How to Make Enchilada Sauce
Enchilada sauce is so easy to make! This red enchilada sauce recipe comes together in ten minutes. I've tried all the other recipes and this is the best!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 28, 2024
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
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
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This is a great recipe. I use “Better Than Bouillon No Beef Base” or their “No Chicken Base” instead of the vegetable broth in this – makes it even better! And it is a vegan product.
Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely wonderful sauce! Love it! Made it today to pour over a baked chili rellenos dish that turned out so great. I used pure ground new mexico chili powder instead of regular chili powder which I find a little bitter and salty. Otherwise followed your recipe exactly.
Many many thanks for the effort you put in to master this sauce.
You’re welcome, Jim! I’m excited you loved it.
Do you think I could use lemon juice in place of vinegar? I’m allergic to vinegar.
Or you could try lime too. Let me know what you think!
I love this recipe! The flavor is rich & deep & I love that I can make it fresh when I want it! Thanks for such a great recipe!
You’re welcome, Janice! Thanks for letting me know you love it.
This is my all time favorite sauce! Simple to make and so much better than stire bought.
Thanks, Shea!
Long time eater first time meal prepare family member first time tried a lot like tomato gravy alot harder than picking up a can but we’ll worth it. Thanks
I’m glad you thought it was worth it, Mark!
This tasted fantastic! I made this to go with your veggie black bean enchiladas! Didn’t even think to make my own enchilada sauce until I saw your recipe. Thank you! I will make this again. I liked it with the cinnamon. :)
Sounds delicious, Sarah! Thanks for your review.
I can make this without the garlic. And it is still so good.
Thanks for your review, Archena!
My mom was looking for a enchildda recipe while talking on the phone. I’m in Seattle and she is in Milwaukee. I told her the recipe over the phone and in less than 10 minutes she made the recipe. Seriously. Pulled the enchiladas out of the oven no less than 5-7 minutes later and it was ready. My Dad is the enchilada expert and he said they were amazing. My mom said she is never using canned sauce after trying this recipe.
How fun! Thank you, Meryl.
I usually dislike red enchilada sauce but this was a really yummy recipe and so easy to make as well. I need it a little spicier though. Any recommendations? I’m thinking a little ground red pepper.
You could add a little more cumin if you need more kick. Thanks for your feedback, Gina!
Kate,
I have made this sauce several times and absolutely love it! It is my go-to enchilada sauce. I could literally drink this stuff! The sauce comes together quickly and easily and the flavors are on-point. And I love the touch of vinegar at the end. Superb! Thanks so much for sharing this awesome method and recipe.
I’m so glad it’s a go-to for you, Abbey! Thanks for sharing and for your review.
OMG 100% recommend makeing this I swear best enchiladas I have ever made. I made a batch before adding it to my Crock-Pot chicken I was making. It was so addicting I could not stop tasting because it tasted so good. I added it to my Crock-Pot chicken and the enchiladas the chicken was going in. So delicious. I’m probably never going back to canned after this.
Thanks, Sambam!
I just made your enchilada sauce. Having traveled a bit, and knowing tastes differ by region, I was surprised this came out so great! I live in deep, south Tx, near the border. Your sauce is very close to what our restaurants make. Not having veg.broth, I used a can of chicken. Besides, I think chicken would be better anyway. At first, I forgot the vinegar and thought it needed something. Then I looked at your recipe again. That took care of it :-) Except, next time, I’ll try white instead of the cider vinegar, and maybe a little less. Also, I imagine fresh garlic would also put this over the top. Nonetheless, it is a super sauce! My husband is from Mx. He’s out of town, but when he gets back, I’m making this for him. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Thank you for sharing!
This is amazing! Whisking the tomato paste with the dry spice mix is a bit tricky but totally worth the effort. I don’t think I will ever buy canned enchilada sauce again.
Thank you, Brianna!
I was looking for the perfect enchilada sauce and I found it! It was quick and easy to make, filled the house with the smell of deliciousness and was so good that my husband even commented on how good it tasted! I will definitely make this again (actually I already have as I wanted some additional sauce for my leftover enchiladas)!
Thank you for sharing, Patty!
Absolutely fantastic recipe!No more shop sauces. I have made couple of your recipes, and they always very delicious.
Great, Kristine! Thanks for your review.
I love how simple this recipe is and how Kate starts with tips, such as prepping the dry ingredients. I always run into trouble with that while making recipes!
However, my enchilada sauce is not living up to the stellar reviews this recipe has. I am almost certain this is something I did, as I don’t think husbands would be offering to drink this sauce as a cocktail if that weren’t the case. Kate, how should I troubleshoot? I am wondering if I didn’t let the dry mixture cook in the oil long enough? I used white whole wheat flour. They weren’t even tablespoons. Maybe I put too much in? Not enough salt?
Unfortunately, my sauce lacks the usual kick and tang of other enchilada sauces. I did add more vinegar and that seemed to help.
I’m sorry you didn’t love it! Did you measure it to what was indicated? If you don’t follow the measurements, it will be lacking. You can always add more of your favorite spice if you like.
Love this recipe I use it all the time. My husband even helps. I substitute chicken stock in case I don’t have vegtable. Your the best!
Thank you, Denise!
My first c+k recipe and still one of my favorites! Worth the (minimal) effort, and great to use for all kinds of stuff if you have leftovers.
It’s a good one for sure! Thanks for the review, Laura.
This recipe is epic!
Thank you, Heidi!
This sauce is seriously amazing!!!
It is so good! I’m happy you agree. Thanks for sharing, Sara.
My family absolutely LOVES this enchilada sauce! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Fantastic, Miriam!
I love this. We had to start gluten and dairy free eating for my daughter- so no more canned sauces. This recipe is so simple and amazing tasting. My daughter love enchiladas and request them for dinner often (age 2 and 5). Thank You
I usually double and freeze half, but does anyone know a way to make in large quantity and can it????
I wish I had canning advice for you, sorry! It does freeze well, as you know and still keeps a while.
Hi, I just wanted to let you know you can quickly bathe the tortillas in the sauce and you won’t have the dried out, sauceless portions of tortillas on the sides.
Thanks for sharing, Tina!
Excellent Sauce.I also added drop of reaper pepper paste for a little kick. This ones a keeper. I also used chicken broth since I was out of vegetable broth. Thankyou
Thank you for sharing, Ken!
This recipe is so easy and SO good!
I’m so happy you loved it, Desiree!
This recipe was fantastic! All of the ingredients were in my pantry and it literally took 15 to make. It blows away canned sauce and would hold up to any Mexican restaurant! Can’t wait to see what else you have up your sleeve!
So great to hear, Helene! I’m always working on something! Sign up for my newsletter so you can stay the most current on what’s coming to the blog!
Great and easy recipe! Thank you! I used it in a casserole that called for enchilada sauce but this recipe is better than canned.
Thanks for sharing!
OMG this recipe was perfection! It was so easy to make and tastes like authentic enchilada sauce! I used it with Hummusapien’s vegan enchiladas, but I know it will be perfect for chicken enchiladas for my husband!
Great to hear you think so, Amy! Thanks for your review.
Nothing short of awesome! I had run out of tomato sauce to make my standard sauce and was intrigued by your broth-based version, especially since I’m not a huge tomato fan. I was also a little skeptical since my family loves tomatoes and my standard sauce, so I wasn’t sure they’d be sold.
We all LOVED it! The Mexican spices shine through without as much tomato. My husband thought it tasted more authentic and wondered if Mexican restaurants use broth instead of tomato sauce. A definite keeper. Thanks so much, Kate!
Hooray! I’m so glad you loved it and you thought the spices shined through.
Wonderful and easy! I just had to make some adjustments for 2, Thank you so much, I got tried of buying those expensive cans with little humph. I appreciate you!
I’m glad you liked it, Cheryl!
Best recipe ever and I’ve tried many!
Thank you, Mary!
Absolutely FANTASTIC recipe! All measurements are spot on. Very easy recipe and tastes amazing! Made a double batch for a quick midweek meal down the track. Thanks so much for broadening my “from scratch” skills! No more store bought for this gal.
I have not made enchilada sauce from scratch before but this is by far the best I have ever tasted! So very simple and quick! I used the sauce for smothered burritos, I also love to dip tortillas in it or pour over rice!
Sounds delicious, Beatrice! Thanks for your comment and review.
Thank you for this easy to follow recipe.
Thanks for your review!
So good!!!! My husband asked me to add this to our recipe book and wants it again next week!!! Super easy to make!!! Thank you for sharing!!!!!
That’s great! Thanks for sharing, Alexis.
Great recipe, won my South Texas Border raised wife’s approval and made me look like a champ. Thank you
I love it! Thanks for your review.
Can I use chicken or beef broth instead of vegetable broth?
Sure, Amber. I believe others have and liked it.
Since I didn’t have the vegetable broth and I was making a dish with beef, I used a beef broth and it tasted just fine.
Hello
I Read your article. Thanks for sharing such beautiful information, and I hope you will share some more info about Mexican Food. You wrote really very well, I really like your blog and information provided by you. I appreciate your work.
Thanks
Thank you!
This enchilada sauce is exactly as you described it and tastes marvelous! Way to go and thanks!
Thanks for your review, Nancy!
My family loved it!Said it was the best enchiladas they’ve had!
Hoorary! Thanks for sharing, RKK.
I love this enchilada sauce. Have made several times. Making for my family and the littlest one can’t stand any spice so I used just a pinch of chilli powder and added sweet paprika. Used brown rice flour which works fine. Have also made without garlic powder due to my fructose intolerant partner, still tastes good, but it’s better with the garlic. Tonight it’s going with bean & corn enchiladas.
Thank you for sharing what other flour you have tried!
I have made this several times now and most recently we made enchiladas for a friend with health problems with this recipe… Everyone always loves it! We follow it exactly and sometimes make the sauce a day ahead, refrigerate, and assemble the next day. The sauce definitely thickens in the fridge!
Aldi recently discontinued their enchilada sauce and everywhere else was three times the price! I made this recipe and it was delicious and economical!
Oh my god!! If I could rate this a million stars, I would! I never rave about recipes, but this one is soooooo good! I called my mother to talk about this recipe and I told my husband this should be called I’ve died and gone to heaven Enchilada Sauce!! Thanks for sharing!!! Its a stellar recipe. :)
Thanks so much, Kayla! I appreciate your review.
This was soooo good!! Loved by the entire family. I put half the amount of chilli powder in and would go a little less as even though they loved it the kids did still find it a little on the spicy side.
Thanks for your review, Samantha!
I think today I’ve made your recipe for the 7th time! It is delicious! I love Chicken Tortilla Soup and the way I make it calls for enchilada sauce – in the past I used canned or would try an enchilada recipe and forget it because the recipe never left an impression – your recipe is the exact opposite! Delish- I actually crave the flavor! I now make a double or triple batch, allow to cool and place the portions in quart size bags and freeze for my next soup or enchilada making meal.
Thank you for creating/sharing!
That is amazing!! Thank you for sharing.
This is the best recipe! Comes together quickly and taste infinitely better than store-bought. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Allison!
I loved this recipe! The only thing I changed was adding a tablespoon or so of brown sugar to sweeten it slightly (I made a double batch and am so glad I did because my family lapped this sauce up).
Thanks for sharing, Susan!
This is absolutely delicious! I forgot to pin it the first time around and made another recipe one day… I regret that deeply! I am glad I found this one again, and have saved it! My question is, if I throw the excess in a mason jar in the fridge, how long do you suppose it is good without freezing?
I’m glad you found it again too! Thanks for your review, Heather.