Name: Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3 Tablespoons oil ((vegetable or canola oil)); 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup chili powder; 1 Tablespoon cumin; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves; 2 cups low-sodium beef broth; 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce; 1 clove garlic (, minced); salt (to taste)

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All you need is a few simple pantry ingredients to make this easy homemade Enchilada Sauce! This recipe is healthier than what you would buy at the store, and much lower in sodium.

Mexican food is my jam! Ever since our short time living in Mexico, my husband and I regularly make homemade Mexican food. Some of our favorites include Smothered Chicken Burritos, Authentic Mexican Rice, and Tres Leches Cake.

Enchilada Sauce

Before living in Mexico I would always buy canned enchilada sauce (which is pretty overpriced). Since then I’ve learned how extremely easy and delicious homemade enchilada sauce is, and I could never go back to the canned stuff. This is the best enchilada sauce because you can make it with simple ingredients you likely have on hand.

I make this enchilada sauce recipe to go with my favorite cheese enchiladas and these delicious (vegetarian) sweet potato and black bean enchiladas.

Ingredients in enchilada sauce:

3 Tablespoons oil
3 Tablespoons flour
1/4 cup chili powder
1 Tablespoon cumin
2 cups beef broth
2 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper

What is the difference between red and green enchilada sauce?

The difference between red and green enchilada sauce is mainly in the type of chili that was used to make the sauce. Red enchilada sauce is made with red chilies (in this recipe, ground red chilies or chili powder) and green enchilada sauce is made with green chilis.

Some enchilada sauce is made without chilies and instead the taste and color revolves around tomatoes, tomatillos, and chili powder. There isn’t necessarily a right or wrong way to make enchilada sauce.

Is red or green sauce spicer?

Red chiles tend to have a slightly sweeter tastes so red enchilada sauce is often more mild. Because green enchilada sauce is made with green ingredients including green chiles, tomatillos, and sometime jalapeños, it tends to have a larger heat range. Sometimes it’s spicy but it doesn’t have to be.

In my experience, the generic red and green enchilada sauces found in the cans at the store are not spicy.

How to make enchilada sauce:

Stir together the oil, flour, chili powder, and cumin in a saucepan on low heat. Once it gets bubbly, add the beef broth, tomato sauce, oregano, garlic, and salt. Stir to combine and simmer on low heat for 15 min, stirring occasionally.

Leftover enchilada sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week, or you can freeze enchilada sauce for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using.

Here are all of my Mexican recipes. Some of my favorites include:

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Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe

This homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe is easy, authentic, and made from scratch with simple ingredients. It's much healthier and lower in sodium than what you would buy at the store!

4.82 from 16 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings:

Calories: 158kcal

Author: Lauren Allen

Video

Ingredients

Instructions

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.

Storing Enchilada Sauce:

Enchilada sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week, or you can freeze enchilada sauce for up to 3 months, in a freezer safe container. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
We enjoy this enchilada sauce with cheese enchiladas, loaded chicken enchiladas, and veggie enchiladas.

Notes

This recipe makes 4 cups of enchilada sauce.

Nutrition

Did you make this recipe?Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram #TastesBetterFromScratch!

Have you tried this recipe?!

RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.

*I originally shared this recipe in March 2013. Updated February 2019.

Comments

Anna says
February 16, 2020 at 8:50 am
This sounds delicious! I cannot eat tomato based products due to the acidity, any suggestions for substitutions for the tomato sauce? Thank you!
Nubia says
April 9, 2020 at 12:29 pm
Can you substitute chicken broth for the beef broth?
- Lauren Allen says
  April 9, 2020 at 1:58 pm
  Yes, it will just have a different and milder flavor.
Joslin says
May 1, 2020 at 10:38 pm
I’m a vegetarian. What substitute would come closest to matching the flavor of the beef broth?
- Lauren Allen says
  May 2, 2020 at 3:30 pm
  Vegetable broth would be the best substitute.
Chris says
May 13, 2020 at 12:27 pm
How spicy is the sauce with 1/4 cup chili powder?
- Lauren Allen says
  May 13, 2020 at 10:29 pm
  I don’t think it’s “spicy” at all (heat level)–my toddler eats it just fine! . It just adds flavor.
  - Chris Ela says
    May 14, 2020 at 10:19 am
    Thank you. My husband is a wimp when it comes to spicy. Your recipes sound delicious. I grew up in So. California & love Mexican food.
LESLEE J MANTEGANI says
July 28, 2020 at 7:24 am
What type of chili powder do you recommend using ? I’ve used blended reconstituted dried chilis in the past.
carol graper says
October 23, 2020 at 2:24 pm
writing again. your web is the best ever. Im making aomething from you every night this week and we are all loving it. so glad I found you.

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