Last month, I had this brilliant idea for a recipe, but the only problem was that I needed enchilada sauce. I was out of the jarred variety and well I didn’t feel like going to the store. That is when I had an ah-ha moment, “wait I can make my own“. My husband looked at me in disbelief… you can make enchilada sauce? Of course, I proceeded to reply in a smart-alic tone… I mean come on. You can make everything yourself (or just about everything). So that’s when I proceeded to spend the following 10 minutes looking at recipes; comparing ingredients and preparation methods.
I did an inventory of all the ingredients on hand. Confirmed that I had everything and got to work. I think I amazed my husband with this one. In less than 20 minutes, our home smelled of Spicy Enchilada Sauce! Truly aromatic, in my opinion. I gave my husband a taste of the sauce and not only was he sold but high impressed. I’m not sure if I will ever use store bought enchilada sauce again. After learning how easy it is to make and then of course tasting the rich deep flavors. Nothing beats the homemade version. I used 1 jar for my Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Peppers (recipe to come), and then saved the rest for ground beef and black bean enchiladas (also to come). I sealed the other two jars up and refrigerated them until the next day when I proceeded to cook more!
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse
Spicy Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 2-½ cups chicken broth
- 12 ounces tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat vegetable oil to medium heat then add flour, Stir with a wooden spoon, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add chili powder, stir well, and cook for 30 seconds. Then add chicken broth, tomato paste, oregano, cumin, cayenne pepper, and onion powder. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes (the sauce will begin to thicken and smooth out). Serve on enchiladas or store sauce in sealed container for up to 3 days.
Jennifer Schweda
Oh my gosh….so so good!!! I bought a can of mild and added hot sauce to it. Then I found your recipe and used it instead!! So glad I did, so delicious!!!! I made vegetarian stuffed peppers!!
Katie
Hi Jennifer, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. Glad you enjoyed my spicy enchilada sauce recipe. I only make homemade enchilada sauce and you can tell–the flavors are so much more developed and intense!
Allie
I just wanted to tell you that I’ve made your recipe many times, and it’s delicious and easy! Thank you!
Katie
Allie so glad you love it!
Kathi
Can you freeze it?
Katie
Yes you can definitely freeze the enchilada sauce!
Ed
Thanks for the great recipe. Would it be possible to can this?
Katie
Hi Ed–I would imagine you can, but I have no canning experience.
Susan K
Thank you for sharing. This looks like a great base for a lot of different recipes. Just curious as to why you say “store up to 3 days”?
Katie
THanks Susan for stopping by. Since the sauce does not have preservatives to extend its shelf life I like to stay on the safe side and only keep it refrigerated for 3 days. After that you could always freeze any leftover sauce you have.
Nikki
My friend found a similar recipe we both use regularly now. I found that it also makes a great base for making chili!
Katie
Oh Nikki I love the idea of using it as a base for chili!
Courtney
This looks amazing! It would make a great gift for a summer party too… And those jars! Love!
Katie
Thanks Courtney! I never thought to bring this sauce as a summer party gift! Love the idea.
Nutmeg Nanny
I love spicy sauces 🙂 must try this soon!
Katie
You can add additional cayenne pepper to the sauce to make it even spicier. This one has a mild kick at the end… nothing overwhelming!
Jennifer @ Mother Thyme
You have me craving enchiladas now! I love this spicy sauce, yum!
Katie
Thanks Jennifer! It is 100 times better than the canned stuff!