I’ve been working on my enchilada game lately, for both the cookbook and an upcoming enchilada recipe. There is an art to making great enchiladas, and the sauce is a key component.
I thought I’d share my tested and perfected enchilada sauce recipe today, in case you want to try it on your favorite enchilada recipe. It’s ready in under ten minutes, and I promise, it’s so tasty you won’t want to go back to the store-bought kind again.
When I developed my go-to sauce (first seen on my spinach artichoke enchiladas), I tried at least five of the top sauce recipes on Google, all with different ingredients and techniques.
I tried making sauce with tomato sauce, which tasted too raw and was kind of goopy. I tried making sauce with blended diced tomatoes, and it had the same issues. I tried sauce without any tomato ingredients, and it didn’t taste quite like the enchilada sauce I grew up eating, or the sauce at my favorite Mexican restaurants. I tried sauces made without any thickener (like flour or cornstarch), and they pooled at the bottom and turned my enchiladas into a soupy, texture-less casserole.
Finally, after some experimentation and cross-referencing with America’s Test Kitchen, I landed on the perfect enchilada sauce. Vegetable broth forms the base of the sauce, but it’s only added after you make a simple roux of flour and oil. You need a full three tablespoons of each to properly thicken the sauce. I tried making this sauce with a gluten-free flour blend and that worked great as well.
The Best Enchilada Sauce
Four reasons to love this recipe:
- This sauce is full of authentic Mexican flavor. It comes from a combination of dried spices, which are sautéed in oil to bring out their best, and umami-rich tomato paste.
- The cinnamon is optional since some people just don’t like it in savory applications, but just a pinch adds some lovely warmth and complexity.
- The final kicker is a tiny splash of vinegar, which really amps up the flavor.
- Unlike canned enchiladas sauces, this homemade sauce is free of unnecessary processed ingredients and MSG (that’s monosodium glutamate, which gives my mom migraines).
I love this sauce and I’m confident you will, too, since it’s gotten rave reviews on my spinach artichoke enchiladas and veggie black bean enchiladas.
Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! Your feedback keeps me going.
Watch How to Make Enchilada Sauce
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
- Author:
- Prep Time: 3 mins
- Cook Time: 7 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: Condiment
- Cuisine: Mexican
This homemade red enchilada sauce has authentic Mexican flavor! It’s so good and easy, you’ll never go back to store-bought sauce again. You can even make a double batch and freeze half of it for later. Recipe as written below yields about 2 cups (16 ounces) sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons flour (whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and gluten-free flour blends all work!)
- 1 tablespoon ground chili powder (scale back if you’re sensitive to spice or using particularly spicy chili powder)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
- Pinch of cinnamon (optional but recommended)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- This sauce comes together quickly once you get started, so measure the dry ingredients (the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt and optional cinnamon) into a small bowl and place it near the stove. Place the tomato paste and broth near the stove as well.
- In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, warm the oil until it’s hot enough that a light sprinkle of the flour/spice mixture sizzles on contact. This might take a couple of minutes, so be patient and don’t step away from the stove!
- Once it’s ready, pour in the flour and spice mixture. While whisking constantly, cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute. Whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.
- Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking often, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit and a spoon encounters some resistance as you stir it. (The sauce will thicken some more as it cools.)
- Remove from heat, then whisk in the vinegar and season to taste with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Add more salt, if necessary (I usually add another pinch or two). Go forth and make enchiladas!
Notes
Enchilada sauce recipe adapted from my spinach artichoke enchiladas.
Storage suggestions: Extra enchilada sauce will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or, freeze it for up to 3 months. Let it cool to room temperature before transferring to a wide-mouth mason jar, leaving some room at the top for expansion (don’t screw on the lid completely until the mixture is fully frozen), or a freezer bag (remove excess air before sealing).
Make it gluten free: Just use gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. I tried with Bob’s Red Mill brand and it worked great.
Make it tomato free: You can omit the tomato paste. You might want to up the spices a bit. The sauce won’t taste quite like the enchilada sauce you might buy at the store, but it will still be good!
Change it up: The chili powder, cumin and garlic powder are essential here, but feel free to change up the other spices to suit your preferences.
If you love this sauce: Check out more of my Mexican recipes here!
▸ Nutrition Information
Megan A
I made this sauce when I found that my store bought enchilada sauce had expired and I was already mid way through making enchiladas. And I am SO GLAD. I did have to back off on the chili powder because I am a mild salsa kind of girl. This was really really delicious though and it will be a go-to from now on! I also appreciated how easy it was to make!
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Megan! Thank you for your review.
Carol
I thought I had sauce and did not. I made this and it was really good. Thank you!
★★★★★
Sue
I made this quick sauce to use on my sweet potato, black bean and spinach enchiladas. Fabulous. Im buying her cookbook!
Jo Ann
Very good sauce and easy to make.
★★★★★
Carrie
Delicious, easy to follow recipe. Thank you.
★★★★★
Sara
The smell in the kitchen when cooking this sauce is heavenly. My favorite part is that it comes together with basic pantry items. So on my low-pantry days I can still whip up enchiladas and feel pretty fancy at the same time.
★★★★★
Kate
I love to hear that, Sara!
Kathy Mott
I made the enchilada sauce as you directed.
Super easy and very delicious!
Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Kathy!
Elizabeth Salmon
Love it!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great to hear, Elizabeth! Thank you for your review.
Cyd
I have made this sauce numerous times – always turns out perfect! Could you please tell me if the recipe would suffer if the amount of oil were reduced? I would like to use as little oil as possible but I don’t want to ruin your perfect recipe.
Thank you!
★★★★★
Troyce Lipscomb
I make it without any oil. Just put the flour and spices in dry pan and whisk frequently until the aromas from the spices are strong. Be careful not burn. Let cool before adding broth. I love this sauce!
★★★★★
Cyd
Thank You!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Cyd! I appreciate your review.
Mady L
Made this sauce last night and It was incredible! used beef broth instead of vegetable because I was making beef enchiladas and it was a BIG HIT! Will try with veggie broth next time for my corn enchiladas. Thank you!!!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Mady! Thank you for your review.
B
★★★★★
Sue
I made this recipe last night. Followed the instructions and it was absolutely delicious! Never buying the sauce in a jar or can again!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! That’s great to hear, Sue. Thank you for your review.
Beverly Richardson
This enchilda sauce is delicious!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your review!
Mel
Can I use chicken broth for this recipe, instead of vegetable? Thank you
Kate
Hi Mel, I know others have tried it and didn’t mind the results.
Chris
These are absolutely incredible. My son has become spoiled (I owned a bar/grill) in another life and was the head cook. (Dad, you make better food than most restaurants… I do, I know this. Maybe conceited, but I definitely know I am a good cook. Tends to happen in the restaurant business… If you are not, then people do not come back)
Anyhow, these are perfect. We added a little bit more ‘kick’ but a million times better than canned. He has asked for them 3 days straight. Thank you.
★★★★★
Kathleen Hadley
This is so good that I also use it as soup, just add some vegetables.
To make it gluten-free, I use millet flour.
★★★★★
DA
OMG this sauce is divine! Thank you Kate. I made this tonight with the Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas and it was such a treat. Amazing flavours.
★★★★★
Christine G
I tried this recipe when I realized I forgot to buy enchilada sauce for a dish I was making. So glad I found this! This recipe used ingredients I already had, clear instructions, and turned out great! Thanks so much!!
Joe
I love this sauce. I like to make a double or triple batch and split it; freeze some, eat some today. Also, this is a great base for making a red curry, so a batch of this makes several meals for a week; it’s enchilada sauce tonight and lunch tomorrow, then in a day or two, it’s tweaked to be a red curry with tons of veg and paneer over rice. Basically, all it needs is ginger, garam masala, and a touch of yogurt, to be a great curry.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Joe! I appreciate your review.
Mimi Hardie
Would chicken broth work? I dont have veggie broth.
Kate
I believe others have tried it and didn’t mind the results.
Kittie Mulloy
Thank you. This is the best enchilada sauce ever. So easy to make and freezes well too.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great to hear, Kittie!
Nallie
Living in the Netherlands they don’t sell enchilada sauce (at leasg not in the nearby supermarkets). Found your recipe yesterday, we tried it and absolutely loved it!!
So thank you for this and we will keep making it all the way over here :)
★★★★★
BJM
★★★★★
BJM
Ok, so add me to the conversion list. Lord have mercy, I’ve been buying enchilada sauce for absolutely NO good reason! Joining the bandwagon. I can’t decide whether it’s better because it’s easy or easy because it’s better.
★★★★★
Jared
This ain’t it. Strained tomatoes is the way to go. Simmer down to thicken, add spices.
★★★
Jess
It tastes amazing, but mine came out very thick. I added a bit more broth but it wouldn’t ease up. I did something wrong but we still made enchiladas and they were tasty!
★★★★★
Stephanie M
My mission was to duplicate the “best enchilada in the world” that my daughter found on our summer road trip. This sauce did the trick! Not bitter like other recipes I’ve tried.
Roberta
I followed all except cinnamon I dint want mole taste since I was preparing ck which was actuallyegs and thighs with bells n celery I had baked night b4 this sauce was the talk of the table was one of a kind…thank you
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Roberta! I appreciate your review.
todd
★★★★★
todd
This is the best enchila sauce I’ve made by far. It’s also easier than I expected, thought I’d have to whisk the whole time but it was fine on its own after i added the stock. I’ll leave the cinnamon out next time, I like it in chili but thought it was a distraction here, but can see some would like it. Will definitely be my go to enchilada sauce.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Todd! I appreciate your review.
Syndi Schon
I really tried. Nothing seemed right. But I did all the wrong things anyway. It was so bad. Enchilada sauce does not come together like this. It’s chiles and onion, garlic, boiled then in a bender, strained..: what is this? Like a gravy? I’m thinking this might be regional. We are from California.
★★
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe. I appreciate your feedback.
ChefConnConn
I made enchildas for the very first time ever at home and so happy I used your sauce! Thank you; I found your instructions were easy to follow and even bonus – I was pleasantly surprised that I had all the ingredients too! :)
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your review!
Al Scrignar
I have tried several of your recipes and have always been very happy with the results. This recipe, however, greatly exceeded any expectations I had for a good alternative to canned enchilada sauce, and I made it gluten free using sorghum flour. It was amazing! Thank you for your presence online providing great recipes.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Al! I appreciate your review.
Ms. Sasha the sweet kitten...
I’m not sure how long ago you posted this, but I’ve been using this recipe for 8 or 9 yrs or more and it’s great. The canned stuff is garbage unless you like the taste of metal in your food. This is versatile and quick.
★★★★★
Linda S.
This is the third recipe I’ve tried and it’s fantastic! My search is over! I made to complete my brisket enchiladas! Thank you!!!
★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Linda! I appreciate your review.
Meg
This recipe is awesome and it is my go-to enchilada sauce. It does come together quickly, so it really is a good idea to have everything ready to go, by the stove. I made this for my boyfriend years ago when we started dating, and he was blown away that it is possible to make enchiladas better than his fave Mexican restaurant. Thanks for helping me trick him into thinking I am a good cook with this amazing recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you love it, Meg! Thank you for your review.
Cookie
I live by this recipe now. I always make a double batch and keep it available in the freezer. My lazy nights when I make burritos for dinner
I will use this sauce for “wet burritos” which they request now, everyone loves them and thinks i worked hard on dinner ha-ha. Honestly I was never a fan of red enchilada sauce but I love this sauce.
★★★★★
Andrew
Made this last minute as I had all of the ingredients to make my own Taco Bell Mexican Pizza, but didn’t want to run out to the store for my own sauce. So good!! Will definitely be making it again. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Andrew!
Darah
Absolutely LOVE this recipe! Easy to make, with things you’ll usually have in the pantry and it’s 1000x better than store bought.
I didnt have vegetable broth but instead used 1 tablespoon of better than bouillon mixed with 2 cups of water and it was perfect. In the middle of making the sauce I realized I was missing tomato paste! Luckily I had some tomato bouillon cubes so I just threw on in and it worked perfect!
It was so delicious I wanted to eat it by the spoonful, this will definitely be a stable in my recipe book!
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Darah! I appreciate your review.
Buffy
Absolutely perfect. I’ll never use any other recipe. Thank you so much
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Buffy! Thank you for your review.
Colette
This sauce is outstanding! Quick, easy and I would even say restaurant quality. The cinnamon makes it standout for sure.
★★★★★
Sonny M
I apologize for the naive question, but what is chili powder? Upon searching, chili powder can be ground chili powder like paprika but I’ve also come across ground chili powder which is a blend of spices. Thank you in advance.
★★★★★
Connie Smith
Kate we all Love your Enchilada Sauce recipe. I grew up eating authentic Mexican food from the Rodriquez family. They opened a restaurant and cooked what they ate at their casa. You’re Enchilada Sauce is just like theirs. I make Black Bean enchiladas (for me) and chicken enchiladas for my husband and his father. Thanks so much for this recipe and all of the others I have tried from you.
P.S. I’m a retired Personal Chef.
★★★★★
Jacque
Whoa! This sauce is GOOD! I opted for more chili powder and more vinegar. I used for mushroom, spinach potato enchiladas and they were just delicious, my husband almost expired.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Jacque!
Tea Drinker
Actually a great recipe, normally I wouldn’t comment but I use this with fresh garlic and onions instead of powders, and butter to make the roux instead of olive oil
★★★★★
Teresa
I haven’t bought a can of sauce since finding your recipe! So easy and so much tastier. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Teresa! I appreciate your review.
Claire
If you’re in the grocery store thinking “Gee, it sure is easier to buy broth in 4 cup quantities than 2 cups, should I double this recipe?” DO IT. It’s really that good. As a person with lower spice tolerance the first time I made it I thought it would be a little much for me, but it mellowed out a lot when baked over the actual enchiladas. Anyways, make bulk batches if you can, it does not disappoint.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Claire! Thank you for your review.
Indira
Hi, I want to try this sauce, as it sounds delicious, but can I ask when you have the scale 1x, 2x 3x etc how many people does that serve. I am doing it for around 10 people so could you tell me how much ingredients I would need to make the sauce please, thanks in advance
Kate
Hi! That is for recipe sale or how much you want to increase the recipe for. So, one recipe, double it or triple it. Does that make sense? The amount it serves is in the recipe card.
Brianne Pryor
Made the sauce and as it cooled it got lumpy. Not sure what went wrong! Didn’t love the taste, but that’s a personal preference.
★★★
Kate
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love it. I appreciate your feedback, Brianne.
Joe P
This recipe was wonderful! I added some Adobo seasoning and MSG to the spice mixture and oh man! – Good stuff.
★★★★★
Gretchen Cathey
LOVE THIS RECIPE!! I used 1/2 chili powder and 1/2 chipotle chili powder (we like a good bit of heat) and also added some fresh garlic. I made a double batch to freeze 1/2 and am so glad I did. I didn’t tell my husband I was making my own sauce from scratch and the first thing he said was “something’s different, and it amazing” :) I’ll never buy canned again!! Thank you for all of your great recipes!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Gretchen!
Irene C.
I tried your enchilada sauce for my Bible Study group. It was a hit!
Since I tripled the recipe, I didn’t need as much broth for some reason(btw I used chicken broth instead of veggie).
I wasn’t sure which chili powder to use so used what I had, Gebhardt.
Being of Hispanic descent, I grew up enjoying many authentic sauces: Enchilada, Mole, Tamale, etc. This enchilada sauce came very close to the flavor I remember growing up but without all the work!
Muchas gracias!
Nisha
Absolutely love this recipe!! So easy and a staple in my house. I do freeze the sauce too but it doesn’t defrost well. Any tips?
Kate
It may separate some, but once warmed to use it will work fine. I would serve it in portions you will need for recipes.