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Enchilada Sauce

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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.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe

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

Chili powder (to make red enchilada sauce)

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.

Whisking Red Enchilada Sauce

How To Make Enchilada Sauce:

Here are the basic steps for how to make enchilada sauce (full instructions included in the recipe box below):

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Season: Season with salt (or any extra seasonings that you might like to add) to taste.
  4. Serve: Then serve it up in a pan of enchiladas or whatever recipe sounds good…and enjoy!

Jar of red enchilada sauce

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.

Chicken enchiladas made with homemade enchilada sauce recipe

Ways To Use Enchilada Sauce:

Here are a few of my favorite ways to use this easy enchilada sauce:

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Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Red Enchilada Sauce

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 538 reviews
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x

Description

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.


Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.)
  4. Serve: Use immediately in your favorite recipe and enjoy!


Notes

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.

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2,134 comments on “Enchilada Sauce”

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  1. I just stumbled upon this recipe and made it because I always am so-so on the canned sauce.  I will never go back! This sauce is incredibly easy to make and is oh-so good!!!I made a double batch and am going to try out freezing half of it in hopes that it saves for a while longer.  

  2. What brand of chili powder do you use? And where do you get it? I’m hoping to make it this weekend!

    • I highly recommend Spice Island! It’s available at most grocery stores. That or McCormick. (Just don’t buy the $1 cheap stuff.) :)

  3. HELP!!!!!
    So I found your site awhile back, and since I’m trying to cook more from scratch this recipe sounded good! But I made it, and like you said I made it with 2 tablespoons (me and the kid are not big fans of spicy, the man is) but it is still to spicey, even the man said he thought it was to spicy!

    Is this maybe because I used chili peper???
    Is there away to make it less spicey now??

    Plus the link to the creamy soup doesn’t work… it looks delicious!!
    greetz from the Netherlands!

    • Hi there! I’m sorry this still came out too spicy for you and your kiddo! Did you use red chili pepper flakes/crushed red pepper? For this recipe, you’ll want to use chili powder, but I would start out with 1 tablespoon next time, taste it, and adjust accordingly, since you can always add more. Please let me know how that works, if you make it again! Also, thanks for the head’s up about the soup link — I fixed it now, so it should work! : )

  4. my sauce turned out super watery! What did I do wrong? :-(

    • Oh no! The sauce definitely won’t be super thick, but it shouldn’t be too runny. I would crank up the heat and bring it to a low bubbling simmer, and let it reduce until it has thickened to your desired level of thickness.

  5. Bummed!! I made this sauce without success. It’s likely my chili powder, but I use bulk chili powder with nothing added, and always like it. My sauce is SUPER bitter-inedible. Also, I had to add flour to thicken it after 30 minutes of simmering. I’m going to let it cook a bit longer, but I don’t have a lot of hope. I’ll try again with a different chili powder, becuase I want to like this!! 

    • Hi Cathi, I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you! Really not sure why it came out so thin and bitter. :( What is the brand of chili powder you used? Was it dark chili powder?

  6. I detest canned enchilada sauce.  This looks like a keeper! I had leftover tomato sauce in the freezer that I cut in with the chicken stock for extra flavor.  I’m making enchiladas tonight with leftover smoked chicken and I’m thinking this’ll be a perfect topper. I have some poblanos in the freezer I’m going to try out next time, cause we don’t mind some heat..  Thanks!

  7. Holy cow, I want to put this sauce on EVERYTHING!! The first time I made it I followed the recipe exactly – I don’t know what I’m doing, I’ve never made enchilada sauce before! A-ma-zing!! The second time I made it, I didn’t even have to use exact measurements…..this recipe and I are totally in sync! I was a little worried at first that it’s too watery, but after tasting it I don’t even care what consistency it is…..I have enchiladas to soak it up! Flour and I typically don’t get along, but I may venture out to make it thicker. I did also on it the salt. The hubs has high blood pressure so I try to make everything as low sodium as possible. Thanks for my new saucy obsession!

  8. Simmered for soooo long (a little over an hour and a half, constantly checking to see if it thickened at ALL) and was still super thin. Flavor had potential, but was bland for my taste. I was making enchiladas to cater an event, and I thought I’d try making my own sauce for once. Never again. 

    • Oh no! That’s so strange that it never thickened. If it was simmering, it should definitely reduce significantly over that amount of time. The sauce isn’t meant to be super thick, but it should definitely coat the back of a spoon.

      And did you use good-quality chicken stock and chili powder? Most people complain about this sauce being TOO spicy. Maybe if you simmered it over a lower boil it would thicken up more and be more potent in flavor. Sorry about that!

  9. I absolutely love this enchilada sauce!  I live in Mexico and had given up on enchiladas.  Of course all the  enchiladas here are made with the traditional sauce, which I just don’t like.   I’m so happy to have such a simple and yummy sauce I can whip up myself instead.  Muchas gracias!

  10. My sauce also came out bitter. Followed the recipe with only 2 tbl spoons of chilli powder that I got from Sprouts in the bulk section. Any advice on how I can reduce the bitterness now that it’s made?

    • Sorry to hear that! It shouldn’t quite be bitter with chili powder (unless it was accidentally crushed red chili powder, which is essentially cayenne?). Either way, you could add a few pinches of salt and/or sugar. Or you could also dilute the sauce with some extra stock, and then let it reduce for awhile longer while simmering on the stove.

  11. Tonight I make the red enchilada sauce. I am not a can food buyer so I wanted to give this a try. Was quick and simple to make. Had all the ingredients in the cupboard. Unfortunately I did not like it. I found the amount of chili powder was overwhelming for my tastes.  I may consider making again but reducing the amount. 

    • Hi Deanna! I’m sorry this was too spicy for you. Definitely try it again, just starting with maybe 1/2-1 tablespoon. You can always add more from there if you like. : )

  12. I just stumbled across your homemade red enchilada sauce. Is it freezeable? I would like to make this for the enchilada soup and enchiladas but would like to make extra to freeze.  The favor of a reply is appreciated. 

  13. Hi!!! 

    I’m making your enchiladas tonight and will be using the special sauce. I just realized I bought chicken broth, not stock.  Do you think it will taste as yummy or should I pack the kids back up and head back to the grocery store?! 

    • Hey, Kathy! Awesome! And no worries at all, chicken broth should be just fine, and have plenty of flavor. Save yourself another trip! Enjoy. : )

  14. I just tried this recipe for the first time.  It is incredible!  Thanks for sharing!  Geri 

  15. My mil always makes her own enchilada sauce so I decided to give it a try.  Loosely followed the recipe, and YUM!  So easy, and delicious!

  16. Well tried that secret sauce. Very thin, but what I did not like was the oregano in it. Supposed to be Mexican flavor not Italian, added a small can of tomato sauce, so used it, but I am back to canned sauce.

  17. Ali, i read this recipe about two hours ago and knew i had all the ingredients on hand.  Whipped it up,  and literally threw together some diced grilled chicken from last night’s dinner with some pan grilled red onion,  red bell pepper and black beans, a little grated cheddar. Absolutely amazing.  The only photo i could get you at this point would be the empty cast iron skillet. My oldest son (11) said “dad,  add this to the rotation, k?”

    • Hey Jason! That’s so great to hear, thank you for sharing! I’m happy to know it was a hit with you and your son (also, love how you used it, sounds yummy)! : )

  18. This sauce was amazing! way better than any canned sauce I am going to use this recipe from now on :) thank u for the recipe

  19. I thought the base sauce was great, obviously if you want it thicker,  use more roux ( double your flour and oil and let it cook longer before add other ingredients) , but I can never leave well enough alone so I also added two heaping tbsps of tomato paste and a fistful of cilantro. I must say it went from great to EPIC! So much more dimension! You won’t be sorry you did. Right now my batch is simmering with boneless chicken thighs in the process of becoming burritos and tacos and enchiladas (oh my)! 

    • Thanks for sharing, Kendra! I love cilantro, so I’m gonna have to add some next time. Sounds awesome! : )

  20. Hi, I’m pumped to try this as jarred enchilada sauce is just not my fave. I’ve noticed that most other recipes call for crushed tomatoes or something like that, but yours is just stock and spices. What are your thoughts on including crushed tomatoes vs not including them. Maybe I don’t know what real enchilada sauce should taste like, but shouldn’t it have some tomato elements? Or am I just totally off base here? Thanks for your help! Heart your blog!!

    • Great question! Everyone seems to have different opinions about whether or not to add tomato. I was raised with our “traditional” enchilada sauce not having tomatoes, and that’s how my friend from New Mexico also taught me to make this sauce. But if you’d like to add tomatoes, you’re welcome to for sure! :)

  21. I made this sauce once before and it came out runny. I tried it tonight and Wow!!!! It is so good! Husband is very picky with sauces and he couldn’t stop tasting this. I will not go back to canned sauce. I only used 4 teaspoons of chili powder instead of the tablespoons, and it gave it a really good flavor. Thank you! 

    • Hey Janelle! We’re so happy it turned out well this time around, and that you and your husband loved it! Thanks for giving it another go around. : )

  22. This has become my “go to” recipe! I love that there aren’t any canned sauces that go into it. I typically sautee’ some chopped onion and jalepeno for a little texture. Way better than znything you can buy and very easy to make. Two thumbs up!

    • That’s great to hear, Robyn! We think the little extra effort of making your own sauce makes a big difference. Glad you like it!

  23. I am wondering if anyone has tried to bottle this for food storage? I would love to have it on hand for quicker meal prep.

  24. WOW! Can I just say a million stars!! This is amazing. Definitely my go to enchilada sauce forever and always now! I was looking for a recipe that was like my moms and this exceeded it by far! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with the world. I can now make restaurant style enchiladas in my own home. I used this sauce on some beef and cheese enchiladas and the kids were craving more and liked these enchiladas more than dads green chile chicken enchiladas which was surprising considering it was the first time I’ve ever made enchiladas period. Thanks again so much for such an easy, user friendly recipe. Really! You cannot mess with recipe up. I learned that when it comes to the simmering part, try your hardest NOT to stir it. I know it’s hard…just set a timer and walk away. If you find that the sauce is still to thin just keep simmering it to your liking. Also, once it sets up it thickens a lot as well. 

    • Thank you so much, Christina! We’re so happy to hear that you loved this so much! This totally makes our day. : D

  25. I used half the Chili Powder for a double batch.  My kids didn’t like it so I added a can of Tomato paste and four tbs of Brown Sugar.  Fixed it right up and the kids love it.  The original recipe really seems to need some tomato, paste was all I had.  The brown sugar is a necessity. 

  26. I added more garlic powder, onion powder and some sugar and it was exactly what I wanted. Oh man can’t wait to finish the dish!!! Thanks for posting!!!!

  27. Delicious sauce! I use 3Tb chili powder. 
    Keeper recipe.

  28. I made this sauce the other night and I could sit and eat it with a spoon it was so good! Amazing

  29. I know you are, and you should be VERY proud of this awesome recipe! I’ve used it so many times, and my friends, family and I absolutely love it! Delicious and well balanced! Great job! 

    • Thank you, Katy, that’s very kind! We’re glad you and your people enjoy it! : D

  30. do you use homemade unsalted chicken stock or the salted variety?

  31. This sauce is also very tasty for topping tostadas.

  32. Hi, we don’t have chili powder in Australia, do you have a recipe for the spice blend? 

    • Hi, Toby! Aw man, really? That’s strange! Let’s see, a blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin and oregano should help do the trick. We hope that helps — enjoy! : )

  33. Hi there, I am looking forward to making this sauce tonight! I just want to make sure… Is there no tomato paste or sauce that is used? What makes it red? Thank you!

    • Hi, Taylor! That’s right, there’s no tomato paste or tomato sauce. The red color comes from the chili powder. We hope you enjoy the recipe!

  34. I love this recipe! I use 2tbls commercial chili powder and 2tbls chipotle chili powder I make myself, it adds a bit more heat and a bit smoky  flavor my family loves.

  35. Chicken Enchilada Casserole (“Stacked” Chicken Enchiladas)

    This link just sends me back to the Best Ever Enchiladas.  I would like to make this Casserole recipe.  Please help.

    Janette

    • Hey, Janette! We thought we had fixed that link, so we’re not sure what happened — our apologies! It’s fixed now though! Here it is again:

  36. I loved this recipe but found it way too spicy even using just 1 tablespoon of chilli powder. I ended up having to take some out and then add more stock and passata sauce so that we could still cook the enchiladas.  Next time i make it i’ll have to use 1 teaspoon, i think!  thanks for the recipe!

    • Oh no, we’re sorry you found it too spicy! Our heat tolerance may be a little high. We hope you like it better with one teaspoon next time. Thanks for giving the recipe a try!

  37. Will it work the same if I use olive oil? 

  38. Am I missing something? The recipe page I havedoes not have tomato sauce or paste in it. Is that correct? 

  39. I made this sauce and soup and it was wonderful but not enough will have to double it.

  40. You are super-cute!  

  41. I just made my first batch of enchiladas ever (college girl now having to cook for herself), and WOW! This is amazing! Such a unique taste, I love how dark and spicy it is! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!

    • That’s awesome Nina, good for you! And we’re so glad to hear you liked it! :D

  42. I can not even explain how wonderful this turned out. So super simple. I used left over pork roast and made enchilads. I have to say, I used the $.88 chili powder. It was all I had in the cabinet. Thanks so much. 

  43. definitely needed some tomato sauce, once i added it, it was great!

  44. I made two batches, using store bought spices and bulk spices. The only difference is with the bulk spice, the flavor is richer and the color is deeper. Not bright red like the store bought spice. Both are delicious and came out to perfect consistency.

    I on next to making the Chicken enchilada’s.:)

    Thank you so much

  45. This is THE BEST! I usually make it less spicy and send it to anyone and everyone I know as a house warming, baby having, get better dish with the enchiladas. Since I have made this it is a constant demand in my home! Any time I want to impress with less effort this is my go to! Thank you for sharing, I am making another double batch now.

    • Thanks Elisabeth! We’re thrilled that you like this, and that you’re sharing it with others — thank you! :)

  46. can olive oil or coconut oil be used instead of veggie/canola oil?

    • Hi! Yes, technically you could use olive oil. It’s not as neutral in flavor, and coconut oil is even less neutral than olive oil, so using either one of these (but especially coconut oil) will alter the flavor of the sauce. We hope this is helpful!

  47. hi,
    Can I use this sauce to make some shredded crockpot chicken?
    If so, how much sauce for 4 chicken breasts?
    Txs

  48. Hi! Delicious taste!!! I used the full 4 TBSP of chili powder. I didn’t have cumin, but I added in 1/2 tsp of onion powder and a few shakes of cayenne :) I also had a problem with getting the sauce to thicken. I guess I did not heat the oil and flour long enough? Anyways, I added about 1/3 cup of cream for fun and 1 can of tomato sauce to thicken it up! Both my hubby and I love it :) Thank you! 

    • Hi Erikka! Thanks for your feedback, we’re glad you enjoyed the sauce! Sometimes it does take a little longer to thicken, but it also does thicken more after you take it off the heat. :)

  49. Here’s the best compliment on this: While my 10 year old was eating his breakfast he made sure to confirm there were still leftover enchiladas for lunch :)

    I also had trouble with the sauce thickening. I ended up letting it simmer/boil for close to 30 minutes to get it where I wanted it. Also, important to note is that is seemed to thicken noticeably as it cooled.

    Thanks again!

    • Phil, that’s absolutely adorable! We are thrilled the enchiladas were a hit with your little one. We’re sorry you had trouble getting the sauce to thicken up. Sometimes it can just take a little longer. Anyway, thanks for sharing this! :)

  50. Delicious sauce! I added about a tablespoon of tomato paste and a pinch of sugar. Thanks for the inspiration, this is a great recipe!!