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Enchilada Sauce Recipe

ByRestauFeed

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: This enchilada sauce recipe is so easy and delicious, you’ll never buy it at the grocery store again! Made with pantry staples, this simple sauce comes together with minimal time and effort.

How long it takes: 20 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: saucepan, whisk
Servings: 4

A jar of enchilada sauce on a table with a halved avocado, cilantro leaves. Enchiladas partially visible.

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While I’ve shared a few enchilada and enchilada-related recipes here on Rachel Cooks—my chicken enchiladas verde, creamy chicken enchilada soup, and slow cooker green enchilada soup—I’ve yet to share my go-to enchilada sauce recipe. It’s about time, right?! 

The good news is that all you need to make this homemade enchilada sauce is tomato paste, broth, flour, and a handful of seasonings that you very likely have on hand in your pantry already.

The Best Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Incredibly easy to make. You can buy enchilada sauce in a can, jar, or pouch, but there’s absolutely no reason to. Some homemade versions of store-bought foods aren’t really worth the time and effort involved, but this enchilada sauce recipe is the exception. It takes so little time, it’s budget-friendly, and it’s delicious!

A smarter option. By making your own enchilada sauce, you have total control over the ingredients. Homemade enchilada sauce tastes every bit as good as store-bought (actually, I think it’s better!) and there are no fillers, artificial colors (yes, canned enchilada sauce often has artificial color!), or preservatives.

Versatile. This enchilada sauce recipe not only works for traditional enchiladas but also for spooning over burrito bowls, beef nachos, and other Tex-Mex favorites. Keep it on hand in the freezer for easy weekday meals.

A spoon filled with enchilada sauce is held above a white bowl containing more of the same sauce.

Ingredient Notes

  • Tomato paste: The base of this sauce is tomato paste. If you use canned tomato paste, you’ll have some leftover. I like to freeze extra tomato paste in one or two tablespoon portions so the next time I need a little bit of tomato paste, I have it on hand in the freezer.
  • Low-sodium beef broth: I use beef broth because it adds richness to this enchilada sauce recipe, but chicken broth or vegetable broth (to make the sauce vegetarian and vegan) will also work.
  • Seasonings: Look in your pantry for chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and salt.
  • All-purpose flour: This helps thicken the enchilada sauce recipe. For a gluten-free sauce, substitute your favorite measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend.
  • Oil: You can use vegetable, canola, or avocado oil—any neutral oil you like to cook with.
A variety of spices and ingredients are arranged in small white bowls on a light surface.

How to Make Enchilada Sauce

Measure the flour and seasonings. Place them all in a small bowl. Since there’s a lot to measure, doing it this way is easier than standing at the stovetop and quickly trying to measure all the spices to add to the pan.

A glass bowl containing neatly arranged spices: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, and salt on a light surface.
A glass bowl filled with a dry, light brown mixture, a blend of flour and spices. The surface is slightly uneven.

Start the sauce. Warm the oil in a saucepan set over medium heat. Once it’s shimmering, whisk in the flour mixture. Cook it for about a minute to toast the spices and flour. This brings out the flavor of the spices and takes away the raw flavor of the flour.

A large, white, speckled cooking pot is shown from above with a pool of oil inside, set against a light textured background.
Thick, reddish-brown seasoning paste spread unevenly on a light-colored pan's surface.

Add the tomato paste and broth. Whisk in the tomato paste, then slowly add the broth, whisking constantly. 

Tomato paste lies atop brown roux being prepared in a pan.
Close-up of a smooth, reddish-orange liquid sauce with visible seasoning and a shiny surface.

Simmer. Bring the enchilada sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low to maintain that gentle simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens; this will take 5 to 7 minutes, depending on how thick you want the sauce.

Finish. Season to taste and cool the sauce slightly before using in your enchiladas.

Close-up of a spoon lifting a smooth, reddish-brown sauce from a bowl.
Close-up of an enchilada topped with melted cheese and a dollop of sour cream, garnished with herbs, showing ground beef filling.

How to Use Enchilada Sauce

Make enchiladas. You can use this sauce to make my recipe for beef enchiladas but you don’t even need a recipe. Put a bit of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Fill tortillas with your filling of choice—shredded cheese, refried beans, salsa chicken, roasted sweet potatoes— and top with the sauce and a sprinkle of cheese before baking. Bake at 375°F for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Burritos. You can use enchilada sauce to make wet burritos, too, or drizzle it over a southwest-style burrito bowl with rice, beans, cheese, and toppings.

Pizza. Try a south-of-the-border pizza, using enchilada sauce instead of marinara sauce. Top the pizza with shredded chicken, Mexican blend cheese, onions, corn, whatever you like.

Pasta. Yes, you can even use enchilada sauce on your favorite pasta!

Refrigerator: Store leftover enchilada sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. 

Freezer: Freeze this enchilada sauce recipe in a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container for up to three months. I like to double or triple the recipe when I’m making it, put the sauce in freezer bags, and freeze them flat so they can be stacked. You can thaw them in the refrigerator or submerge the bags in a bowl of warm water until the sauce thaws enough that you can scoop it into a pan or microwave to finish warming through. Souper cubes are another easy option.

  • In a small bowl, measure out flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, oregano, and salt.

    3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the flour and spice mixture and whisk continuously for 1 minute.

    3 tablespoons oil

  • Whisk in the tomato paste until combined, and then slowly add the broth, while whisking.

    2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 cups low-sodium beef broth

  • Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce the heat to low, and let cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.

  • Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

  • Remove the sauce from heat and let it cool slightly before using.

  • Spice level: As written, this is a fairly mild sauce. If desired, add ¼ teaspoon or more of cayenne powder.
  • Broth: If you prefer, chicken or vegetable broth can be substituted for beef broth.
  • Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for up to three months.

Serving: 0.25cup, Calories: 68kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Sodium: 304mg, Potassium: 196mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 423IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 9mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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