This easy Homemade enchilada sauce made with just 7 ingredients is my new favorite homemade recipe. It's made in a blender in seconds. You will never buy it in a can again!
Use this sauce to make chicken enchiladas or enchilada soup.
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Why This Method Works
Necessity is the mother of invention. Isn't that what they say? In my kitchen, a lot of homemade recipes happen because I simply don't want to run to the store for just one thing. And then you do a happy dance because you just made the best enchilada sauce that is not only cheaper but took 5 minutes to whip up.
Now, this sauce is simply a substitute for the store-bought kind. I'm sure a Mexican cook will tell me it needs dried ancho peppers, and dried chiles and would not have any tomatoes. This sauce is a simplified version with ingredients that I can easily find and usually have on hand.
Ingredients:
- onion and garlic - These aromatics add flavor to the sauce. I prefer using fresh vegetables but in a pinch, garlic and onion powder work too.
- chili powder - Use the best quality you can get since this gives the sauce the flavor.
- ground cumin - This spice is the signature of many Mexican dishes. I would not skip it in this recipe.
- tomato sauce - This makes the base of the recipe.
- chicken stock - Thins out the sauce and adds more flavor.
How to make Enchilada Sauce?
- Start by adding onion, garlic, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, ground cumin and salt to a blender.
- Blend until smooth. The sauce should be thick.
- Store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
How much sauce does this recipe make?
This recipe is really quick and easy. It makes 3 cups of sauce, which makes it way cheaper than buying the sauce in a can. Before I never had enough sauce from just one can. I like to dip the corn tortillas in a warmed-up sauce to soften them and make them more rollable. If you know what I mean. The rest of the sauce goes all over the enchiladas and is topped with cheese. Then all you need to do is bake them! So crazy good!
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! This sauce can be easily frozen in freezer-safe containers or jars. Just make sure to cool it completely before placing it in the freezer. It will be good for up to 3 months.
This recipe is a simplified version of a popular sauce. It's not 100% authentic. I used easy-to-find pantry ingredients so you can make it anytime!
How to use enchilada sauce?
While this sauce is a must for beef or chicken enchiladas, the fun doesn't stop there. You can add it to soups, casseroles, tacos, or burrito bowls. It's a great sauce to have on hand, ready when you are craving Mexican dishes!
More homemade sauce recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup yellow onion roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 cup water or chicken stock
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until smooth. It will be thick. You can add more water or stock if you like thinner sauce.
- Place in a jar with lid and store for up to a week.
Video
Notes
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
- Use this sauce to make these easy chicken enchiladas: https://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/easy-chicken-enchiladas-recipe/
Katie says
Instant gratification! Easy I love it. I added more salt and some fresh cilantro and oregano. Gonna use this to make quail enchiladas for the first time
Kristen says
My husband and I went keto 2 years ago and this enchilada sauce is delicious and fits into our lifestyle perfectly as it contains none of the junk thickeners that canned sauces do.
Heather says
I have used this recipe before a loved it! However, the recipe I need this sauce for only calls for a cup. Can I freeze the rest of this if I don’t need to use it within a week?
Mary says
Does your chili powder have salt in it? The kind I have does, so I’m wondering if I need the 1 tsp salt...?
Anna says
Hi Mary! Nope, no salt in my chili powder. If yours has it added, skip the salt and season to taste when the sauce is ready. Hope this helps!
Christy says
I really like this sauce. The more I can make at home the better. I dehydrate tomatoes, from our garden, all last summer. Now I can use that tomato powder to make this recipe as well. Thank you for such an easy recipe!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
I agree! I stopped buying it since it's so easy to make. Thank you for trying my recipe, Christy!
Natalie says
We just finished our enchiladas made with this sauce! OMG! So easy and so delicious. I will never buy it in a can again. Thank you so much for the recipe, Anna!
Arden says
This has been my go to recipe for awhile now and I thought I'd say thanks! Also I swap the tomato sauce for canned diced tomatoes frequently and it also works well, just takes some extra blending! 🙂
Jen says
Just made this and it's really good! Now I can't wait for dinner. Made the beef 3 days ago for tacos and having the enchiladas tonight. I've made homemade enchilada sauce before but this is definitely the quickest, easiest and most delicious. Thanks so much!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Jen! That's fantastic! I am so happy to know you love the sauce! It's my go-to! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for the comment!
Karen Nicholl says
I am so happy that I gave this recipe a try, it is wonderful and easy. I have several recipes for enchilada sauce that I have tried that do not have any tomato product in them at all, they mentioned that it is the authentic way, I can only say that it is the tomatoes that gives it the taste that I enjoy. Thank you so much for sharing.
Margie says
Could I replace the tomato sauce with tomato paste? If so, how much would you recommend? Thanks for the recipe!
LarryH says
That's how my mother made it. One can tomato paste (6oz) and 3 cans of water.
MARY says
Wow! This was great! I wanted enchiladas one night for dinner, but didn't have any enchilada sauce. I looked on Pinterest and saw your recipe and it was simple with few ingredients. I made it using my immersion blender instead of the standing blender. Easy, tasted great, my husband said never buy store bought again! Thanks for a great recipe!
Rebecca Ramos says
I tried this recipe today for the first enchiladas I've ever made. When I try new recipes, I use the exact measurements, and, depending on how they come our, I start altering quantities and/or ingredients. I found this recipe has too much chili powder, too much cumin and too much salt. I had to add more water at the end to try to dilute it a little. Also, you can taste the "rawness" of the onion and garlic. Next time I'll cook the onion and garlic before adding to the sauce, add less chili, less cumin and no salt.
Lindsay says
I am making this tonight and the enchiladas smell delicious! I am wondering if the remainder of the sauce could be frozen.
Gabe says
The sauce is realy good and easy to make, but 3 tbsp chili powder was way too much!
Half the family couldn’t eat the enchilada casserole I made with the sauce because it was far too spicy. :/ So going to make it again, with less/no chili powder.
Marie Peterson says
I made this and it was awesome. I have used it in another recipe as well. Great recipe.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Marie! That's wonderful! Thank you so much!
Elaine says
I like all recipes that say 5 minutes because it is a very fast-pace world we are living it AND it is quite hard to make something really good in that amount of time. But looking at your recipe I can only say that the result is outstanding! You did a fantastic job and I am happy I found your blog!
Marla says
I wanted to make enchiladas for supper and realized I had no red sauce so jumped onto Pinterest and found this simple recipe, this recipe is so easy and delicious, I did add a can of diced tomatoes with green chilis and used water. I will no longer buy the canned sauce.
Maggie says
Can't wait to try it!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thanks, Maggie!
Eric says
So easy, gotta try it 🙂
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Absolutely! I hope you love it!
R says
Wow! Surprisingly good! I was a bit skeptical since the only enchilada sauce I've made was cooked (Emeril's) but this was great! Thanks for the recipe!
Lynn says
Thank you so much for this recipe. My family loves enchiladas but I hardly ever make them because of the cost involved. I am usually making them for 10 or more people (several being teenagers who love to eat) who want a a lot of sauce on their enchiladas and it gets very expensive. Being able to make this inexpensive sauce will make this dish much more affordable and allow me to make my family's favorite dish much more often.
Melinda says
How long would this keep for in the fridge? Was thinking about making this for a gift basket. It looks amazing!
Amanda says
This recipe is AMAZINGLY simple to make and absolutely delicious! I'm not a chef and generally if a recipe calls for my 5 ingredients... I pass it along to my husband who really enjoys cooking. My husband was out of town for the weekend so some weekly meal prep was on left to me. My daughter requested pulled chicken burritos. Usually simple easy enough however I live in Michigan & it's still snowing in March and I didn't have any red enchilada sauce... I was not about to venture out to the grocery store on a Sunday cold afternoon ! Thank you for this deliciousness of a recipe!!!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Amanda! THANK YOU so much for this comment. It made my day! That is exactly why I share recipes here on my blog. I am so happy to know you love this recipe! Have a beautiful week! -Anna
Carrie Gibney says
I actually stopped making enchiladas and enchilada casserole for a while because of how much I disliked the store bought sauce. Then I found this. It's beyond easy, very tasty, and the perfect amount of sauce for a good casserole.
Thank you!
Brittany says
This recipe is delicious and so easy to make. I love that it is minimal ingredients and only takes a few minutes to make. Having lil ones in the house i am always short on time.
Becky says
Could I freeze this sauce?
Marla says
I froze 1/2 of mine, since I only cook for 2 people now this made more sauce than I needed. I'm sure it will be just fine for the next time.
Titan Tyler says
THIS RECIPE IS THE BOMB and so easy. I used dried miced onion cause it was all I had. I did cut back on the chili powder to 1 T. Then I heated it in the microwave, added about 1/4cup velveeta and 1T butter. I was looking for a light color like a mexican restaurant here. It Tastes identical and they charge 16- for a 3 enchilada dinner. I have spent years and lots of $$$ trying cream, milk, evap, sour cream standing over the stove for hours, trying to recreate their sauce. Thanks so much for this recipe
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Titan! THANK YOU so so much for this comment! I am so happy to know that you love this recipe! I totally want to try your additions - sounds crazy delicious! 😀
Maris Callahan says
Mmm enchiladas! Love this idea
Jessica says
I love homemade enchilada sauce and I don't do it enough! Looks wonderful!
Nutmeg Nanny says
Love how easy this is to make! I love my high powered blender!
carrie says
I have never made my own enchilada sauce before, but now I totally want to try after seeing how easy your recipe is! 🙂
Kimberly says
Enchilada sauce is one of the things I so often don't have when I need it. This homemade version is so quick and simple, I wouldn't even bother buying it again!
Erin says
Haha. I love that that if it Aldi doesn't have it, you make it yourself. 😀 And thank goodness you did because this looks delicious! And so easy.
Krista says
Well now I am going to have to make Enchiladas!
Medha says
This looks fabulous! I love the tomato and spice mix you used in this sauce 🙂