The Proper Way To Store Fresh Tomatillos

Knowing how to store tomatillos is crucial to getting the most out of them. With a tart and fruity taste, a firm texture, and a delightfully bright green color, these little flavor bombs can be enjoyed raw or cooked in a variety of recipes. Whether you want to make oven-roasted chile rellenos or throw together a tomatillo shakshuka, read on to learn the best ways to preserve your tomatillos and for how long you can expect them to last.

It is perfectly acceptable to store tomatillos at room temperature for a few days, especially while you wait for them to reach peak ripeness. If you need to use them as soon as possible, you can make them ripen much faster by placing them next to an ethylene-producing fruit, like an apple or a banana. (Just know that this method may cause them to turn a darker color.) Once they're ripe, it's better to move them to a paper bag and place them in the refrigerator in order to keep them from drying out prematurely. When stored correctly, tomatillos will last for at least two weeks, sometimes three.

Even when storing tomatillos properly, they will eventually expire like all fresh produce does. As such, it's important to keep an eye out for signs of spoilage in order to prevent yourself from accidentally consuming harmful pathogens that might make you sick. Examine your tomatillos with your senses of sight and smell for evidence that they may have gone bad. If the tomatillos have taken on a mushy texture, emit an unpleasant odor, or show visible mold growth, it's best to throw them out rather than eat them.

If you need to stretch the shelf life of your tomatillos even further, you can do so by freezing them. All you need to do is wash and dry them, chop them if desired and store them in an airtight bag in the freezer. There, the tomatillos will keep for up to three months before starting to decline in quality, or up to six months if you don't mind their texture being a bit different. Once you are ready to use your frozen tomatillos, simply defrost them in the fridge for a few hours and enjoy.