What's The Best Tomatillo Substitute? 8 Options

List Of Best Substitutes For Tomatillo

1. Gooseberries

Need a tomatillo alternative for your recipe, consider using gooseberries. These small, tart berries can be used in a 1:1 ratio for tomatillos.

• Gooseberries have a similar tangy flavor to tomatillos, making them a good stand-in for those who can't find this unique ingredient.
• While they are most commonly used in savory dishes, they can also be used in sweet recipes, like pies and jams.

2. Tomatoes

While they may look similar, tomatoes and tomatillos are actually two very different fruits.

• Tomatoes are typically larger and more round than tomatillos, and they have a thin skin that is easy to peel.
• On the other hand, Tomatillos have a paper-like husk that must be removed before eating.
• In terms of flavor, tomatoes are much sweeter than tomatillos, which have a tangy, citrus-like taste.
• As such, tomatoes are not generally considered to be a good substitute for tomatillos in cooking. However, if you're in a hurry, you can use chopped tomatoes in place of tomatillos. Just keep in mind that you may need to adjust the other ingredients in your recipe to compensate for the sweetness of the tomatoes.

3. Green Tomato

Green tomatoes can be used as a substitute for tomatillos in most recipes.

• They have a similar tart and acidic flavor and can be used in the same quantity as tomatillos.
• Just keep in mind that green tomatoes will take longer to cook than tomatillos, so you may need to adjust your cooking time accordingly.
• If you are out of tomatillos while preparing Mexican salsa verde or green salsa you easily use green tomatoes instead this will give a similar bright green color and flavor profile.

4. Roma Tomato

Roma tomatoes are a popular choice for those looking for a tomatillo replacement.

• One of the main reasons for this is that they have a similar size and shape to tomatillos.
• In addition, Roma tomatoes also have a slightly sweet flavor that can help to balance out the spiciness of some dishes.
• When using them as a substitute, you will need to use twice as many Roma tomatoes as you would tomatillos. This is because tomatillos have a much higher acidity level than Roma tomatoes.

5. Cherry Tomato

Cherry tomatoes are an excellent tomatillos alternative. Though they're not an exact match in flavor, they will still provide the acidity and sweetness you're looking for.

• When substituting cherry tomatoes for tomatillos, use about 2 ½ cups of cherry tomatoes for every 1 cup of tomatillos.
• When it comes to preparation, cherry tomatoes can be used raw or cooked. If you're using them raw, chop them up and add them to your dish.
• If cooking them, roast or stew them until they're soft before adding them to your dish.

6. Yellow Tomato

Although tomatillos and yellow tomatoes are related, tomatillos provide salsa with a thicker, chunkier consistency and tangier flavor.

• Tomatillos are tart and lemony, while yellow tomatoes are sweet and earthy.
• While you can use yellow tomatoes as a substitute for tomatillos in some recipes, it's important to adjust the quantities to account for the differences in flavor.
• If a recipe calls for one cup of chopped tomatillos, you would need to use about two cups of chopped yellow tomatoes to achieve a similar flavor and texture profile.

7. Sun Gold Tomatoes

Tomatillos and sun gold tomatoes are small, yellow-orange fruits often used in Mexican cuisine. While they may look similar, they have very different flavors. Tomatillos are tart and acidic, while sun gold tomatoes are sweet and juicy.

• When substituting sun gold tomatoes for tomatillos, use about half as many tomatoes as you would tomatillos.
• Sungold tomatoes will make the dish sweeter, so you may need to tweak the other ingredients accordingly. You might wish to squeeze a lime into your dish to balance the flavors.

8. Canned Tomato

You can use canned tomatoes as a substitute for fresh tomatillos. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when making this substitution.

• Canned tomatoes are usually more acidic than fresh tomatillos. As a result, you'll need to use less tomato to get the same level of sweetness and flavor.
• Canned tomatoes are typically more watery than fresh tomatillos. Drain the canned tomatoes before using them in your recipe to compensate for this.
• Keep in mind that substituting canned tomatoes will change the texture of your dish. If you're looking for a closer match to fresh tomatillos, look for fire-roasted or diced tomatoes in the Hispanic section of your grocery store.

Optional Substitutes

Other optional substitutes include ingredients like green bell peppers, roasted green peppers, lime juice, and canned tomatillos.

• Green bell peppers: provide a similar sweetness and crunch as tomatillos.
• Roasted green peppers: have a smoky flavor that can add depth to a dish.
• Lime juice: can be used to add acidity and brightness to a dish.
• Canned tomatillos: can be used in place of fresh tomatillos, but the texture will be different.

As you can see, a variety of substitutions can be made depending on what you have on hand and your preferences. Get creative and experiment to find the perfect combination for your dish!