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Home » Recipes » Sauce Recipes

Easy Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Published: Jul 6, 2023 by Chef Dennis Littley

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My quick and easy Enchilada Sauce recipe is made using simple pantry ingredients and takes less than 20 minutes to make. You’ll never buy store-bought enchilada sauce again after one taste of my bold and tangy with the authentic flavor you love.

Ball jar of enchilada sauce with a spoonful being taken out of the jar.


 

My Tex-Mex Enchilada Sauce recipe can be used with many of your favorite Mexican recipes. It’s super easy to make and can last up to two weeks in the fridge.

cooked chicken and cheese enchiladas in baking dish.

Homemade enchilada sauce (aka salsa roja) is so much better than the canned stuff! It’s what I used to make my Tex-Mex Chicken Enchiladas and they were ah-mazingly delicious. You can use this sauce for cheese, pork, or beef enchiladas.

Table of Contents:
  • Ingredients to make Enchilada Sauce
  • Can I make changes to the enchilada sauce?
  • How to make Enchilada Sauce
  • Recipe FAQ’s
  • More Recipes You’ll Love!
  • Recipe: Easy Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Ingredients to make Enchilada Sauce

ingredients to make recipe.

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Red Enchilada Sauce recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Made with simple ingredients

  • tomato sauce
  • chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • garlic powder
  • onion powder
  • chili powder
  • cumin
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • brown sugar
  • all-purpose flour
  • vegetable oil or olive oil

Can I make changes to the enchilada sauce?

Changing the enchilada sauce to suit your taste or dietary needs couldn’t be easier. Here are a few of my suggestions.

  • For gluten-free sauce, use gluten-free cup-for-cup flour instead of all-purpose flour. You can also use cornstarch or arrowroot to thicken the sauce.
  • Do you want a spicier sauce?  That’s an easy fix. You can add your favorite hot sauce to kick up the heat. Or use chipotle or ancho chili powder to make the spicy sauce. You can also add cayenne pepper. Just be careful; a little goes a long way.
  • Can I make a mild enchilada sauce? To cut back on the spicy flavor of the sauce, simply reduce the amount of chili powder. Start with one tablespoon of chili powder and see how that tastes. You can always add more.
  • To add a smoky flavor to the sauce, use chipotle chili powder instead of plain chili powder. You can also add a teaspoon of smoked paprika to the sauce if you don’t want to add any additional heat.
  • If you like creamy sauces, add a quarter cup of heavy cream or sour cream to the sauce. This will also cut back on the heat level.

How to make Enchilada Sauce

collage showing how to make recipe.
  • Add the vegetable oil to a saucepan over medium heat, then add the all-purpose flour and mix well.
  • Turn down the heat to low and allow the flour/oil mixture to cook for a few minutes. This is a roux that will help thicken the sauce.
  • Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, spices, and brown sugar to the saucepan and mix well using a wire whisk. Increase the temperature to medium-high heat.
  • Bring the mixture to a light boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the red sauce to cook for 10 minutes.
Ball jar of enchilada sauce.

Let the enchilada sauce cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You’re going to love this sauce; it makes amazing enchiladas but can also be used as a taco sauce and a dip for tortilla chips.

It really is the best enchilada sauce recipe you’ll ever make, and my authentic enchilada sauce will definitely improve your Mexican cooking!

*Leftover red sauce can be stored refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two weeks or frozen for up to three months.

Recipe FAQ’s

Can I make enchilada sauce less spicy?

You sure can. Just cut back on the chili powder until you get the heat level you’re comfortable with. Do you like your sauce spicier? That’s an easy fix too. Just add your favorite hot sauce to the sauce to kick it up to the heat level you’re looking for.

Can I use enchilada sauce for other recipes?

Absolutely! This sauce can be used in a variety of Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes, such as chiles rellenos, tamales, or huevos rancheros. It can also be used as a marinade for meats or as a base for a spicy soup.

Is enchilada sauce supposed to be spicy?

Traditional salsa roja has a bit of a kick but isn’t overly spicy. However, you can adjust the spice level to suit your taste by adding more or less chili powder or your favorite chilies.

More Recipes You’ll Love!

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    Semi-Homemade Barbecue Sauce
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    Chimichurri Sauce Recipe
  • Marinara sauce in pot.
    Classic Marinara Sauce

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Ball jar of enchilada sauce with a spoonful being taken out of the jar.

Easy Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Chef Dennis Littley
My quick and easy Enchilada Sauce recipe is made using simple pantry ingredients and takes less than 20 minutes to make
5 from 13 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Total Time 17 minutes mins
Course condiment, Sauce
Cuisine Mexican, mexican-american
Servings 16
Calories 76 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 32 ounce tomato sauce
  • 3 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 3 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions
 

  • Add the vegetable oil to a saucepan over medium heat, then add the all-purpose flour and mix well. Turn down the heat to low and allow the flour/oil mixture to cook for a few minutes.
    This is a roux that will help thicken the sauce.
  • Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, spices, and brown sugar to the saucepan and mix well using a wire whisk. Increase the temperature to medium-high heat.
  • Bring the mixture to a light boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the enchilada sauce to cook for 10 minutes.
  • Let the sauce cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
    *Leftover red sauce can be stored refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two weeks or frozen for up to three months.

Notes

  • For gluten-free sauce, use gluten-free cup-for-cup flour instead of all-purpose flour. You can also use cornstarch or arrowroot to thicken the sauce.
  • Do you want a spicier sauce?  That’s an easy fix. You can add your favorite hot sauce to kick up the heat. Or use chipotle or ancho chili powder to make the spicy sauce. You can also add cayenne pepper. Just be careful; a little goes a long way.
  • Can I make a mild enchilada sauce? To cut back on the spicy flavor of the sauce, simply reduce the amount of chili powder. Start with one tablespoon of chili powder and see how that tastes. You can always add more.
  • To add a smoky flavor to the sauce, use chipotle chili powder instead of plain chili powder. You can also add a teaspoon of smoked paprika to the sauce if you don’t want to add any additional heat.
  • If you like creamy sauces, add a quarter cup of heavy cream or sour cream to the sauce. This will also cut back on the heat level.

Nutrition

Calories: 76kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 504mgPotassium: 254mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 693IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askchefdennis or tag #askchefdennis!
5 from 13 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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My name is Chef Dennis Littley, creator and owner of Ask Chef Dennis Productions. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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