This homemade red enchilada sauce is easy to make, made with dried Mexican chilies for more authentic flavor for the best enchiladas you'll ever have. It is a deeply rich and flavorful sauce, one of my very favorites for homemade enchiladas.
Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe
Looking for the best enchilada sauce you'll ever have? You found it, my friends. Today we're making Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce, and you really can't beat this recipe.
This enchilada sauce is made with dried Mexican chile peppers, giving it outstanding, more authentic flavor.
It is deeply rich and earthy, a truly satisfying sauce, and so much better than anything you'll find in grocery stores.
I have enjoyed numerous red enchilada sauces in restaurants and from friendly kitchens, and you can buy canned sauce, but homemade is vastly superior. I've made them several different ways, and this particular recipe is my own preferred method.
There isn't anything difficult about it, no wild ingredients or steps to follow, just simple ingredients and tried-and-true cooking.
You can easily customize this recipe, and I've included some ways you can adjust it to your own preferences, because, honestly, playing with recipes is fun.
So let's talk about how to make enchilada sauce, shall we?
Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Chili Peppers. I use a combination of dried ancho peppers, guajillo peppers, and chiles de arbol. You can use other peppers for this recipe. See the notes section below on Chili Peppers.
- Oil. Use 1 teaspoon olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Onion and Garlic. They are great flavor builders and add body to the final enchilada sauce. Onion powder and garlic powder are fine to use for flavoring as well.
- Salt.
- Water or Broth. For thinning the sauce. Use water as needed, or you can use chicken stock or chicken broth, or the pepper soaking water.
How to Make Enchilada Sauce - The Recipe Overview
Lightly toast the peppers (stemmed and seeded) in a dry pan, a couple minutes per side, until the skins puff up and become fragrant.
This loosens the oils in the skins, adding to the overall flavor.
Soak the peppers in very hot water until softened, then add them to a food processor or blender. Reserve the soaking water.
Next, cook the onions, fresh chilies, and garlic in a pan, then add to the food processor with a bit of sea salt.
Add in 1/2 to 1 cup of the soaking liquid from the peppers, or use water or stock if you feel the soaking liquid is too bitter.
Process until smooth. Add in a bit more liquid, 1/2 cup at a time, and keep processing until you have a delicious enchilada sauce to your desired thickness and consistency.
You can strain it for a smoother sauce, if you'd like to.
Gorgeous, isn't it? So rich and vibrantly red. And super easy to make. Quick and easy is great for a slow cook like me.
The flavor of this red enchilada sauce is slightly smoky and the color is deep, deep red. I hope you enjoy it.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Add Tomatoes or Tomato Sauce. Tomato adds a nice touch of sweetness. Traditional, authentic red enchilada sauce does not use tomato, but it really does add an interesting flavor dimension. It's more like my Ranchero Sauce Recipe this way.
- Bitterness. The soaking water from rehydrating the dried peppers may add some bitter flavor from the skins. If you find this unappealing, next time skip the soaking water and use fresh water instead, or use a stock or broth.
- Sweeten the Sauce. Sweeten it up with a bit of honey, agave nectar, sugar, or even chocolate. This also reduces any bitter flavors.
- Fry the Sauce. Cook the sauce in a bit of oil in a pan for a few minutes to further develop the flavors, if desired.
- Seasonings. Other popular ingredients include cumin, Mexican oregano, marjoram or basil.
- Make it with Chili Powder. Want to make it with chili powders instead of whole dried peppers? Check out my Quick and Easy Enchilada Sauce Recipe for how to make it. Very tasty!
Uses for Red Enchilada Sauce
Use homemade enchilada sauce to make enchiladas like beef enchiladas or chicken enchiladas, but this is a highly versatile sauce that can be used to give all of your soups, stews, and other dishes an authentic Mexican or Tex-Mex flair.
Use it as a topping for tacos, burritos, tortas, swirl them into black beans for a flavor pop, or drizzle it over your favorite grilled meats. Use it to make this Mexican Lasagna Recipe, or this Mexican Pizza.
Try my cheese enchiladas recipe!
I often like to toss a pork shoulder into a slow cooker with a healthy portion of this awesome enchilada sauce for some of the best pulled pork I've ever had. Seriously, so good! I've loved this sauce a long time.
About the Chili Peppers
Learn more about the chilies used in this recipe. All are readily available from nearby grocers, or you can find them in Mexican grocers.
- Ancho Peppers - Dried ripe poblano peppers add a complex richness you can't find anywhere else.
- Guajillo Peppers - One of the most popular chiles in Mexican cuisine. They add a slightly berry-like flavor to the dish, along with a gorgeous deep red color.
- Chiles de Arbol - Small and thin Mexican peppers, with a very nice level of heat.
Other pepper options include dried New Mexican peppers, pasilla peppers, multato peppers, chilaca peppers, California chiles. Try it also with dried chipotle peppers or chile moritas for more of a smoky flavor. So good!
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce in an airtight container in the fridge may allow you to store the leftovers for up to 3-4 days.
You can also freeze it for 3 months or longer in freezer containers.
That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy my homemade enchilada sauce recipe. So good! I really love this recipe, such wonderful flavor. Better than any canned sauce or store bought sauce. Homemade is best!
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.
Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe (Red Enchilada Sauce)
Ingredients
- 4 dried ancho peppers (stemmed and seeded)
- 4 dried guajillo peppers (stemmed and seeded)
- 4 dried chiles de arbol (stemmed and seeded)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt (or to taste)
- Water as needed
Instructions
- Dry toast the dried chili peppers (stemmed and seeds removed) in a heated pan over medium heat. Toast them a couple minutes per side, until they start to puff up slightly.
- Cool, then set them into a heavy bowl with enough hot water to cover them.
- Let them soak for 20 minutes, or until they become very soft. Remove them and place them in a blender or food processor.
- Reserve 1 cup of the dark soaking water.
- In the same heated pan, heat the vegetable oil. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, or until it becomes translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute, until fragrant.
- Add them to the food processor along with the sea salt.
- Pour in 1 cup of the reserved soaking liquid (or use fresh water or stock) and process to form a sauce. It will be very thick at this point.
- Add in more water or stock, a half cup at a time, until you achieve your desired consistency.
- Strain, if desired. Adjust for salt and serve as needed.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 5/19/24 to include new information and photos. It was originally published on 7/31/20.
Lynn says
If you fry the sauce, should you do it before or after straining? Frying before straining could bring more flavor out of the bits of skin, but overcooking the skins could make it bitter. Which has worked better for you?
Mike Hultquist says
Lynn, I strain it before frying. Works best for me!
Karen says
I just love this recipe. I've made it several times, and freeze little pods of it in silicone mini cupcake pans. When I need it for soups, beans or carnitas, it's very handy to have! Last night I used my last two pods in Chicken Enchilada Soup (along with 2 tsp. Sazon seasoning) and the depth of flavor is out of this world. It's also great in Tortilla Soup; I omit the canned enchilada sauce, add two pods and tomato sauce.
Mike Hultquist says
Great idea, Karen!
Samantha says
thank you! that a great idea.
Darlene says
Hi! When I tried to use my food processor I ended up with tons of little pieces of the skin in the sauce. Any ideas?
Mike Hultquist says
Darlene, you can strain it out with a strainer. You can also try to process those strained bits with a bit of the sauce to break it down more.
Rem says
Any idea of the SHU level of this sauce?
Mike Hultquist says
Rem, I don't have an exact measurement on this. The real heat come from the chiles de arbol, which can hit 65K SHU, but are diluted by the lower ancho and guajillos. You can easily adjust up or down with more or fewer chiles de arbol.
ema39 says
Love your enchilada sauce. Similar to what I learned to cook while living in Mexico for a while.
I always add 1/4 tablet of Mexican chocolate because it mellows the sauce a bit and gives it a creamer texture.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks. Yes, nice. Chocolate is a nice addition. I sometimes add a bit of chocolate to my chili for the same reason.
joyce m corcoran says
Absolutely wonderful enchilada sauce. I love spicy as does my family. My next step is to can it. Any suggestions. My sons say it shouldn't be a problem and they will help me jar up 8 pints in the pressure cooker. That way your wonderful sauce will be ready in a pint size jar anytime I want. It is used in so many dishes in our house. Thank you again for the recipe.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Joyce. I've never canned this. You'll probably need to add an acid if using a water bath, otherwise you can pressure can.
Chris Hall says
My first round of making this I burned the peppers toasting them. Round two I was more careful and the sauce was amazing, so unique and flavorful. This was a big hit for my wife and I. Thanks.
Any tips on how to remove the seeds quickly from the dried peppers? That step takes me the longest.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Chris. Yes, I like to cut the peppers open with kitchen scissors and sort of knock them out. Works nicely for me. Sometimes You'll need to dig in a little, but slicing up the side makes them easy to get to.
Margie Blanks says
I have used this same recipe, I add cumin, mexican oregano and a few Bay leaves. I also use the sauce in pork pozole.. Great recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great! Thanks, Margie! Sounds fantastic.
Jodi says
I want to use this for pork posole too! Do you have a recipe for the posole you can share?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Jodi, check out my Chicken Pozole Recipe. You very easily use pork in place of the chicken: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/soups-salads-stews/classic-mexican-chicken-posole
Bill Lieske says
Just a general chili pepper question. I can understand removing the stems but why the seeds? I never do and my sauces turn out pretty good. I don't mind a bit of the bitter taste and I am a hot, hot pepper freak.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Bill, it's mostly for the overall texture. The seeds can float around in the sauce. You don't have to remove them if you don't want to.
John Shotsky says
Mike, how much powdered chile de arbol would this take? I have a list of dried peppers to spoons, but don't have this one. I have all my peppers in powdered form in jars in a dark cupboard. I plan to make this soon.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
John, I didn't make this particular recipe with powders, so don't have an exact measurement, but you can refer to this recipe, which is very similar with powder: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/sauces/quick-and-easy-enchilada-sauce/
Scott Lambton says
Hi, I just made this recipe and also added Morita peppers. The taste is great but it's a little too spicy for my Girlfriend's taste, any tips as to what I can do to take it down a notch?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Scott. You can add in some tomato sauce to help dilute the overall heat. It will change the flavor a bit, but it's still very tasty. Otherwise, serve it with a side of dairy, like sour cream, which will help combat the spiciness. I hope this helps!
Patty says
Hi Mike,
I am a red enchilada sauce snob, having lived in New Mexico for several years. I was taught to make red sauce this way also. There is nothing better than stacked red enchiladas with a fried egg on top! Thanks for sharing!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Patty. I know there are several ways to make it, but this is my favorite way. So delicious!