This tomatillo salad is bright flavored and refreshing. It's made with a combination of fresh tomatillos and butterhead lettuce and dressed with a creamy tomatillo ranch-style dressing.
Fresh tomatillos are not actually tomatoes despite their appearance and their name. They come in a loose husk, and the skin is slightly sticky. They are actually related to gooseberries (aka golden berries). Typically they are cooked and used to make stews such as pozole verde, enchilada sauce, and chile verde, as well as salsa verde.
This salad takes advantage of the fresh, tangy, sweet and sour bright flavor of the raw tomatillo. They are typically the size of a plum or an apricot, and the fruit is firm and bright green. I had actually never tried preparing them raw, but I had a couple of pounds of tomatillos that I wanted to have fun with.
As it turned out, this salad was wonderful and the creamy dressing was amazing. I was thrilled to have leftover dressing to use as a dip for chips, crudite, fries, and even chicken wings.
Ingredients in this Tomatillo Salad:
Tomatillos: For both the salad and the dressing. To prep them, remove the husks and run the fruit under cold water and use your hands to remove any sticky residue. I recieved a couple of bags of tomatillos from Melissa's Produce that were already peeled and cleaned, which was a great convenience. They also sell them with the husks still attached.
Butterhead Lettuce: This lettuce usually comes as a full head. The leaves are green and tender with a mild flavor. This is also a great lettuce for using to make lettuce cups or to wrap egg rolls Vietnamese-style.
Sugar and Salt: To slightly macerate the cut tomatillos and bring out their juices.
Pepitas: Also known and pumpkin seeds. Use roasted and salted ones. You can either roast them yourself or buy them already prepared.
For the Dressing: Besides the tomatillos, you will also need fresh cilantro, a fresh jalapeño chile, fresh chives, fresh dill, granulated garlic, mayonnaise, and salt and pepper.
To Make this Salad:
First prepare the dressing. Process everything in a blender until smooth. You can make it up to four days in advance and keep it in the refrigerator.
To prepare the salad, first slice one pound of tomatillos and toss them in some sugar and salt and let them sit in a large bowl for about 10 minutes. Drain the tomatillos in a colander and put them back into the bowl. Do not rinse them.
Next, add the torn lettuce leaves and toss. Drizzle the mixture with the dressing and sprinkle with the pepitas.
Make Ahead and Storage:
You can make the dressing up to four days in advance, and you can also assemble the salad, minus the dressing and pepitas, ealier in the day and keep it in the refrigerator.
If you have leftovers, you can store them in the bowl in the refrigerator for a day or two. it will still be tasty and won't be wilty like most green salads. While it's not company worthy in presentation, you will still enjoy it packed for lunch the next day.
"T" is for Tomatillos, Thyme, Tacos, Turkey, Tuna, Tortilla, and More!
As part of the 2026 Alphabet Challenge, we are sharing recipes that begin with "T" or include ingredients or methods that that begin with "T”:
- Butternut Squash, Thyme, Ham, & Wild Rice Soup from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Chanya Tondak from Mayuri’s Jikoni
- Cheeseburger Tacos from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Garlic Lemon Tuna Steaks - Sous Vide from Food Lust People Love
- Homemade Taco Seasoning from Sneha’s Recipe
- Tomatillo Salad from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Tortilla Española from Culinary Cam
- Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili Joes from A Messy Kitchen
- Tuscan Sausage Soup from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
Last year (2025) for the letter "T," I made Tangerine Ricotta Cookies. For 2024 I made Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowls. Both dishes are now on regular rotation in this house!
Tomatillo Salad
This tomatillo salad is made with a combination of fresh tomatillos and butterhead lettuce and dressed with a creamy tomatillo ranch-style dressing.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces fresh tomatillos, husks removed and washed, and cut into quarters.
- 2/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, chopped
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 fresh jalapeño, stem removed, and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed and washed, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 8 ounces butterleaf lettuce leaves, torn into pieces
- 2 tablespoons roasted and salted pepitas
Instructions
- Place all of the dressing ingredients into blender and process until smooth, about a minute and a half. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to four days.
- In a large bowl, mix the tomatillo slices with the sugar and salt, and let sit for about 10 minutes, until slightly juicy. Drain in a colander and place them back into the bowl.
- Add the lettuce to the tomatillos in the bowl and toss. Arrange the mixture on a serving platter and drizzle with some of the dressing. Top with the pepitas. Serve with more dressing on the side.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
200Fat (grams)
17 gSat. Fat (grams)
3 gCarbs (grams)
12 gFiber (grams)
4 gNet carbs
8 gSugar (grams)
7 gProtein (grams)
3 gCholesterol (grams)
8 mgRecipe adapted from Cook's Country Magazine, August/September, 2024.
