Enchilada sauce is one of my very favorite things, ever. I love when it soaks into tortillas while baking and makes everything all tangy, spicy, and good. Mmmmm. 🤤 But when the selection at my local grocery store was less than impressive, I decided it was high time to try making some myself. This Easy Red Enchilada Sauce is a total game-changer, and now I can never go back to store-bought. It has ten times more flavor than anything I’ve ever had from a can and literally takes minutes to make. It’s a total winner.
“INCREDIBLE! Super easy, made with common pantry staples, and way tastier than store bought.”
Sarah
This EASY enchilada sauce is not an authentic recipe made with dried chile peppers that you’ll find in Texas or Mexico, but it’s a quick and easy version that anyone can whip up in their kitchen using basic pantry staples. But I promise, once you taste it, you won’t regret the shortcuts. It’s still bursting with flavor, and you’ll want to pour it over everything. However, if you want a made-from-scratch sauce with dried chiles in the mix, check out this Authentic Enchilada Sauce recipe from Isabel Eats.
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Toast the flour: Start by adding 2 Tbsp flour, 2 Tbsp chili powder, and 2 Tbsp oil to a pot. I use McCormick’s chili powder, which is not spicy, just flavorful, so don’t be frightened by the large quantity in the recipe. All of the heat comes from the cayenne pepper.
Whisk these ingredients together and allow them to come up to a bubble over medium heat, whisking the whole time. Whisk and cook for one minute. This will toast the flour and chili powder, adding to the flavor depth and making sure that the flour doesn’t taste like paste.
Add the wet ingredients: After one minute, add 3oz. tomato paste, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and whisk in 2 cups water (or broth).
Simmer: Let the sauce come up to a simmer and it will begin to thicken. Taste the sauce and add salt to your liking. Start with about 1/2 teaspoon and add more if needed. The salt will really help bring out the flavors. If you’re using broth in place of water, you might not need to add any at all.
And now you’re good to go! Drizzle this thick and flavorful enchilada sauce over all of your favorite foods and enjoy!
Of course, the main thing you can make with this sauce is enchiladas! (Chicken enchiladas are a favorite). But I’m here to tell you that’s not the only thing you can make. Here are some other great ways I like to use my red enchilada sauce:
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or portion out and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the sauce thaw overnight in the fridge (or, if you forget to set it out, run the freezer bag/container under hot water until it thaws!) Use it as directed in your chosen recipe.
Our Enchilada Sauce recipe was originally published 8/4/12. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 4/25/25.
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