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This easy enchilada sauce is easy to make in only 10 minutes and requires no dried chiles! All you need are a few staple herbs and spices in your pantry, and you’re good to go!
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When you’ve got a craving for some Mexican food but don’t have a jar of enchilada sauce in the pantry, this recipe will save the day!
Ready in only 10 minutes, this recipe is a quick and easy version of the authentic enchilada sauce my Mom taught me how to make using whole dried chiles and Mexican chocolate.
Since posting that recipe a few years ago, I’ve realized that not everyone has easy access to those ingredients as I do. So I’ve decided to create a good alternative version that tastes very similar to what I grew up eating and is made with easy-to-find ingredients that you likely already have.
Let’s get to it!
Ingredients Needed
- Olive oil and all-purpose flour: These two ingredients are cooked together to make a roux, which thickens up the sauce just a tad and gives everything a good mouthfeel. (You could also use a gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour if you want.)
- Seasonings: Chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, cumin and dried oregano.
- Broth: Chicken or vegetable broth both work.
- Tomato paste: This provides a nice velvety tomato flavor without making it too watery like tomato sauce can sometimes do.
How to Make Enchilada Sauce
- Make a roux by whisking the flour and oil together over medium-high heat. Cook it for about a minute to eliminate any raw flour flavor.
- Add all the spices and herbs to the roux, and whisk it up. Cook for about 30 seconds. To make the process easier, I like to put all the spices into a small bowl so I can dump everything in all at once.
- Slowly add the broth while continuously whisking to make sure no big lumps form.
- Add the tomato paste and continue whisking the sauce until it’s completely smooth.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, remove it from the heat, and that’s it!
Storing and Freezing
You can use this enchilada sauce immediately or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
You can also freeze the sauce for up to 3 months and use it for later, which is perfect if you make a double batch.
Be sure to check out my recipe for green enchilada sauce, too!
Easy Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 ¼ cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a small pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the flour and whisk together for 1 minute.
- Add the chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, cumin and dried oregano and whisk together for 30 seconds.
- Slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to make sure no big lumps form.
- Add the tomato paste and whisk the enchilada sauce until completely smooth.
- Bring to a simmer, remove from heat, and serve.
Notes
- Storage: This sauce can be stored in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Concerned this may be too spicy? Start with using only half of the chili powder and add more to taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Easy and so flavorful! I’ll always make your recipes instead of buying sauces! These are delicious!
I love this recipe! I don’t even buy enchilada sauce any more. This is so easy and perfectly compliments your chicken enchilada recipe. And that recipe is amazing as well! My family asks for this quite often. And thankfully, I usually have all the ingredients to make it, whether it is a planned dinner or a last minute thought. I do cut back on the chili powder a little so it is not too spicy for my wife. Some day, I want to try your authentic recipe as well. Thank you for sharing this with us!
This is amazing, I am so happy I found this recipe! Making it again tonight, I cook for a gluten free family member and she loves this.
That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you 😊 I’m especially glad it worked well for your gluten-free family member. Love that you’re making it again tonight!
I’m on a low sodium diet and my family tends to eat lower sodium foods as a result. I worried the chicken broth and salt together would be too salty for my tastes, so I opted for only using the chicken broth and omitting the 1/2 teaspoon of salt. I followed everything else as written and the sauce came out perfect. NEVER buying the canned sauce again. This was so easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
This is so great to hear. Thank you for sharing! 😊
I love that you adjusted it to fit your needs, and it’s super helpful to know it still turned out delicious with just the broth. That’s such a great tip for anyone watching their sodium.