SANDIA SEED BLOG

Seed growing tips, recipes & more! Read all Posts »

Washing Tomatillos

Washing Tomatillos

 

Tomatillos are delicious, easy to grow, and come wrapped in a husk that helps them store well after harvesting. However, you have to remove and then wash the Tomatillo's sticky residue before using in recipes. Here are our tips for washing tomatillos:

  1. Remove the husk by pulling it off, compost the husks. If the tomatillo is damaged, cut off damage if possible to use what looks good or compost it.

  2. Once the husk is removed, you will quickly find that tomatillos have sticky sap, which helps protect them from insects. You can soak them in water, then scrub them to try to get it all off. We like to finish by rinsing in a colander. Removing the sticky sap will reduce bitterness.

 

How do you prepare Tomatillos:
We like to roast Tomatillos on the grill or on a cookie sheet under the broiler to blister and blacken the skins, then throw them in a food processor, adding diced cilantro, onions and garlic and jalapenos or other hot peppers to make a hot salsa verde.

You can also make savory tomatillo sauces to cook with potatoes, vegetables, fish or shrimp. It makes a delicious pasta sauce as well! Add an avocado for creaminess and more flavor.

 

Tomatillo Hot Sauce


Tomatillos are also wonderful in hot sauces! They add sweetness and depth of flavor. Here's our favorite Tomatillo Hot Sauce Recipe »

 

Salsa Verde Recipe
Or try our Salsa Verde (Tomatillo salsa) recipe »

 

Freeze Tomatillos after washing and drying


Alternative - Freeze for later use:
You can also freeze the de-husked, washed and dried tomatillos whole in a freezer bag or container for winter use. You can also freeze whole peppers!

Washing Tomatillos - dehusk them first!
Washing Tomatillos - make sure to de-husk them first.



Washing Tomatillos in Colander

Washing Tomatillos - a colander works well
to rinse and scrub off the sticky sap residue.
Compost the husks to feed your plants next season.


Why are tomatillos sticky?
Tomatillos feel sticky because they produce a natural, sticky film of sap that protects them from insects because of it's off-putting bitter taste. Washing tomatillos well will remove this bitter flavor and make for a more delicious salsa or sauce.


Tomatillo Seeds

Tomatillos are very easy to grow from seed.
Provide support for them as their vines. Plant more than one tomatillo plant within a few feed of each other to ensure pollination – two or more tomatillo plants are required for the plants to make fruit. Provide support for these rather large plants, they can grow up to 24" tall and have lots of vining branches. It's good to keep them growing off the ground to ensure undamaged fruits.

Harvest tomatillos once their husk starts to lighten in color, and the tomatillo turns to a lighter green. Store in their husks until ready for use.

Learn more about How to grow Tomatillos from Seed »


Buy Tomatillo Seeds »
Back to blog
  • Culinary Peppers

    Culinary Peppers

    What makes a culinary pepper? We just watched a Seed to Fork episode on YouTube, and Meg mentioned that she likes to grow "culinary peppers" – specifically that she likes...

    Culinary Peppers

    What makes a culinary pepper? We just watched a Seed to Fork episode on YouTube, and Meg mentioned that she likes to grow "culinary peppers" – specifically that she likes...

  • What is the fastest growing pepper?

    What is the fastest growing pepper?

    Wondering what is the fastest growing pepper? We love peppers at Sandia Seed, and we carry the fastest growing pepper seeds for people who want peppers sooner in the summer,...

    What is the fastest growing pepper?

    Wondering what is the fastest growing pepper? We love peppers at Sandia Seed, and we carry the fastest growing pepper seeds for people who want peppers sooner in the summer,...

  • What to do with unripe Peppers

    What to do with unripe Peppers

    Wondering what to do with unripe pods? With winter approaching, many gardeners have a lot of unripe peppers. But don't despair, you can still likely salvage them! Depending on stage,...

    What to do with unripe Peppers

    Wondering what to do with unripe pods? With winter approaching, many gardeners have a lot of unripe peppers. But don't despair, you can still likely salvage them! Depending on stage,...

1 of 3
Fastest Growing Peppers

Fastest Growing Peppers

These are the fastest growing peppers that you can grow from seeds... 

Discount Seeds: 50% Off Seeds + Free Shipping on US Orders over $30

50% OFF SEEDS

Check out our 50% off Seed Discount deals below.  These seeds rotate... 

Best Peppers for Containers

Best Peppers for Containers

If you want to grow peppers in containers, below are our top favorite...