Easy Red Enchilada Sauce {15 Minute Recipe} Recipe
This easy homemade red enchilada sauce is a quick and flavorful recipe that takes just 15 minutes to prepare. Made with simple pantry staples including olive oil, flour, chili powder, and tomato paste, this sauce is perfect for enchiladas, tacos, and other Mexican dishes. It delivers rich, authentic flavor without the preservatives found in store-bought sauces.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 ¼ cups (approx. 4 servings) 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon flour (all-purpose, whole wheat, or gluten-free flour blends)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder (McCormick brand recommended)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Wet Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Mix dry spices and flour: In a bowl, combine the flour with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir until well blended.
- Heat olive oil and toast spice mixture: Preheat a large saucepan over medium heat and add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the flour and spice mixture. Cook while stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes to toast the spices and cook out the flour taste.
- Add tomato paste: Stir in the tomato paste until fully incorporated with the oil and spices.
- Add broth gradually: Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
- Simmer sauce: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Finish with vinegar: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar to brighten the flavor.
- Ready to use: Your homemade enchilada sauce is now ready to be served with enchiladas or stored for later use.
Notes
- One batch yields about 2 ¼ cups of enchilada sauce, equivalent to a 19-ounce can.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- This sauce freezes well; freeze in portions for up to 3 months and thaw before use.
- Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make it vegetarian.
- Adjust chili powder amount to control heat level.
- Give the sauce a good whisk while adding broth to avoid lumps.
Keywords: enchilada sauce, red sauce, Mexican sauce, homemade enchilada sauce, easy Mexican sauce, 15 minute recipe, chili powder sauce
