Once you’ve had homemade enchilada sauce, there’s no going back to store bought! This sauce comes together in just minutes and it’s so easy to customize for your family with the perfect amount of spice.
One of the best things about making your own enchilada sauce is that not only is it so much more delicious than the canned versions, it’s so easy to customize!
With young kids in our house, I know that a sauce deemed “too spicy” can ruin any dinner, no matter how delicious. That’s why I wanted to develop a rich, savory enchilada sauce that would thrill all of us!
When I first discovered my love for enchiladas, I was sad to think of all the opportunities for amazing dinners I’d already missed. I was so determined to make up for lost time that I immediately set about trying to recreate my favorite restaurant enchilada recipes!
I’ve long been a fan of all the Tex-Mex flavors. Don’t miss my yummy Mexican Chicken Spaghetti, our super easy Soft Chicken Tacos, and especially this incredible Homemade Margarita Mix!
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
No matter what type of enchiladas you’re making, you’ll love this sauce. I’m an equal opportunity enchilada lover, and I bet you will be, too, once you’ve made this sauce.
Why You’ll Love It
Enchilada Sauce Ingredients
- Flour – I use all purpose flour for this dish. If you’re making a gluten free enchilada sauce, be sure to choose a gluten free flour!
- Ground chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Ground cumin
- Oregano
- Salt
- Cinnamon – optional
- Oil olive – canola oil is also a great option.
- Tomato sauce – optional. I use the low sodium tomato sauce so that I can control the salt in this enchilada sauce.
- Vegetable broth – You can also use chicken or beef broth, depending on how you’re going to use this enchilada sauce.
Variations
- Cinnamon is optional, but it adds an incredibly fragrant depth to this sauce.
- Tomato sauce is also optional.
- Switch the vegetable broth for beef or chicken for a more robust flavor profile.
How to Make Enchilada Sauce
- Combine flour and seasonings in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a saucepan or pot over medium heat, warm oil. When a sprinkle of flour mixture sizzles on contact, add flour and spice mixture. Whisk 1 minute until deep in color.
- Whisk in tomato sauce. Pour broth over, continuously whisking.
- Reduce heat to low to simmer. Whisk 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
- Remove from heat. Sauce will continue to thicken.
Tips
- To thin the sauce, simply add a little more broth or even water if necessary.
- For an extra layer of spice, add extra chili powder and even a dash of hot sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely not! Salsa is thicker and chunkier, generally includes tomatoes, and is generally meant as more of a dip or topping. Enchilada sauce is rich, smoother, and doesn’t necessarily even have to include tomato sauce.
It’s rich, savory and full of depth – especially for a sauce that comes together so quickly! Lots of dried spices create a deep color and a Mexican flavor profile that is zesty but not too spicy.
How to Store
- At Room Temperature – Only store bought (or safely canned) enchilada sauce can be kept at room temperature because it’s properly preserved. Your homemade sauce is prone to bacteria and should always be refrigerated or frozen.
- Refrigerate – When properly stored, homemade enchilada sauce will last 5-7 days in the fridge. It can thicken when it’s refrigerated so just thin it out with a little extra vegetable broth or water as needed.
- Freeze – Freeze enchilada sauce for up to three months in a glass container or a plastic bag. This rich sauce will discolor your plastic containers, so keep that in mind! To defrost, simply leave in the refrigerator for 24 hours before using.
Leftover Idea
- This homemade enchilada sauce recipe freezes beautifully! Freeze any leftovers in a glass jar, ziploc bag, or as a fully prepped enchilada dish.
- For a second use of your enchilada sauce, throw it in with pork, chicken or beef for slow cooking to create a Tex-Mex pulled pork, chicken or beef dish. Perfect for tacos, salads and more!
Serving Suggestions
- Make our family favorite cheese enchiladas!
- Try it in these chicken enchiladas.
- Beef enchiladas are another incredible way to enjoy this enchilada sauce!
Dietary Considerations
- Gluten Free (when you use gluten free flour)
- Dairy Free
- Nut Free
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
More Sauce Recipes
Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons ground chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce optional
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
- Combine flour and seasonings in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a saucepan or pot over medium heat, warm oil. When a sprinkle of flour mixture sizzles on contact, add flour and spice mixture. Whisk 1 minute until deep in color.
- Whisk in tomato sauce. Pour broth over, continuously whisking.
- Reduce heat to low to simmer. Whisk 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
- Remove from heat. Sauce will continue to thicken.
Julie’s Tips
Tips
- To thin the sauce, simply add a little more broth or even water if necessary.
- For an extra layer of spice, add extra chili powder and even a dash of hot sauce.
Substitutions
- Vegetable Broth – substitute water or stock
- Gluten Free – Use gluten free flour.
To store
- Refrigerate – When properly stored, homemade enchilada sauce will last 5-7 days in the fridge. It can thicken when it’s refrigerated so just thin it out with a little extra vegetable broth or water as needed.
- Freeze – Freeze enchilada sauce for up to three months in a glass container or a plastic bag. This rich sauce will discolor your plastic containers, so keep that in mind! To defrost, simply leave in the refrigerator for 24 hours before using.
Video
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
I made this enchilada sauce recipe today and it was easy to make and turned out to be perfectly delicious. The only alteration I made was to halve the amount of chili powder, but I added the tomato sauce and the cinnamon. I have shared it with my daughter who also loves cheese enchiladas. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks so much for your review! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Have a great week,
Julie
Woke up on Sunday morning just craving some cheese enchiladas. So I got busy pulling all the ingredients, Ah no enchiladas sauce. Well this is one of those nothing else is going to do cravings if you know what I mean. So I got busy finding a recipe. Well Google dropped me off at Julie’s place, Where I learned how to make a quick and very tasty sauce.The enchiladas turned out awesome. They were a hit. I was really surprised at the difference of freshly made Sauce over canned. Thank you Julie.
Hi Kalvin,
Thanks so much for your kind words and review! I’m so glad you enjoyed this sauce.
Have a beautiful week,
Julie