This Perfect Enchilada Sauce is a game-changer for your homemade enchiladas! It’s a rich, flavorful, and incredibly delicious sauce that’s made with simple ingredients and comes together quickly on the stovetop. I love how this recipe captures the authentic taste of enchilada sauce, with a perfect balance of chili powder, spices, and a touch of sweetness. It’s so much better than store-bought sauce, and it’s sure to elevate your enchilada game to the next level.
Why You’ll Love This Enchilada Sauce
- Rich and Flavorful: Made with a blend of chili powder, spices, tomato sauce, and a touch of brown sugar, this sauce is bursting with flavor.
- Easy to Make: This recipe uses simple ingredients and straightforward instructions.
- Better Than Store-Bought: Homemade enchilada sauce is far superior to store-bought versions, with a fresher, more vibrant flavor.
- Customizable: You can easily adjust the spice level and seasonings to your liking.
- Versatile: Use it for enchiladas, burritos, casseroles, or as a dipping sauce.
Ingredients for Perfect Enchilada Sauce
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious sauce. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Main Ingredients
- Vegetable oil (Oil)
- Flour (Thickener)
- Ground red chili powder (Spice) Use less for a less spicy sauce
- Tomato sauce (Canned Tomato Product)
- Tomato paste (Concentrate)
- Water (vegetable broth or chicken broth for more flavor) (Liquid)
- Brown sugar (optional, but it balances the flavors nicely) (Sweetener)
- Apple cider vinegar
Seasoning
- Ground cumin (Spice)
- Garlic powder (Spice)
- Onion powder (Spice)
- Paprika (or smoked paprika for more flavor) (Spice)
- Salt (Seasoning)
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I love this Perfect Enchilada Sauce as is, but here are a few ideas for variations:
- Adjust the Heat: Use more or less chili powder and cayenne pepper (if using) to control the spice level.
- Add More Spices: Add a pinch of oregano, cinnamon, or cloves for a warmer flavor.
- Make it Smoky: Use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika for a smoky flavor.
- Add Cocoa Powder: Add a teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder for a richer, more complex flavor.
- Use Different Chiles: Experiment with different types of chili powder, such as ancho chili powder or chipotle chili powder.
How to Make Perfect Enchilada Sauce
Let me show you how easy it is to make this Perfect Enchilada Sauce:
Heat Oil and Cook Flour/Chili Powder
- I start by heating the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Then, I add the flour and chili powder, and stir together.
- I instantly reduce the heat to medium and cook the flour-chili blend until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent it from burning. It only takes about 1 minute to cook it.
Add Remaining Ingredients
- I gradually stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water (or broth), cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, brown sugar (if using) and vinegar into the flour and chili powder mix until smooth.
Simmer and Thicken
- I continue cooking over medium heat for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. If the sauce is too thick, I add more water or broth, a little at a time.
- Season to taste.
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Enchilada Sauce
Here are my secrets for making this sauce truly exceptional:
- Use Good Quality Chili Powder: The flavor of the chili powder will really shine through, so use a good quality one that you enjoy.
- Cook the Flour and Chili Powder: Cooking the flour and chili powder in the oil for a minute helps to toast the spices and develop their flavor.
- Stir Constantly: Stir the sauce constantly to prevent it from sticking or burning.
- Adjust Consistency: If the sauce is too thick, add more water or broth. If it’s too thin, simmer it for a few more minutes.
- Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and other seasonings to your liking.
How to Use
This Perfect Enchilada Sauce is perfect for:
- Enchiladas: Use it to make your favorite chicken, beef, cheese, or vegetable enchiladas.
- Burritos: Add it to burritos for extra flavor.
- Casseroles: Use it as a sauce for casseroles.
- Dipping Sauce: Serve it as a dipping sauce for chips, vegetables, or quesadillas.
- Chilaquiles: A key ingredient in chilaquiles.
Make Ahead and Storage
You can make this enchilada sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze it for longer storage. Let the sauce fully cool before refrigerating or freezing.
FAQs about Perfect Enchilada Sauce
- Can I use a different type of chili powder?
- Yes, you can use any type of chili powder you like, such as ancho chili powder or chipotle chili powder.
- Can I make this without the brown sugar?
- The brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness that balances the flavors of the sauce, but you can omit it if you prefer.
- Can I make this gluten-free?
- Use a gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour.
Enjoy this rich, flavorful, and easy-to-make Perfect Enchilada Sauce! It’s a game-changer for your homemade enchiladas and so much more.
Print
Perfect Enchilada Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Makes about 3 1/2 to 4 cups of sauce 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Description
This homemade Enchilada Sauce is rich, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make. It’s the perfect base for your favorite enchiladas, and it can be customized to your preferred level of spiciness.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup ground red chili powder (see notes for spice level)
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth (low-sodium recommended)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika (or smoked paprika for a smoky flavor)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (light or dark, optional, but recommended)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Heat Oil: Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Make Roux: Add the all-purpose flour and ground red chili powder to the hot oil. Stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon to combine.
- Cook Roux: Immediately reduce the heat to medium. Cook the flour-chili powder mixture (roux), stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, or until it’s lightly browned and fragrant. Be careful not to burn it. This step cooks out the raw flour taste and develops the flavor of the chili powder.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Gradually whisk in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water (or broth), ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, brown sugar (if using), and apple cider vinegar. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Simmer: Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Adjust Consistency: If the sauce is too thick, add more water or broth, a little at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, simmer for a few more minutes to reduce it further.
- Season to Taste: Taste the sauce and season with salt to your preference.
- Cool and Store: Let the enchilada sauce cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Notes
- Chili Powder: Use a good-quality ground red chili powder for the best flavor. The amount of chili powder can be adjusted to your preferred level of spiciness. Start with less if you’re sensitive to heat, and add more to taste. Note: This refers to pure ground chiles, not a chili seasoning blend (which typically includes other spices like cumin, oregano, etc.).
- Tomato Sauce: Use plain tomato sauce, not seasoned tomato sauce.
- Broth/Water: You can use water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth. Using broth will add more flavor to the sauce. Low-sodium broth is recommended.
- Brown Sugar (Optional): The brown sugar helps to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and the spiciness of the chili powder. It’s optional, but recommended for a more balanced flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: The apple cider vinegar adds a touch of tanginess to the sauce.
- Consistency: The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.
- Serving Suggestions: Use this enchilada sauce in your favorite enchilada recipes, or as a sauce for burritos, tacos, or other Mexican-inspired dishes.
- Make-Ahead: This sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Yields 3 1/2 to 4 cups.
- Storage: Store leftovers