Authentic Enchilada Sauce Recipe
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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 recipe (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 enchilada sauce it’s also vital that you follow a few important rules (see below).
How to Make Authentic Enchilada Sauce
For an authentic 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!
The Best Chili 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
- They should be pliable and flexible (think a stiff version of fruit leather), not overly dry or brittle.
- Their skins should be glossy, not dull.
- They should have a good smell, a little like dried fruit, not a dusty smell.
Authentic 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: 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.
For some more wildly delicious DIY Mexican recipes be sure to also try my Adobo Sauce, homemade Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, and from-scratch Chili Powder!
Ways to Use Enchilada Sauce
This authentic enchilada sauce recipe is a terrific “base” that you can add to any number of dishes for a wonderful flavor boost. Here are just a few ideas:
- Enchiladas (that one’s obvious!) and Tamales
- Soups and Stews: Add some to your favorite chili, pozole rojo, albondigas soup, creamy chicken tortilla soup, south of the border soup, etc.
- Tacos and Burritos: Add some to the shredded meat for even more flavor (e.g., tinga poblana tacos)
- Nachos: Add a scoop or two to your ground beef or shredded chicken.
- Refried Beans: Stirred in for a great flavor boost. Or add some to your queso fundido.
- Huevos Rancheros, Chile Rellenos, Chilaquiles: And anything else that could use a flavor boost!
For more authentic sauces from around the world to try my:
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Hollandaise Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Bearnaise Sauce
- Romesco Sauce
- Aji Verde
- Sriracha Mayo
- Black Bean Sauce
- Hoisin Sauce
- Chinese Plum Sauce
- Tartar Sauce
- Remoulade
- Kecap Manis
- Sweet Chili Sauce
- Yum Yum Sauce
- Harissa
Save This Recipe
Authentic Enchilada Sauce Recipe
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) (vegan: use vegetable broth)
- 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
I just wanted to thank you. This is a perfect recipe. The proportions is what I needed help with. I am so happy with the results I shared it in a canning group.
I’ve had a tendency to over-roast, or actually burn the peppers, so now I roast them after soaking them in water.
No more over-roasting, and I do get that special aroma that says “home cooking,” LOL!
Had never tried the brown sugar, and just a little enhances the flavor, regardless.
Thank you much.
I’ve made my own sauce a zillion times but always used can tomato sauce/paste/diced etc. Whatever I had on hand. With a garden this year I had to search for a fresh tomato recipe since I didn’t know the portioning. I didn’t follow exact I used the dried chilis I had on hand plus some fresh from the garden that were still green but have a good kick. Adding the brown sugar and the chocolate – OMG took my sauce to the next level. THANK YOU!!!
That’s fantastic, Lea, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
love the recipe, i will use it for Birria next week, thank you
Truly a great recipe! I had California and Hatch chilies on hand and only used 1 arbol. This has a real depth of flavor and great chili flavor. I will definitely make a double batch next time and freeze some. My Latin foster kids love it and so does this SoCal gringo!
Thanks so much, HalJ!
Hola from a NorCal foster parent 👋
Hello! Need help. I only have guajillo and pasilla. What should I do?
Hi Roxy, those are great, you can just use those. Happy cooking!
Absolutely the best enchilada sauce I’ve ever had. Will NEVER but store purchased again. Next time I will double the recipe though as we could not get enough of it.
Thank you, Patticakes, I’m so happy to hear that!
6 OUNCES OF CHILIES SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF CHILI SOME OTHER RECIPES CALL FOR 4 CHILIES TOTAL IS THE 3 0Z OF TWO CHILIES ACCURATE?
I followed the recipe to a T (and I did not burn my chiles) but it was way too bitter! I could not eat it. So I added brown sugar and more tomatoes until it tasted right. In the future I will use a much larger ratio of tomato to chiles. Other than that, I love the authentic taste. I’ve seen the dried chiles in the grocery store and never knew what to do with them until now. Thanks.
I made this recipe exactly as stated and it was phenomenal! I didn’t realize what a difference homemade sauce makes, but I used it to make enchiladas and my picky eaters had third helpings. I will never use the canned kind again.
I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that, Kara, thanks so much!
LOVE this recipe, it’s a big hit at my home.
I’m wondering about changing up the process. Specifically, I have this pureed paste with semi-cooked veggies in it, and instructions say to mix with stock and strain at this point.
In many other dishes, I am a fan of the ‘dissolving onion’ method, where onion bits that cook a looooong time dissolve their onion-y sweet goodness into the sauce. I’d like to try simmering the paste/stock mix *now*, cool and strain later. Any thoughts?
Thank you in advance!
Thank you, Betty, I’m so glad it was a hit! Yes, I think that method will work just fine. Happy cooking!
This is a fantastic recipe. It is essential not to over-toast the chiles. It does not take long to toast them – 90 seconds in a pre-heated 400F pan. I do not strain the sauce. I have a very powerful Cuisinart food processor and run it for 3 or 4 minutes, creating a smooth puree. Three Arbol chiles makes for a medium kick. Although they pack heat, using 4 or 5 would likely be acceptable to many palates. Can’t think of a better recipe for this sauce – inspired to find it after using sauce in a can – which depressingly tasted like brown stale liquid with too much cumin. I purchased the chiles on Amazon – saved a trip to the store to see which chiles they may have had in stock.
Great recipe, but it’s important to clean dried chiles. Simply wiping surface dirt off with a damp towel will go a long way–we don’t want that stuff in our sauce. :)
Could I deseed and take the stems off then toast?
Hi Kylie, yes you can do that no problem.
Really good. All the tips for adjusting seasoning, not scorching and WHY very helpful. Will make again!
Thank you so much, Delores!