Authentic Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe

This homemade red enchilada sauce recipe is the real deal – it’s made with authentic Mexican spices and flavors, and it’s perfect for making delicious homemade enchiladas. This enchilada sauce recipe is incredibly easy to make, so you can enjoy a delicious homemade sauce in no time. Never buy the canned stuff again.

Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe

The sauce in enchiladas makes the meal and this red enchilada sauce recipe is the perfect way to spice up your meal. It’s easy to make and tastes fantastic. You won’t believe how good it is! With only a few minutes of prep, and then some simmering on the stove homemade enchilada sauce is one of the easiest recipes ever.

Once you try this sauce, you’ll never want to eat enchiladas any other way. The flavor is simply unbeatable. Made with simple ingredients and pantry staples this enchiladas sauce recipe is perfect for making your favorite enchiladas recipes. No need to buy the canned stuff again! It is made with simple pantry ingredients, including Garlic, oregano, basil, Chile powder, black pepper, salt, cumin, and salsa for an easy to make recipe.

Once you make your own enchilada sauce at home I am sure you are going to skip the store bought stuff. You can easily make a large batch and then freeze it so you have it on hand anytime you want to make homemade enchiladas.

Why to Make Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Buying things in the store premade is always the easiest but I like to know what is in the food I am eating. I also find that by making things at home like this best enchilada sauce recipe I get a lot more flavor than anything I buy in the store. This homemade easy red enchilada sauce recipe is made with simple ingredients and only takes a few minutes to make.

Many times the things we buy in the store make life easier, but what many people don’t know is how easy it is to make those things at home. Anything you buy in the store you can make at home and many times it is not only healthier and tastes better but also much cheaper too. This recipe is a family favorite and we use this flavorful enchilada sauce all the time. It really does make a difference when making enchiladas what sauce you use and this is the best enchiladas sauce.

It is important to me that I create recipes with easy ingredients and this one has ingredients that are common pantry ingredients. No hunting for hard to find ingredients to make this authentic Mexican recipe!

What is Red Enchilada Sauce?

Red enchilada sauce is a type of Mexican sauce made from chili peppers, tomatoes, and various spices. It is typically used as a condiment for enchiladas, but can also be used as a dipping sauce or to add flavor to other dishes. You want to have a flavorful and delicious homemade enchilada sauce anytime you are making enchiladas at home and this is the perfect recipe!

It is easy to make, you add the ingredients into a sauce pan, stir and then let simmer on the stove.

Use it in your favorite enchilada recipes in place of canned sauce for the best enchiladas ever!

How to store in the fridge

You want to store the homemade enchilada sauce in an airtight container. it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Make sure the sauce has cooled completely before placing it in the containers in the refrigerator. You can also store the homemade enchilada sauce in the freezer.

How to freeze 

If you want to freeze the enchilada sauce, you want to store it in smaller sized portions. I like to place it in 1 cup portions before placing it in the freezer.

Place the sauce in the freezer bags and make sure the bags are labeled. Then lay the bags flat in the freezer to save space. When you are ready to use the enchilada sauce, move it to the refrigerator to let it thaw overnight. Also, you can reheat it in a saucepan, even when frozen.

Should I Strain My Enchilada Sauce?

For this enchilada sauce, you do not need to strain it. There are small chunks from the salsa and the canned tomatoes, but you want these in the sauce.

If you are using homemade tomatoes or adding in chili peppers, you might want to strain the sauce to remove the skins.

What to make with enchilada sauce

I love Mexican food and I love the flavor of this enchilada sauce. Just a few of my favorite recipes using enchilada sauce are

• Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
• Cheesy Baked Chicken Enchiladas
• Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole
• Beef enchiladas
• Cheese Enchiladas
• You can also use it with these Easy Weeknight Mexican Dinners.

This recipe goes great with almost anything Mexican. Some of my favorite recipes

• Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken and Rice
• Restaurant Style Mexican Rice Recipe
• Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Tips for making this recipe

• Smooth sauce. If you want a smoother sauce, you can use an immersion blender to blend the sauce before serving.
• Change up the tomatoes. I like to use fire roasted tomatoes for this recipe, but you can use regular diced tomatoes.
• Add more spice. If you want a spicier sauce, you can add more chili powder, add in a chili pepper or jalapeno pepper, add some green chiles or some cayenne pepper.
• Use homemade salsa. You can use store bought salsa or homemade salsa when you are making this recipe.

Authentic Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce Ingredients

• Vegetable Oil
• garlic cloves, crushed
• oregano
• basil
• chile powder
• black pepper
• salt
• cumin
• salsa
• crushed roasted tomatoes

How to Make Homemade Enchilada Sauce

In a medium saucepan, saute garlic in the vegetable oil for 1 minute over medium-high heat.

Add the rest of the enchilada sauce ingredients, stir well, and reduce heat to low.

Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 10-15 minutes.

Use for making enchiladas or store to use later.

Homemade Pantry Staples

• Homemade Pumpkin Spice Seasoning
• Homemade Taco Seasoning
• Fresh Pesto
• Homemade Pizza Sauce
• Homemade Spaghetti Sauce