Inspired by real red enchilada sauceOur recipe combines dried chiles, garlic, and spices to make a rich, flavorful sauce perfect for enchiladas. Skip the canned goods. Our recipe is simple, quick to make, and can be made ahead of time.
My family loves it enchiladasand this red enchilada sauce made with dried chiles is our favorite sauce to make them in. I love the process of making enchilada sauce. It’s easy to make and makes the kitchen smell incredible.
Our goal was to recreate a real enchilada sauce at home. This sauce beats anything I’ve ever bought at a store. Honestly, I’m sad when we run out. If you’re looking for a recipe without chili, which requires chili powder and spices, see our quick and easy enchilada sauce.
Main ingredients:
- Dried chili pepper. These are affordable, inexpensive, and last a long time in your pantry, so don’t hesitate to stock up. You’ll find a wide variety from sweet and fruity ancho, mulato, and pasilla peppers (with raisin, chocolate, and coffee flavors) to smoky chipotle and guajillo peppers, and even more. spicy cascabelles, sequins, and arbors.Recommended for our enchilada sauce the combination of ancho and guajillo with a hint of savory spice. But feel free to add hotter chiles like New Mexico or a pinch of cayenne.
- Garlic and onions. These add sweetness to our sauce and thicken it up a bit as we stir them into the sauce.
- Spices. I add ground cumin, coriander, oregano (preferably Mexican oregano) and salt.
- Cocoa powder, sugar and vinegar. These may sound unusual for an enchilada sauce, but trust me, the cocoa makes the sauce richer, the sugar balances the heat of the peppers, and the vinegar brings all the flavors together.
How to Make Authentic Enchilada Sauce
The biggest part of the recipe is making the peppers. Here’s what you need to do (it’s easy):
Step 1: Remove the stems and seeds from each chili. I use kitchen shears to cut the stems, then tap the peppers on the counter to shake off the seeds. If the seeds don’t cooperate, trim the length of the pepper and grate them.
Step 2: Lightly toast the peppers. Like roasting the nuts and seeds, roasting the peppers freshens the oils and brings them to life. You want to be careful with this step and only lightly toast until fragrant. I keep the heat low and stir frequently pepper: This prevents the pepper from burning, which makes the enchilada sauce taste bitter.
Step 3: Soak the roasted peppers in hot water for 20 minutes, but that’s the time for you. Just add the roasted peppers to the hot water and cover them. I do this in a deep saucepan with a lid, but a large bowl with a plate over it to keep the steam from escaping works just as well.
Now that the peppers are ready, you can make the sauce. From here, it’s easy peasy. Add the peppers to a blender along with some roasted onions and garlic, spices and liquid, and blend to your desired consistency chicken enchiladas, veggie enchiladasand more. If you plan to make enchiladas, I recommend it homemade corn tortillas!
Our Favorite Red Enchilada Sauce!
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Inspired by real enchilada sauce, our recipe combines dried chiles, garlic, onions and spices for a rich, flavorful sauce perfect for enchiladas. Lots of dried chiles will work in this homemade enchilada sauce. We love guajillo and ancho A combination of chilies: Guajillo chiles are naturally smoky and moderately hot, while ancho The chiles are mild and have a fruity, chocolatey flavor. When combined, the enchilada sauce tastes rich and spicy. For a hotter sauce, add a chili or two, like New Mexico or Cascabel also make the sauce spicier by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Makes 4 cups
You will need it
2 ounces dried guajillo chiles (8 to 10 peppers)
1 ½ ounces dried ancho chiles (4 to 5 peppers)
Hot water, plus more for sauce
1/2 tablespoon neutral oil such as grapeseed, sunflower, or walnut
3 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 medium white onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
Sugar, optional for balancing sauce
Apple cider vinegar, red wine or white wine vinegar, optional for balancing sauce
Directions:
- Prepare chile pepper
1:Cut off the stems and seeds from the peppers, so get rid of them. Use kitchen shears to cut off the stems, then scrape out the seeds inside each pepper. (If you have sensitive skin, be careful not to get the oils on your hands.) (be careful not to touch your eyes while or after handling the chili).
2:Add the peeled chilies to a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the chilies, as this can make the sauce taste bitter.
3:Transfer the toasted chilies to a large pot or bowl and cover with hot water, and set aside for 20 minutes.
- Prepare the enchilada sauce
1:While the chilies are soaking, place the pan used to fry the peppers over medium heat. Add the oil, chopped onion, and whole garlic cloves. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and has a few brown spots throughout, about 5 minutes.
2:Pour onion and garlic into a blender. Add cumin, coriander, Mexican oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and unsweetened cocoa powder. Set aside until the peppers are ready.
3:When the chilies are ready, use tongs to transfer them to the blender with the onions and spices.
4:Taste the soaking liquid. If it tastes bitter, it is better to use plain water or stock as the sauce liquid. If the soaking liquid is tasty, use it.
5:00Add 1 ½ cups of liquid (water, stock, or soaking liquid), then blend in. As the chiles are still hot, remove the center tab of the blender lid and hold a paper towel folded over the hole several times while blending; this helps release some of the steam and keeps the blender lid from coming off (which can be a big, hot mess).
6:00If the mixture is too thick, add more liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, until your desired consistency.
7:00Taste the sauce. If it tastes smooth, add more salt and a teaspoon of vinegar. If it tastes bitter, add a teaspoon of sugar to balance it out.
Advice from Adam and Joan
- Storage. Store the homemade enchilada sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, divide the sauce into small containers (or into ice cubes) and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen sauce in the refrigerator before using.
- Mexican oregano. This is different from the more common Mediterranean oregano found in the spice aisle. Mexican oregano has a grassy, citrus undertone. We buy our Mexican oregano from the local Mexican grocery store, too If you can’t find it, don’t worry, flavor profiles can are exactly the same, but you can substitute Mexican oregano for marjoram, dried verbena, and even Mediterranean oregano.
- The nutrition facts below are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
Serving size
1/4 cup
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Calories
28:00
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Total fat
0.9 g
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Saturated fats
0.1 g
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Cholesterol
0 mg
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Sodium
78.8 mg
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Carbohydrate
5.2 g
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Dietary fiber
2 g
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Total sugars
2.8 g
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Proteins
0.8 g
