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
Priscilla
I love this recipe, but both times I’ve made it the chili is a bit too much. I love heat, so I used the full tablespoon, but family thinks it’s too much. So I have to remember to cut it back. Maybe the chili powder I have is extra strong, because usually I can take strong flavors.
Sheila
i’m curious if your chili powder is just chili (like cayenne pepper) or a mix of spices? chili powder can mean different things i guess.
Kate
Hi! The chili powder in the US is a blend of spices. I hope you try it!
Sheila
Perfect that’s what I have cant wait to try
Sierra Sue
This was delicious and easy. Used chicken broth cuz I didn’t have vegetable broth and some Chipotle chili for a little heat. I liked the clean taste and thicker consistency.
Karla
Just the comment i needed to find! Can’t wait I to try it!
Jim
Love this recipe. I used a blend of dried guajillo and pasilla chiles in place of the chili powder because I love dried chiles.
Cheryl
I just made the sauce and it tasted a lot like El Pato enchilada sauce that we really like but can no longer find locally. You’re recipe is awesome!
We’re going to make chicken enchiladas and need enchiladas for guests. I’m sure they’ll be wonderful with this sauce
MM
Mmm, El Pato the original. Valley right? :) Just finished making this and my first pick. Great recipe!
R Gutierrez
Really puzzled why flour, vinegar and tomato paste are used in your recipe. Our extended family of Mexican and Mexican-American cooks never use these ingredients.
Donna
Do you have a recipe to share?
Suzanne
I was looking for a red enchilada sauce recipe to save me a trip to the grocery store and this is the best I’ve found! Your combination of spices look delicious, I can’t wait to make it. I’m going to use it with your roasted veggie enchilada recipe. Thank you!
Bobby
Sounds cool, but it’s very misleading on the internet when someone gives a 5 star rating to a recipe that they haven’t tried!
Lindsey
If you read the recipe, she acknowledges your puzzlement. But how that warrants 1 star without even trying it? Incredibly lame.
I thought this was very tasty and added it as a red sauce to my bean burritos. SO good!
Heidi
Well then, post your own variation so those of us who would like to try it can do so.
Brittany Livingstone
Everyone is different or has different ways of doing things. Just because your family doesn’t do it this way doesn’t mean it’s wrong.
Melissa F
This sauce is super yummy, as everyone has commented. I used 4 Tbsp tomato sauce, added 2 Chipotle chilis and used Ancho chili powder. The ACV really balances the flavors and shouldn’t be omitted!!!
I added the sauce to leftover shredded beef, low-sodium black beans, and non-dairy shredded cheese. I heated the bean/meat mixture in the microwave about 90 seconds. Then I rolled up the mixture in Xtreme Wellness tortillas and cooked in the air fryer (preheated – then 3-4 min per side) until tortillas were browned and crisp.
My husband loved his beef and bean burritos.
Ronda
Hi I don’t keep much tomato paste around but can I use sauce instead?
Kate
Hi Ronda, this recipe is best as written.
Melissa F
See my comment above. I used 4 Tbsp (approx) tomato sauce and it worked perfectly for me.
Clothos
We don’t either so we switched to tomato paste in a tube instead of a can. Can take just the amount you need and lasts quite awhile in the fridge.
Troy
You can turn tomato sauce into tomato paste by simmering and stirring it until its reduced by about half. It might get messy if you don’t cover it with a screen. If you don’t have one, reduce the heat, but it will take longer to reduce.
If you don’t reduce it first, the flavor won’t be concentrated as much and it will be too watery.
Linda F
Hi I buy the tomato paste in a large can and use my small scoop to make balls and freeze it on a cookie sheet then store in a bag. Works great. Perfect recipe. I tripled it a.d canned it
Holly
This is an amazing idea. Thank you.
Kate
You’re welcome, Holly!
Anastasia
You can use tomato sauce and omit the flour, allowing for extra time for the sauce to reduce. Authentic enchilada sauce does not use flour to thicken it
Carol H
Measure out 1 TBSP mounds of leftover tomato paste and freeze it. It’ll last several months in the freezer.
Viv
I forgot to buy enchilada sauce and came across your recipe. Since I had everything needed to make it, I gave it a try. I did add a little more vinegar just to get a tangier taste, but that was just my preference. It turned out great and thickened up nicely. Definitely much better than the store bought we would have normally.
Anne
I mean I guess it should be abundantly clear from 1369 reviews and 4.8 stars that this recipe is a winner, but for anybody yet on the fence: make this. I’ve never made enchiladas before but this sauce was easy and SO delicious! The enchilada bake is currently resting for 10 minutes after coming out of the oven but I’m already dreaming up what else I can put it on because I’m definitely making a double batch next time.
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Anne! I appreciate you taking the time to review.
Deborah Lee
I love this sauce! It outshines any store bought I’ve tried and so easy to make
Kate
I’m glad you love it! Thank you for your review, Deborah.
Mike
Consistency is awesome. Color is great. Recommend a bit brighter chili powder e traditional mix for beef chili. I added way too much vinegar. Will back that off and try again. Flavor was compromised. Still edible even with too much vinegar but a bit off flavor wise.
Karen
Excellent recipe! My go to everytime
BD
Thank you for this recipe! I have made it twice now. The second time I increased the tomato paste to 4tbsp, made my own chili powder, and removed the sauce from the stove as soon as it simmers, as I prefer the sauce not so thick. These tweaks made it perfect and so much more flavorful! Love it!!
Aubrey
Made this recipe tonight and my entire family loved it!!! I am not big on heavy spice but almost felt it could use a touch more spice, spicier. I will definitely make it many times more!
Kate
Love to hear that, Aubrey! Thank you for your review.
Lisa Bigon
Absolutely the very best enchilada sauce I’ve ever made or tasted! For years, I’ve been trying to find a sauce that lived up to the best Tex-Mex enchiladas that are served here in Texas. This is the one! I love the richness and simplicity but those are nothing without a rich, deep flavor. Yes, the cinnamon is required to give it just the right finish. Girl, this recipe is a home run winner. Thank you for posting this one!
Kate
Hooray! I’m happy you came to this one.
Shannon
Can this be canned
Kate
Hi Shannon, This recipe isn’t meant to be canned.
Anj
Best enchilada sauce ever!!! Gold mine recipe
Kate
That’s great to hear, Anj!
Lori S
I have made this twice in the last month. I’m shocked how good and easy it is. I will never buy canned enchiladas sauce again.. ever!
Arbee
This is the best enchilada sauce I’ve ever had and it’s so easy to make-I’ll never buy sauce again! The only way I stray from the recipe is by using half the amount of chili powder. Everything else the same.
Marilynx
This looks delicious, and just up my alley. Except… I cannot have the flour in the roux. It’s not a matter of being gluten free. I can’t have STARCH. Or grains. Or potatoes. And without the roux, this will be just spicy broth.
Dani
Can you try xanthan gum inplace of flour?
Kate
I don’t think you will get the results you are looking for. You can use a gluten free flour to make this gluten free.
Cara Ziegel
couldnt you thicken it with xanthan gum or something like that?
Arlene W
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. This sauce is A+++. I could drink it from a glass. No changes for me because it is perfect. Thanks !
Kate
I’m glad you love it, Arlene!
Carissa
Your recipes never disappoint! This sauce in absolutely delicious! I love the touch of cinnamon!
Kate
That’s great to hear, Carissa! I appreciate your review.
Leslie
Best enchilada sauce I’ve ever tasted! So easy and sooooo much better than store bought!
Kate
I’m excited you agree! Thank you for your review.
Melinda Garde
I’ve been making this enchilada sauce for years and thought it’s about time I pass on to you my thoughts. We traditionally make red enchilada sauce by scratch using Ancho chilis. Your recipe is by far my very favorite. I’m sorry I haven’t told you sooner!! This recipe rocks!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Melinda!
LETHA THOMPSON
OMG. Love this recipe. I will Never buy can red sauce again. Easy and taste Authentic Mexican Style. Thank You so much. I did only use 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste . Delicious
Michael Harrison
I have to say, this enchilada sauce is as good as anything you can get at a restaurant here locally and that’s saying a lot when you live in San Antonio Texas.!! Using mine to make wild pig enchiladas. Super yummy.
Last time we made this sauce we made venison enchiladas and they were probably the best enchiladas we’ve ever had.
Kathryn
This was soooo good. Really simple, yet a massive step up from store bought. Used this sauce in a layered chicken/kale/black bean skillet enchilada. Will be making this again and again.
Kimberly Fournier
Delicious!! Has just enough heat. Followed the recipe exactly with apple cider vinegar and it is definitely a keeper!! Thank you!!
Amy G
This sauce was so good. My daughter agreed, it led to the best enchiladas I have ever made. I came back just to write a comment, they were that good. Thank you!
Matt
Hi Kate,
This was brilliant, thank you !! So simple and the sauce is silky smooth. Easy to control the heat with the chilli powder.
Cheryl L.
I made this tonight and was very quick. easy and delicious. I want to make more and keep it in the freezer.
Allison
This is by far my favorite enchilada sauce. I’m curious if you know if it’s safe to can? I have a pressure cooker if it’s not safe to water bath as well
Kate
Hi Allison, this isn’t meant to can. Sorry!
Christina Don
I began making enchilada sauce that was way too spicy, then added the ingredients from this recipe and it saved my hide! I started with rehydrated chili t i had simmered and blended btw. It is silky, rich, and flavorful. I would have never thought to add a dash of cinnamon, but it worked really well. My chicken enchilada dinner was saved!
Aylichefz
Can you use chicken broth? It’s what I have on hand.
Kate
Hi, others have substituted that and haven’t minded the results.
Lori
This is the best recipe. It’s simple and pretty straight-forward. After using this my husband said we can never go back to canned sauce again. I will say I did cut back on the chili powder, but I don’t have a high spice tolerance. I generally use 1-1.5 teaspoons.
It also freezes very well. I usually add just a bit of water or broth to thin it out, but the taste is still very good!
Kate
Thank you for sharing how you freeze this, Lori!
Robbie G
Unbelievably good recipe, full of flavour that youd expect from an authentic Mexican sauce, and versatile too.
Kate
I’m happy you enjoyed it, Robbie! I appreciate your review.
Amy
So good. I used it in a Mexican Lasagna recipe. Very flavorful!
Suzanne
I was looking for a red enchilada sauce recipe to save me a trip to the grocery store and this is the best I’ve found! Your combination of spices look delicious, I can’t wait to make it. I’m going to use it with your roasted veggie enchilada recipe. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome, Suzanne! I appreciate your review.
Suzanne
Also, went and bought your cookbook. It’s currently only $5.99 on Kindle. I’m trying to cook more vegetable forward meals to save on groceries.
Molly Barnett
I love this! After making it a couple of times, I pre measured the dry ingredients into several small containers…cuts the time down a lot.
Dena
I made this mostly according to the recipe, using Mexican oregano, and it is absolutely delicious! I did add extra salt as suggested, and reduced the chili powder because the one I have packs a punch, and am so pleased with the results. Thank you!
Julie LePage
I have made this recipe so many times!
It has amazing fresh flavors and is so easy and better, than anything canned or jarred.
Thank you for sharing this and all of your other amazing recipes!
Bob Chamberlin
Wow, really very, very good. Better than another homemade recipe. I did add some
Aleppo pepper for a touch of heat because the Ancho chili powder is pretty mild & some Adobo. I double this as there is never enough sauce.
Awesome! Banjo Bob
Janet
I made this sacue tonight and was so happy with how it turned out. I used chicken broth, instead of vegetable, because it was what I had on hand, and I added some canned chipotle peppers for a little extra heat. The flavor was wonderful! I was so glad to find out how easily I could make enchilada sauce with ingredients I have at home. I love how the added cinnamon complimented it. I will make this recipe again!
Kate
Great to hear, Janet! I appreciate your review.
Leslie
The best!
Kate
Thank you, Leslie! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Beth Oliver
This was a great success. It was the first time I made enchiladas, so I was a bit tentative. However, I followed the directions, the home made sauce was amazing, it really made the dish. I made it vegan by leaving out the cheese, letting everyone add their own. I added some sweet potatoes to the mix, which worked well. My granddaughter said it was the best meal she had in along time…so thank you.
Nancy
Decided that I wanted enchiladas for dinner and was out of boughten sauce but had everything to make the sauce. It was pouring outside and didn’t want to go to the store. Will always make this sauce from now on. It is delicious. When I couldn’t get a tube of tomato paste during Covid I bought a can of it and froze the unused in tablespoon amounts. Now I always have some available for something like your great enchilada sauce.
Melanie
I love this enchilada sauce recipe, it is the only one I use. I have had and still get so many compliments on it. My neighbors will cook the meat for me now and bring it to my house so I can make enchiladas for them. Their two girls love it, they make it hard to say no LOL.
Thank you!
Amanda
I make this recipe doubled (minus the cinnamon) for my enchilada lasagna. I also use the spice base (no or lower flour) as the beginning of blooming spices with onion and meat for chili. Super versatile and worth the effort to make it. Also super tasty!
Kate
Great to hear, Amanda!
Amanda
I make this recipe doubled (minus the cinnamon) for my enchilada lasagna. I also use the spice base (no or lower flour) as the beginning of blooming spices with onion and meat for chili. Super versatile and worth the effort to make it. Also super tasty!
Also, I only put in two and a half teaspoons of chili powder since my husband can’t handle lots of heat. I always cut hot spices in half for him.
Laurel Wright
Not kicky enough for me, and the vinegar threw the balance off on my enchiladas. Not a favorite.
Lydia Campos Brown
So good and so easy. I love this recipe for my red enchiladas and chilaquiles.
Deborah
Absolutely love this enchilada sauce, my family really enjoy it. I have passed the recipe/website onto both of my daughters. First time I made it, it felt a bit fiddly, but I can now make it in the seven minutes. We have it with chicken (fajitas) or mince and make enchiladas. Thank you Cookie ad Kate
Kate
You’re welcome, Deborah! I appreciate your review.
Cindy Cuccia
Hi, I made this sauce for the Sweet Potato, Poblano and Black Bean enchiladas recipe in Love Real Food last December and was amazed at how good and easy homemade enchilada sauce could be. This fall, I’ve made the same recipe twice now but something is making the dish salty. The first time I made it this fall, I thought it was the tortillas , I used a different type than in December. I made the enchiladas again last night, using the same tortillas as in December, but again it was salty. I narrowed the saltiness down to the sauce and am wondering if I need to use a salt-free chili powder? I have both kinds and frequently mix them up. Thanks for any advice! Love your recipes!
Kate
That’s great to hear, Cindy! I appreciate your review. You can always reduce or omit the salt.
tricia
Made this last night and followed the recipe to a tee and it was absolutely delicious!!!! I have made other enchilada sauces before but this one is now my family’s favourite!!!
Thank you so much!!!!!
Mia
I have been coming back to this recipe time and time again for a few years it was time to leave a comment about what perfections it is! Give it a go you won’t be disappointed.
Thank you for sharing!
Kate
Thank you for sharing your experience, Mia!
Irene
I have never made recipe before. It is delicious.I have saved it and it will definitely become one of my regular dishes. Thank you for sharing
Lisa
If I don’t have tomato paste can I use a can of tomato sauce in place of?
Kate
Tomato paste for best results. You can try it, but it won’t be the same. Sorry!
Sue
I made this using whole wheat flour, hot sauce i/o chili powder, ketchup i/o tomato paste, and chicken broth i/o vegetable. Only because I was out of the last 3 :)
I failed to do it in order, I was doing too many things at once (is that even possible?) and had just dumped everything into a bowl. So I transferred it to a sauce pan and brought to a boil, it thickened up nicely. It was Really good and very simple, Thank You!
Kate
Great to hear it still turned out! Thank you for sharing, Sue.
Amanda
This is the only enchilada sauce I make now and I always double it. It’s so good and so easy! It’s also perfect for making a Mexican style pizza! My husband loves it and my pickiest eater also loves it. Great recipe!
Donda
This enchilada sauce is so easy. I chose to omit chili powder and steep dried chili’s in my veggie broth then place in blended and pulse a few times. Great flavors in this sauce.
JeannieP
Made this tonight with Pilsbury GF flour. Was great! Really! Had to cut back the chili powder and garlic to half each for my young family but still had plenty of flavor! Thanks for this new recipe!
Kate
You’re welcome, Jeannie! I appreciate your review.
Stacy Be ayley
Loved this sauce on my cream cheese enchiladas! This is a keeper recipe! So happy I found the one
Kate
I’m happy you found it too, Stacy! Thank you for your review.
Tammy
This is by far the best enchilada sauce we’ve ever made. The only two minor changes we made was using cornstarch instead of flour and used a blend of chili powders—regular and ancho. Really great flavor and easily customizable! Thank you!
Rebekah
I made this enchilada sauce last night and want to thank you for such a great recipe. I have been thinking of making Mexican food for Christmas because I’m still tired of turkey and ham from Thanksgiving. I never make recipes that require enchilada sauce because I do not like the taste of canned enchilada sauce. Now, I can make them all! I do not like really spicy foods so I decided to add 3/4 tablespoon of chili powder but next time I will add the full tablespoon. I use regular McCormick chili powder and it was not spicy at all. I made beef enchiladas for the husband and kids and vegetarian for me. I’m so grateful that my picky eaters liked them. I will add these to my regular rotation of meals. I will also be looking at your other recipes!
Robin
Just stopping by to say this is the best enchilada sauce recipe I’ve found. I make it all the time and even jarred it up for Christmas once. We aren’t vegetarians so I use chicken broth and it works great. Perfect recipe! Do NOT skip the apple cider vinegar!
Eileen
Your recipes have never failed me. I was making a meal and realized it called for Enchilada sauce so I had to whip some up at the last min. I didn’t have tomato paste but I did have plain tomato sauce so I substituted that and added more that the paste and then cut back on broth a little. Came out perfect. A little bit of heat with lots of flavor. Thanks for saving my meal.
Kate
You’re welcome, Eileen! Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Jeff
Excellent recipe. Have made a number of times with the only intentional variations being doubling the recipe. I don’t worry about exact spice measures and it always tastes great.
Use it to make chicken enchiladas – poach chicken breasts in this recipe’s spice mix, shred the poached chicken, mix with enough of the sauce and shredded cheese so that it holds together, roll in tortillas, drench with the sauce and a sprinkle of cheese then cook till tortillas are crisp.
My Latino son-in-law loves them and they’re a perfect taste of TexMex in Australia where we haven’t quite figured out how to do TexMex yet.
B hale
This is the best sauce!
I add a tablespoon of adobo sauce and lime if I have some.
I’m making it again tonight!
Marian
Love this recipe. I’ve made it 3 times and it’s absolutely the best enchilada sauce recipe I’ve ever made. I tried canned sauces and several other recipes and nothing comes close to the flavor in this sauce Highly recommend
Krista Danielson
Wonderful recipe! Thank you Kate
Kate
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Krista! I appreciate your review.
Mama4
My husband and I can’t get enough of this sauce! The only change I make is I use chicken or beef better than bouillon (whatever is in my fridge at the time) and 2 cups of water since I don’t usually have veggie stock on hand and we’re not vegetarians. Super cravaeble!
Kate
That’s great to hear! Thank you for your review.
Gail
Can I use canned chicken broth in place of veg broth?
Kate
Hi, I believe others have and didn’t mind the results.
Belinda
Made this tonight. DELICIOUS and EASY. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It’s going in my recipe book! :)
Kate
You’re welcome, Belinda!
Cindyc
This is my first time making the sauce. I followed the recipe and it taste a little too floury. Not sure what I did wrong. I’ve made plenty of roux before
Kate
I’m sorry to hear that. What type of flour did you use? Are you sure it was a level amount?
Dianna
You may not have cooked the flour enough in the oil before adding the other ingredients. That is usually the reason why it tastes pasty.
Kimberly Ladue
Can this be doubled easily? This sauce is amazing i want to make two trays of enchiladas though
Kate
Hi Kimberly, yes this recipe should work just fine doubled. Be sure you use a large enough pot.
Ted
Outstanding recipe! I’ve made this three times. Doubled it the last time for Chili Colorado. It is a very good recipe. As with all recipes don’t get discouraged. If it’s too warm, next time cut back. However, we found the measurements to be perfect.
Kate
That’s great to hear, Ted! Thank you for sharing.
Jacky morrison
I found there was too much flour in the sauce! It looked like your picture and thickened fine but tasted very floury. Ended up adding a tin of tomatoes to a portion of the floury sauce and it worked fine.
Dianna
You may not have cooked the flour enough in the oil before adding the other ingredients. That is usually the reason why it tastes pasty.
Heidi
Used one tspn chilli flakes only (for those not able to take full strength and used rice flour as the base – worked well. Served this with home-made tortillas and lamb filling, avo and tomato salad. Fantastic – thanks for posting!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Heidi! I appreciate your review.
Caryn
I’m studying so many red enchilada sauce recipes! Seeing some with tomato sauce and others just with chili powder/flour roux…
While I like authentic, sometimes local Mexican restaurants have the sauces I love for my chicken (go to order) so when you say Mexican (there’s Tex Mex, etc…) I’m confused. I guess I’m in search of the closest I can get to an Azteca restaurant or a small restaurant we always frequent (owners from state in Mexico) that is my total favorite. Though he wouldn’t share his recipe he did say it had tomato sauce so I’m soooo interested in your thoughts on this. I’ll print yours out…I kinda am conflating all the online recipes and from books I have. Any help would be appreciated!! Thank you! Caryn
Jessica
I keep trying to talk to my family about how awesome the enchilada sauce was – and they agree – but I’m not quite finished discussing it. This recipe is so good – followed exactly – I kept finding things to dip into the leftover sauce after I made enchiladas, and then we just ended up pouring the tablespoon or two into the leftover enchiladas! Easy to make, super delicious.
Kate
Great to hear it, Jessica! I appreciate your comment.
Dawn
This was my first time making homemade enchilada sauce. I will never go back. It’s definitely more work but it was so delicious !!!!
I like being able to control the ingredients and not have the extra preservatives in there. I loved it !
Kate
Hooray! That’s great to hear, Dawn.
Kim
Made this exactly as the recipe and it is super easy and really delicious.We like enchilada sauce on both cheese enchiladas and bean burritos, so it will be used frequently. Saw you are in KC – we grew up in SE Kansas. Thanks, cheers, and RockChalk!
Jan
This is delicious! My husband had heart surgery last year so we are trying to avoid the excess sodium found in most canned foods. Your recipe was so easy – I’ll definitely make it again.
John S
I’ve made enchilada sauces before, but this one yielded the best-tasting result I’ve gotten so far. The cinnamon was a great suggestion. I used chicken stock because that’s what I had. It worked beautifully. 2 cups made enough to cover a 13×9 pan of enchiladas. I might embellish the chili and garlic quantities in future iterations, but essentially this is a keeper.
Transcribed to a recipe card (I’m old-fashioned like that) and will definitely make again. Thank you!
Judy
Can you use this sauce for tamales?
Kate
Hi Judy, I haven’t tried it. If you do, let me know what you think.
Jodi Matsumoto
Aloha!
I made this sauce last night and it was delicious! I used the Bob Red Mill 1-1 flour and next time I would use just 2 tbs. instead of 3 as it was too thick. I thinned it with water and that did the trick. This will be a recipe that I share with others! A big Mahalo to you!
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Jodi! Thank you for your review.
Marjorie
This was just so gratifying to concoct — an unusual and most fragrant process! I thought about eating a bowl of it as a soup. Yum. I doubled the recipe and wound up with two and a half pint jars.
PJ
This is ABSOLUTELY delicious! Thank you so much! I decided to make enchilada sauce at the last minute to smother some burritos – saw your recipe, had all the ingredients, and I will be making this again and again. My 4 year old helped me make it and ate everything we gave her!
Kate
Great to hear, PJ! I appreciate your comment.
Cindy Mason
Great recipe!! Easy to follow with full flavor! So much better than the canned stuff I forgot to buy.
Kate
Great to hear, Cindy!
Dee Romero
What a most delicious recipe. It is so simple to make and is absolutely tasty. The consistency and color are WOW! I doubled the recipe for my turkey enchilada bake and used a lighter chili powder because the darker one is too bold in taste. I’m saving this recipe forever.
The canned sauce is out the window. No more.
You’ve got to try this everyone.
Jennifer
This was great! Forgot vinegar but will add next time. Will NEVER go back to store bought again! I like how you can vary the spices to your liking. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome, Jennifer! Thank you for your review.
Noah
So good!! Definitely will make again
Kate
That’s great to hear, Noah! I appreciate your review.
Tammy
This is my go to enchilada sauce. Absolutely love it and have used it numerous times over the years. I pop a majority of the sauce in with cooked mince n veggies, roll up inside wraps. Place them in a baking dish and top some leftover sauce on top with cheese then bake in the oven. Delicious and nice and spicy. I follow the recipe to the letter as well.
Kate
Great to hear, Tammy!
Juliet
Tried your recipe and made a chicken enchilada casserole. I received rave reviews of your sauce! Thank you for a yummy recipe!
Pamela
Best enchilada sauce ever and so easy to make!
Jo
This is such a delish sauce, Ill never buy the canned stuff again, Thank you so much, We cooked this recipie a couple of times doubling it to have it in the freezer. Only remembered at the last moment to use American style chili powder and not Indian Chilli powder lol
Kate
Great to hear, Jo! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Melissa
This was great. I did add a tablespoon of lawry’s seasoning and a tablespoon of cholula hot sauce to kick it up a notch. Overall fantastic recipe and easy to make.
Bobbie Kinberg
Can everything be made without the oil I can’t have the oil because of my health issues. I also have to leave out the cheese at the end which is really sucky but oh well.
Happy
Excellent!! Thank you So much for posting this. Made it exactly as posted, I like spice so next time I may add a bit more chili powder. This is amazing Goodbye store bought enchilada sauce, hello cookieandkate’s sauce! Love it! :)
Kate
That’s great to hear, Happy! I appreciate your review.
SARAH
I DID MAKE THIS, AND HAVE MADE IT MULTIPLE TIMES. VERY EASY AND SO FAST. THANKS FOR THIS LOVELY RENDITION OF AN AMAZING CLASSIC FOR SO MANY MEXICAN MEALS. GREAT ON EGGS, TAMALES AND ENCHILADAS. DRIZZLE ON CHIPS, OR DIP THEM. YUM, YUM! LOVE IT! PREFER HUNTS TOMATO PASTE TO CONTADINA (A FLAVOR THING).
GRACIAS!