Once you try this Homemade Enchilada Sauce recipe you’ll never buy the canned version again!
I use this enchilada sauce all the time… it’s ridiculously good, guys!
I’ll make a double, sometimes triple batch of this sauce and store it in jars in my fridge just so it’s ready to go whenever I need enchilada sauce. In the summer months when I have loads of tomatoes I even make enchilada sauce from the fresh tomatoes.
How To Make Homemade Enchilada Sauce:
- Start by blending up a can of fire-roasted tomatoes until smooth.
- Heat some oil up in a skillet and whisk in some flour and chili powder until smooth and then gradually whisk in the blended tomatoes and chicken broth.
- Add in a little cumin, onion powder and garlic salt and let simmer until thickened and heated through.
What Is Enchilada Sauce Made Of?
Enchilada sauce is a tomato and chili pepper based sauce that’s perfect in Mexican dishes. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this simple recipe.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes – I like to use this type of tomato because it adds another level of flavor. You can also use fresh tomatoes that have been roasted and then blended to a smooth consistency (you’ll need about 2 cups blended).
- Canola Oil – you can also use vegetable oil
- All Purpose Flour – this is used to create a roux, giving the enchilada sauce it’s thicker, creamier consistency.
- Chili Powder – using chili powder makes this enchilada sauce a super quick recipe, where traditional enchilada sauce is made by boiling down chili peppers and then creating a sauce from that.
- Chicken Broth – you can also use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
- Cumin
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Salt
Recipes To Use Enchilada Sauce:
There is no wrong way to use this finger-licking good sauce, but here are a few of my favorites!
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Ground Beef Enchiladas
- Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Flat Ground Beef Enchiladas
- 15 Minute Beef Enchilada Casserole
Can I Can This Enchilada Sauce for Later Use?
Yes! You can definitely can this sauce in a pressure canner. I would double or triple the recipe to make it worth the process of canning.
- Process your lids as directed by the manufacturer
- Wash and rinse your pint size jars and keep hot until ready to fill
- Ladle the hot enchilada sauce into the jars, leaving about 1/2″ of headspace. Wipe the rims with a damp cloth and seat the lids. Put on the rings and tighten finger tight.
- Process at 6 lbs. pressure for 20 minutes, following the directions that came with your pressure canner.
I’m confident you’re going to love the taste of this super quick and easy enchilada sauce. So much so, that you’ll never buy the canned version again!
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Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 14.5oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 1/4 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
Instructions
- Place the diced tomatoes in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth then set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Gradually add the flour and chili powder while whisking until the mixture is smooth and no lumps are present.
- Continue to whisk while you pour in the blended tomatoes and chicken broth. Add the remaining spices and once the mixture begins to bubble slightly turn the heat to low and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the flavors have blended.
- Use sauce in a recipe, or store in an air tight container in the fridge for later use. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
c
Realized too late that I didn’t have any canned enchilada sauce in the pantry, and fortunately found this recipe. Very good, only change was I reduced the chili powder to 1 tbsp and I think it was just right. My fav is green enchilada sauce but this beats any canned red sauce I’ve tried and will definitely be my go to backup!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the sauce Kristi! You should give my homemade green enchilada sauce a try next!
I made your enchilada recipe tonight with this sauce. However since I am drowning in garden tomatoes, I quartered them, drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and roasted. Followed the rest of recipe and they were AMAZING
The best enchilada sauce I have ever tasted. I will make a batch and freeze it
This is so good and so easy!!! How long would this last in the fridge? Can it be frozen?
The best sauce ever! Thanks for sharing>
Hello Shawn, have you used any other oil besides canola? Can you substitute EVOO or Avocado oil?
Can’t wait to make this recipe.
Thank you,
J
This is my go to enchilada sauce , so delicious and so easy to make as I use the fire roasted can tomatoes. My family loves it on my shredded beef or ground beef enchiladas . Thank you for this recipe, it’s a keeper .
This is great. I added two chipotle in adobo when I blended the tomatos. Great on your ground beef enchilada recipe.
Do you drain the can of fire roasted tomatoes?
Delicious and easy . Thanks!
Outstanding! Luv you delicious recipes so much!
Thank you! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
Do you drain the can of fire roasted tomatoes?
Saw this recipe after seeing your recipe for chile rellano casserole (which many people recommended enchilada sauce over the recommended tomato sauce). Recipe was SUPER EASY and SUPER DELICIOUS! Didn’t tell my husband I made the sauce myself so when he asked what the sauce was I was thrilled to tell him! He LOVED it, had 2 servings (chile rellano casserole with the homemade sauce – listed in the recipe), gave me a 10, and is still talking about it! Thank you for your deliciously easy recipes! I am a HUGE FAN!
That’s so great to hear Julie! Glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome!
I loved this recipe and will definitively make it again!
I made the sauce, the taco seasoning AND the beef enchiladas. The entire recipe was super easy and perfectly delicious. This will be a new goal to’ for enchiladas.
That’s awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed all the recipes Jean!
So delicious! This is the first time I’ve ever made enchiladas. I used both your Homemade Enchilada Sauce and Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas recipes and my whole family loved it. My hubby doesn’t like very many Mexican food recipes and he had two servings. Only using these recipes from now on. Thank you!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it!
This is the Best!!!
Yay! I agree with you! We love this enchilada sauce!
Can i use a different type of flour to make the recipe enchilada sauce gluten free?
Have you tried a gluten-free flour mix? I know there are some all purpose blends that come without gluten.
I can’t seem to find a way to pin your recipes to Pinterest. How else can you save them?
At the top of each blog post, just under the “Jump to Recipe” button, there are a few gray icons where you can share to various places. Hope that helps!
Can’t wait to try this sauce, it looks so great! Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks! Hope you enjoy it!
Even if this recipe calls canned items, you are making it in your home with an assortment of ingredients & I too would call it HOMEMADE.
You lost me at “a can of fire-roasted tomatoes”. Pretty much takes the homemade aspect out of it. Additionally, I take it the chicken broth is also a “store bought” version.
If you read the blog post I give instructions on how much roasted tomatoes you’ll need if using fresh tomatoes instead of canned. As for the chicken broth… feel free to use homemade if that’s what you prefer.
Is this mild or spicy or how? I can’t eat spicy
This is a very mild sauce. The only heat is drawn from the chili powder. So if you are sensitive to chili powder, then I would scale that back a little more.
How long does it last in the fridge?
I’m thinking this would last up to 7 days in the fridge.
My family loves this sauce! I have made it with regular and gluten free flour. They cannot taste the difference, so both work. Every time I mention it, everyone asks for some. I make a huge pot at a time, put it in jars, and put it in a canning bath at the end to seal. Then I can ship it to family all over the country.
That’s awesome that you ship it to your family!! Thanks for your comment!
Is there anything you can use instead of flour, for a gluten free option?
Can you please answer the question about the flour substitute? Would the same amount of corn starch work?
I’m not sure how substituting cornstarch would work in this recipe, since the flour is used to make more of a roux. I think if you want to substitute the flour, you’ll have to leave it out, continue with the rest of the recipe and when you get to adding the chicken broth, stir in 1 tbsp of cornstarch with the chicken broth, then add it to the sauce. This should help thicken the enchilada sauce. You’ll have to let me know if you try it and how it works. 🙂
I use Pillsbury gluten free all purpose flour mix. I have made it as shown and GF. I had my family taste test and they said they could not tell the difference. They lover both ways.
This sounds wonderful! How long does it last in the refrigerator?
I have never bought canned enchilada sauce. I cut out a recipe from a magazine a long time ago for chicken enchiladas and ithere was a recipe to make it. I will have to try yours.
Seems odd to call it homemade when your recipe calls for canned tomStoes
I’ve made this with fresh tomatoes from the garden too. You’ll have to boil the tomatoes, peel them, then remove the seeds. Then purée your tomatoes before adding to the sauce…OR you can use some canned tomato sauce. Both are great, one easier than the other.
She’s still making iy from other ingredients to get the end result. Why comment if you’re not being positive or, actually commenting on the recipe??
Could you freeze this instead of canning?
Yes, this works for freezing! And just to be clear, this isn’t a canning recipe. 😉
Wow, your comment is the silliest thing I’v read all day, that’s like saying its not home-made cause you used packaged flour (i sure hope you’re milling it yourself)! This was certainly a homemade recipe, also one of thr best ive made and those that have access to their own canned tomatoes will likely use them instead of complaining.
Sounds Delicious – Very nice,
Homemade enchilada sauce is the BOMB! This recipe look amazing Shawn!
Never made my own enchilada sauce before. As a serious Mexican food lover, this is definitely something I need to do!
I learned how to make Enchilada sauce from a local Mexican restaurant. 1 of the cooks took ne in the kitchen and showed me. I use California chilies. Powder is just as good as dried ones. If you use dried chilies, make sure to pull out all the seeds. I also use the broth from the ground beef to flavor it. You should use beef broth instead of chicken.
Make your rue, add everything in the blender. Wayla, you have a great sauce. I’ll make extra, add chili beans Pkg, and make semi homemade chili. It freezes well to.
Thanks for reading 😀
Looks fabulous Shawn! I love homemade Enchilada Sauce – it’s so much better than canned. I think it’s great you make a batch and keep it in the fridge. I need to do that. Pinned!
It freezes well
I would have never thought to make enchilada sauce home made. That is brilliant and I bet it tastes out of this world amazing!