos. When picking out tomatillos, consider the following:
- Look for firm, unblemished fruits
- Tomatillos should be bright green in color and dry
- Look for tight-fitting husks that are free of mold or dampness
- The fruit should fill out the husk, giving it a plump appearance
- Keep in mind that tomatillos are usually sold unripe, so they may need a few days to ripen at room temperature
Avoid tomatillos that are soft, wrinkled, or have a yellowish or brownish hue. Also, avoid tomatillos with loose or missing husks, as they may be overripe or damaged. If you want to check the ripeness, gently peel back the husk and inspect the fruit underneath. The tomatillo should be firm and have a slightly sticky surface.
How to Make Tomatillo Dressing
Instructions:
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Remove seeds from jalapeño, and husks from tomatillos.
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Add everything to your food processor. Or a high powered blender.
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Using a food processor, blend all ingredients together. Blend well.
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Pulse as much as needed to get a nice smooth consistency.
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Transfer to a jar, and
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Refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving.
Alternatively, for a deeper flavor, you can take the extra step of roasting your tomatillos, garlic, and jalapeños before blending. To do this:
- Preheat the broiler in your oven.
- Cut the tomatillos in half and place them on a baking sheet cut side down. Add the garlic clove and halved jalapeno to the baking sheet.
- Broil for about 5 minutes or until they are slightly charred.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool slightly.
- Then add to the food processor with everything else.
How to Adjust the Heat in Creamy Tomatillo Dressing?
The heat level in creamy tomatillo dressing is customizable. You can adjust it to your liking with the jalapeño. If you like a milder dressing, you can remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño before adding it to the blender/food processor.
If you want no heat at all, or almost none, you can use a milder chili pepper like a poblano pepper instead of a jalapeño.
If you prefer a spicier dressing, you can add more jalapeño, or leave some of the seeds and membranes in place which will add heat to your dressing.
How to Store Creamy Tomatillo Dressing?
Creamy tomatillo dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week to ten days.
I like to store mine in a mason jar, and just screw the lid on nice and tight. Then it is ready to go when I am.
You can also freeze it for up to three months, though the dairy in it can sometimes separate some, so the consistency won’t be as nice, but the flavor will still be great. When freezing, make sure to transfer the dressing to a freezer-safe container and label it with the date.
Best Uses of Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
Creamy tomatillo dressing can be used in many ways. It’s a perfect dip for tortilla chips or veggies. Or a sauce on your favorite Mexican food. And makes an excellent salad dressing.
Our favorite use is sauce for:
- tacos
- burritos
- quesadillas
- nachos
- grilled chicken or fish
I love making this amazing Grilled Fish Tacos recipe and dousing it in this sauce. But it is also good with Shredded Pork Mole Tacos or Shredded Beef Tacos, and is excellent with these Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos.
Why Homemade is Better than Store Bought?
Homemade creamy tomatillo dressing is always better than store-bought.
When you make it at home, you know exactly what goes into it, and you can adjust the seasoning and heat level to your liking. Plus, it’s fresher and has no preservatives or additives. Store-bought dressings also often contain added sugar, artificial flavors, and unhealthy oils.
Great Dishes to Serve Tomatillo Dressing With:
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos
- Baked Chicken Tacos
- Santa Fe Salad
- 30 Minute Ground Beef Tacos
- Griddle Beef Tacos
- Tilapia Fish Tacos
Tomatillo Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 ounce buttermilk ranch dressing packet
- 1 c buttermilk
- 1 c mayo
- 2 tomatillos husks removed and quartered
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
- 1 clove garlic
- juice of one lime 1-2 tsps, adjust for preference
- 1/2- 1 jalapeño remove seeds (wear gloves)
Instructions
- Remove seeds from jalapeño, and husks from tomatillos.
- Add everything to your food processor.
- Using the food processor, blend all ingredients together. Blend well.
- Pulse as much as needed to get a nice smooth consistency.
- Transfer to a jar, and
- Refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving.
Notes
Taste and adjust with lime juice.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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