It is incredibly easy to make Homemade Enchilada Sauce and SO MUCH better tasting than any canned enchilada sauce. Made with simple ingredients, and in less than 10 minutes, this recipe for red enchilada sauce will add so much flavor to your meals!
Along with Homemade Taco Seasoning, Homemade Chicken Stock, and Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup, this Enchilada sauce is one of my favorite EASY DIY recipes.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce
This recipe for enchilada sauce has saved some of my favorite recipes. Most canned enchilada sauces have added preservatives and MSG, so for years, I thought I shied away from recipes that called for enchilada sauce--which included my mom's famous chicken enchiladas and my aunt's enchilada soup.
And that made me sad. VERY sad.
For some reason, I assumed that making enchilada sauce from scratch would be time-consuming or require a lot of specialized ingredients. Neither is true!
Once I discovered how easy it is to make enchilada sauce from scratch and that I always have the staples on hand to whip up this sauce, I have been enjoying variations of enchiladas on repeat.
This enchilada sauce is perfectly spiced, super easy to make, and best of all, it is all-natural! Plus, this recipe can be made vegan-friendly and gluten-free, meaning that everyone can enjoy it!
Ingredients Needed
The ingredients for enchilada sauce are probably things you always have stocked in your kitchen. Plus you can adapt the recipe to make it gluten-free and adjust your spices to your tastes.
- Spices: There are quite a few spices in enchilada sauce, but the most important of them is chili powder. You want to be sure to use regular ground chili powder, not Ancho Chili Powder or Cayenne Pepper. I also add in onion and garlic powder and a Mexican oregano. If you don't have dried Mexican oregano, regular dried oregano will work no problem!
- Tomato Paste: Tomato Paste will give the enchilada sauce a richness that makes it taste like the flavors have developed from hours of simmering--when in fact it comes together in minutes.
- Oil: Just a small amount of oil that will help toast the spices and make the roux that will thicken this sauce.
- Flour: Flour is used to thicken the sauce. Use either all purpose or gluten free all purpose flour blend.
- Stock: Either chicken stock or vegetable broth work.
- Vinegar: The vinegar will help the flavors really pop and balance out this sauce with a bit of acidity. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used.
How to Make Enchilada Sauce
- The first step to making enchilada sauce is to make the roux by heating oil in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan until glistening over medium-high heat. This should take just a minute.
- Once the oil is heated, whisk in the flour and spices. For this recipe, I prefer adding the spices to the roux as it cooks, giving the spices a chance to be slightly toasted which brings out their incredible flavor.
- Once the roux has been formed, allow it to cook off for a minute or two. This will help rid the sauce of the raw taste of flour.

- Whisk in the tomato paste and then slowly whisk in the stock. It is best to add just a small amount of stock at at time, whisking after each addition to incorporate fully and prevent lumps.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking often, and then reduce the heat and simmer just until slightly thickened.
- Remove the enchilada sauce from the heat and whisk in the vinegar. Use in any recipe that calls for enchilada sauce at this point, or let cool before storing.

Storing Enchilada Sauce
Homemade Enchilada Sauce can be stored, once cooled slightly, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. It is best to store enchilada sauce in glass jars in the fridge and thick freezer-safe bags in the freezer, as plastic containers can be stained red from the sauce and absorb the smell of the sauce.
How to Use Enchilada Sauce
You can use this homemade enchilada sauce in any recipe that calls for canned or jarred enchilada sauce. Below are a few of my favorite uses.
- Smoother Chicken Enchiladas with enchilada sauce for a dinner everyone will love.
- Add ½ cup to Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili for a spicy kick of flavor.
- Cover bean burritos with enchilada sauce and cheese and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes to make simple Bean Enchiladas.
- Prep a quick Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole using this sauce in record time!
If you enjoyed this recipe for homemade enchilada sauce, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil such as avocado oil or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Mexican dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt more as needed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, until just hot glistening. This only takes a minute or two.
- Add in flour, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, and oregano and whisk together until thick paste forms. Cook for one minute to toast spices and to rid of the sauce of a raw flour taste.
- Whisk in tomato paste into the roux.
- Gradually, whisk in the remaining stock, whisking the entire time, until well incorporated and all lumps are removed. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in vinegar.
- Use immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Notes
- This recipe yields 2 cups. Nutritional information is based on the ENTIRE recipe. Most serving sizes are only 2-3 tablespoons.
- Be sure to use regular chili powder. Not cayenne pepper or Ancho Chili powder, as the final result would be extremely spicy.
- If you can't find Mexican oregano, regular dried oregano will work well.
- Vinegar allows the flavors to really pop--don't overlook this ingredient.
- If you find your sauce is at lumpy, you can strain it through a fine mesh strainer. You should not have any issues with lumps if you gradually whisked in the stock though.
Sandy
This is quite possibly the absolute best enchilada sauce I’ve ever had. It was so easy and it tastes so much better than the canned or bottled stuff. Thank you SO much for posting this. It is definitely a keeper.
Kristen Chidsey
You are so welcome! So glad you enjoyed Sandy!
Linda
Kristen the flour you use is it all purpose flour that you use when you use flour . Out of all the people I have followed I enjoy your recipe's the most . one reason you make everything home made & you don't put in season's that cost a lot of money I have been following your recipe's the most I am new with my Instant Pot . But today I'm going to try my luck thank you for being so caring have a bless day !!!
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing this Linda! I truly do strive to make approachable recipes with easy to find ingredients. Most of us are on a budget!
Christine
Excellent sauce! So easy to make and great on so many dishes! I used it for enchilada and as a base on a Mexican inspired pizza...so yummy!!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh I love the idea of using as the base for pizza Christine! Thanks for sharing!
Chelsea Peters
This sauce is fantastic! I created my own meal along with this recipe with what I had in my kitchen:
1 lb cooked meat (I used ground venison but you can use beef, chicken, etc)
4.5 oz can of green chiles
Roughly one cup or less of corn (I cut corn off fresh garden corn cobs)
Long grain white rice (cooked)
Mexican style and mozzarella cheese
Burrito shells
I made the sauce in this recipe first, then while it was simmering made the rice and meat. I seasoned the meat with the taco seasoning recipe on here, yum! Then added in corn and peppers. Sprinkled cheese and roughly a tablespoon or 2 of the mix into a medium sized burrito shell.
I made 6 burritos that I cooked and 4 that I froze. I poured the entire enchilada sauce on the 6 and sprinkled more cheese on top. Heated till hot and melted at 350. Soooo good! I love your recipes so much please keep them coming!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this enchilada sauce and your burritos should fabulous!!!
Sapna
I think I’ll now be able to add enchiladas to our menu!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! Having homemade sauce makes a world of difference.
Sue
Thanks for the great instructions for making the roux. It's so much better mixing in the spices at that stage of cooking.
Kristen Chidsey
I am glad you found that tip helpful Sue--it really adds a lot a flavor!
Lisalia
Yum - my kids actually ATE this one! The store bought I usually use is too bitter and spicy for them. This was perfect.
Kristen Chidsey
WAHOO!!! I love hearing that your kids enjoyed this Lisalia! My daughter still needs a bit of sour cream to cool it down, but my son LOVES it!