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Tomatillo

Tomatillo is a green, husked fruit used fresh or cooked in salsas, sauces, and stews.

Tomatillo — illustrative ingredient image

About Tomatillo

Tomatillo is the small green fruit of a husked plant in the Physalis group, commonly sold with a papery outer husk and sticky surface beneath it. It is used raw or cooked in green salsas, sauces, stews, soups, and braised dishes. Fresh fruits are typically husked and rinsed before use, and canned tomatillos are a separate processed form.

Its flavour is tart, fresh, and lightly herbal, with a firm, juicy texture. The fruit is usually round and green, although ripe examples can become yellowish or purplish depending on variety. Cooking softens the texture and reduces crispness while retaining acidity.

Tomatillos may be blended, chopped, roasted, boiled, or pan-cooked. Fresh examples are generally sold with their papery husks attached, while canned products are sold without the fresh presentation and may differ in softness, acidity, and added ingredients. The exact result changes with the cooking method and product form.

Ingredient type
whole food

Forms & related ingredients

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Where tomatillo appears

13 linked foods

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Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for tomatillo

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Tomatillo

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Tomatillo nutrition & diet

Tomatillo nutritional value

Tomatillos, raw

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the recorded food form.

Calories
32kcal
Protein
1.0g
Carbs
5.8g
Fat
1.0g

Reference values for the named food form. Compare the same edible preparation; other recipes and products differ.

Portions & preparation

Use the fresh green fruit after husk removal and washing, or identify cooked, canned, roasted, or puréed form. Preparation with oil, salt, chilies, herbs, sugar, or broth changes the edible mixture represented by the reference.

Compare the right form: Match references to green tomatillo fruit with husk removed, specifying fresh, roasted, cooked, canned, raw, or puréed preparation.

Diet considerations

Tomatillo is a plant-derived fruit. Plain tomatillo differs from salsa or sauce containing onion, chili, oil, sugar, dairy, meat stock, or cereal ingredients. Portion and accompaniments such as tortillas, chips, rice, or beans influence the dish’s carbohydrate pattern, while processing changes the finished mixture.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically compatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Depends on the version
  • Paleo
    Typically compatible
  • Low-carb
    Depends on the version
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Keto · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Paleo · Typically compatible
The plain form fits the conventional paleo food groups. Added ingredients and individual interpretations can differ.
Low-carb · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central — Tomatillos, raw ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .