Rich and robust and a thousand times better than store-bought, this homemade authentic enchilada sauce recipe packs some serious FLAVOR!  Not just for enchiladas, this sauce will take your soups and stews to a whole new level!
Nothing beats homemade. That’s a phrase that fits most everything when it comes to cooking. And it’s most definitely fitting of homemade enchilada sauce.
Rich and robust and at least a thousand times better than store-bought, this authentic enchilada sauce (red chile sauce) packs some serious FLAVOR!
It’s very easy to make, you just need the right ingredients. Above all, you need quality chiles (more on that later). And for a truly fantastic, authentic red chile or enchilada sauce it’s also vital that you follow a few important rules:
How to Make the BEST Enchilada Sauce
For the best red enchilada sauce there are some important steps you need to take and several ingredients you need to use and avoid:
-  Use dried whole peppers, not ground chili powder. Using whole dried peppers, roasting them, then reconstituting and pureeing them will give you a much richer, more complex, more flavorful sauce with flavor notes you won’t get from chili powder. There really is no comparison. And adding a dash of smoked paprika won’t compensate for not using dried whole chilies and roasting them.
- Toast the dried peppers. This really enhances the flavor.
- Don’t scorch the dried peppers. If you scorch the peels while toasting them you’ll end up with a very bitter sauce. In the even that that happens, add some additional onion and a dash of sugar to take the edge off the bitterness.
- Use fresh garlic, not garlic powder. Roast it along with the peppers for optimal flavor.
- Use fresh onion, not onion powder. Roast it along with the peppers for optimal flavor.
- Say NO to flour. That’s used in some red chile sauce recipes to compensate for not using whole dried chilies. The whole chilies, once reconstituted and pureed will be the natural thickener for your sauce. Keep the flour for your tortillas, not your enchilada sauce.
- Cook the sauce. After pureeing and straining the sauce, cook it. As flavorful as the sauce already is, don’t skip this step, it is vital for bringing out the FULL depth of flavor of the sauce.
Before it’s cooked you’ve got a bright red and flavorful raw chile paste (see below), but after it’s cooked the color darkens to a brownish red and the flavors deepen. Oh, how they deepen!
Now let’s talk peppers!
The Best Chile Peppers for Enchilada Sauce
Which variety to use largely comes down to personal preference. You can choose one kind or a combination of peppers, which is what I like to do. Here are a few of my favorites with links to the brands I personally use and recommend:
Guajillo: Bright red, sweet with a touch of acidity with mild to medium heat. It’s one of the most commonly used chilies in Mexican cuisine with an earthy-sweet flavor and are great for adding body to stews, sauces and adobos.
Ancho: Very mildly spicy with a rich fruity and lightly smoky flavor. They contribute a beautiful dark red color to sauces. Ancho chilies are poblano chilies that have been allowed to fully ripen to a deep red and then dried. Also one of the most commonly used dried peppers.
Pasilla: Sweet, fruity flavor with medium heat. The name “pasilla” comes from the word pasas, meaning “raisins”, because of its deep fruity flavor.
Arbol: Earthy flavor and very spicy. While these don’t have a ton of flavor, they are your friends if you want to kick the heat up several more notches.
A critical key to making the best enchilada sauce is to select the best quality dried chilies you can find.
Most dried chiles I come across in grocery stores and online are poor quality. They’re old and brittle and flavorless.
How to Choose “Fresh” Dried Chiles Â
1) They should be pliable and flexible (think a stiff version of fruit leather), not overly dry or brittle. 2) Their skins should be glossy, not dull. 3) They should have a good smell, a little like dried fruit, not a dusty smell.
Enchilada Sauce Recipe
Let’s get started!
Start with that all important step: Roasting! Heat a heavy non-stick skillet (I like to use cast iron) over medium-high heat. Don’t add any oil. Lay the dried peppers on the skillet and toast them for a minute or two on each, just until they become very fragrant. It’s better to under-toast than to over-toast them as they will become very bitter if scorched. Remove and set aside. Next place the onion, garlic and tomatoes on the skillet and toast until lightly browned.
Note:Â Adding tomatoes is optional but I recommend it for curbing the sharpness of the peppers, balancing out the flavors and adding a touch of sweetness.
Remove the stems from the peppers (using gloves if you’re using hot peppers), slice the peppers open and remove and discard all of the seeds and the membranes (contrary to popular belief, it’s the membranes not the seeds that are hot, the seeds are bitter). Place the peppers in a bowl.
Pour the boiling water or chicken broth over the peppers, cover the bowl and let them sit for 20-30 minutes until soft.
Place the peppers and their liquid along with the onion, tomato, garlic and all remaining ingredients (except for the chocolate if using) in a blender and blend until completely smooth.
At this point determine for yourself whether your sauce needs to be strained. I use a Vitamix which does an excellent job of blending the sauce to a very smooth puree, so I don’t bother straining it.
Heat a tablespoon or so of oil to a pot then add red sauce. Simmer it uncovered for about 30 minutes. Add a little more water if you prefer it thinner. The sauce should be the thickness of heavy cream.
For an added flavor touch, add in a small piece of semi-sweet chocolate at the end and stir until melted.
If the sauce is very bitter, add a touch of brown sugar.
Store it in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks or freeze it.
This sauce freezes well, so feel free to make extra so you have it on hand when you need it. I like to freeze it in ziplock bags, about one cup per bag so I can conveniently grab a bag whenever I need it.
Enjoy!
Use this sauce to make the Ultimate Pozole Rojo!
For more delicious homemade sauces be sure to try our:
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Hollandaise Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Bearnaise Sauce
- Big Mac Sauce
- Black Bean Sauce
- Hoisin Sauce
- Chinese Plum Sauce
- Tartar Sauce
- Horseradish Sauce
- Remoulade
- Kecap Manis
- Sweet Chili Sauce
- Yum Yum Sauce
- HarissaÂ
Authentic Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 ounces dried ancho peppers
- 3 ounces dried guajillo peppers
- 2-3 or more dried arbol peppers (OPTIONAL: for heat)
- 1 medium white onion, peeled and cut in half
- 2 ripe tomatoes, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 4 cups boiling water or chicken broth (for even more flavor)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Small piece of Mexican or semi-sweet chocolate (optional)
Instructions
- Start with that all important step: Roasting! Heat a heavy non-stick skillet (I like to use cast iron) over medium-high heat. Don't add any oil. Lay the dried peppers on the skillet and toast them for a minute or two on each, just until they become very fragrant. It's better to under-toast than to over-toast them as they will become very bitter if scorched. Remove and set aside. Next place the onion, garlic and tomatoes on the skillet and toast until lightly browned.
- Remove the stems from the peppers (using gloves if you're using hot peppers), slice the peppers open and remove and discard all of the seeds and the membranes (contrary to popular belief, it's the membranes not the seeds that are hot, the seeds are bitter). Place the peppers in a bowl.Pour the boiling water over the peppers, cover the bowl and let them sit for 20-30 minutes until soft.
- Place the peppers and their liquid along with the onion, tomato, garlic and all remaining ingredients (except for the chocolate if using) in a blender and blend until completely smooth.Note: At this point determine for yourself whether your sauce needs to be strained. I use a Vitamix blender which does an excellent job of blending the sauce to a very smooth puree, so I don't bother straining it.
- Time to cook the sauce: Heat a tablespoon or so of oil to a pot then add red sauce. Simmer it uncovered for about 30 minutes. Add a little more water if you prefer it thinner. The sauce should be the thickness of heavy cream.Optional: For an added flavor touch, add a small piece of semi-sweet chocolate at the end and stir until melted.If the sauce is very bitter, add a touch of brown sugar. SEE NOTE.
- Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze it for several months. I like to freeze about a cup of it per freezer bag so I can conveniently grab a bag as needed.Makes approx. 5-6 cups.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet September 21, 2018
Riley says
I’ve tried several red enchilada sauce recipes and gave this one my final effort before giving up. Growing up in Southern California made me an enchilada sauce snob and I’m sick of all the recipes online telling you to use tomato sauce and some chili powder lol. This is PERFECT. Thank you for the note about not over-toasting the chilies because there is nothing worse than a bitter sauce you’ve labored over. I used 1/2 lb of dried chilies from the bulk bin at my grocery store (not sure what kind they were but they ended up great!) and added 1-2 t of Penzeys Arizona Dreaming seasoning, in addition to the other spices. At the end I added about 10 semi sweet chocolate chips. Came out so perfect. Printing this recipe as a keeper NOW!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Riley, thanks so much for the feedback!
Francisco says
I know this will annoy some people because I won’t comment on the sauce flavor but I want to truly, truly CONGRATULATE the writer of this blog. I’ve read thousands of blogs/recipes, etc (love Serious Eats, Cooks Illustrated, et, ) people/sites dedicated to risk and try and try until a great result comes out.
Back to your post: you post is intelligently written, practical, realistic, truthful, unpretentious … really, I rarely come across a not-famous blog/recipe this GOOD!
Congratulations
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Francisco! :)
Francisca says
I know there are different recipes to make red enchilada sauce but here in New Mexico, USA (I add USA cuz some people think Mexico) We use a different method which is, I think, simpler. It is more unadulterated since we only add garlic & salt for flavor. The process is simpler because you’re only clean the chili (take the stem off & break the chile pods in half to remove the seeds). After cleaning it, we only cook it in water to soften as it will be puréed in a blender. Pretty much that’s how we eat it after we collate the skin from the actual sauce. After it is ready, you can put it on eggs, make your enchiladas, whatever you want and the chile can be eaten straight from the spoon and it is to die for!! I hope to one day make a video so people can use this recipe
Anonymous says
You pretty much nailed this recipe. I disagree that it does not taste good on its own – but I am sure it will be better with a meal (I just finished making it and ate a teaspoon full and it was WOW!)
I followed the recipe almost exactly using all fresh/dried ingredients. Peppers of choice were Anchos (Poblanos), Guajillos and Chili de Arbols (did not see the need for Pasillo since they are really Poblanos just grown in a different region). I did not add the oil for the 30 minute simmer. Everything else, Mexican oregano, cumin, etc. was to the letter. I was a little heavy on the Arbols (I like the heat). I did use the chicken broth for the blend, although due to the batch size I had to add about 1/2 cup of water to get the final mixture consistency.
I cannot wait until tomorrow when I marry this sauce with some actual protein recipes!
Anonymous says
Almost forgot, I used a 14.5 oz can (drained) of Hunt’s diced tomatoes instead of the 2 whole supermarket tomatoes. Did not have fresh tomatoes (it’s January, HELLO!).
Oriana says
I made this sauce a few months ago (a little loosely as I didn’t measure everything). I really was impressed with the depth of flavor after the fact! It is true that it didn’t taste all that special when it was first finished, but it remained in the fridge for a day and then I made the enchiladas with it and they were divine. I’m making them again today and looked up the recipe to remember the ratio of liquid to the onions/peppers. My father in law is from Mexico so I’m always a little intimidated cooking Mexican food but it’s my favorite and next time I will make it for him ;) thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Oriana, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it and appreciate the feedback, thank you!
David D. says
HOLY COW! This sauce is DYNAMIC. Added just a little chocolate like you recommended and WOW. I’m ruined for any other enchilada sauce! Thanks so much for posting this!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Lol! :) That’s awesome, David, I’m so glad you enjoyed it – thank you!
Sam T says
Found your recipe, got off work at 9 last night, and busted through it. WOW, I LOVE this! Grew up in AZ and am a MO transplant, and oh how I miss my Mexican food. I got chilies when I visited family in AZ (cheaper than here), and geez it is so rich and decadent. How can I ever go back to settling for the canned stuff…especially with the Midwest markup on it?! Accidentally swapped steps and soaked peppers before de-seeding, & it was a messier mistake that I won’t make again. :) Bookmarked & on the ready for future makings. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Sam, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Bel says
This sauce is very much like the one I remember my mom making when I was growing up (she was born & raised in Mexico). Decided to give it a try… delicious!! The consistency of the sauce is perfect! The crowd (30+) I made enchiladas for- LOVED IT! This will be my “to go to” enchilada sauce from now on. Thank you! :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Bel, I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that, thank you!
Sherri says
This sauce was amazing! I also made the ultimate pozole. That too was amazing. Thank you for sharing both.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Sherri, I’m so thrilled you made both recipes and enjoyed them! Thanks so much for the feedback!
KATHY FIELDS says
So can it be used as is for sauce on Enchiladas?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Absolutely!
KATHY FIELDS says
Hi Kimberly, Recipe sounds amazing. You said this needs to be added to some Chili Sauce because it doesnt work alone. What kind of Chili Sauce are you referring to? Thank you, Kathy
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kathy, sorry for the confusion. No, you don’t add any sauces to it. What I mean is that this sauce is meant to be used “in” other dishes – like when making enchiladas as one example, or adding it to stews. In other words, if you eat a spoonful of it plain it probably won’t “wow” you. But when you use it in your Mexican recipes it really elevates their flavor.
Berenice Victor says
When do you add the chicken broth?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Berenice, in step 3, “all remaining ingredients.” Happy cooking!
Laci Sullivan says
I love this sauce! I was wondering if I could pressure can it?
Anonymous says
Great recipe! I poured it over roasted cauliflower and sweetness potatoes, topped with avocado and a squeeze of lime!
Mandy says
I’d like to can this sauce to make it shelf stable. DO you have any recommendations for this?