Description
This homemade enchilada sauce recipe is a flavorful, rich, and mildly spicy sauce made from scratch with simple ingredients like garlic, tomato sauce, and a blend of spices. It’s perfect for enchiladas, tacos, or as a dipping sauce, and can be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth.
Ingredients
Scale
Enchilada Sauce
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (or butter, or oil of choice)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian)
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté Garlic: Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Simmer Sauce: Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano, cumin, onion powder, salt, and optional black pepper to the saucepan. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Adjusting seasoning after cooking helps flavors develop fully and ensures the perfect balance of heat and taste.
Notes
- Use reduced-sodium broth to control salt levels in the sauce.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- This sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week or frozen for longer storage.
- Adjust chili powder quantity to control spiciness according to your preference.
