If you can brew a cup of tea, you can make my red enchilada sauce from scratch using whole dried chiles. Add steeped chili pods to a blender with roasted veggies and you’ve got a sauce that’s not even in the same universe as the canned stuff.
This is a super versatile sauce that I use in recipes like my Chicken Enchilada Soup, Beef Enchiladas, or ladled over burritos, chilaquiles, or tamales. It’s also a great simmer sauce for things like shredded chicken and pork.
Growing up in Arizona, good enchilada sauce was everywhere. This version celebrates my Sonoran Desert roots. And if you're into canning, this makes a great holiday gift! Especially during tamale season.
You do need a blender to pull this off, but that's really the only special equipment. If you've been intimidated by dried chiles before, don't be. They're forgiving, they're affordable, and once you taste the difference, you won't go back.
Why This Recipe Works
Dried chiles beat chili powder. Pre-ground powder loses potency sitting on shelves. Whole dried pods hold their oils and complexity until you're ready to use them.
Roasting adds depth. Caramelizing the tomato, onion, and garlic before blending brings sweetness and richness. It also helps prevent the sauce from tasting bitter.
The sauce gets cooked twice. After blending, it goes into a hot pan with oil and simmers. This is the restaurant secret! It transforms raw-tasting puree into something rich and cohesive.
Choosing Your Dried Chiles 🌶️
For a mild, smooth sauce, look for guajillo, California, or New Mexico chiles. They're all fairly similar with bright red color, earthy flavor, gentle heat. You'll find them in the Hispanic foods aisle, at Mexican markets or on Amazon.
Want a little more depth? Add one or two ancho chiles to the mix. They're darker, slightly sweet, and add a subtle smokiness without turning up the heat.
Want more heat? Add 1–2 dried chiles de árbol to the soak. They're small but pack a punch. Start with one and adjust from there.
🔥 A note on Hatch chiles: These can range from mild to seriously spicy depending on the variety, and the packaging doesn't always say. If you're not sure what you've got, start with fewer pods and taste as you go.
When cooking for my non-spicy family members, I stick with California chiles. Zero on the spice scale, all of the flavor.
How to Make Enchilada Sauce from Scratch
Soak the Chilies
Soak the chiles. Remove the tops and seeds from 7 dried chile pods and place them in a bowl. Cover with hot water and let them steep until soft, about 20 minutes. Think of it like brewing tea.
Roast the Veggies
While the chiles soak, place a roma tomato, half a white onion, and 2 garlic cloves with the skins on (they’re easier to remove once they’re roasted) on a foil-lined roasting pan. Rub with olive oil and roast at 400°F for 8 minutes. Remove the garlic, flip the onion and tomato, and roast another 8 minutes.
Blend it Smooth
Peel the garlic, then add the roasted vegetables (including any pan juices), the softened chiles, ¾ cup water, ½ cup of the chile soaking liquid, and 1 teaspoon salt to a blender. Blend for a full minute until completely smooth.
Cook the Sauce
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Pour in the sauce. It will splatter, so be ready. Stir until it hits a simmer, then reduce heat and let it cook for 5 minutes. Add more water if it gets too thick.
Tips & Troubleshooting
Sauce tastes bitter? This usually happens if the chiles were toasted too long (or came from an old batch). Fix it by stirring in a teaspoon of sugar, honey, or a small piece of semi-sweet chocolate.
Sauce too thin? Simmer it longer to reduce.
Sauce too thick? Whisk in a little more water or broth.
No blender? This one's non-negotiable. You really do need a blender to get the sauce smooth. An immersion blender can work in a pinch, but a countertop blender gives the best texture.
Storage & Freezing
This sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. I always make a double batch so there's some on hand for busy weeks.
Joanie's Balanced Bites
This sauce is mostly vegetables: chiles, tomato, onion, garlic. It's naturally low in sugar and free of the preservatives and additives you'll find in most canned versions. No seed oils, no fillers, just real food!
On its own, enchilada sauce won't move the needle on protein or fiber. But it's a flavor vehicle. It makes it easier to build meals you actually want to eat. Use it on protein-rich beef or chicken enchiladas, drizzle it over eggs with avocado, or spoon it onto a burrito bowl with beans and rice.
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Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups
- Category: sauce
- Method: blended
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb
Description
A mild, smooth enchilada sauce made from dried chile pods and roasted vegetables. Restaurant-quality flavor that's better than anything from a can.
Ingredients
- 7 dried chile pods (guajillo, California, or New Mexico), tops and seeds removed
- 1 roma tomato
- ½ white onion
- 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for roasting
- ¾ cup filtered water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Soak the chiles. Place dried chile pods in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let steep until soft, approximately 20 minutes.
- Roast the vegetables. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place tomato, onion, and garlic on a foil-lined roasting pan. Rub with olive oil. Roast 8 minutes. Remove garlic, flip onion and tomato, and roast another 8 minutes.
- Blend. Remove the skins from the cooled garlic (they're easier to peel after they're cooked). Add all the roasted vegetables (with pan juices), softened chiles, ¾ cup filtered water, ½ cup chile soaking liquid, and salt to a blender. Blend 1 minute until smooth.
- Cook the sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Pour in sauce (it will splatter). Stir until it reaches a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes. Add water if too thick.
Notes
Sauce too bitter? Stir in a teaspoon of sugar, honey, or a small piece of semi-sweet chocolate.
Sauce too thin? Simmer longer to reduce.
Sauce too thick? Whisk in more water.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Calories: 56
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 378.4 mg
- Fat: 4.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.2 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 0.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!