Red Enchilada Sauce

Skip the store-bought version and make your own red enchilada sauce from scratch! This rich, flavourful sauce is made with simple pantry ingredients, bringing authentic Mexican taste to your homemade enchiladas. With a perfect balance of smokiness, warmth, and a hint of spice, it’s also ideal for tacos, burritos, chilaquiles, and Mexican casseroles.

Red Enchilada Sauce: Easy & Versatile

This versatile homemade red enchilada sauce will add a rich and spicy kick to enchiladas, tacos, burritos, chilaquiles, and Mexican casseroles. Ready in less than 15 minutes, you can use it straightaway or make a batch ahead of time for later use.

Made with passata and a blend of spices, this sauce can be customised to suit individual tastes by adjusting the heat level whether you prefer it mild or fiery hot.

As the first two steps are really quick, I like to prepare all the ingredients in advance and not waste time rummaging through my spice drawer.

Thick and velvety I use this red enchilada sauce recipe for my Jackfruit Enchilada. It is quite different from the enchilada sauce in my cookbook that I use for my Turkey Enchilada Skillet (page 240) below. Don’t forget tp grab that recipe from my FREE Preview Copy here.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Make ahead-friendly – Stores well in the fridge or freezer for future meals.
Full of flavour – Rich, smoky, and perfectly spiced for an authentic Mexican taste.
Quick and easy – Ready in minutes with simple pantry ingredients.
Healthier than store-bought – No preservatives, artificial flavours, or unnecessary additives.
Customisable spice level – Adjust the heat to suit your taste.
Versatile – Perfect for enchiladas, tacos, burritos, and more.

3 Must-try Mexican Recipes

ONE-POT MEXICAN RICE CASSEROLE

MEXICAN QUINOA STEW

LOADED BBQ JACKFRUIT NACHOS

How to Make this Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Ingredients needed and substitutions:

• Vegetable oil
• Flour
• Ground cumin
• Dried oregano leaves
• Smoked paprika
• Hot chilli powder (or mild chilli powder if you prefer less heat)
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Teaspoon salt
• Vegetable stock
• Passata (or tomato sauce if you are in the US)

Step 1: Brown the Flour

First, you need to lightly brown the flour (aka make a roux). As the flour browns in the oil, it will develop a toasty, nutty flavour that will add depth to the sauce. Make sure not to burn the flour or it will turn bitter and ruin the taste of this red enchilada sauce. Adding flour also helps thicken the sauce as it cooks.

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a saucepan in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it is shimmering. Reduce the heat to medium and whisk in the flour. Whisking constantly, cook until lightly brown, about 30 seconds.

Step 2: Add the Spices and Salt

Stir in the spices and salt and cook for another 30 seconds.

Step 3: Thicken the Red Enchilada Sauce

Add the vegetable stock and passata. Bring to a boil, then, whisking continuously, cook until the sauce has reduced to about 650ml (2 3/4 cups) and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

You can make this red enchilada sauce straightaway or make it ahead of time. It will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. For freezing instructions see the FAQs instructions below.

How To Get Creative with This Red Enchilada Sauce

While this sauce is perfect for classic enchiladas, it is really versatile and adds a delicious Mexican-inspired flavour to any dish. Try using it for:

• Enchilada Soup: Use as a base for a hearty soup.
• Mexican Pizza: Spread on flatbread or pizza dough.
• Huevos Rancheros: Drizzle over fried eggs and tortillas for a classic Mexican breakfast.
• Chilaquiles: Simmer some tortilla chips in the sauce for a quick, satisfying meal.
• Pasta: Toss with pasta for a flavoursome Mexican-Italian fusion dish.

Storage Instructions

Refrigeration

This homemade red enchilada sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.

Freezing

You can freeze this red enchilada sauce for longer-term storage.

• Allow the sauce to cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or freezer bags.
• Leave some room for expansion, seal tightly, and label with the date.
• Frozen enchilada sauce can last for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Reheating

It is best to reheat this sauce slightly before using it.

• Simply transfer the sauce to a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
• You can also reheat it in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until heated to your desired temperature.

I hope you enjoy this red enchilada sauce as much as we do. If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

Red Enchilada Sauce

This versatile homemade red enchilada sauce will add a rich and spicy kick to enchiladas, tacos, burritos, chilaquiles, and Mexican casseroles.

5 from 1 vote

DieTARY CHOICEDairy-Free Recipes, Egg-Free Recipes, Low Fat Recipes, Nut-Free Recipes, Soya-Free Recipes, Vegan Recipes

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Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 14 minutes mins

Course Sauces & Condiments

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6 servings

Calories 40 kcal

Equipment

1 saucepan

Disclaimer: the equipment list above includes affiliate links to products I use and like.

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon hot chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 500 ml vegetable stock
• 350 ml passata (US: tomato sauce)

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Instructions

 

• Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a saucepan in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it is shimmering. Reduce the heat to medium and whisk in the flour. Whisking constantly, cook until lightly brown, about 30 seconds.
  2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons flour
• Stir in the spices and salt and cook for another 30 seconds.
  1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 3/4 teaspoon hot chilli powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt
• Add the vegetable stock and passata. Bring to a boil, then, whisking continuously, cook until the sauce has reduced to about 650ml (2 3/4 cups) and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.
  500 ml vegetable stock, 350 ml passata
• Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use. Alternatively, you can transfer this red enchilada sauce to an airtight container and keep refrigerated.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 40kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.03gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 546mgPotassium: 292mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 662IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 2mg

Keyword enchilada, sauce

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Red Enchilada Sauce

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