This Easy Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce is full of flavor, made with pantry staples like canned tomato sauce, broth and spices, and is ready in just 20 minutes. It'll take your favorite Mexican and Tex-Mex recipes to the next level!
Michelle's Recipe Rundown
In Mexican cooking, red enchilada sauce is traditionally a tomato-based sauce made with dried whole chiles that are roasted, reconsituted with broth or water, pureed and then cooked with spices.
My local grocery stores don't carry dried chiles, so this is my version of red enchilada sauce that's made without them. Instead, I use chili powder (which is made from dried chiles) and readily-available ingredients that I always keep on hand in my pantry.
All you need is about 20 minutes to make it, and you get 3 cups of sauce that's mild with very little heat. But since you control the ingredients, you can easily adjust the spice and heat level to suit your own taste preferences.
It may not be 100% authentic, but this homemade enchilada sauce is quick, easy, full of flavor, and even better than the canned versions I've tried. I use it in any recipe that calls for enchilada sauce and get outstanding results.
So give it a try and see for yourself. You may never buy enchilada sauce again!
If you love cooking Mexican dishes, be sure to try my Homemade Taco Sauce and Homemade Taco Seasoning. They're both easy, delicious and also made with pantry staples!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are all of the ingredients you need to make this easy enchilada sauce, along with some quick notes on substitutions.
Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Avocado Oil - This is my favorite neutral-tasting oil, but you can use any oil that doesn't have a strong flavor, such as vegetable, canola or a light olive oil.
- Vegetable Broth - Regular or reduced-sodium, whichever you prefer (I use regular). Chicken broth or beef broth can be used instead.
How to Make Easy Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce
This is just a brief overview of the steps. The full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions is in the recipe card below.
Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add flour, whisk until smooth, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add tomato sauce, broth and spices; whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- As written, this recipe gives you a mild enchilada sauce. If you want more spice and heat, add some cayenne pepper.
- If you'd like an enchilada sauce with some smoky flavor but without heat, add some smoked paprika. For a smoky flavor with heat, add some chipotle chili powder.
- This recipe makes about 3 cups of sauce. You can easily scale it up or down to make the amount of sauce you need.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Once cooled, transfer the sauce to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze for longer-term storage.
Freezer: Transfer the cooled sauce to a freezer container or freezer bag, remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat the sauce in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
How to Use Red Enchilada Sauce
Use your homemade red enchilada sauce to make enchiladas, or use it in any of your favorite Mexican recipes that call for enchilada sauce. One of my favorites is my Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole (pictured above).
You can also use as a topping for tacos, or you can get creative and use it in soups, stews, pastas, and breakfast dishes to add delicious flavor!
I hope you try this Easy Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce recipe and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
More Easy Mexican Recipes to Try
If you make this recipe, I'd love to know how it went! Please leave a star rating and comment below. Thanks!
📋Recipe
Easy Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or any neutral-flavored oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups vegetable broth
- 2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat (I use a 3-quart saucepan).
- Add the flour and whisk until combined and smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add the vegetable broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and sugar; whisk to combine.
- Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has slightly reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes. Note that the sauce will thicken a little more as it cools.
- Taste and add salt, if needed (note that you may not need to add any depending on how salty your broth is).
Notes
- If you're not using the sauce immediately, allow it to cool completely and then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Freeze for longer-term storage.
- Chicken broth or beef broth can be used instead of vegetable broth.
- This recipe, as written, gives you a mild red enchilada sauce. If you want more spice and heat, you can add some cayenne pepper.
- If you'd like an enchilada sauce with some smoky flavor but without heat, add some smoked paprika. For smoky flavor with heat, add some chipotle chili powder.
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