This quick and easy Enchilada Sauce recipe uses simple pantry ingredients and only takes 15 minutes to make. It’s cost effective, healthier, and tastes better than anything in a can.
Looking for more Mexican recipes? Try my Tacos Al Pastor, Chicken Quesadillas or Horchata.
The Enchilada Sauce that ruined me (in the best way)
The Enchilada Sauce that ruined me (in the best way)I’m going to stand proudly on my soapbox for a moment because this homemade red enchilada sauce recipe deserves our attention, and will steal your heart. It’s the easiest way to next-level some of our favorite dishes, like enchiladas, wet burritos, and tamale pie, with unbeatable flavor. But besides the fact that the taste superior to it’s “canned” counterparts, here are three more reason you should make enchilada sauce from scratch:
- Healthier, lower in sodium, and less inexpensive.
- Pantry ingredients – you probably have what you need to make it. And, if you’re looking for a more authentic version made with dried Mexican chiles, use this red chile sauce recipe, with beef broth in place of the pork broth.
- Quick – you can have this whipped up in just a few minutes, and the taste is unmatched to anything in a can.
Ingredients Needed:
- Tomato Sauce
- Flour: to thicken the sauce. For a gluten-free version, substitute 1 tablespoon cornstarch for the flour.
- Beef Broth: Vegetable broth of chicken broth would also work.
- Oil: vegetable, canola or avocado oil.
- Dry Spices: Oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper
- Garlic
How to make Red Enchilada Sauce:
Stir oil, flour, chili powder, cumin and oregano in a saucepan on low heat until bubbly.
Add beef broth, tomato sauce, garlic and salt.
Simmer on low heat for 15 min, stirring occasionally.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Homemade enchilada sauce will keep in the fridge for up to one week.
To Freeze: Freeze in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Use Enchilada Sauce with:
- Cheese Enchiladas
- Chicken Enchiladas
- Vegetarian Enchiladas
- Wet Burrito
- Mexican Pizza
- Huevos Rancheros
- Tamale Pie
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Recipe
Red Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons oil (vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a saucepan stir oil, flour, chili powder, cumin, and oregano together. Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Add beef broth, tomato sauce, garlic and salt. Simmer on low heat for 15 min, stirring occasionally.
- Store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Use in a variety of recipes, like cheese enchiladas, loaded chicken enchiladas, and veggie enchiladas.
Notes
Nutrition
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*I originally shared this recipe in March 2013. Updated February 2019, April 2022 and April 2024.
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This sauce is the best sauce I have ever had! It reminds me of the sauce I ate as a child on enchiladas. I make refried beans and spanish rice to go with my enchiladas, and I always add a little sauce in the beans and rice, too! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Really good sauce and so easy! The canned stuff always seems too thin and not enough flavor. I’m making enchiladas today and needed sauce and this just came in so handy. I’m saving this recipe for future use. Thanks for making an easy sauce that is also good.
We agree! Homemade is always better than the canned stuff. We are so glad you enjoyed it!
I used used high quality canned diced Italian tomatoes, and I had some dried guajillo chillies that I deseeded, reconstituted with hot water, and added. I also fried an onion for the first part, upped the garlic and skipped the flour altogether (it wasn’t needed after blending below). I used the water the chillies were reconstituted in together with a beef base instead of the stock. I added a tablespoon of dark brown sugar. I didn’t need to cook it very long before it all melded. I let it cool then blended the whole thing. The result was a great consistency and very delicious (OK this was a heavily modified version of the recipe but I treat them as inspiration not prescriptive!).
This recipe was really good! I did add in a dash of cinnamon and like a tablespoon of brown sugar, but I will be saving this for every time I make enchiladas. Thank you!
Great make ahead sauce!! Absolutely delish.
I have not made this but am I able to can this? If so, what is the time frame for canned enchilada sauce?
When I first made the sauce, I found it a little bitter. I added brown sugar to my taste (3 tablespoons) and it came out great.
This was delicious! Mild yet flavorful. We are gluten and dairy free in our house and I just subbed GF flour for regular. I may try the cornstarch suggestion next time but this worked wonderfully. My kids are an entire pan of enchiladas (even without cheese)!
Removing a star because I used the meal plan shopping list rather than reading each individual recipe as I usually do. (Short on time this week and figured I could trust it – my bad.)
This needs WAY more than a can of enchilada sauce. The flavor was great, but if you don’t have the 4 CUPS of sauce that the homemade recipe makes, this is woefully dry. You might not need the full 4 cups, but you definitely need more than a single sad can from the store.