Basic Green Sauce

This is a Mexican-style green sauce built around spinach rather than tomatillos, which gives it a deeper, earthier character than a classic salsa verde. The sour cream finish transforms what starts as a bright, vegetable-forward sauce into something rich and creamy, perfect for enchiladas, grilled chicken, or spooned over roasted vegetables.

The cooking sequence is deliberate. The onion, spinach, tomatoes, green chili, garlic, and oregano all cook together covered for five minutes before going into the blender. That brief steam concentrates the flavors and softens everything so it blends smoothly. After blending, the sauce returns to the pan with chicken broth and simmers uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken before the sour cream goes in.

Add the sour cream after removing from heat or at very low heat. Sour cream breaks and curdles if you boil it.

The recipe yields about 4 cups, which refrigerates well for several days.

Kitchen Tips

• Use canned green chilies for convenience, or fresh Anaheim or poblano peppers for more flavor
• Process until completely smooth; a grainy sauce is a sign the blending step was cut short
• Thin with additional chicken broth if the sauce thickens too much upon standing
• Works beautifully as an enchilada sauce poured over rolled tortillas before baking

Variations

• Substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth to make this vegetarian
• Add a handful of fresh cilantro to the blender for a brighter, more herbaceous version