Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Enchilada Sauce makes a staple ingredient to keep on hand for quick meals. This easy red enchilada sauce comes together quickly and keeps in the refrigerator for up to two weeks!
My family absolutely adores enchiladas – whether it be my chicken enchiladas or my super simple enchilada casserole – it is something that I can always depend on them devouring. And don’t get me started on how quickly my beef enchilada dip disappears. Mercy! I think one of the secrets to why they love it so much is this incredibly easy homemade enchilada sauce that I make.
This enchilada sauce is so simple to make and uses ingredients that I always have on hand in my pantry. Since it comes together quickly, it is a recipe you can easily make as you need it, storing any remainder in the refrigerator for a later use. And since we use it so often around my house, I’ve learned to just make sure I keep a supply!
My recipe listed below makes 4 cups of enchilada sauce, but it can easily be divided if you need less or multiplied if you need more!
How to Make the BEST Enchilada Sauce
To make it, I simply add my vegetable oil and all-purpose flour to a medium sauce pan over medium heat. I use my whisk to make sure that it is well combined as it is cooking.
If you need a gluten-free option for making your enchilada sauce, you can substitute gluten-free flour in place of the flour listed or see my Blender Enchilada Sauce Recipe that is gluten-free and ready in minutes. It is a marvel!
Once the oil and flour are bubbly, I whisk in the chili powder and chicken stock, making sure that they are combined really well.
Then, I continue on adding in the crushed tomatoes, oregano, and other dried spices, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
Once you have added all of the ingredients, you can adjust to your preferences. For instance, you might want to increase the amount of chili powder if you are looking for a spicier enchilada sauce, etc.
Homemade Enchilada Sauce Options
- Gluten-free – Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Vegan – Use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock or broth called for in the recipe.
- Sugar-free – Use 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar in place of the brown sugar in the recipe.
Can I Use Fresh Garlic and Onions?
In the past I’ve had questions about using fresh garlic and minced onion in place of garlic powder and onion powder in the recipe. You absolutely can do that! It is fabulous, but does not have the same storage ability as using dried spices in this recipe.
I recommend only using fresh garlic and onion if you are making the sauce to use immediately and eaten within three days.
The recipe as listed will keep well in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
So, here’s my super easy homemade enchilada sauce recipe. I think you guys are going to absolutely love it!
Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth, homemade or store-bought
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, optional, but recommended
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add oil and flour to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk together to combine. Once the flour and oil mixture begin to bubble, whisk in the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust spices based on your preferences.
- Use immediately or pour enchilada sauce into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Notes
To make vegan, replace chicken stock with vegetable stock.
To make sugar-free, replace brown sugar with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives, originally posted in 2013.
Hi, I’m really keen to try this recipe but I’ve only got fresh oregano. Can I use this and if so how much.
Thanks😁
Hi Vonny,
I would recommend using 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons of fresh oregano.
Have you ever tried canning it? I love canning and have a garden in the summer so I make big batches of tomato type stuff.
Thanks so, I was looking for this.
My husband LOVES his mom’s enchiladas. They are very good even though she uses store-bought enchilada sauce. I didn’t have any on hand but figured I had all the ingredients and found your enchilada recipe. Within that I found this recipe and, WOW! This was so easy to make. I made a hybrid of her and your enchilada recipes and this sauce made all the difference! My husband LOVED them and told me to be sure that I save this recipe for the future!
Wow, what a compliment, Tab! I’m so happy that you and your husband enjoyed these! Thanks!
I tried this recipe a few months back & really liked it, however, I think Mexican food should be spicy, I add a few Jalapeño Peppers and Paprika to mine
I’m glad you enjoyed it Sean. You can definitely add more spice to yours to suit your taste. Thanks!
This sauce was delicious. I didn’t have onion powder on hand, so I substituted 1/2 cup of minced fresh onions. Excellent texture and flavor balance.
Mexican food is not my thing, however, my son loves it, my husband not so much. And then we were introduced to this most delicious sauce EVER!!! OMG is it good. Our family couldn’t get enough of it. I did use fresh garlic and onion just because I don’t have garlic powder and onion salt. Since there was a fair amount of sauce I thought that I’d get to freeze half of it, didn’t happen, we ate it all. It now a little over a week later and I think it’s enchilada time again. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
I’m so glad your family loves it, Tereasa! xo
Why did you change the recipe to use olive oil instead of vegetable oil? The recipe I printed either last year or the year before last calls for vegetable oil. Is there a difference?
Olive Oil is better for you and has more flavour Yvonne
A M A Z I N G !!! This sauce is delicious. I literally went through my recipe book and tossed out the enchilada sauce recipes that I thought were pretty good.
Love this sauce – so easy.
Sometimes I put a bit less oil and flour and mix in some cornflour to thicken, to keep the oil levels down.