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: Cookie and Kate
- 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
- ÂĽ teaspoon dried oregano
- ÂĽ 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
Chris Idzerda
This is a wonderful recipe. The only change I made was using chicken broth I had made that was available. The spice mixture is sublime and the pinch of cinnamon is great addition
Olimpia Carbone
Ruined. First off the seasoning cooked too fast in the pan. Added the rest, baked and ate one. Didn’t taste like enchilada sauce. I put some tomato sauce in what was left over. Hopefully that will help some.
Kate
Hi Olimpia, I’m sorry to hear you are disappointed. It sounds like your pot was too hot if the seasoning cooked too fast.
Kim
You need practice cooking. Don’t give a bad review to a great recipe because you didn’t execute it properly. Reach out for help and tips instead of criticizing.
Theodore Gibson
Curious if you ever used masa instead of flour?
Kate
Hi! I haven’t for this one, sorry.
Meredith Gamez
I loved this…mine came out slightly bitter, probably because my spices are a little old, but a little sugar took care of that
Kate
I’m sorry it wasn’t perfect! May have been the spices as you indicated. I’m glad you were still able to make it work.
Kara
Like others, I used chicken broth and the pinch of cinnamon and it was AH-MAY-ZING!!!!! I never knew this sauce was so easy to make. Thank you for the excellent recipe, this ones a keeper for sure.
Charles Blackwell
Made this sauce last night and it was fabulous. Bought some sauce at Walmart and it was horrible so went on line and found this recipe. Had all the ingredients so tried it and it was better than we used to get at the local Mexican restaurant and easy to make.
Kate
I’m happy you found this recipe and loved it, Charles! I appreciate your review.
Shannon Zacharias
This is some good sauce!! I made homemade tortillas for enchiladas and did not want to use bought sauce, so I found this recipe. Easy peasy!! Husband was thrilled at the Enchiladas and couldn’t wait till I made it again!! I did double the recipe the second time as we like more sauce here. Definitely recommend!!! 5/5
Linda M. Wayda
I’d just like to say that you have definitely perfected this recipe!! Thee perfect flavors & taste!! The only thing I changed up was not adding the cinnamon due to picky people. But this came out amazing thanks to you! I appreciate you sharing this recipe!
Kate
Thank you, Linda! Thank you for your review.
Karen Velthaus
made this last night for beef enchiladas. Excellent. I used beef broth from my freezer. The only thing I will do differently is make a double batch. Thank you.
Michael Bridger
Looking for something better than the store bought can variety. This recipe was great! I ended up using tomato sauce from my garden as I had no tomato paste but it didn’t seem to have a negative effect. Used New Mexican chili powder which is more orange than red but wonderful flavor. I never could have come up with this combination of ingredients on my own so thank you! Looking forward to trying the other Mexican recipes on your blog. Thank you for the recipe and time spent researching!
J Henderson
This recipe is fabulous! So simple my 15yo son made it, and he’s never made a sauce before. The spice mixture is perfect, mild but flavorful. We did not use cinnamon (I’m not a fan) and he omitted the vinegar simply because he liked the way the sauce had turned out and didn’t feel it was necessary. This is now our go to for enchiladas, and we plan on using this spice profile in other dishes. Thanks!
carlos
Best recipe i’ve tried! The pinch of cinnamon was the key!
Elizabeth
This is a delicious and easy to prepare enchilada sauce. I think the addition of cinnamon is brilliant!
Katherine
I made this for the second time tonight…love it!! It is so easy. In Tex-mex, this is called chili gravy, and it tastes just like my favorite restaurants back home in Ft.Worth. Thanks!
KJ
Super delicious! I’m not someone who enjoys cooking but am trying to do more from scratch. This was quick, easy and super tasty! Thank you!
Maya
Oh my gosh, this is some tasty recipe!! Thank you for sharing and explaining why you used the ingredients you did, as I could have easily used other types of tomatoes thinking it wouldn’t make much difference. Instead I used the ingredients you suggested and it came out perfectly.
My experience of making this sauce in case is of help to anyone.
I ended up making it like the white sauce adding the broth to the flour in stages. So I got a big lump which gradually turned in to a silky sauce as I was adding the broth and stirring.
I also made sure that the oil was not on very high temperature, so it warmed slowly until it was ready and I reduced the heat again when adding tomato paste. This way I felt I was more in control so that the spices didn’t burn and get bitter.
Brian
Probably the best I’ve tried for enchilada sauce techniques. we did not have any cumin but made the best of it. This turned out great in terms of texture & flavor even won over my my older daughter who was a little bit skeptical.
Sher
This Recipe is by Far the Best Ever!! It’s just like my old Favorite Mexican Restraunt in Auburn Ca…Thank you for this Awsome Recipe…
Stacy F
Kate – Yum! Absolutely delicious recipe. It worked out perfectly for me. And this was my first enchilada sauce and even my first roux! The only vinegar I had was red wine vinegar – it’s still tasted terrific. I’m looking forward to checking out more of your recipes and doing this one again thank you!
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad you made it and loved it, Stacy.
Vicki
So good! And the vinegar and cinnamon are a great addition. I used 2 Tablespoons of ancho powder however and cooked the spices in the roux several minutes before adding the broth. Thank you!
Yvette
So good! Vastly superior to canned sauce!
jen
This recipe is great! I made it twice. Once using flour and once using cornstarch. I have to say the cornstarch was my preference for thickener and required 1 tbsp which creates a lighter sauce. The second batch i used 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 butter and that was also added nice flavor. Spice ratio perfect! Thanks
Kim
Love this sauce recipe!! However when i froze my extra sauce when it defrosted it was broken very clumpy like a salsa. Is that normal?
Kate
Hi! Did you warm it up before using it?
Elizabeth B
Hi! Do you recommend warming it up before adding it to the rolled enchiladas and baking them?
Kate
Hi! If it’s not separated, it will be fine not warmed up. Just be sure to stir well.
Teri Durfee
I made it and it turned out wonderful. We love it. Will make it again and again.
Neva
Second time I’ve made this, and just as tasty as the first time. The cinnamon and apple cider vinegar take it over the top! Many thanks for this lovely recipe!
Kate
You’re welcome, Neva! I appreciate your review.
Elizabeth
My go-to enchilada sauce! So easy to pull together and tastes 100X better than store bought.
Courtney
I love this every time I make it, and the last couple of times I decided to make a double batch to freeze so I could have some on hand. Maybe I went about it wrong but I froze in some mason jars and when it thawed out it had kind of a weird texture. Is that normal?
Kate
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that. Did you remix it when it was thawed? I haven’t trie freezing it, but I know others have.
Kesondra
I had this same issue! I tried to mix and cook it down to make it back to normal but it didnt work so I’ll have to do a fresh batch. LOVE this recipe, though!
L
My family LOVES this. I just started Whole30….Would tapioca flour work?
Kate
That’s great, L! Sorry to disappoint, but I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure.
Tommy Saulter
While this is the best recipe I’ve come across yet, there was something missing… But I did figure it out. I added 1/2 teaspoon of (dried) Cilantro and 2 shots of Patron tequila… I served this to a friend who is a hostess at a local Mexican restaurant. She in turn gave it to the owner, who in turn said my next meal is FREE… I guess a little Cilantro and Patron does make the difference… Try it out…!!!
Mateo
Yoooo… this is the BEST enchilada sauce I’ve ever tasted! I made a few changes like I used tomato sauce instead because I was out of the paste and I used fresh chicken broth but it was MADD tasty!! This will go in my cookbook and used every time I make enchiladas. You are a SAINT for sharing this recipe with us. <3
Kate
Wonderful, Mateo! Thank you for your review.
Barbara
This sauce is unbelievably easy to make and delish! No reason to ever buy sauce again. Thanks for this!
Kate
You’re welcome, Barbara!
Amy W.
Oh my goodness! Really wonderful! Married to Mr. Picky. Usually use canned ickiness becuase it’s acceptable to the hubby. But we both loved it. Sub’d chicken broth because I had it on hand. Added a teaspoon of lemon juice for brightness and to balance acidity. He complimented it!
V
You deliver! This sauce was easy, it used pantry items, and yup…it blew away any can or jar! Winner winner, enchilada dinner!
Thanks so much for sharing it.
It is also easily customizable! I add chipotle chili powder and smoked paprika.
Thank you so much! I will be making this from now on!!!!
Kate
Thank you, V! I’m happy you enjoy this sauce so much.
Barb
Followed the recipe and it turned out fantastic. Will never use canned enchilada sauce ever again. Highly recommend!!!!
Eric
This was easy and came out perfect. Used chipotle Chile powder because we love the flavor. It was spicy. Used no salt chicken broth and added no salt at all to the finished dish. So much flavor we didn’t miss the salt. Will make this every time. Thanks for sharing.
Kate
I’m glad you were able to make adjustments to fit your tastes! Thank you for sharing, Eric.
Ryan
I never knew enchilada sauce is so easy to make. The first time I made it I used chicken broth and it was excellent, much better than our regular Tex-mex places! I’m trying vegetable stock w the cinnamon this time. Thank you for the recipe!
Deb
Enjoyed making this sauce and using it on my spinach and goat cheese enchiladas. I expect to use it as the sauce for a Mexican pizza too in the near future. Thank you for it.
Penny Lueckenhoff
This is delicious, thank you! It’s the first homemade enchilada sauce I’ve ever made, can’t believe how easy it was! I had all the ingredients on hand except for tomato paste. So I used a 15 oz can of tomato sauce plus 1 cup of broth. It turned out beautifully, seemed to be the right consistency. Anyway, thanks again!
Chris H
Easy and delicious! I used it for an enchilada casserole. It’s a keeper.
Neil Tasselmyer
Perfect! I don’t change a thing and chicken enchiladas have become a monthly or more staple now. Could not stress the cinnamon enough. Gives it that extra depth and warmth. It’s not what many people think it is- they may be thinking cinnamon candy…
Have shared this recipe several times and we all love it!
Kate
Thank you for your review, Neil! I’m happy to hear you have shared it.
Heidi
The flavor is fantastic! I made a huge pot to serve 60. The only problem I found with making such a big batch was the thickening.
David
I just made this sauce and had to stop myself from just eating it with a soup spoon. It’s perfect.
Rania
Hi, I want to try this but can you make this with cayenne pepper or smoked paprika instead of chili powder?
Kate
Hi, You can but the flavors will vary. I wouldn’t know for sure without trying it myself.
Rania
Thanks Kate!
Terri Kongus
I’ve made this sauce several times, and it always turns out perfectly without any adjustments. My whole family loves it, and I’ve recommended it to family and friends.
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Terri! Thank you for your review.
Joanne Stevens
I made vegan enchiladas and the sauce made the dish! I substituted almond flour and it came out perfect!
Janet
Incredibly easy and absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly. Next time I will make a double batch as it was so good I needed more on my enchilada! Thank you!
Kate
That’s great, Janet! Thank you for your review.
Carrie
Yes…I enjoyed your recipe. Next time I will change spices a bit, plus, not so much flour. It was too thick and had a floury taste for me…but I jump off from recipes and this is a good one for that.
Kate
Thank you for your review, Carrie! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Dianna
If you have a floury taste to the sauce, it is because you did not cook the flour enough at the beginning. It is well worth it to take the time to cook it for a couple of minutes before adding your spice mixture and tomato paste. If you add your spices too soon and your flour is not fully cooked, you can also end up burning the spice mixture because you can’t really tell if it is burning or not (colorwise).
I did see one commenter who baked her/his flour first in order to eliminate the oil. I’ve heard of this on a cooking show when the chef was making a roux for gumbo (saved him a lot of time and stirring!). You can get that wonderful nutty taste by baking it. You can do a search on the internet for directions on pre-baking your flour for a recipe. I would still add the oil, however, because you do want to cook the spices to bloom their flavor.
Amanda
Easy and delicous! Will never buy canned enchilada sauce again.
Karen
I seem to have made mine a bit too spicy, didn’t realise my chilli powder was extra hot! Is there anything you would suggest to cool it down? It tastes so good, just that but too spicy!
Kate
Hi Karen, I’m sorry to hear that! When you serve, you can use sour cream to help dilute the taste. I know chili powder ranges by country. If you are outside the US, it can be more spicy.
Gina
This is truly an amazing recipe! I added a wee bit more salt and raw sugar to taste. It came out perfectly! I found this recipe after making another enchilada sauce using dried peppers, was way too spicy for my kids. I’m glad I came across this recipe. In the end, I added a few TBL of the more spicy enchilada sauce to this recipe, went from mild to medium. This recipe is a keeper!
Kate
Thank you for sharing how you made this to fit your tastes, Gina!
Pat
Just made your enchilada sauce recipe and it was outstanding! Have always used the canned variety but never again. It comes together Very quickly so your advice to have everything put together before starting was very helpful.
Would love to have your recipe for green enchilada sauce as well.
Kate
That’s great, Pat! Thank you for your review.
Chelena
Best enchilada sauce with all the ingredients you listed it does bring out the taste.
Deanna
Awesome Sauce! thank you. I made this yesterday for my enchilada bake. I didn’t have tomato paste so I used Rotel and that worked too. I will definitely make this again.
Kate
You’re welcome, Deanna! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for your review.
Beth
My go-to enchilada sauce! Thanks for sharing!
Kate
You’re welcome, Beth! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Laurel Dent
This sauce is delicious! I used it on some sweet potato, black bean, and kale enchiladas. The only change I made was leaving out the garlic powder, since garlic sometimes upset my stomach. I’m sure it would have been a tasty addition, though!
Catherine
This enchilada sauce is so good that I could just drink it! :) I’ve made it with both veggie and chicken stock, but it is supremely better with veggie stock. I’m a native Texan living in California and this sauce hits all the right Tex-Mex flavor notes for me. I’m never buying canned sauce or using any other recipe again. Thanks!
Marlene
Thank you so much for the recipe. I was making enchiladas and realized I didn’t have any sauce. This was delicious, better than the can sauce. I will definitely make it again!
Alexa
Absolutely loved this sauce. So quick and simple to make. Highly recommend!
Kate
Great to hear, Alexa!
Arlene Toth
Lovely sauce, thank you! It is much nicer to make your own. I added a bit of smoked paprika. :)
Alyssa
Thank you Kate (and Cookie!) for this awesome recipe! I’ve never made my own enchilada sauce, and this was not only incredibly simple, but I had everything on hand and it tasted phenomenal. I have a bad habit of assuming that any recipe that calls for tomato paste requires a full 6 oz can, so I added all 6 ounces before realizing it only needed 2 tbsp — it was still delicious and not too tomato-y! I have yet to find one bad recipe on your site or in your cookbook, and I am so grateful to you for providing easy vegetarian recipes.
Kate
Oh no! I’m happy you were still able to enjoy it, Alyssa.
Jan
Delicious and authentic! Thank you for the delicious recipe. I love the spice level, as I grew up eating spicy food. This is my second time making it.
Thank you for sharing!
adele
This recipe totally misses the mark. It is extremely bland and has way too much oil to make it healthy. I want to see if my comments make it on as I should have been leary of all the 5 stars. Wasted a lot of ingredients.
Kate
Hi Adele, I’m sorry you didn’t love this one. I know others readers have. Sometimes if seasonings aren’t fresh, they aren’t as flavorful and can impact the results.
carol
I love this sauce! I’ve made it numerous times and tastes wonderful each time. I have changed the taste a wee bit just for a change and have added a bit more tomato paste and/or cinnamon but normally, I make it exactly as directed above. DELICIOUS!
Kate
I’m happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing, Carol.
Dionysia
I absolutely loved this enchilada sauce.I wanted to try my hand at cooking enchiladas but needed a sauce something more flavorful than my mom’s recipe. When she seen I was making enchiladas she gave me a look like how dare you make them without my sauce. But in the end she loved them as did my whole family. As we say in my family “winner winner tofu dinner”. Glad I found you.
Katrina
If I don’t have tomato paste can I use tomato sauce? I know the paste is much thicker so I’m not sure what adjustments I would need to make.
Kate
Hi, I recommend it as is, but I believe others have tried it. I would see what they have tried, but I can’t guarantee the results.
ALYSSA
DEVINE PERFECTION.
Kate
Thank you, Alyssa!
Christie
It was delicious!
I didn’t have vegetable broth or tomato paste so I used 2 cups of water and half cup cup of tomato sauce and a sprinkle of onion powder instead.
Trudy Dempsey
Wonderful sauce recipe. I added my own spices as I have allergies to certain peppers and chili powders. I filled the tortillas with cheddar and leftover BBQ steak that I shaved and they were to die for! Thank you the wonderful recipe.
Cindy
Made this recipe tonight exactly as written. Super easy and tastes great. Next time, I’ll use a bit less salt. Loved the cinnamon! Thank you!
Irene
For serious reasons, I cannot eat spicy food with heat. My husband doesn’t care for spicy food. Still, we like Mexican food. I have tried many so called “mild” canned versions of enchilada sauce and they were two spicy for us. I tried your recipe yesterday and adjusted the spice to our taste. So quick and easy, plus we always have these ingredients in our pantry. My chicken casserole was delicious! We are hooked on this recipe! THANK YOU so much! If you are on Keto or Paleo, you can use any kind of flour that thickens.
Kate
I’m so glad you both can have my recipe! You’re welcome and I appreciate your review Irene.
Rob
We tried this recipe for the first time and loved it. Thanks
Kate
Wonderful! Thank you for your review, Rob.
Kay
Sooo.. stumbled upon this receipe three days ago and the sauce is just to die for! I thought that it was so thoughtful of her to try all these different ingredients and noticed how she went on and on about finding the perfect ingredients etc. Well… you know when someone is lying, they tend to elaborate a considerable amount more than normal… this exact recipe is posted tbsp for tbsp on preppy kitchen com. Feeling that this site should be called cookie and fake. His has been on his site for ages. Way longer than hers on this new site. Smh some peoples kids these days! They dont even have to learn the dewy decibel system anymore or learn about plagiarism apparently.
Kate
Hi Kay, I’m sorry you feel that way. I put a lot of time and effort into my recipes. I started this blog in 2010 and have been creating recipes for over 10 years now. I can ensure you I did not copy or reference this recipe. I source any inspiration or adaptions when I use other sources. I did briefly look at the recipe just now. Although there are similarities, it’s not the same recipe.
Jane Fisher
I make this recipe frequently but I did make a few modifications. I use a small onion and fresh garlic with a small can of fire-roasted tomatoes. I also add a half teaspoon of cinnamon rather than a pinch. I let it boil for about 15 minutes and use the immersion blender. It is delicious and makes enough for two batches of enchiladas. It is also really good over beans and rice.
Sonia
This simple recipe is able to extract amazing, authentic flavor. I have made it a few times and incorporated it in different ways to different dishes. I get complimented on it every time. I love that I am not relying on canned sauces. Thank you, Kate!
Leslie Stephany
Still licking my lips after polishing off a delicious plate of enchiladas. Thank you so much for a recipe that I will come back to again and again. Delicious!!
MAG
Love this recipe, have made it several times. The sauce is so good, I could just eat it by the spoonful. Much better than the canned stuff. Thanks, it’s a keeper.
Marybeth Martens
I went to make my dish that calls for enchilada sauce. I normally have some in my cupboard. 1/2 way through, I realized I didn’t have a can. I made your recipe, and I am here to tell you, I will NEVER buy canned sauce again. This is amazing and it complimented my dish. Thank you.
Kate
You’re welcome, Marybeth! Thank you for your review.
Marybeth Martens
I went to make my dish that calls for enchilada sauce. I normally have some in my cupboard. 1/2 way through, I realized I didn’t have a can. I made your recipe, and I am here to tell you, I will NEVER buy canned sauce again. This is amazing and it complimented my dish. Thank you.
I’ll add one tidbit. For a second dish if enchiladas I added some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and 3 tbsp of sour cream to pour over enchiladas. Delicious.
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m happy you loved it.
Sharon
can’t wait to try, but I think I will replace regular flour with almond flour… hope that works ! :)
Kate
Hi, I don’t think almond flour will work the same. Sorry!
Angie
I make this with the veggie bean enchiladas every 5 minutes now. Its sooooooo good. Best enchilada sauce ever. Thank you.
vijita
Used this recipe to make enchiladas sauce. Addes more spices and a bit of sugar to meet an Indian palate. Turned out extremely well. Entire family is now a fan of this recipe!!
Mona
Amazing sauce! I’ve been looking and have tried a few that were good but not amazing. Only modification I made was adding 2 Chipotle in Adobo peppers while simmering. I removed them when I reached the slight heat level I wanted. It added a smokiness too. Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
Thank you, Mona! I’m glad you loved it and got creative with it.
Amanda
This is the best enchilada sauce! My husband loves it. I substituted chicken stock for the vegetable broth and it’s amazing!!! Thank you so much for sharing :)
Hannah F
In my husband’s words, your enchilada sauce recipe tastes authentic. I was working through some leftovers to make some kind of baked wrap (Mexican style), but did not have a sauce on hand. Thinking I’d make something tomato-based, when I came across your version. I had always assumed tomatoes topped the list of ingredients for enchilada sauce, LOL. We did have everything in the ingredient list (staples), except the vegetable broth, for which I substituted chicken stock. Delicious – thank you once again.
Kate
I’m delighted you both loved it! Thank you for sharing, Hannah.
Ariana
This tastes exactly like the sauce we get from good Mexican restaurants. The people who don’t think it tastes like enchilada sauce are probably thinking of canned. This is much better.
Kate
Thank you, Ariana! I’m delighted you loved it.
William
Wow, first time I’ve ever made my own sauce and I’ll never go back to canned. Thank you!!!!
Kate
You’re welcome, William! Thank you for your review.
Clare
Really love this recipe although I use sunflower oil instead of olive. Thank you!
Amanda White
This recipe is AMAZING. Rave reviews from my crew. I tasted it so many times with disbelief as to how good it was that I was glad there was some left to pour over my enchiladas.
Kate
I’m glad you loved it!
Bibi
Good recipe
Kate
Thank you!
Kathryn
I want to make this tonight but I only have chicken stock on hand. Will that work?
Kate
Sorry for my delay! Yes, I believe others have tried that and didn’t mind the results.
jessica
easy and delish. I doubled recipe, did not have paste so used sauce and forgot the vinegar. didn’t seem to matter! yum.
DM
I have bad reflux so have to avoid tomatoes. I made this sauce without the tomato paste and it was exceptional!!!! I’m also in the southwest and this sauce holds up to those I’ve had in restaurants out here. Excellent recipe that I’ll use for chicken and veggie recipes in the future! TBH I could just drink the sauce haha.
Kate
That’s great to hear, DM! I appreciate you taking the time to review.
Kristie Turck
I just made this and it is fantastic! I love it when I google a recipe and your website pops up. Because I know what I am about to create will taste awesome. Thanks Kate.
Katie
This recipe saved me one day when I started enchiladas but was out of canned sauce. It’s safe to say I’ll never go back. This is more cost-effective and way, way tastier than the canned stuff. We love it! Definitely follow the advice to have everything ready and next to the stove. The spices can overcook and turn dark fast if you aren’t watching the pan and moving quickly.
Kate
Hooray! Thank you for sharing, Katie. I’m happy you loved it.
Jamie
I discovered this enchilada sauce because I got the Love Real Food cookbook last year when I found myself working from home and deciding I’d finally learn how to cook (only took me until my late 30s). I can’t tell you how much I love this sauce! Even as a new cook, it has turned out wonderfully every time I make it, which has easily been 8 times… (My husband’s favorite meal is the sweet potato enchiladas from the book, so we eat it pretty frequently)
Kate
I love that, Jamie! Thank you for purchasing my book and leaving a review. Never too late to learn something!
Cris
I’ve made this sauce five or six times now, and the result is always spectacular. Thanks for the great recipe!
Anna
Love this recipe! This is my second time making it and it turned out perfectly again. Pay close attention to the cooking instructions and to your pot and heat and it’ll be perfect.
My first time using this recipe, I did it exactly as written (except substituting in chicken broth) and it was great, but a tad too flavorful/aromatic for our preferences.
The second time, I did slightly less chili (cooking for kids), a tiny pinch of cinnamon, and added an additional tablespoon of tomato paste. It turned out great – perfect consistency and a milder flavor.
JonD
Just made this for the family.
Simple, quick, and better than most restaurants, much less store bought.
Thanks for sharing!
Richard
Substitute chilli powder for paprika.
…1 tbsp of chilli powder is pretty spicy & some might find paprika milder
Rachel
This recipe was delicious and easy to make. It had no lumps.
allie
WOW! You nailed this sauce perfectly. I am a new convert to the ease and simplicity of your recipe. We have an old family traditional recipe that’s been used for about five generations, but I LOVE having such a wonderful and delicious alternate that, quite frankly, will likely be used more than the old one. It’s THAT good! Muy bueno, Catalina ♡