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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)
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
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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*I originally shared this recipe in March 2013. Updated February 2019, April 2022 and April 2024.
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!
The so called enchilada sauce recipe
Looked so bad I didn’t try it, I thought it looked more like a meat loaf sauce recipe.
Finding it was very confusing too.
Looks can be deceiving, but hey, meatloaf enchiladas might just be the next culinary trend! 😄 Thanks for the feedback; we’ll aim for clearer and less “mysterious” recipes in the future.
You’re reviewing a recipe that you didn’t even try? That takes a special brand of stupid…congratulations.
Rita Fraysure, for the rest of us, don’t rate it if you don’t try it. Your comment wasn’t helpful.
This sauce was very tasty. Much cheaper also than canned enchilada sauce.
I found your sauce recipe a couple years ago and I’m so happy I did. I use it make your cheese enchiladas recipes. I wish corn tortillas were easier to roll (even if I heat them up).
I’ve passed this recipe along to my friends.
I dip them in the warm sauce, and then roll them up. It works!
I made a half recipe of this for the Tamale Pie recipe and it is soooooooooooo much better than canned enchilada sauce! Love the flavor!
This has now become my go to red sauce recipe. Have now made it several times always comes out great. It’s a keeper for sure!! Quick and easy.
Delicious and so easy to make!! We use it in enchiladas and quesadillas and we’ll never buy in a can now. Thanks!
This is now my go to enchilada sauce. Perfect spices – not to spicy, just right. You can spice it up if you like with other hotter chili powders. Made it now over five times. Hubby loves it. Will never buy it in a can.
Does this come out spicy? Is there a way to make it mild? My kids won’t eat spicy
I don’t find it spicy! My two year old eats it just fine 🙂
I made this tonight and it was the first time I’ve ever made wet burritos. I followed the recipe to T and it came out perfect for my wet burritos. It was easy and yet still had a lot of flavor. Thank you I will be using this recipe again for sure.
This recipe is delicious! My husband prefers red enchilada sauce but I don’t like the ones that come from a can. Even my picky son liked it! I’m keeping this recipe!