This homemade red enchilada sauce is the best! It’s a mix of dried chiles plus Mexican spices for an authentic taste that’s quick and easy to make, and perfect enchilada sauce for enchiladas, chilaquiles, soups, and more.
In This Post
I’m right there with you when it comes to that last minute rush to get dinner on the table. Those time when it seems it’s all you can muster is to toss some cheese in the middle of a few tortillas, pull a can of enchilada sauce from the pantry, break out the can opener, pour, and bake, and a pretty okay dinner is served.
But then there are the times when you want more flavor than an aluminum can can deliver. That’s when you plan ahead with a few long-lasting pantry staples and are STILL able to fix a fast dinner.
This authentic red enchilada sauce makes all the difference in homemade enchiladas. I’ve seen quite a few recipes that use flour and oil to create a roux for the base and then add tomato paste that then ends up tasting more like a spicy tomato sauce rather than a vivid enchilada sauce.
This recipe, however, calls for dried chiles that have been reconstituted and blended as the main part of the base for that real chile flavor.
Prepped ahead, this sauce is just as fast to use when you have it on hand. And it’s just as easy to prepare. And even better, it’s muy auténtico!
What’s in This Easy Enchilada Sauce?
This homemade enchilada sauce recipe calls for dehydrated New Mexico chiles and guajillo chiles that have been dried, along with a few tomatoes, onion, a bit of garlic, traditional Mexican spices of oregano and cumin. To deepen the flavor I add smoked paprika.
Dried chiles last forever in the pantry, making this sauce a super way to add flavor to many delicious recipes.
- dry guajillo chiles
- dry New Mexico chiles
- cinnamon stick
- vegetable oil
- yellow onion
- tomato
- garlic
- kosher salt
- dried oregano
- smoked paprika
- ground cumin
How to Make Enchilada Sauce Quick
Reconstitute the chiles. The chiles are softened in boiling water and simmered for about 30 minutes. Don’t forget to save the cooking liquid (discarding the cinnamon sticks if using) to add to the sauce after blending the whole chiles with the sautéed onion, garlic, tomatoes, and spices.
Blend the chiles, then strain the sauce. Discard any extra seeds or pieces of skin that didn’t blend smoothly. Taste and adjust the seasonings and amount of salt to your liking. At this stage you add more water to create the consistency you desire.
The final step, and most important is to fry the sauce. It’s a quick step but one you do NOT want to skip if you want to develop that rich, deep flavor that this homemade sauce delivers. Be careful as the oil will splatter, so work carefully.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Yes, you should definitely consider making a double batch of this red enchilada sauce to have on hand for easier enchiladas, burritos, chilaquiles, casseroles—you name it!
Can I Freeze Enchilada Sauce?
Very easily! To freeze this homemade enchilada sauce, first let it cool completely and then transfer it to glass jars or freezer bags. If using freezer bags, lay them flat in your freezer. Once hardened, you can store the enchilada sauce standing up and it takes up less room.
When you’re ready to eat the frozen authentic enchilada sauce, simply pop it into your fridge overnight to thaw. Or, reheat the sauce in a saucepan.
My Favorite Ways to Use Enchilada Sauce
Now that you’ve made a big batch of homemade enchilada sauce, the culinary world is at your fingertips. Here are a few of my all-time favorite ways to use this authentic enchilada sauce:
- Beef and Butternut Squash Enchiladas
- Easy Chilaquiles with Eggs
- Stacked Breakfast Enchiladas
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Killer Beef And Three Bean Chili
- Mexican Turkey Meatball Sandwiches with Avocado Smash
Tips for Making the Best Enchilada Sauce
Cook the vegetables until soft, not browned. When cooking the onions and other veggies, cook just until softened so your homemade enchilada sauce doesn’t have a raw onion or garlic flavor to it.
Smoked paprika adds depth. If you don’t have smoked paprika on hand, I highly recommend investing in a jar. It’s inexpensive and adds so much flavor to this enchilada sauce, plus it can be used in soups, stews, chilis, and more. It doesn’t taste like regular paprika, it’s much more potent.
Be REALLY careful when frying the sauce. Lastly, be really careful when pouring the pureed red enchilada sauce into the oiled skillet. It tends to splatter, and you don’t want to burn yourself or get enchilada sauce on your clothes (it’s impossible to get out).
More Mexican Sauces & Dips You’ll Love
- Pico de Gallo
- Creamy Avocado Salsa Verde
- Mango Salsa
- Hatch Chile Salsa Verde
- Roasted Garlic and Pickled Jalapeño Guacamole
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a 
rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
The BEST Quick and Easy Authentic Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 2 ounces dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
- 1 ounce dried New Mexico chiles stemmed and seeded
- 1 cinnamon stick optional
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- ¼ cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 medium tomato seeded and chopped
- 1 large garlic clove pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- In a heavy saucepan, bring water, chiles and the cinnamon stick (if using) to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until chiles are tender. Drain the chiles, discard the cinnamon stick (if using) and reserve the cooking liquid in a measuring cup and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato, garlic, salt, oregano, smoked paprika, and cumin and cook for about 5 minutes more.
- Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the chiles plus 2 cups of the cooking liquid and puree until smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine strainer and discard the pulp. Add more cooking liquid to thin the sauce to your liking.
- Heat the remaining oil in the same sauté pan over high heat. Slowly add the sauce being careful to avoid the splatters. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat to low and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to use or freeze flat in gallon freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
More Easy Mexican Recipes to Try
- The Best Steak Fajitas
- Easy Shredded Chicken and Zucchini Tacos
- Salsa Verde Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Just Like Taco Bell Tacos Recipe
- Beyond Easy Chicken Mole Enchiladas
Have a great day, and I hope this recipe inspires you to get into the kitchen and make something good.
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Judy
I want to try this recipe but prefer not to freeze it. Is it possible to pressure can it?
Hayley
Hi Judy! We haven’t tried that ourselves but you definitely should be able to give that a whirl. We hope you enjoy!
Cynthia ODonnell
This is wonderful. However, instead of the tomato, I put a can of Fire Roasted Diced Garlic tomatoes with the juice and it was perfect.
Ingrid
Followed directions exactly and now is my new favorite go to red enchilada sauce.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
YAY! Glad it’s a hit!
Marlene Ganton
Well I just tried making this enchilada sauce for the first time and I made a couple mistakes but I really enjoyed making it I’m going to take a pic of it hopefully the next time I make it from scratch it will be a lot better I really love Mexican food a lot .
So glad you enjoyed it Marlene!!
Marlene Ganton
Yes I did I had fun with it and I have a pic of it hedi it looks so good and my mom and husband said it’s was very good next day but I don’t know how to put the pic of it on here.
Kairle Oaks
Even better than I imagined it would be. I ljust VE the addition of the cinnamon. I’ll be making this again.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
So glad! Thanks Kairle
Gene Smolko
Hello, I’ve tried this a couple times now and I luv it!
I just had one question, is it really necessary to cook the sauce on low for 4-5 after blending everything together? All of it has been cooked already, what does this extra step do?
Thanks!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
It thickens the sauce and blends the flavors! You could omit that step but I find it great for flavor.
Eliz
I am going to forward the recipe to my mom. Ma is the best cook in our house. She loves cooking especially sauces at home.
Bren
Made this tonight, I guess I am the only one eating what I made. My kids did not like this at all. It has a weird bitter taste and I followed the recipe to a T. Maybe it’s because I am mexican and wanted a sweeter sauce because that is what my mom made and it was delicious. I wanted to make my own and wow my family. Just didn’t happen. I will have to ask my mil or my mom for their recipe. Maybe can tweak it adding a little of the abuelita chocolate and leaving out the tomato. I am glad I did the hard work… still feel good for trying. Thanks.
Tschultz
Sounds really good. I was wondering if you had a wonderful jalapeno sauce recipe you could share.i tasted one the other day and it was like a light green color. Very tasty!
Tom
I keep coming back to this recipe! So good. Been tweaking it a bit. Trying different dried chiles. Sometimes I add a bit of vinegar or lime juice to balance some of the bitterness. Also, the cinnamon stick is not optional IMHO. It’s amazing. Eating leftovers and still getting that hint of warm cinnamon aroma and taste. Really brings it all together. Thanks!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
That all sounds so great! Thank you
Robin C
I absolutely loved this recipe, I loved the cinnamon!!! I need to twick it a little bit just because I like a little more spice, but I loved it and I already forwarded it to my Peeps, lol!! I highly recommend it, thank you so much for the recipe, I just love trying new things, I never made my own enchilada sauce, so glad I did,
Sincerely Robin
Bernard
My father is a Latino Gentleman and we grew up learning Spanish and eating homemade Mexican food. I’ll tell you where Flour Tortillas work for enchiladas. Rotisserie chicken with green enchilada sauce mixed with Alfredo sauce. Top it all off with diced tomatoes, green onions, diced black olives and shredded cheese. I use the Mexican blend from Costco. Absolutely delicious..
Tracy
How many chilies do you use? Says 2 ounces, is that approx 2 chilies? It would have been better if you said, #of ancho chilies to use instead of ounces.
Mary
I was wondering the same thing.how many chili’s are in an ounce..got no reply.
Tom
I would say that dried guajillos are probably more like 4 or 5 per ounce. So maybe 8-10 for this recipe? I think the New Mexico chiles have a bit more heat, and their skin is a bit thicker, so when dried they weigh more. So maybe 3 or 4?
I use a cheap kitchen scale for these things. The chiles I get here in California could be much larger or smaller than what you get wherever you are. They could be more or less dry. Same with garlic! If a recipe says 3-4 cloves, I use 1 or 2, because I basically get it days after it’s been harvested here… so it’s much stronger.
What I love about this sauce is that it is chile-based… not tomato or sugar-based like the store-bought stuff. If I were you, I’d try it with more chiles than you think you need, and then go from there. Hope this helps!
Doug
The package should say how many ounces are in there. Mine said 4 so I used half the package.
Cynthia L ODonnell
I measured the dried chilis on a food scale and it came to 8 for 2 oz and 4 for 1 oz.
Richelle Capper
Great recipe! I used ancho, guajillo and few chiles de arbol because it’s what I had on hand and added a little unsweetened cocoa for depth. Turned out wonderful! Thanks for the recipe!
Sean
For those with bitter sauce. In New Mexico we usually discard the first round of water used to soften the chili. Additionally, depending on type of chili that you use, remove the seeds which will also remove some of the bitter.
Jennifer
Is there a substitute for dried New Mexico chiles? I cannot find them anywhere.
Bernard
Where do you live? New Mexico Chile’s are everywhere on the West Coast.
D. Smith
Amazon has both of the types of chilies and the mexican oregano, as well.
Cara
U.K. Amazon doesn’t, unfortunately. I’m a Californian living in Scotland, and desperate for good Mexican grub.
I have the other chili, but no New Mexico ones. :/
Lisa Marie
I think flour tortillas are wonderful with creamy green chili chicken enchiladas and terrible with corn and the opposite is true with red enchiladas, they must be corn. My son calls my green chili chicken enchiladas “Mom’s famous” and are wonderful with Pico de Gallo, sour cream and guacamole. As a teen he would bring his friends for dinner whenever I made them and they were an absolute hit
Tangi
Made this and it had this strong bitter taste, salt took it away but then it was too salty.
Nancy
The same thing happened to me. I followed the recipe exactly as written and the end result was extremely bitter. Also it was spicier than what I wanted since I’m making enchiladas for my 13 year old grandson. Looks like I’ll have to make a trip to the grocery store for dome pre-made sauce.
Carol
I didn’t care for the taste UNTIL I USED IT ON MY ENCHALADAS!! They were SO SO delicious! AUTHENTIC to the tee!
Sandy
Made this for the first time and was very bitter and strong. What did I do wrong?
Jesse
Same here. Was not aware how strong it would be :(
Crystle
How many chilli’s each do I use
Cindy C.
The first time I made this sauce I didn’t seed the chiles that we’ll do the sauce ended up being too spicy. The 2nd time I made it, I made sure to seed the chiles very well. I used kitchen sissors and slit the child’s in half and pulled out all seeds. I also used 2 medium Roma tomatoes instead of one, added about 3 cups of water instead of 2. Awesome recipe! I a exijan and I know enchiladas. This is pretty good. Don’t forget to fry the CORN tortillas!
Cindy C.
Typo: I slit the CHILES in half.
Lovestoeat
My family, and the great majority of the Mexican community in my half of the state prefer flour tortillas. They do not get gummy when you bake them. It is a geographical preference. That said, make enchiladas with you like!
Jennifer
I was taught by Mexican friend to dip the flour tortilla in sauce, then put in fry pan with a little oil, turning on both sides. Then fill, roll up, warm up enchiladas and enjoy!! Not gummy!
Sonia
I also agree to definitely use corn tortillas!
Sonia J Escobar
I was wondering if anyone has made this recipe with ancho chiles.
Jamie Schad
I use a mix of anchor, guahillo, and new Mexico. Same with my tamales sauce. I accually freeze my tamales sauce and add tomato puree for enchiladas. Ancho gives it that nice Smokey depth.
Greg
Great recipe, I like to think that I make the best enchilada sauce. This one teams up with the best. I never have tried roasting the chile’s prior to boiling. Have to give that a try. As far as using flour torts instead of corn, hum, just don’t seem right..
I will have to say, using new mexico chile’s are by far the best flavorful of all I’ve tried. Something about hatch chile, just saying.
Great recipe…
Tracey
All I can say is this is spot on authentic! I made it and my whole house is raving over my enchiladas! The only thing I did different is I roasted the peppers on comal before I boiled them! Yummy yummy yummy Authentic!
Cindy C.
I tried this recipe today. I was raised on authentic Mexican homemade food. So this recipe is actually very close to my moms homemade recipe. However, this recipe was spicy compared to my moms recipe. Not sure if my batch of chiles were just spicy. I am going to ask my mom what chiles she uses and might modify. Other than that, it was a great recipe. I used queso fresco. Any other Mexican cheese would be good. But I like queso fresco as it doesn’t melt like other cheeses. I also used corn tortillas, and as most have mentioned, it is a MUST to use corn tortillas. I fried them in a bit of vegetable oil as they hold better when rolling this way. Then, I poured the sauce over and baked in oven.
Anna Wright
Delicious one.Sauce adds a spicy flavor to my salad.I love it.
Jamie
I think of myself as an enchilada sauce snob. Not the type of sauce snob who makes my own, just the sauce snob who “knows” a good enchilada sauce when I encounter it. I have always wanted to try and make it myself, but had no idea where to begin. That is until I found this recipe. It is so easy to make. Not only do I love it, my picky kids love it too. They argued over who would get to lick the spoon! I highly recommend this recipe.
AllergyChick
Thank you for this recipe!!! I am allergic to wheat and corn, have been making all my food at home and really MISSING spinach Enchiladas! I love the flavor depth and the AUTHENTICITY you gave to the world! I just use cabbage as a wrap, bake like usual (completely covered in sauce) and add fresh green onions, pico de Gallo and some mashed avacado! I took this to my favorite Mexican restaurant (which has 4 locations now), had him taste it and he was shocked! He added it to the “local favorite” section on the menu and serves it with Napa Cabbage or iceberg lettuce!
Christine @ Yum and in Love
I love all the strong opinions on the flour vs. corn tortillas! I never knew it was such a hot button issue but now I know to never use flour- haha! This sauce looks amazing- I will definitely be trying it. I’ll even try the sneaky cinnamon stick because I love a hint of cinnamon in my savory dishes :)
Sel
interesting about the cinnamon stick…in mexico this is used in their mole sauces.
along with that, one will find a variety of different seeds that are ground for this special sauce. I have never made it from scratch, simply put, it is already prepared at the stores. I use chicken and make a mole sauce with it and it is wonderful….By the way this sauce main ingred. is chocolate, the very dark kind. And of course this recipe is not sweet at all. The ingred of coco is simply used as a spice. Try it, you may like it.
Teresa Berry
How much chocolate would you are to this recipe? I’ve been searching for a good enchilada sauce recipe that uses chocolate. Not sure how much to put in.
Teresa Berry
I mean add, not are. Sorry about that. Darn auto correct.
marcie
I’ve got a super easy enchilada sauce that I make often, but it’s as un-authentic as it gets! I’ve always wanted to try an authentic sauce, so I love this recipe. Can’t wait to try it!
Kari
I love enchiladas, but I never make them at home!
Kari
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Laura | Tutti Dolci
I’m setting aside an afternoon this winter to make your sauce! I confess that I normally take a shortcut with enchilada sauce too, but this looks like the real deal (and easier than I thought!).
dima gordienko
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Rosa
The enchiladas in the picture need to be fully covered in sauce. The tortillas in the same picture look suspiciously like flour tortillas. PLEASE, never, never, never use flour tortillas for enchiladas. It is just WRONG. I can’t even imagine how gummy they become after soaking in sauce. Use CORN tortillas only. From a Mexican food snob. :-)
Maske
Flour tortillas should NEVER be used with enchiladas. Also, frying the chile dipped corn tortilla is also more flavorful but can be a little messy.
Sel
right on Rosa, i never use flour. Been making them for over 40 yrs. we especially like the stacked enchiladas from the cooks in the northern part of mexico. A nice fried egg, with the yellow/orange yolk is something all of you should try. It is beyond words what this does to the final serving of these gems. Yum, i am going to make this sauce right away…..
cheryl
flour works when you have corn allergy!
Cherish
I also have an extreme allergy to corn and am converting all kinds of recipes to avoid it… However, I really love cheesy enchiladas and want to find a good recipe (not mush). Maybe this will work?
Karen
My Mother fried the flour tortillas with the sauce, it thickened the tortilla and tasted delicious.
Karen that sounds awesome! Tortillas or corn meal are a great way to thicken soups and stews.
DK
Agreed. Make them the way the nice Mexican ladies do it. Dip the tortillas in sauce, place them on a griddle for a few minutes, and then spread your filling over them (not stuffed) and roll them up. Place them in a covered baking dish and add more sauce to keep them from drying out. The result is enchiladas that have tortillas saturated with sauce.
As for using flour tortillas, I cannot see this for enchiladas because of what I host wrote. But sauced burritos have flour tortillas and they don’t become gummy and/or fall apart. Remember, authentic flour tortillas have the dough worked like bread to activate the gluten in the flour.
Cody
If you’re hungry, and all you have are flour tortillas – do what you want. I can tell you that if you told my abuela that she can’t use flour tortillas and there was nothing else around, she’d probably tell you to go butcher a pig and harvest some corn and make your own food.
The best thing about Mexican food is that there are no rules. Mexican cuisine is generally borne out of necessity and not persnickety whims. I a country so diverse, getting an answer to what is “authentic” is akin to debating whether god exists.
:)
Agreed Cody. There are few recipes that MUST be followed to the letter, so often using what you have is the most economical and practical.
Shanna
I prefer flour and many tex Mex restaurants serve flour as the flavor is preferred to corn. I say use whatever your preference is but for me its flour even though I like both.
Shanna
I only had one kind of the chilies and no cinnamon stick but used ground cinnamon. It turned out great and I have frozen what was left. Thanks for sharing
Heidi
Glad you enjoyed Shanna.
Chandon
This recipe pretty much nailed it except for one VITAL part. After the chilies are stemmed and seeded, they really should be roasted on a hot comal or skillet for about 15-30 seconds to bring the deep chili flavor out.
Sel
that is so true….it is the only way this
sauce taste the way it was intended…Another thing: never use flour tortillas, it is very wrong. Corn holds up to the sauce and filling, flour turns to mush. I do not take out the seeds of the dried chili, we love the flavor it imparts. I also use cayenne pepper for a litlle more heat.
Christy
lol I cringe when I see flour tortillias for enchiladas. But I also almost always prefer flour rather than corn. My husband is white, and he would rather flour tortillias than corn in enchiladas! I think he is crazy, but it could be that is her personal preference too lol
Christy
I mean Corn rather than flour LOL
Ray
I wonder do you make corn or flour tortillas? Or are they store bought? I find the home made the best on both, not store bought.
Teresa
Your sauce was amazing!!!
Before disregarding making enchiladas with flour tortillas, yesterday I made your delicious sauce. I did add the cinnamon sticks too.
For my granddaughter’s 12th birthday, she requested enchiladas for her birthday dinner.
I made my mom’s homemade flour tortillas (if purchasing tortillas, buy gorditas not the thin flour tortillas). Heat up oil in frying pan, dip tortilla in sauce then slide them into oil. (Don’t forget being careful when frying the tortillas.)
Cook tortillas till you see it a bit toasty on both sides. Place in center of tortilla – shredded Cheese, shredded chicken, chopped onions – roll. Serve with fresh sliced tomatoes, avocado, Mexican sour cream. I used black beans to make the refried beans (Added bacon fat when mashing) and homemade Mexican rice.. yum!
Melissa
Do you need oil in the pan for roasting them? Med high heat?
rosie raya
Do you mean to roast them while they are in the “dry/dehydrated” state? Thanks in advance for your reply :)
Brian
Yes
Luv2Cook
Since I am in a chatty mood, permit me to share a great salad “recipe” that goes well with Mexican meals. I have busted my butt making pork carnitas that are simmered with spices, then baked with a rub, then slow-finished in the Crock Pot with the homemade sauce, and this salad still gets the most praise:
Radish and Cilantro Relish
2 cups thinly sliced radishes (about 24 radishes)
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced or chopped
Juice of ½ orange (± 3TB)
Juice of 1 lime (± 2TB)
2 TB finely chopped cilantro
2 TB vegetable oil
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Mix together in a non-metallic bowl.
Chill 1 hour to overnight.
Use as a relish, or serve on salad greens topped with a little of the marinade and a light drizzle of a Red Wine Vinegar dressing.
BrianB
Sounds good. Going to try it alongside chicken enchilada soup.
Luv2Cook
I do a lot of bulk-cooking/freeze ahead things, including from-scratch Mexican sauces (and refried beans, tortilla wrappers, cheese sauce and Spanish rice). I’ve got adobo sauce, ancho sauce, and a burrito sauce ready to go.
I freeze the sauces in ice cube trays then put in vacuum bags. As an aside, I also do this with jarred salsa, since I never eat the whole thing before it goes bad.
I also have boned chicken, pulled pork and shredded beef frozen, which I use to make burritos or quesadillas–among other dishes.
Having all this made ahead allows me to pull together quick–but fully homemade–meals. And I can grab ingredients when they are on sale and not worry about fitting them into that week’s menu.
I will add that–even having so much done ahead–pulling together a full Mexican meal (main course with sauces, cheese sauce, refries, rice, salsa & chips) still stakes a while, and still makes a bit of a mess. But it’s worth it. You CAN get restaurant-quality Mexican taste at home…sometimes even better.