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!
Okay, Lauren, here’s my enchilada story. I have always used canned sauce and I made them this time the same. The sauce I used kind of soaked in and were dry by the time we were to have leftovers tonight. So, I thought it’s about time that I did a sauce from scratch since my hubby is a sauce guy. I found yours and made a half batch just to make sure we liked it. Well, my husband kept going to the pot to slather more and more on!!!! It was so totally yummy!!! I agree with a lot of the other reviewers who are saying good bye to the can!!! Thank you for a wonderful recipe that I’ll use over and over again!
The best enchilada sauce EVER! What a difference from the canned versions. I will never buy it again!
Super easy and unbelievably delicious!!!
Delicious! Best enchiladas sauce recipe!
Glorified tomato sauce. For enchilada sauce, you need ancho peppers, pasilla peppers, or the like.
Never in my years of cooking enchilada sauce have I ever used beef broth, you use chicken broth.
This is just tomato sauce with chili and cumin.
This is a tex mex enchilada sauce. If you looked at the pictures, then it would be very obvious.
My family really liked this recipe. We have never made homemade enchilada sauce before. We made the recipe as stated. We found it to be medium spicy some heat but not overwhelming. I used inexpensive spices from Aldi/Walmart. Definitely will make again!
Unfortunately this recipe did not work for me. I think 1 tbsp of cumin is too much. I should have started with 1 tsp and went from there. The amount of cumin really made everything stink. I think the chili powder I used was too spicy as well. My husband loves really spicy food, and he was choking on this. I wasted good ingredients on this and am really disappointed. Don’t recommend
Tried it. Love it. Mods: addtn of 1/2 tsp garlic powder (instead of clove), 1 tsp onion powder, 2 c Vegetable broth (Better Than Bouillon). No salt/pepper.
Thus far I have tried and loved your gumbo, chicken stock, key lime pie, and now this. Might have to have your cookbook. Thank you for the time and work you putting into all of this. 🙏❤️
There is no “clove” in this recipe.
There isn’t? I see a garlic clove.
Oh my goodness 😳
This was so easy and my husband loves it! ❤️
I love this enchilada sauce, but the chilli powder I used was really spicy and I didn’t know that. I even halved the amount of chilli powder you called in the recipe. I assumed all chilli powders were mild 🤣😅… my 2 1/2 year old son and his grandpa couldn’t handle it. If I use the same one again (Fiesta brand from the Mexican section in Walmart) then I’d probably have to cut it down to a teaspoon or two.
Note to self: read the labels and check to see if chilli peppers are the first ingredient in the chilli powder 🤣 or choose mild chilli powder