The Easiest Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

This homemade red enchilada sauce is the easiest and best sauce for making authentic enchiladas! It’s full of flavor with just the right amount of Mexican spice, and only takes 25 minutes, a saucepan and a few simple ingredients. (vegan, gluten-free)

When it comes to Mexican food, I love making my own salsas and sauces. We do Tex-Mex nights at home pretty frequently, and if I’m going to go to the effort of making it at home, I might as well do it right! Enchiladas are one of Mr. Table’s favorite Mexican dishes, so we’ve been making them often as a way to use leftover shredded chicken (or more recently, brisket – it was to die for).

I know there are tons of recipes out there for homemade red sauce, and I’ve tried my hand at a few different methods, but THIS homemade red enchilada sauce is by far the best. It’s so simple and straightforward with no blending or roasting or chopping – just throw the ingredients in a pot and simmer it for just a bit. And the flavor is so good. It’s full of red chile with just the right amount of heat (for us) – perfect for making enchiladas with. You won’t find an easier or tastier enchilada sauce recipe out there!

Ingredients In Red Enchilada Sauce

• Red Chile Puree – Chile puree is the key to making this sauce so effortless and authentic tasting. You can find it in tubs in the freezer section of your grocery store. I buy Bueno brand.
• Tomato Sauce – I use one 8-oz can of plain tomato sauce to tame the heat just a bit.
• Broth– Use vegetable broth to make the sauce vegan, or beef broth if you have it. Chicken broth works just fine, too.
• Spices– Mexican-inspired spices like garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and Mexican oregano give this enchilada sauce tons of flavor!

How To Make Red Enchilada Sauce

I’m not kidding when I say this is THE easiest homemade enchilada sauce. Just add all the ingredients to a pot, stir them together, bring the sauce to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes or so. Then it’s ready to use!

Tips For Making The Best Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

• If the chile puree is still frozen, no  worries, you can still add everything to the pot and bring it to a boil. Just leave it covered and heat it on low until the puree is thawed. Then whisk it all together and proceed with the recipe.
• This sauce isn’t super spicy. If you like more spice, increase the chile puree to 1 3/4 cups (14oz).
• The sauce will store well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer up to 3 months.
• I like to double the recipe so I have some to use later!

How To Use Red Enchilada Sauce

• To make enchiladas, obviously.
• This sauce is great for dipping tamales or taquitos!
• Use in your favorite enchilada casserole, like this One Dish Quinoa Enchilada Casserole.
• Use it to make an enchilada or tamale inspired soup.
• Make chilaquiles or a veggie enchilada skillet.

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