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My favorite homemade enchilada sauce recipe is easy to make with pantry ingredients, it only requires about 5 minutes of prep time, and it tastes so flavorful and delicious.
My best tip for kicking your homemade enchiladas up a delicious notch?
Use this homemade enchilada sauce! ♡
This recipe for Southwestern-style red enchilada sauce has been the starring ingredient in my favorite enchilada recipe for years and years. And every time I bake up a batch of enchiladas for a gathering, friends always ask for the recipe.
By contrast to many Mexican-style enchilada sauces, this recipe does not include tomatoes but rather centers its flavor around a rich blend of seasonings that you likely already have in your pantry (chili powder, cumin, garlic and oregano). On its own, the sauce is naturally fairly mild, although you are welcome to amp up the heat if you’d like. And its deliciously warm, toasty, earthy flavors pair perfectly with any variety of enchilada recipes.
The good news too is that this recipe only takes about 5 minutes to prep, plus an additional 15-ish minutes to simmer on the stove. It’s naturally vegetarian, vegan and can also be made gluten-free if you’d like. It’s made entirely with pantry ingredients, and can be customized to be more spicy, smoky, tomato-y, or even creamy if you prefer. And I must say — it’s a million times better than the canned stuff!
Thousands of our readers have made and loved this recipe over the years. So if you have yet to give it a try, I say it’s time!
Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce Ingredients:
To make this easy enchilada sauce recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
Oil and flour: These will form the roux to thicken the sauce. You’re welcome to use any type of neutral-flavored oil (or butter) that you prefer. And while I typically use all-purpose flour, you are welcome to sub in a 1-for-1 GF flour blend instead to make this recipe gluten-free.
Chili powder: For all of our international readers, please note that this recipe calls for American-style chili powder, which is actually a blend of various chilis and seasonings, including a typically small percentage of cayenne. (Most chili powders sold outside of the States are 100% cayenne, which will not work for this recipe.) I recommend investing in a good-quality brand of chili powder for this recipe, since it is the primary seasoning for this sauce. But keep in mind that chili powder blends vary from brand to brand, so it’s worth experimenting with a few to find the one that you love best!
Garlic powder, ground cumin, dried oregano: These are the other dried seasonings that we will use in the sauce. Feel free to increase the amount of any one of these once you have tasted the sauce, if you would like.
Veggie or chicken stock: I also recommend using some good-quality stock in this recipe, which will add a delicious depth of flavor to the sauce.
Fine sea salt: And finally, don’t forget to season the sauce! I typically add in about 1/2 teaspoon, but the amount needed will likely depend significantly on the brand and saltiness of the stock that you use.
How To Make Enchilada Sauce:
Here are the basic steps for how to make enchilada sauce (full instructions included in the recipe box below):
Cook the roux and spices: In a small saucepan, we’ll first cook the flour and oil together to form the roux, and then whisk in the spices to briefly toast them in the saucepan before adding in the stock.
Simmer: Gradually add in the stock while whisking the sauce, in order to blend in any lumps. Then bring the sauce to a simmer and let it cook (you want to maintain a low bubble) for 10-15 minutes, or until it has reduced to your desired thickness.
Season: Season with salt (or any extra seasonings that you might like to add) to taste.
Serve: Then serve it up in a pan of enchiladas or whatever recipe sounds good…and enjoy!
Possible Variations:
This recipe is quite flexible, so please feel free to tinker around with ingredient amounts and customize it however you prefer! For example, you could…
Make it gluten-free: You can either use an 1-for-1 gluten-free flour blend, in place of the AP flour. Or you can omit the flour and instead add a cornstarch slurry (equal parts cornstarch and cold water whisked together) to the sauce once it is simmering to thicken it.
Make it creamy: Whisk in 1/2 cup of heavy cream to turn this recipe into a delicious creamy enchilada sauce.
Make it spicier: Feel free to add in a pinch or two of cayenne to make this sauce even spicier. Or alternately, you can choose to use ancho chili powder in place of standard American chili powder, which has a smokier and slightly spicier flavor.
Make it milder: American chili powder should naturally be quite mild. But if you are wary of heat, feel free to start with 2 tablespoons (instead of 4 tablespoons) of chili powder in the recipe. Then once the sauce has simmered, give it a taste and feel free to add more if you would like.
Make it smokier: Feel free to swap some of the American chili powder for chipotle chili powder, if you would like this sauce to have a smoky chipotle kick. (Also note that chipotle powder is considerably spicier, so this version would pack more heat too.)
Add tomato sauce: If you would like to have a more tomato-y enchilada sauce, you are welcome to add a few tablespoons of tomato paste to the sauce.
Ways To Use Enchilada Sauce:
Here are a few of my favorite ways to use this easy enchilada sauce:
Casseroles: If you don’t feel like rolling up your enchiladas, try ‘stacking’ them into a casserole, such as this chicken enchilada casserole (one of our readers’ favorite recipes!).
My favorite homemade enchilada sauce recipe is easy to make with pantry ingredients, it only requires about 5 minutes of prep time, and it tastes so flavorful and delicious.
Cook the roux and spices: Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Add in the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano and cook for 1 more minute, whisking constantly.
Simmer: Gradually pour in the stock, whisking constantly to combine until no lumps remain. Continue cooking until the sauce reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer (the sauce should continue lightly bubbling) for about 10-15 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce has slightly thickened.
Season: Give the sauce a taste and season with salt, as needed. (I typically add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, but the saltiness of the sauce can vary depending on the brand of stock that you use.)
Serve: Use immediately in your favorite recipe and enjoy!
Chili powder (important note): The amount is correct. And as mentioned above, this recipe calls for traditional American chili powder, which is not cayenne. American chili powder is actually a blend of spices that are typically quite mild, whereas international chili powders are usually 100% cayenne (and very spicy). So if you live outside of the United States, please look specifically for an American-style chili powder blend.
Gluten-free option: Feel free to use a 1-to-1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. Or alternately, you can thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry (equal parts cold water and cornstarch whisked together, then added to the sauce once it has reached a simmer).
Storage instructions: Let the sauce cool to room temperature. Then transfer it to a mason jar or food storage container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Unfortunately this sauce separates a bit once it has frozen, so I don’t recommend freezing it.
I just wanted to tell you I got your recipe from thechunkychef.com. They have a recipe for beef enchiladas. THey use this recipe and have a link to you. THey rave about it. All I know is that I had never had enchiladas before and never had or made enchilada sauce before. I was kind of worried. I don’t like spicy stuff. I was amazed. I made it. IT WORKED..and it tasted really good and didn’t give me gerd. I was surprised how easy it was to make and it worked. I also at that time didn’t have enough wraps so I had to use an 8×8 pan like someone mentioned. But I made the whole recipe. Used it all too. I even had leftovers from the 8×8 which were awesome next day. But the leftover filling didn’t go to waste. YUM. I will make this reg now. THanks for such an awesome recipe. I am curious how you came up with it??? THanks. ps I used olive oil cause that is my oil of choice..didn’t have a prob at all with that. awesome recipe
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re so glad you enjoyed the sauce and the enchiladas, Kim — thanks for giving the recipe a try and for taking the time to comment! :)
Y’all – I’ve made this recipe to the T about 3 or 4 times now and it is THE BEST! A definite go-to. My friend is expecting her first baby and you better believe this sauce is making its way into some freezer-friendly enchiladas for her family. Thanks Ali!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing with us, Kelly — we’re so happy you love it! :)
What a nightmare. Was so excited to make the chicken enchiladas with this sauce! But I tried to double the recipe and obviously screwed up on my measurements somewhere and ended up with a whole lot of super salty sauce….and I love salt. But this was just way way way way too much. So sad. On the other hand, still used a tiny bit. Just took a spoonful of salt-sauce and mixed with about a cup of sour cream and some salsa. Enchiladas came out great.
Still, one of those cooking days where you just really truly wish you could punch yourself somehow.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re so sorry, Celeste — that’s so frustrating! :( We hope you can give the sauce recipe another go, with better results. We’re glad the enchiladas were still good!
Hi! I’m excited to try this but have one question – could I use tomato juice instead of veg stock? I have just over two cups left from straining some really nice canned San Marzano tomatoes the other night and would love to use it up. Thanks!
this makes 1.5 cups so I would need to double this recipe to make the stacked enchilada recipe right? I’m planning on doubling the enchilada recipe so is quadruple the sauce recipe right?? Thanks
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
That’s right, Felicia, you’d want to double the sauce recipe. We hope you enjoy them both! :)
I just made that sauce and find it easier than going to the store to shop for a canned version. I made this just as described and it is delicious. Mine came out a deeper brown and the taste is just amazing. Thanks so much for sharing this instant enchilada sauce! I’ll never go back.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing with us Verona, and for giving this a try — we’re happy you enjoyed it!
Can you can this recipe? You would obviously have to double it to make a big enough batch… but didn’t know if you would pressure cook it or use a hot water bath?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi there! We’ve never canned this but if you followed the proper canning procedure, you should be able to (we think a hot water bath would probably suffice?)
I agree that here in Australia chilli powder is just too hot, especially if cooking for kids. I tend to use smoked paprika is obviously not traditional but works for my 7 year olds taste buds, adults add chilli to taste when eating.
LOVE them! I made the recipe as it was written and they turned out wonderful! My husband, who has been to New Mexico and has eaten the real stuff, said they are the best!
Have made this sauces several times–in big and small batches, using chicken and beef stock–with great results. In fact, I am making it tonight. Beef stock is particularly good when making beef enchiladas, but color WILL be brown. Sauce will thicken the longer it cooks (no more than 20 minutes). Thanks for the recipe.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing, Lisa — we’re so glad you enjoy it!
I had a recipe I wanted to make, and in the comment section a lot of people said instead of using tomato sauce as directed, enchilada sauce was a better choice. Of course I didn’t have any, and I really didn’t want to dash out to the store, so I Googled it, and your recipe came up. I made this as written and we ate most of the first batch with our tasting spoons. This is so good! If I had known how easy this is, I never would have bought canned sauce. Thank you!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you for sharing, Susan — we’re so glad you enjoyed it!
I just thought I’d drop a quick note to tell you that this enchilada sauce is amazing. I made it exactly as you wrote it (except I doubled it) and it is so tasty! One of my favorite Mexican restaurants makes a similar sauce that they serve on ‘wet’ burritos and I’ve been trying to recreate it for years. I was always going the long route using dried chiles. Never thought to use child powder. I also read your post on Julia Childs. I’m fascinated by her as well. I’ve only read and watched the Julie and Julia movie. I need to read the book you mentioned. Also, I’m going to try making coq au vin as well : ) thank you for sharing!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, Traci — we’re really happy you love the sauce, and we hope you enjoy the Coq Au Vin as well! :)
I’m just wondering if this recipe is missing an ingredient. Is it supposed to have tomato sauce in it? I added crushed tomatoes and a bit of brown sugar and then it tasted right to me.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Grace — nope, it’s not missing an ingredient, but feel free to add whatever you’d like!
I tried this recipe with disappointing results. It was clearly because the chili powder I used was not the best. It was way too salty. On top of this problem, the supermarket cooked chicken I used was also way too salty. It resulted in a dish that was so salty it could only be managed in small bites.. basically inedible.
I love the concept of this sauce, but I think instead of using a commercial chili powder, I will next time create my own spice mix that moderates the role of salt, and also either cook my own chicken or use a pre-cooked chicken that was not so salty. When I look up recipes for chili powder, they contain paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, cayenne and other spices.
Thanks so much for coming out with a great recipe.. I know I did not adhere to your recommendation to use a great quality chili powder.. :)
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Kimberley — we appreciate you sharing with us, and we’re sorry to hear you didn’t care for the sauce. If you can try it again with a different, better quality chili powder (homemade sounds great!) we think that would make a big difference. We hope you have better results with it next time!
I just want to say thank you so very much! I was able to modify this recipe by omitting the garlic to make it safe for me due to allergies. I also changed up the peppers to make it have a little more heat by using 2 TBSP Chili, 1 Ancho and 1 Chipotle from locally sourced and grown peppers. Turns out amazing every time!
I just made your enchilada sauce. I was amazed at how easy your recipe comes together and how delicious it is. I used it in my enchilada casserole which is in the oven now. The family is hovering in the kitchen, breathing in the wonderful savory aroma – and watching the timer on the stove.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing with us, Jacque — we’re so happy you guys enjoyed it!
This sauce is spectacular! I have made it many times. I always do a double batch as it goes quick. As for the enchiladas I use corn tortillas and usually make two 9×13 pans at a time. Generally I wing it on the mix for the filling but I always add a can of diced green chilies to the garlic and onion in the first sauté. This is followed buy a generous amount of green onion, shredded chicken, black beans, quality cheese, some plain yogurt, tomatoes and cilantro. Brushing on the sauce to the tortillas is a great idea and adds to the flavor. I give the enchiladas a generous dose of sauce on top and always get rave reviews with this dish. I will never buy store made sauce again. Now I need to figure out an equally great recipe for “green sauce”. Thanks for the great recipe! I happened across your site about a year ago and reference it often.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you for sharing, Steve — we’re so happy you enjoyed it! :)
Just wondering if this will make enough for 1 1/4 cups you suggest for enchilada soup if it is boiled down?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Lulu! Yes, definitely — this recipe makes 1 1/2 cups, so just reduce it down until it’s 1 1/4 cups and you’ll be golden for the enchilada soup! :) We hope you enjoy!
This sauce is 11 times better than anything out of a can; every store-bought brand I’ve tried has too much of a “tinny” taste. I used Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base and liked it more than I did with the typical canned broth. This is no doubt a keeper recipe.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you so much, Brian — we’re thrilled that you loved it!
Hi Hayley, I just ran across your recipe for this homemade sauce, and I am about to try this and I was wanting to know from Brian, How much or haw many cubes Bouillon does he use?
I am a foodie and love to try now recipes. Soooo excited
Donna
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Donna! This is actually Ali’s recipe and her blog (I just help out with things around here). :) But we’re so happy you want to give the sauce a try! If using Better than Bouillon, for 2 cups of stock you would need 1 teaspoon (or one bouillon cube) per 8oz of water, so 2 teaspoons or 2 cubes.
This is the BEST enchilada sauce I have ever had and I am HISPANIC, living in Texas, so I’ve had my share of enchiladas (including my moms) My kids BEG me to make this sauce recipe : )
I love it, had the same problem getting it to thicken up but just added a Tbl of flour water and worked like a charm. I used 2 Tbl mccormick chili powder and is just right. Thank you.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re glad the flour and water helped, Deborah, and we’re happy you enjoyed the sauce!
Be warned if you live in a country where they put real chili into chili powder you will want to use much less than 4 tablespoons. I live in Vietnam and I tried adding 4 Tbsp and the entire house felt like a riot police pepper spray attack for an hour. However this is an excellent recipe, just be cognizant of the chili situation if you’re not living in the US.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Yes, we’ve found chili powders can differ drastically from country to country! We’re so sorry this lit you up — we hope you can give it another try with less chili powder next time!
John —
I was just about to post the same comment as I was thinking to myself “4 tablespoons of chilli powder!! Are you crazy!!” but then after reading around a bit, discovered that in the US, “chili powder” is a blend of spcices and herbs and not simply powdered chilli as it is in many other countries such as India and the UK.
Hi! I highly recommend using maseca instead of the flour. Gives it a more authentic Mexican flavor. Its a great thing to have on hand and add to any mexican dish…especially chili! Yum! I have made this a few times over the past several years and i cannot get enough!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re glad you enjoyed this, Kristine! We’ve never tried it with Maseca, but we’ll have to next time we make it! :)
Just made a double batch… This stuff is amazing!! I accidentally added 1tsp onion powder (again made a double batch) but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Thanks for sharing!! No more store bought for this girl! I used a tomato chicken base with a small amount of celery seed for the vegetable broth.
Can this sauce be canned to be used for a later date, if I wanted to make a large batch?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Nathan! We’ve never canned this but if you followed the proper canning procedure, you should be able to (we think a hot water bath would probably suffice?)
Hi! Can you use water in this? I tend to avoid stock when making soups and sub in water instead…Just not sure how this would work here.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Sarah! Yes, you could use water. It won’t have as much flavor, and you will need to add more salt (just do this to taste), but it should still work out okay. You could also try a lower-sodium stock if you wanted, or try a mix of that and water. We hope you enjoy the sauce!
This really is the best enchilada sauce ever. I found this recipe last year and have been using it ever since. My whole family says I make the best enchiladas they’ve ever had, including in restaurants. This sauce is key.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you so much, we’re thrilled that you and your family love the sauce and the enchiladas!
This is my “go-to” for red enchilada sauce. It has been a little difficult to dial down the spiciness without increasing the saltiness of it, but I recently found that the use of Ancho chili powder along with paprika not only helps maintain a mild smoky heat, it also helps maintain the color. Thanks so much for this recipe!
really good and easy. i had a dark chili powder so it was a little overpowering, so i added a can of tomato paste to it and it was really good. def. a keeper.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re glad you enjoyed it! Yes, we’ve found chili powders can differ drastically (color and level of spiciness). We’re glad the tomato paste helped mellow it out some. :)
This is my “go-to” for red enchilada sauce. Enchilada night at our house is always a welcome treat because of both your Stacked Enchilada recipe and this Red Enchilada Sauce recipe. We have some individuals who are not tolerant AT ALL of spiciness once it passes mild heat. I have tried a couple different formulations and have found that Ancho Chili Powder combined with Paprika helps dial down the heat and create a smoky sweet flavor. Thanks! This is another great recipe.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you so much, Tonya — we’re so happy to hear that!
Mine is a bit too spicy (kids are eating it too) – how can I cut the spice before I make the casserole? Or, could I add more cheese or something to balance it out? Thank you!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Lisa! To make this a little less spicy, you can just cut back some on the chili powder (we’ve found that certain brands can vary pretty drastically in their level of spiciness). We would recommend adding the chili powder to taste (that way you can always add more if you like). We hope this helps!
I have used this as a gravy for tamales for years. It is wonderful. Have given the recipe to several friends and relatives. We have used it also, as you suggest for enchilada sauce. It’s the BEST. Originally it came from a Mexican cook book.
I lived in NM for 14 years and boy do I miss Hatch Green Chile and green enchilada sauce. Did Liisa teach you a green enchilada sauce recipe that you can share?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi there! We don’t currently have a recipe for green enchilada sauce, but stay tuned! :)
This makes a VERY thin sauce, no matter how long simmered to reduce., It was barely passable with added tomato paste. I would give it a 1 on a scale of 10.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re sorry to hear you didn’t care for it!
Stacie Cone —
I add just a bit more flour. Its like making gravy. You get your oil and flour to the consistency you want your red sauce to be and then add the rest of the ingredients. Comes out perfect every time.
Looks great what is the Sodium? All the ones in store much too high. Also could ground turkey be subbed for chicken?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Mary! We’re sorry but we are unsure of the nutrition facts/amount of calories in this recipe. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps! As for ground turkey instead of chicken — are you referring to the enchilada recipe? If so, you can definitely do that swap. We hope you enjoy! :)
Great sauce. I had a little left over, so I mixed it with mayo (roughly 2tbs each enchilada sauce and mayo) and made a tasty dip for sweet potato fries.
Hello
I just wanted to tell you I got your recipe from thechunkychef.com. They have a recipe for beef enchiladas. THey use this recipe and have a link to you. THey rave about it. All I know is that I had never had enchiladas before and never had or made enchilada sauce before. I was kind of worried. I don’t like spicy stuff. I was amazed. I made it. IT WORKED..and it tasted really good and didn’t give me gerd. I was surprised how easy it was to make and it worked. I also at that time didn’t have enough wraps so I had to use an 8×8 pan like someone mentioned. But I made the whole recipe. Used it all too. I even had leftovers from the 8×8 which were awesome next day. But the leftover filling didn’t go to waste. YUM. I will make this reg now. THanks for such an awesome recipe. I am curious how you came up with it??? THanks. ps I used olive oil cause that is my oil of choice..didn’t have a prob at all with that. awesome recipe
We’re so glad you enjoyed the sauce and the enchiladas, Kim — thanks for giving the recipe a try and for taking the time to comment! :)
Just curious…are you using ground oregano or flakes? I don’t see any flakes in the photos of the sauce, so I’m guessing ground.
I usually use dried oregano flakes. They tend to disappear in the sauce with all of those red chile colors. :)
I have been making this sauce at least once every two weeks since I found this recipe and my picky family loves it! Thank you for a great new recipe!
Thanks for sharing with us, Kim — we’re so glad to hear that!
Y’all – I’ve made this recipe to the T about 3 or 4 times now and it is THE BEST! A definite go-to. My friend is expecting her first baby and you better believe this sauce is making its way into some freezer-friendly enchiladas for her family. Thanks Ali!
Thanks for sharing with us, Kelly — we’re so happy you love it! :)
Just looking at making enchiladas so followed the link to the sauce – should this have tomatoes in the recipe?
Hi Steph! No, there are no tomatoes in the sauce recipe, though you can certainly add some if you’d like!
Followed recipe exactly. Tastes like chili water. Absolutely do not attempt this recipe if you have any taste buds at all.
We’re sorry to hear you didn’t care for this.
Can we freeze this sauce? How long will it last
Hi Niki! Yes, you can freeze this. It should be fine for about six months or so.
Surely this recipe is missing tomatoes or passata ??
It’s not, but feel free to add some if you like! :)
What a nightmare. Was so excited to make the chicken enchiladas with this sauce! But I tried to double the recipe and obviously screwed up on my measurements somewhere and ended up with a whole lot of super salty sauce….and I love salt. But this was just way way way way too much. So sad. On the other hand, still used a tiny bit. Just took a spoonful of salt-sauce and mixed with about a cup of sour cream and some salsa. Enchiladas came out great.
Still, one of those cooking days where you just really truly wish you could punch yourself somehow.
We’re so sorry, Celeste — that’s so frustrating! :( We hope you can give the sauce recipe another go, with better results. We’re glad the enchiladas were still good!
Hi! I’m excited to try this but have one question – could I use tomato juice instead of veg stock? I have just over two cups left from straining some really nice canned San Marzano tomatoes the other night and would love to use it up. Thanks!
Sure thing! I bet that would be delicious. :)
this makes 1.5 cups so I would need to double this recipe to make the stacked enchilada recipe right? I’m planning on doubling the enchilada recipe so is quadruple the sauce recipe right?? Thanks
That’s right, Felicia, you’d want to double the sauce recipe. We hope you enjoy them both! :)
I just made that sauce and find it easier than going to the store to shop for a canned version. I made this just as described and it is delicious. Mine came out a deeper brown and the taste is just amazing. Thanks so much for sharing this instant enchilada sauce! I’ll never go back.
Thanks for sharing with us Verona, and for giving this a try — we’re happy you enjoyed it!
Can you can this recipe? You would obviously have to double it to make a big enough batch… but didn’t know if you would pressure cook it or use a hot water bath?
Hi there! We’ve never canned this but if you followed the proper canning procedure, you should be able to (we think a hot water bath would probably suffice?)
I must be different. Don’t love the sauce.
I agree that here in Australia chilli powder is just too hot, especially if cooking for kids. I tend to use smoked paprika is obviously not traditional but works for my 7 year olds taste buds, adults add chilli to taste when eating.
LOVE them! I made the recipe as it was written and they turned out wonderful! My husband, who has been to New Mexico and has eaten the real stuff, said they are the best!
We’re so happy you enjoyed it!
Have made this sauces several times–in big and small batches, using chicken and beef stock–with great results. In fact, I am making it tonight. Beef stock is particularly good when making beef enchiladas, but color WILL be brown. Sauce will thicken the longer it cooks (no more than 20 minutes). Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for sharing, Lisa — we’re so glad you enjoy it!
I had a recipe I wanted to make, and in the comment section a lot of people said instead of using tomato sauce as directed, enchilada sauce was a better choice. Of course I didn’t have any, and I really didn’t want to dash out to the store, so I Googled it, and your recipe came up. I made this as written and we ate most of the first batch with our tasting spoons. This is so good! If I had known how easy this is, I never would have bought canned sauce. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing, Susan — we’re so glad you enjoyed it!
This sauce was missing a very key ingredient. Tomato! I added some strained tomatoes and it was perfect :)
I just thought I’d drop a quick note to tell you that this enchilada sauce is amazing. I made it exactly as you wrote it (except I doubled it) and it is so tasty! One of my favorite Mexican restaurants makes a similar sauce that they serve on ‘wet’ burritos and I’ve been trying to recreate it for years. I was always going the long route using dried chiles. Never thought to use child powder. I also read your post on Julia Childs. I’m fascinated by her as well. I’ve only read and watched the Julie and Julia movie. I need to read the book you mentioned. Also, I’m going to try making coq au vin as well : ) thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, Traci — we’re really happy you love the sauce, and we hope you enjoy the Coq Au Vin as well! :)
I’m just wondering if this recipe is missing an ingredient. Is it supposed to have tomato sauce in it? I added crushed tomatoes and a bit of brown sugar and then it tasted right to me.
Hi Grace — nope, it’s not missing an ingredient, but feel free to add whatever you’d like!
I tried this recipe with disappointing results. It was clearly because the chili powder I used was not the best. It was way too salty. On top of this problem, the supermarket cooked chicken I used was also way too salty. It resulted in a dish that was so salty it could only be managed in small bites.. basically inedible.
I love the concept of this sauce, but I think instead of using a commercial chili powder, I will next time create my own spice mix that moderates the role of salt, and also either cook my own chicken or use a pre-cooked chicken that was not so salty. When I look up recipes for chili powder, they contain paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, cayenne and other spices.
Thanks so much for coming out with a great recipe.. I know I did not adhere to your recommendation to use a great quality chili powder.. :)
Hi Kimberley — we appreciate you sharing with us, and we’re sorry to hear you didn’t care for the sauce. If you can try it again with a different, better quality chili powder (homemade sounds great!) we think that would make a big difference. We hope you have better results with it next time!
I just want to say thank you so very much! I was able to modify this recipe by omitting the garlic to make it safe for me due to allergies. I also changed up the peppers to make it have a little more heat by using 2 TBSP Chili, 1 Ancho and 1 Chipotle from locally sourced and grown peppers. Turns out amazing every time!
Awesome!! Sounds delicious!
I just made your enchilada sauce. I was amazed at how easy your recipe comes together and how delicious it is. I used it in my enchilada casserole which is in the oven now. The family is hovering in the kitchen, breathing in the wonderful savory aroma – and watching the timer on the stove.
Thanks for sharing with us, Jacque — we’re so happy you guys enjoyed it!
This sauce is spectacular! I have made it many times. I always do a double batch as it goes quick. As for the enchiladas I use corn tortillas and usually make two 9×13 pans at a time. Generally I wing it on the mix for the filling but I always add a can of diced green chilies to the garlic and onion in the first sauté. This is followed buy a generous amount of green onion, shredded chicken, black beans, quality cheese, some plain yogurt, tomatoes and cilantro. Brushing on the sauce to the tortillas is a great idea and adds to the flavor. I give the enchiladas a generous dose of sauce on top and always get rave reviews with this dish. I will never buy store made sauce again. Now I need to figure out an equally great recipe for “green sauce”. Thanks for the great recipe! I happened across your site about a year ago and reference it often.
Thank you for sharing, Steve — we’re so happy you enjoyed it! :)
Just wondering if this will make enough for 1 1/4 cups you suggest for enchilada soup if it is boiled down?
Hi Lulu! Yes, definitely — this recipe makes 1 1/2 cups, so just reduce it down until it’s 1 1/4 cups and you’ll be golden for the enchilada soup! :) We hope you enjoy!
This sauce is 11 times better than anything out of a can; every store-bought brand I’ve tried has too much of a “tinny” taste. I used Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base and liked it more than I did with the typical canned broth. This is no doubt a keeper recipe.
Thank you so much, Brian — we’re thrilled that you loved it!
Hi Hayley, I just ran across your recipe for this homemade sauce, and I am about to try this and I was wanting to know from Brian, How much or haw many cubes Bouillon does he use?
I am a foodie and love to try now recipes. Soooo excited
Donna
Hi Donna! This is actually Ali’s recipe and her blog (I just help out with things around here). :) But we’re so happy you want to give the sauce a try! If using Better than Bouillon, for 2 cups of stock you would need 1 teaspoon (or one bouillon cube) per 8oz of water, so 2 teaspoons or 2 cubes.
This is the BEST enchilada sauce I have ever had and I am HISPANIC, living in Texas, so I’ve had my share of enchiladas (including my moms) My kids BEG me to make this sauce recipe : )
Yay, I’m so glad you love it!!
I love it, had the same problem getting it to thicken up but just added a Tbl of flour water and worked like a charm. I used 2 Tbl mccormick chili powder and is just right. Thank you.
We’re glad the flour and water helped, Deborah, and we’re happy you enjoyed the sauce!
Hi, I looked up a few recipes for enchilada sauce and they add crushed, canned tomatoes. Have you missed them out in the recipe and for what reason?
Hi Susie! No, our recipe doesn’t have tomatoes in it, but feel free to add them if you like!
How do you keep the flour from burning when you mix it into the oil?
Just make sure your oil is not crazy hot and that you are whisking well and it shouldn’t burn. We hope you enjoy!
Be warned if you live in a country where they put real chili into chili powder you will want to use much less than 4 tablespoons. I live in Vietnam and I tried adding 4 Tbsp and the entire house felt like a riot police pepper spray attack for an hour. However this is an excellent recipe, just be cognizant of the chili situation if you’re not living in the US.
Yes, we’ve found chili powders can differ drastically from country to country! We’re so sorry this lit you up — we hope you can give it another try with less chili powder next time!
I was just about to post the same comment as I was thinking to myself “4 tablespoons of chilli powder!! Are you crazy!!” but then after reading around a bit, discovered that in the US, “chili powder” is a blend of spcices and herbs and not simply powdered chilli as it is in many other countries such as India and the UK.
Hi! I highly recommend using maseca instead of the flour. Gives it a more authentic Mexican flavor. Its a great thing to have on hand and add to any mexican dish…especially chili! Yum! I have made this a few times over the past several years and i cannot get enough!
We’re glad you enjoyed this, Kristine! We’ve never tried it with Maseca, but we’ll have to next time we make it! :)
Thank s for sharing. I love all your recipes. I was wondering if you have ever tried making large batches of the sauce and freezing?
Thank you, Sheri — we’re glad to hear that! And yes, you can definitely freeze this sauce!
Just made a double batch… This stuff is amazing!! I accidentally added 1tsp onion powder (again made a double batch) but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Thanks for sharing!! No more store bought for this girl! I used a tomato chicken base with a small amount of celery seed for the vegetable broth.
We’re so happy you enjoyed it, Angela! :)
Can this sauce be canned to be used for a later date, if I wanted to make a large batch?
Hi Nathan! We’ve never canned this but if you followed the proper canning procedure, you should be able to (we think a hot water bath would probably suffice?)
Hi! Can you use water in this? I tend to avoid stock when making soups and sub in water instead…Just not sure how this would work here.
Hi Sarah! Yes, you could use water. It won’t have as much flavor, and you will need to add more salt (just do this to taste), but it should still work out okay. You could also try a lower-sodium stock if you wanted, or try a mix of that and water. We hope you enjoy the sauce!
This really is the best enchilada sauce ever. I found this recipe last year and have been using it ever since. My whole family says I make the best enchiladas they’ve ever had, including in restaurants. This sauce is key.
Thank you so much, we’re thrilled that you and your family love the sauce and the enchiladas!
This is my “go-to” for red enchilada sauce. It has been a little difficult to dial down the spiciness without increasing the saltiness of it, but I recently found that the use of Ancho chili powder along with paprika not only helps maintain a mild smoky heat, it also helps maintain the color. Thanks so much for this recipe!
We’re so happy you love it, Tonya! :)
really good and easy. i had a dark chili powder so it was a little overpowering, so i added a can of tomato paste to it and it was really good. def. a keeper.
We’re glad you enjoyed it! Yes, we’ve found chili powders can differ drastically (color and level of spiciness). We’re glad the tomato paste helped mellow it out some. :)
This is my “go-to” for red enchilada sauce. Enchilada night at our house is always a welcome treat because of both your Stacked Enchilada recipe and this Red Enchilada Sauce recipe. We have some individuals who are not tolerant AT ALL of spiciness once it passes mild heat. I have tried a couple different formulations and have found that Ancho Chili Powder combined with Paprika helps dial down the heat and create a smoky sweet flavor. Thanks! This is another great recipe.
Thank you so much, Tonya — we’re so happy to hear that!
Mine is a bit too spicy (kids are eating it too) – how can I cut the spice before I make the casserole? Or, could I add more cheese or something to balance it out? Thank you!
Hi Lisa! To make this a little less spicy, you can just cut back some on the chili powder (we’ve found that certain brands can vary pretty drastically in their level of spiciness). We would recommend adding the chili powder to taste (that way you can always add more if you like). We hope this helps!
I found this recipe 4 years ago… still one of my go tos. Thanks!
We’re so happy you love it, Kim! :)
I have used this as a gravy for tamales for years. It is wonderful. Have given the recipe to several friends and relatives. We have used it also, as you suggest for enchilada sauce. It’s the BEST. Originally it came from a Mexican cook book.
Awesome, Betty, we’re glad to hear that!
I lived in NM for 14 years and boy do I miss Hatch Green Chile and green enchilada sauce. Did Liisa teach you a green enchilada sauce recipe that you can share?
Hi there! We don’t currently have a recipe for green enchilada sauce, but stay tuned! :)
This makes a VERY thin sauce, no matter how long simmered to reduce., It was barely passable with added tomato paste. I would give it a 1 on a scale of 10.
We’re sorry to hear you didn’t care for it!
I add just a bit more flour. Its like making gravy. You get your oil and flour to the consistency you want your red sauce to be and then add the rest of the ingredients. Comes out perfect every time.
Looks great what is the Sodium? All the ones in store much too high. Also could ground turkey be subbed for chicken?
Hi Mary! We’re sorry but we are unsure of the nutrition facts/amount of calories in this recipe. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps! As for ground turkey instead of chicken — are you referring to the enchilada recipe? If so, you can definitely do that swap. We hope you enjoy! :)
Can this sauce be frozen?
Yes, most definitely. We hope you enjoy!
Great sauce. I had a little left over, so I mixed it with mayo (roughly 2tbs each enchilada sauce and mayo) and made a tasty dip for sweet potato fries.
Oooh, we think that’s an awesome idea, Lea! :)