Have you ever made your own enchilada sauce? It is actually quite easy and will save you money. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are times where I may still buy a can in a pinch, but knowing how easy and delicious this red enchilada sauce is, I think I may be buying less and less and making more of my own.
Why should you make your own enchilada sauce?
As mentioned above, it is going to save you money. Most of the ingredients I used to make this recipe are very common staples of things you may have on hand. I made this gluten-free with brown rice flour, however, if that is not something you have on hand or want to buy, regular all-purpose flour will work great too.
Besides the saving money part, here are a few other reasons why you will want to make your own:
- Uses simple and clean ingredients
- You can control if you want it mild or spicy
- Have you looked at a can of enchilada sauce lately? They are usually full of additives, preservatives, and unnecessary sugar depending on the brand of sauce you buy.
How to make this easy red enchilada sauce.
The first thing you want to do is check that you have all the ingredients. I used brown rice flour but the other options include gluten-free flour blend, almond flour, or all purpose flour. You may also use arrowroot starch if you prefer.
Once you have all ingredients ready to go, start by whisking all dry ingredients together in a large saucepan where you will be doing the cooking. However, do not turn on the heat yet.
Once the dry ingredients are whisked together, slowly add in 1/4 cup of the veggie broth until a paste forms. Slowly whisk in the remaining broth and the cup of water. Turn the heat on medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, you will want to whisk in the tomato sauce.
Allow it to cook for a few minutes – breaking up any remaining clumps. The sauce should be smooth at this point after cooking it for a few minutes on medium heat. It will start to thicken slightly and the consistency will look like tomato soup.
Remove from heat and set aside. If desired, you can add in a pinch of salt or as desired. Use this sauce in enchiladas, soup, or even add in 1/2 cup to chili to change up the taste a bit.
Have you ever made your own enchilada sauce?
I can’t wait for you to make this one. You will see just how easy it is and you may never go back to buying your own.
OH, and the good news is that it makes enough for you to make two batches of enchiladas. Once you make your first batch of enchiladas, you can freeze the sauce for a future date. It will freeze well in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Easy Red Enchilada Sauce
Equipment
- Medium sized saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Brown rice flour GF flour, almond flour, all-purpose flour, or arrowroot starch works well too.
- 2 Tbsp chili powder Optional for more spice: 1 tsp cayenne powder if desired.
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 16 oz can tomato sauce
- salt as desired – to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, spices, and cocoa powder in a sauce pan without the heat on.
- Slowly pour in 1/4 cup of the vegetable broth into the flour mixture to make a paste.
- Slowly whisk in remaining broth and the cup of water until mixed well. At this point, turn on the heat to medium.
- Bring to a boil and turn heat to medium low. Pour in the tomato sauce and mix well.
- Continue to stir for a few minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- Taste and if needed, add in a pinch of salt or as desired.
- Use in your favorite recipes and enjoy. Any leftover sauce can freeze in an air-tight container for up to 6 months.
If you make this easy red enchilada sauce, be sure to leave me a comment below and let me know what you think!
Huh? Cocoa powder? Who would’ve ever thought?! 😂
I love how you keep sharing these recipes! And so easy actually.
It gives it a deeper flavor but it doesn’t taste like chocolate… I am glad you like them!