Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce
This easy homemade enchilada sauce recipe tastes incredible, and you can make it with pantry staples like chili powder, tomato paste, and spices. It’s SO good! We love enchiladas (see our Homemade Enchiladas and Green Enchiladas as proof!). So, naturally, we’ve dialed into homemade enchilada sauce. This enchilada sauce recipe is QUICK, which means it’s perfect for tonight. I bet you even have most, if not all, of what you need sitting in your kitchen right now. This sauce is perfect for homemade enchiladas, burrito bowls, drizzling onto tacos, and more! The flavor beats the store-bought cans, too. If you want a more authentic sauce made with dried chiles, see this Authentic Red Enchilada Sauce. Key Ingredients Flour and Oil: This combo helps thicken our enchilada sauce. You’ll cook a bit of all-purpose flour in avocado oil (substitute olive oil or vegetable oil) to make a roux that will thicken your sauce nicely. For gluten-free enchilada sauce, use your favorite gluten-free flour blend. Chili Powder: I use a generous amount of chili powder for this sauce. I love ancho chili powder, or use your favorite store-bought blend. When I have it on hand, I also love this Homemade Chili Powder, which is much more flavorful than most options sold at stores. Extra Spices: I add ground cumin, garlic powder (or fresh garlic), coriander, and oregano to create a complex and delicious sauce. Mexican oregano is my preferred choice if you can find it. Tomato Paste: This adds a rich flavor and color to our delicious sauce. Broth: I use a light broth. Low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth from the store is excellent, but I also love Homemade Chicken Broth or Veggie Broth if I have them on hand. Tomato Broth would be good, too! Salt and Apple Cider Vinegar: Salt seasons the sauce, while the vinegar balances the flavors and brings everything together. I only use 1 teaspoon of vinegar, which makes a big difference. Flour and Oil: This combo helps thicken our enchilada sauce. You’ll cook a bit of all-purpose flour in avocado oil (substitute olive oil or vegetable oil) to make a roux that will thicken your sauce nicely. For gluten-free enchilada sauce, use your favorite gluten-free flour blend. Chili Powder: I use a generous amount of chili powder for this sauce. I love ancho chili powder, or use your favorite store-bought blend. When I have it on hand, I also love this Homemade Chili Powder, which is much more flavorful than most options sold at stores. Extra Spices: I add ground cumin, garlic powder (or fresh garlic), coriander, and oregano to create a complex and delicious sauce. Mexican oregano is my preferred choice if you can find it. Tomato Paste: This adds a rich flavor and color to our delicious sauce. Broth: I use a light broth. Low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth from the store is excellent, but I also love Homemade Chicken Broth or Veggie Broth if I have them on hand. Tomato Broth would be good, too! Salt and Apple Cider Vinegar: Salt seasons the sauce, while the vinegar balances the flavors and brings everything together. I only use 1 teaspoon of vinegar, which makes a big difference. Find the full recipe with measurements below. My Tips for Making Really Good Enchilada Sauce This easy enchilada sauce is so good you’ll want to make it on repeat! Here are my tips for making it the best: Tip 1: Cook the flour with the oil. Giving the flour a bit of time to cook eliminates any raw flour flavor. You want the saucepan to smell a little toasty. Then, you follow up with the remaining enchilada sauce ingredients. Tip 2: Cook the tomato paste until orange. This is a great tip for any recipe that calls for tomato paste. If you don’t cook it, it tastes raw. So, for the best enchilada sauce, add the tomato paste to the pot and let it cook, stirring until it turns from bright red to orange. This builds flavor in your sauce. Tip 3: Add spice as needed. As written, our enchilada sauce recipe is mild, but you can always bump up the heat. Consider whisking a little ground hot chili powder or cayenne into the sauce at the end. I find some delicious ground chile powders in a local Mexican market near me, so if you have one nearby, it’s definitely worth a look! Ways to Use Homemade Enchilada Sauce I love using this sauce for Classic Chicken Enchiladas made with shredded chicken mixed with enchilada sauce, wrapped in corn tortillas, and baked with cheese on top. Or make Veggie Enchiladas filled with veggies and beans (like these creamy black beans). But it’s versatile too! Try tossing it with roasted shrimp or other proteins for rice bowls or salads. It even adds a delicious kick to Scrambled Eggs, Taco Salad, or soups like Chicken Tortilla Soup. Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce PREP 5 mins COOK 10 mins TOTAL 15 mins PREP 5 mins COOK 10 mins TOTAL 15 mins This easy enchilada sauce recipe is the answer when you’re craving enchiladas but short on time. It’s made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in just 15 minutes. It’s the perfect shortcut to delicious homemade enchiladas! Makes 2 cups You Will Need 2 tablespoons avocado oil or vegetable oil 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon chili powder, try homemade chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon garlic powder or 2 minced garlic cloves ½ teaspoon ground coriander, optional ½ teaspoon dried oregano 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or more to taste 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar Directions 1Make the roux: Heat the oil in a deep skillet or medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring often, until it smells nutty, about 1 minute. 2Toast spices and tomato paste: Stir in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder (or fresh garlic), coriander, oregano, and tomato paste into the flour mixture. Stir, breaking the tomato paste up for 30 seconds to one minute more. 3Add the broth: While whisking, gradually pour in the broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer until thickened. If the sauce seems too thin, continue to simmer until reduced and thickened slightly. Season with salt and stir in the apple cider vinegar. 1Make the roux: Heat the oil in a deep skillet or medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring often, until it smells nutty, about 1 minute. 2Toast spices and tomato paste: Stir in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder (or fresh garlic), coriander, oregano, and tomato paste into the flour mixture. Stir, breaking the tomato paste up for 30 seconds to one minute more. 3Add the broth: While whisking, gradually pour in the broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer until thickened. If the sauce seems too thin, continue to simmer until reduced and thickened slightly. Season with salt and stir in the apple cider vinegar. Adam and Joanne's Tips Storing: Use straight away or save for later. You can store homemade enchilada sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month. I love making multiple batches and keeping them in the freezer for another day. Chili powder: I love ancho chili powder or this homemade chili powder. Oregano: If you can find it, use Mexican oregano, which has grassy, citrusy undertones, while Mediterranean oregano has more sweet, anise undertones. We buy our Mexican oregano from a local Mexican grocery store, but you should also be able to find it online. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Storing: Use straight away or save for later. You can store homemade enchilada sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month. I love making multiple batches and keeping them in the freezer for another day. Chili powder: I love ancho chili powder or this homemade chili powder. Oregano: If you can find it, use Mexican oregano, which has grassy, citrusy undertones, while Mediterranean oregano has more sweet, anise undertones. We buy our Mexican oregano from a local Mexican grocery store, but you should also be able to find it online. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/4 cup / Calories 55 / Total Fat 4.1g / Saturated Fat 0.6g / Cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 122.8mg / Carbohydrate 3.8g / Dietary Fiber 0.6g / Total Sugars 0.7g / Protein 1.8g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? 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