Enchilada sauce is one of my very favorite things, ever. I love when it soaks into tortillas while baking and makes everything all tangy, spicy, and good. Mmmmm. 🤤 But when the selection of enchilada sauce at my local grocery store was less than impressive, I decided it was high time to make some red enchilada sauce myself. This Easy Red Enchilada Sauce is a total game-changer and now I can never go back to store-bought. It has ten times more flavor than anything I’ve ever had from a can and literally takes minutes to make. It’s a total winner.
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Quick Method, Big Flavor
This EASY enchilada sauce is not an authentic enchilada sauce made with dried chile peppers that you’ll find in Texas or Mexico, but it’s a quick and easy version that anyone can whip up in their kitchen using basic pantry staples. But I promise, once you taste it, you won’t regret the shortcuts. It’s still bursting with flavor and you’ll want to pour it over everything. If you want a made-from-scratch with dried chiles enchilada sauce, check out this Authentic Enchilada Sauce recipe from Isabel Eats.
How Spicy is Red Enchilada Sauce?
The “chili powder” listed in the recipe below is a store-bought mix of spices used to season chili. It is not straight chile powder, or pure ground chile peppers, which can be extremely spicy. The brand of chili powder I use is completely mild, but other brands can sometimes carry some heat. If you are using a spicy chili powder, simply reduce or eliminate the cayenne powder from this recipe to compensate. The heat level of the recipe below, using McCormick’s chili powder, is medium spicy, like a medium salsa.
How to Use Enchilada Sauce
Enchilada sauce is not just for Enchiladas! Here are some other great ways to use red enchilada sauce:
- as a simmer sauce for meat (in a slow cooker or skillet)
- as a rich sauce to smother burritos
- combined with eggs and fried tortillas for Migas
- combined with sour cream to make a creamy and spicy dip
- as a replacement for taco sauce
- a soup base (Chicken Enchilada Soup or 30 Minute Posole)
- to sauce up casseroles like Mexican lasagna, enchilada casserole, or Taco Stuffed Shells
But if you do want to use it for enchiladas, make sure to check out these great enchilada recipes: Cheese Enchiladas, Chorizo and Sweet Potato Enchiadas, Black Bean and Avocado Enchiladas, and Weeknight Enchiladas.
Easy Red Enchilada Sauce
Servings 8 ¼ cup eachIngredients
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.10)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp chili powder ($0.30)
- 2 cups water ($0.00)
- 3 oz. tomato paste ($0.27)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin ($0.03)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
- 3/4 tsp salt or to taste ($0.03)
Instructions
- Add the cooking oil, flour, and chili powder to a sauce pot. Turn the heat on to medium and whisk the ingredients together. Continue to whisk as the mixture begins to bubble. Whisk and cook the mixture for one minute once it begins bubbling.
- After one minute, whisk in the water, tomato paste, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Allow the sauce to come up to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer it will begin to thicken slightly.
- Starting with a 1/2 teaspoon, add salt to taste. I used about 3/4 teaspoon total. The sauce is now ready to use!
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Enchilada Sauce – Step By Step Photos
Start by adding 2 Tbsp flour, 2 Tbsp chili powder, and 2 Tbsp oil to a pot. I use McCormick’s chili powder, which is not spicy, just flavorful, so don’t be frightened by the large quantity in the recipe. All of the heat comes from the cayenne pepper.
Whisk these ingredients together and allow them to come up to a bubble over medium heat, whisking the whole time. Whisk and cook for one minute. This will toast the flour and chili powder, adding to the flavor depth and making sure that the flour doesn’t taste like paste.
After one minute, add 3oz. tomato paste, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and whisk in 2 cups water (or broth).
Let the sauce come up to a simmer and it will begin to thicken. Taste the sauce and add salt to your liking. Start with about 1/2 teaspoon and add more if needed. The salt will really help bring out the flavors. If you’re using broth in place of water, you might not need to add any at all.
And now you’re good to go! Drizzle this thick and flavorful enchilada sauce over all of your favorite foods and enjoy!
I also make my own sauce……is even better with glug of beer. I also like to mix a little velveeta with mild cheddar for the enchiladas. Yum
I have to tell you – I didn’t have much faith in myself after I poured the water in and saw how runny it was. I figured I mismeasured something. THEN! Then, I lt it simmer {just like you said} and now I can’t stop eating it with a spoon. Thank you x100!
this is awesome- made it tonight and I will no longer be buying this from a can- thank you!!
I freeze tomato paste in an ice cube tray with a cover that I got from Daiso for $1.50. Recipes usually only call for like 1 or 2 tbsp. Heck, what do you do with the rest of the can? They say “buy the ones that come in a tube, but where the heck do you find those? So this is what I do, and I end up always having some.
Nice! Aren’t homemade sauces and condiments the best? So easy and so much better than commercial!
I made a similar enchilada sauce recently for my eggplant enchiladas on my blog, except it didn’t have flour in it and used tomato sauce instead of paste. The homemade stuff is so much better, and with it being so easy, I don’t think I can even convince myself to buy a can of it again(especially since the cans are always so salty)!
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I made enchilada sauce once, but I don’t remember how I made it! I think I used tomato sauce instead of tomato paste. Glad to have this recipe.
I’ve not read all the comments, so maybe someone has mentioned this. When I freeze tomato paste, I freeze it in one tablespoon portions.
Anon – I *think* you can freeze it, although I haven’t tried it yet.
Molly – Without flour or cornstarch, the sauce will be quite watery. It might still taste okay, but it will be quite soupy rather than sauce-like.
Ashley – probably about 5 days in the fridge, but I suggest making it right when you plan to use it. I haven’t tried freezing it yet, but I suspect that it will freeze well.
How long would this keep? Looks delicious!!
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I make my enchilada sauce with a mix of dried chiles that are soaked to soften, but I don’t add tomato to it. Just salt, oregano, garlic, cumin, and some onion then blend it up.
That’s the way to make it! Tomato DOES NOT BELONG in enchilada sauce.
Can I leave out the flour? My husband needs to be gluten free. We are trying to follow a more primal/paleo diet and keep processed flours out, including cornstarch type thickeners too. I’m betting it will be fine.
I’ve made a chili sauce with dried chilis before but this sounds easier in a pinch!
can you make in bigger batches and freeze?
I tried making my own enchilada sauce one time and it came out HORRIBLE! This one looks more promising though :)