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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.
Bravo! This was absolutely delicious. Followed your recipe to a T and this was a fantastic. All the flavors that I have been looking for in enchiladas.
Spot on for an easy go to home brew. The only variation I made was adding 1 1/2 tblsp chipotle sauce (personal preference with that flavor). Thank You!!! 😁👍
fantastic and so easy!
This was the easiest recipe EVER!! It was a hit at my house! My family enjoyed it thoroughly. Thanks for this recipe, you made enchiladas an easy dish.
Very, very, very good! I usually use canned enchilada sauce, but forgot to buy it. Instead of changing dinner plans, I searched recipes for enchilada sauce and decided to try this one. We like a thinner sauce, so I increased the broth to 2 1/2 cups and added 1/2 Tbs of vinegar after tasting it for a little acidity. Otherwise, made according to the recipe. Delicious! Next time I might reduce the chili powder by 1 Tbs as it was a little hot for my daughter’s taste but extra sour cream on the enchiladas helped with that 😄. Thanks for such a great recipe!
excellent!
Fabulous! Making it again tonight, my husband loved it also, so it’s a winner. The sauce is perfect!!
Amazing!!
Yummy! I used the Easy Enchilada Sauce previously made and ready to go in the freezer. Also, just about any cheese seems to work with this. This time I used Provolone that needed to be used up, with some sharp cheddar. I also added chopped cilantro to each tortilla.
I made a sauce from another website and it was too spicy though it was very flavorful. I am glad I found this sauce because it’s easy to make and it’s not spicy. I made this 2 times already.
Great recipe. I added 1T unsweetened dark cocoa to enchilada sauce. I also saute the tomato paste after I add the dry spices. Usually I double the enchilada sauce recipe because 2 1/4 cups is not enough. Any leftover sauce I use to smother burritos at a later date.