This homemade enchilada sauce is a family recipe that we’ve made for generations!
You may think that buying a can of sauce is good enough, but trust us, once you have this homemade version, you will never look back! The flavors are NEXT LEVEL, and it only takes about 20 minutes. Plus, you can save a batch for later to save time.
We use this homemade enchilada sauce to make everything from Cheese Enchiladas to Empanadas to Burritos and, honestly, SO much more! Pretty much any Mexican dish can benefit from a drizzle of flavor.
Once you go homemade, you’ll never buy canned stuff again!
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- Common ingredients. This delicious sauce takes just a few simple pantry ingredients, most of which you probably have on hand!
- Freeze for later. You can easily make a big batch and freeze or store it for later use, saving time and effort in future dinner recipes.
- Adjust the spice level. The chili powder does have some spice, but you can change the amount of powder used based on what your family likes.
- The roux thickens the sauce. Cooking oil and flour together first gives the sauce body and helps it coat enchiladas well.
- Whisking prevents clumps. Adding the broth while whisking keeps the sauce smooth.
Red Enchilada Sauce Ingredients
- Vegetable oil (2 tablespoons): Creates the fat base for the roux and helps cook the flour.
- All-purpose flour (4 tablespoons): Thickens the sauce and helps create a smooth texture.
- Chili powder, we prefer Gebhardt’s (3 tablespoons): Gives the sauce its bold red color and classic enchilada flavor. For a milder sauce, decrease the chili powder. For a spicier sauce, increase the amount used or use a spicier brand of chili powder, such as ancho chili powder or chipotle chili powder.
- Garlic powder (½ teaspoon): Adds savory garlic flavor.
- Oregano (¼ teaspoon): Adds earthy herb flavor that pairs well with chili powder and cumin.
- Salt (½ teaspoon): Seasons the sauce and balances the spices.
- Cumin (½ teaspoon): Adds warm, smoky flavor and depth.
- Chicken broth (2 cups): Creates the liquid base of the sauce and adds savory flavor.
- optional tomato: Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste or tomato sauce. Note that this will thicken the sauce as well.
How to Make Enchilada Sauce
ROUX. Add oil to a pot or saucepan and heat on medium heat. Pour in flour and create a roux by whisking it together for 1-2 minutes. (See How to Make a Roux for extra info)
SEASONINGS. Add chili powder, garlic powder, salt, cumin, and oregano and mix until clumpy.
THICKEN. Pour in chicken broth, whisking the entire time, until there are no more lumps. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. The sauce is thick enough when it coats the back of a wooden spoon well.
PRO TIP: Make Seasoning in Bulk
Quadruple the batch of seasonings, or even the homemade red enchilada sauce recipe to use for later. Combine the following ingredients and keep them in a jar in the cabinet:
- ¾ cup Gebhardt chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Spoon out 3 heaping tablespoons of the mixture which is equivalent to about one batch of red enchilada sauce. Makes for easy cooking.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- We highly recommend Gebhardt’s Chili Powder. It’s flavorful and doesn’t give you the brown color of sauce as some generic chili powders do. Increase or decrease the chili powder based on the spiciness level you are looking for.
- Whisk the oil and flour together for 1 to 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Add the spices before the broth so they bloom in the roux and become more flavorful.
- Pour in the chicken broth slowly while whisking to prevent clumps.
- Simmer until the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon for the best texture.
- This sauce freezes so well!! When reheating, remove the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat in a pot on the stove (heat and whisk until smooth). Add more chicken broth if needed to thin it out.
- Make-ahead tip: make the sauce a few days ahead and refrigerate it, then reheat and whisk before using.
Enchilada Sauce Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons chili powder, (we prefer Gebhardt’s)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Add oil to a pot and heat on medium heat. Pour in flour and create a roux by whisking them together for 1-2 minutes.
- Add chili powder, garlic powder, salt, cumin, and oregano and mix until clumpy.
- Pour in chicken broth, whisking the entire time until there are no more clumps. Heat for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. The sauce is thick enough when it coats the back of a wooden spoon well.
Notes
- ¾ cup Gebhardt chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Spoon out 3 heaping tablespoons of the mixture which is equivalent to about one batch of red enchilada sauce. Makes for easy cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
To thicken without changing the taste, use a cornstarch slurry. In a separate bowl combine 1 teaspoon cold water and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Once smooth add it to the pot of sauce. Simmer and stir for a few minutes to thicken. Repeat if necessary.
Whisk in ½ cup of heavy cream. This is especially nice when you want to use the sauce as dressing for Nachos, Tacos, or a dip for Quesadillas.
Store this homemade red enchilada sauce in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2-3 months.
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This recipe was originally published January 2019.
I love this recipe. Not sure why my batch is more brown than red. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome!
Hi there!! Just double checking. Is this recipe 3,303 mg of sodium? Where is that coming from? Thank you!
The sodium comes from the chicken broth, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and flour.
Hands down the best enchilada sauce I’ve ever had! Only used 2 tbs of chili powder. I’ll never buy canned sauce again! The recipe was super easy! I can’t believe I’ve never tried to make it from scratch before now. Thank goodness I ran out of canned, otherwise I never would have found this recipe. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!
Can you can this sauce?
I wouldn’t, but you can freeze it! Divide the sauce into 3-4 airtight freezer-safe containers, label, and freeze for up to 2 months. Then when I’m ready to make enchiladas I typically take out the sauce the day before and let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. I then heat it up on the stove until it is smooth.
Best sauce ever. It’s very forgiving.. we don’t care for oregano so I omit it. We’re seniors who enjoy spice but not heat, I cut the garlic and cumin back to 3/4 of what recipe calls for we use 2 1/2 TBSP of Chile powder. I find that I use my spices regularly fresher powder spices depending on brand can be exceptionally strong. I can always add more once my taster husband tries it. Thank you for the authentic original enchilada sauce recipe. Kudos
Fast easy and delicious with Hatch fine ground red Chile. Better than canned, I prefer homemade.
I’ve made mine almost the same but forgot main ingredient my grandma used for flavor…cumin!! Thank you!!
You’re welcome!
The sauce and the leftover roast beef enchilada recipe are unbelievable great. I have given this recipe out to 2 of my friends so far. My husband and I LOVE it. Thank you.
Hi! I am new to your site…. Made the enchilada sauce earlier… it is perfect! I added some onion powder as well. Thanks for a keeper!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad that you loved the recipe! Thanks for giving it a try!
Made this last night for dinner and it will now be my go to recipe for red enchilada sauce. My 11 year old daughter loves it so much. Thank you for sharing! The key I learned was whisking it well to get that consistency I wanted. I did add a little more brother and a little tomato sauce and it was just perfect. I just shared this recipe with my sister who uses the canned sauce. Once you have all your kitchen staples stocked you can easily prepare delicious homemade sauces like this at any time.