homemade enchilada sauce

This homemade red enchilada sauce has authentic Mexican flavor! It's so good and easy, you'll never go back to store-bought sauce again. You can even make a double batch and freeze half of it for later. Recipe as written below yields about 2 cups (16 ounces) sauce.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

olive oil

flour

chili powder (scale back if you’re sensitive to spice

cumin

garlic powder

oregano

¼ teaspoon salt, to taste

cinnamon (optional but recommended)

tomato paste

vegetable broth

apple cider vinegar white vinegar

black pepper,

This sauce comes together quickly once you get started, so measure the dry ingredients (the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt and optional cinnamon) into a small bowl and place it near the stove. Place the tomato paste and broth near the stove as well.

In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, warm the oil until it’s it&#8217;s hot enough that a light sprinkle of the flour/spice mixture sizzles on contact. This might take a couple of minutes, so be patient and don’t step away from the stove!

Once it&#8217;s ready, pour in the flour and spice mixture. While whisking constantly, cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute. Whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.

Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking often, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit and a spoon encounters some resistance as you stir it. (The sauce will thicken some more as it cools.)

Remove from heat, then whisk in the vinegar and season to taste with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Add more salt, if necessary (I usually add another pinch or two). Go forth and make enchiladas!

I am commenting before making this enchilada sauce for reasons that will become apparent.

My method of coming up with good recipes is to scour the internet for several recipes that have top recommendations and then see what 3 or 4 of the best have in common or seem most interesting. I have run across several of your recipes before and incorporated them into my own comparison/combination process with very good results.

I am currently exploring Southwestern/Mexican cooking and when I went looking for a recipe for enchilada sauce I ran across this one. I won't be making it for awhile, but I know it will provide a good framework for my own tinkering.

I am not a vegan/vegetarian, so I will be using chicken stock or beef stock instead of vegetable stock, which will of course change the flavor profile.

In addition, I am currently trying out a variety of ground chile powders and combinations thereof to get just the right amount of heat and chile flavor(s). Given the many types of chile powders and combinations this is a simple or quick task.

I generally don't like to use a roux as a thickener, but since you include it I will give it a try. I may also try masa harina (corn flour) instead of regular flour to make the roux. 

I use fire-roasted canned diced tomatoes in some of my dishes, so I may try the recipe first as you specify with just tomato paste, and then with tomato paste plus canned tomatoes. I may also see if draining the canned tomatoes and putting them through a blender will allow me to eliminate the roux thickener. 

As a retiree I have a lot of free time for experimentation, and I appreciate the opportunity to be informed by your great recipes.

Thanks!

I've made this before and as is, the recipe is just okay. Adding some real serranos would taste a lot more authentic than just chili powder. Wasn't a fan of the flour, think the flavor was impacted by it. Your idea for using masa harina sounds like a great swap.

I got closer to my desired enchilada sauce taste when making a diy taco sauce for street tacos (think it was an ehow recipe?) It involved blending 2 serranos, tomato paste, vinegar, water (broth would be better) and then simmering. Super easy. Needed more water/beef broth than the recipe called for because the chili taste stood out too much.

I'm from texas so finding good mexican recipes online isn't that easy but if you know what the end result should taste like it's not too hard to modify and get the results you want.

Another tip: please use corn tortillas, not flour, for enchiladas. Save the flour for burritos.

Have fun with your kitchen experiments and your retirement!

Best enchilada sauce I have ever had! My family loved it too

This was excellent! I used cornstarch to make it gluten-free and it was just the right consistency. Thanks for sharing!

Just made this! It turned out great, used chicken broth instead of vegetable and added a little more tomato paste.

This was also yummy with double the tomato paste and then two ounces of semi-sweet baker's chocolate stirred in until melted, just before the teaspoon of vinegar- something between red enchilada and mole sauce, and the hint of cinnamon was perfect. Delicious over simple cheese and shredded zucchini enchiladas. Why have I always used enchilada sauce from a can? Never again! Thanks for sharing this great basic recipe. So many good ways to change it up.

best i made ... i added paprika, chile de arbol powder and cans of tomato sauce and instead of vegetable broth i did chicken broth...delicioso

In my personal opinion it was the Worst I have ever tasted ! Made this exactly as recipe stated ended up down the sink . However sorted it by making my own using : tinned tomatoes ,tomato puree , some pickled onions , herbs ,garlic ,chilli powder, hot beef stock ,Worcester sauce , and salt n pepper ,blending it all together and using it - note this does not need pre cooked and if you want to make it more creamy throw in a tin of baked beans in tomato sauce such as heinz or supermarket own brand when blending this adds extra protein aswell .This sauce can also be used as a Base for a nice bean/veg or meat  soup if you want and you can use any stock -beef,veg ,chicken or lamb depending on your own taste .

This is my go to enchilada sauce recipe! It’s the best!

This enchilada sauce is so good and pretty easy to make. I’ve made it quite a few times now. Absolutely love it!

I did make this version for my grandson, who is three years old and very picky when it comes to my cooking. He usually says,"grama Liz, the "comida" (food) you make is too spicy for me." But when I made this sauce for his enchiladas he gave me a "thumbs up!" Thanks for this new sauce version for my menu. It's so flavorful without the heat! (My enchilada sauce is the real thing ... Tex Mex chili queens use real chiles ... pasilla and ancho chiles.) I needed a calmer version for the loves of my life. This ROCKS! 
¡mil gracias!
eLizabeth M. ... AKA "grama Liz"

Best Enchiladas sauce EVER thank you so much.

I made this to the letter and thought it was very good. I may have over thickened it though. Flavor is going to depend on which kind of chili powder is used (I used one I picked up in Santa Fe).

For the enchilasagna I made, I needed 3 cups at least, so at the end I felt like I was skimping. I’d recommend making more than you think you’ll need and if you have extra, freezing it. My only complaint was that I thought it tasted a little too flour-y and would choose to thicken with masa or corn starch next time.

Made this sauce for the second time tonight. It turned out wonderfully both times! I used brown rice flour to make it gluten free, and I subbed chicken stock for the vegetable stock. My guests raved that these were the best enchiladas they've ever had. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

Oh My Stars this is an amazing sauce, I don't like hot food at all but love spicy. I saw the chilli powder and said Id take a chance. This sauce is very mild, Perfect for someone like me. Take a chance and give it a go!

This is a great sauce and very easy to make. Also very easy to make a double batch. Thanks!

I at first followed the recipe exactly. The flavor was good but the color was kinda brownish. In your photos, your sauce is a more appetising color. More red than brown. I added an additional tablespoon of tomato paste. This didn't help the color much.

Can you make the roux with butter vs oil?

Amazing and easy. I will never buy a can of sauce ever again. Thank you!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/Mj0D39Qi.mp4

Learn how to make enchilada sauce in this recipe video. It’s full of rich, authentic Mexican flavor and so easy to make!

Enchilada Sauce

This is hands down, The Best Enchilada Sauce Recipe ever! You'll never buy canned again!

The Best Enchilada Sauce Recipe

garlic

tomato sauce

tablespoons chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (chopped (to taste))

tsp Mexican hot chili powder (or more to taste)

tsp cumin

salt

black pepper (to taste)

Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and garlic; sauté until golden, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, chipotle chiles, hot chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 7-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use. Makes 4 cups.

Easy enchilada sauce that&#039;s ready in 15 minutes!  This homemade classic enchilada sauce recipe is quick and tastes so much better than the can.

tomato sauce ((15 ounce cans))

chipotle peppers

adobo sauce (from the can of chipotle peppers

water

black pepper

coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

Stir

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together the tomato sauce, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic powder, water or broth, salt, pepper, and coconut sugar.

Simmer

Bring to a steady simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low. Cover the pan and let simmer gently until thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Blend

Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until very smooth. Tip: Place a thick layer of paper towels over the top of your blender before you turn it on. Hot liquids in blenders love to splatter—don’t ask me how I know. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/aUtzDMKQ.mp4

Easy red enchilada sauce that's ready in 15 minutes!  This homemade classic enchilada sauce recipe is quick and tastes so much better than the can.

Red Enchilada Sauce

This is a wonderful recipe.  The only change I made was using chicken broth I had made that was available. The spice mixture is sublime and the pinch of cinnamon is great addition

Ruined. First off the seasoning cooked too fast in the pan. Added the rest, baked and ate one. Didn't taste like enchilada sauce. I put some tomato sauce in what was left over. Hopefully that will help some.

You need practice cooking. Don’t give a bad review to a great recipe because you didn’t execute it properly. Reach out for help and tips instead of criticizing.

Curious if you ever used masa instead of flour?

I loved this...mine came out slightly bitter, probably because my spices are a little old, but a little sugar took care of that

Made this sauce last night and it was fabulous. Bought some sauce at Walmart and it was horrible so went on line and found this recipe. Had all the ingredients so tried it and it was better than we used to get at the local Mexican restaurant and easy to make.

This is some good sauce!! I made homemade tortillas for enchiladas and did not want to use bought sauce, so I found this recipe. Easy peasy!! Husband was thrilled at the Enchiladas and couldn't wait till I made it again!! I did double the recipe the second time as we like more sauce here. Definitely recommend!!! 5/5

I'd just like to say that you have definitely perfected this recipe!! Thee perfect flavors &amp; taste!! The only thing I changed up was not adding the cinnamon due to picky people. But this came out amazing thanks to you! I appreciate you sharing this recipe!

made this last night for beef enchiladas. Excellent. I used beef broth from my freezer. The only thing I will do differently is make a double batch. Thank you.

This is a delicious and easy to prepare enchilada sauce. I think the addition of cinnamon is brilliant!

I made this for the second time tonight...love it!!  It is so easy.  In Tex-mex, this is called chili gravy, and it tastes just like my favorite restaurants back home in Ft.Worth.  Thanks!

Super delicious! I’m not someone who enjoys cooking but am trying to do more from scratch. This was quick, easy and super tasty! Thank you!

This Recipe is by Far the Best Ever!! It's just like my old Favorite Mexican Restraunt in Auburn Ca...Thank you for this Awsome Recipe...

Kate - Yum! Absolutely delicious recipe. It worked out perfectly for me. And this was my first enchilada sauce and even my first roux! The only vinegar I had was red wine vinegar - it's still tasted terrific. I'm looking forward to checking out more of your recipes and doing this one again thank you!

So good! And the vinegar and cinnamon are a great addition. I used 2 Tablespoons of ancho powder however and cooked the spices in the roux several minutes before adding the broth. Thank you!

So good! Vastly superior to canned sauce!

Love this sauce recipe!! However when i froze my extra sauce when it defrosted it was broken very clumpy like a salsa.  Is that normal?

I made it and it turned out wonderful. We love it. Will make it again and again.

Second time I've made this, and just as tasty as the first time.  The cinnamon and apple cider vinegar take it over the top!  Many thanks for this lovely recipe!

My go-to enchilada sauce! So easy to pull together and tastes 100X better than store bought.

The most delicious enchilada sauce made from scratch. Don&#039;t forget to check out my step by step photos and tips above.

all-purpose flour

tbsp chili powder (adjust down

cinnamon

stock (chicken

Salt and pepper

tsp apple cider vinegar

Mix the spices together in a bowl.

Add oil to a medium pot and place over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering add the flour and whisk in then add the spices and continue whisking for a minute.

Pour in the tomato sauce and whisk then add the stock and continue whisking until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar.

This red homemade enchilada sauce has the best flavor! It's all natural, cheaper than store-bought, and quick and easy to make.

onion

tomato paste (10 tablespoons)

adobo sauce (from 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)

chili powder

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes until golden and tender but not browned. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Carefully pour in the vegetable broth, and then add the remaining ingredients: tomato paste, adobo sauce, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer, where the sauce is gently bubbling, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Carefully transfer the contents to a blender (use a ladle to keep from splashing). Blend until smooth. Use immediately or place in a jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

The best homemade red enchilada sauce recipe. This recipe has lots of flavor and is pretty much effortless! Believe me, you&#x27;ll never go back to the canned enchilada sauce again! Simple to make and can be frozen for later use.

Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

chipotle pepper + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce

stock

chili powder*

cumin powder

onion powder

Combine the chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and 1/2...

Combine the chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and 1/2 cup of the chicken stock in a blender. Blend until the chipotle pepper completely blends down with no solids remaining.

Heat the oil in medium saucepan over medium-high...

Heat the oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute, making sure the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin powder, dried oregano, onion powder, and salt. Continue to whisk and add the chipotle pepper mixture. Once the sauce starts to thicken, add the chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time. When the sauce is just thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, remove from heat.

Need a tasty weeknight supper that is easy to freeze or make ahead? You’ll simply adore Beef and Bean Enchiladas With Homemade Ancho Chile Enchilada Sauce!

BEEF AND BEAN ENCHILADAS WITH HOMEMADE ANCHO CHILE ENCHILADA SAUCE!

Ancho chile powder

regular chile powder

Mexican oregano

tsp smoked paprika

tsp corn starch

beef broth

milk

lb lean hamburger meat.

corn tortillas

La Vaquita® Queso Fresco

onions (sliced)

lettuce (shredded)

jalapeños (sliced and seeded if necessary)

pico de gallo

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the chile powders, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt. Set aside.

In a large pot over medium high heat, cook your meat and crumble it. When your hamburger is cooked through and is no longer pink, drain excess grease. Leave a tiny hint of it though to act as a binder.

Sprinkle the corn starch over the meat, and continue to cook, stirring for about 1-2 minutes. Next, add in the chile powder mixture. Coat the meat well, and stir for another minute to allow the spices to become aromatic.

Slowly add a bit of beef broth, stirring well, and adding a bit more at a time. (This part reminds me of making a roux). Once all the beef broth is in, add in the milk.

Allow to continue cooking, and stir the entire time. Eventually the mixture will come to a boil, and after about a minute it will thicken up and appear like a gravy. Turn off heat, and set aside.

For the homemade Ancho Chile Enchilada Sauce:

Pre Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a casserole pan with non-stick spray and place a large spoonful of sauce on the bottom. Swirl around to coat the bottom of the pan.

You can heat your corn tortillas in the microwave to soften them. Take one at a time, and put 1-2 tablespoons of the sauce mixture (heavy on the meat, less on the liquid) inside the tortilla. You can roll it, or fold each side in and flatten it.

Place side by side in the pan. If you use my method of flattening, you can stack a second set of filled flattened tortillas on top.

Once all the stuffed tortillas are in the pan, cover with all the remaining sauce.

Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from oven. Cover with crumbled La Vaquita® queso fresco.

Focusing on the middle, add on a layer of shredded lettuce, sliced onions, sliced jalapeños and fresh pico de gallo.

Serve and Enjoy!

To make the enchiladas:

Just regular old chicken enchiladas…but made with a homemade red enchilada sauce, and in a cast iron skillet.

Cast Iron Chicken Enchiladas & Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

broth

tsp onion powder onion

chicken

jalapeno jack or pepper jack cheese

veggie

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the broth, tomato paste, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder or minced onion and salt and pepper. Bring to bubbling, then remove from heat.

Spoon about 1/3 of the sauce into the base of a cast iron skillet or 9x13-inch baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked and shredded chicken with about 1/3 of the sauce. Spoon the chicken mixture evenly into 12 corn torillas. Roll and place seam side down in. the sauce in the skillet. Repeat until the chicken mixture is used up or the skillet is full.

Spoon the remaining sauce over top of the enchiladas. Top with shredded cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese has melted on top.

Prepare veggies.

Serve Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Enchiladas with corn, black beans or other favorite veggies.

A quick and easy enchilada sauce that requires no cooking! Can be made in 5 minutes using a blender.

5 Minute Enchilada Sauce 

can diced tomatoes (with juices) preferably fire-roasted tomatoes

apple cider vinegar

garlic garlic

chipotle powder (or smoked paprika

teaspoon kosher salt

dried oregano (or 2 teaspoons fresh)

Taste, add more chipotle to desired heat level.

If serving over enchiladas, the sauce will cook as it bakes with enchiladas.

Or feel free to simmer gently on the stovetop, covered for 10-15 minutes.

I was craving some enchiladas after seeing someone eating them on TV. I didn't have enchilada sauce but had some canned diced tomatoes so I googled and didn't expect much from such a simple recipe thrown in the blender for a few minutes but I'm surprised! This recipe is a keeper-better than canned enchilada sauce!

So good and so easy!  I used a can of tomato sauce instead.  After making it realized that using tomato sauce meant I could skip the blender (and blender clean up).  Next time I make it I'll use tomato sauce again and just shake up all the ingredients in a jar.

I have made this several times now and LOVE it. So easily made with staple pantry ingredients. Simply delicious! Perfect!

I have made it and my employer love it and would like to keep the recipe yummy😋,Yaiy!thanks so much

Needed a quick and easy enchilada sauce recipe that used the diced tomatoes I had on hand. This is so good, I'm eating it with a spoon before I can even assemble the enchiladas. Total win!!

Delicioso!  I added half a roasted red pepper I had in the fridge (just because I had it) and it was so, so good. Whenever I'm looking for a good tasting veggie meal, or need inspiration, I come to here.  Thank you!!

Timesaving, foolproof, delicious.  Thanks for this!

This was the simplest recipe I could find. The flavor is absolutely fine (the chipotle and vinegar I would not have thought of but it really makes it). I looked it up because I had a hankering for enchilada pie and had everything but enchilada sauce. I will probably just use this from now on rather than buying sauce. The lack of cooking it separately, clinches this as the fastest sauce around.

How to make homemade Enchilada Sauce (both red and green) by roasting the tomatoes or tomatillos and chilies before blending. Not only does this give great flavor, but it is also all made on one sheet-pan! Simple and EASY!

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