Easy and Delicious Enchilada Sauce

I love enchiladas.  To be honest, most times I make enchiladas, I buy canned or jarred enchilada sauce.  I have just always found most enchilada sauce recipes require a lot of extra steps and ingredients and I usually am making enchiladas as a quick and easy weeknight dinner or as a means to use up leftovers.  As a result the last thing I want to do is spend 30 minutes making a sauce.  That is why I decided to spend a day playing around with recipes to make this super fast and easy recipe that can be done in only 5 minutes!

Why I love this 5 minute Enchilada Sauce Recipe

It is so fast and easy!  I love that I can make a super quick enchilada sauce in only 5 minutes that tastes better than the canned versions I can get at my grocery store.  And because it is so easy I now make it all the time to use on other dishes such as eggs and breakfast burritos, as a dipping sauce for quesadillas and I even used it to make a tex-mex inspired burger topped with pepperjack cheese, pickled jalapenos and avocado.

I find many enchilada sauce recipes use sauteed onions, garlic, peppers, some chicken stock and a roux.  Now all those extra ingredients add extra flavor but they also really increase the amount of time and steps involved in making the recipe.  The other thing I found was many of those recipes tasted better the next day which results in even more planning and preparation.  This recipe requires no knives, no chopping, no blending, and tastes great right off the stove.

Also, did you know this recipe is gluten-free? Many enchilada sauces use stock and a roux to thicken them, which means they are no longer gluten-free. This one, however, has no roux or thickener, so you can use corn tortillas and make a great gluten-free dinner.

Enchilada Sauce Substitutions

Here are some easy substitutions you can make to the recipe so you do not need to worry if you do not have everything in your pantry.

• Chili Powder – you can substitute the ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and dried oregano with 3 tablesspoons of chili powder.  Now the flavor will be a little different and not quite as interesting but will still make a pretty good sauce.
• Hot Sauce – you can substitute the hot sauce with 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice if you do not want any kick in your hot sauce.  This recipe is mild-medium but if you want truly mild use 1 teaspoon of white vinegar instead. You want the vinegar to give the sauce some brightness.

Enchilada Sauce Ingredients

This recipe is very easy and uses only pantry items so you can make it anytime you are craving enchiladas without any extra planning.

• Tomato Sauce is the base of the recipe, and you can use any brand of canned or jarred sauce.
• Dried Oregano gives the recipe a nice herb note without the intensity of cilantro.  Oregano is a key ingredient in a lot of Mexican recipes.
• Ground Cumin is common Mexican spice that gives a really nice and rich flavor.
• Garlic Powder is part of most chili powders and replaces the need to mince fresh garlic.
• Onion Powder is part of most chili powders and replaces the need to mince fresh garlic.
• Smoked Paprika gives a smoky pepper flavor without adding heat to the sauce.  Most paprika you find in the grocery store is smoked even if it does not say so.  The other type of paprika is sweet paprika but this is harder to find.  Occasionally the paprika will be a blend of the two which is ok.
• Brown Sugar helps enhance the flavors in the sauce without making the sauce taste sweet.
• Hot Sauce adds heat, flavor and acidity.  You don’t need a lot but it does really make the sauce taste great.  I like Cholula hot sauce for this recipe but you can use your favorite.

How to Make This Super Easy Enchilada Sauce

This recipe is so fast and easy that it only takes two steps to make.  And to be honest those two steps could be combined into one.

1. Add tomato sauce, herbs, spices, sugar, salt and hot sauce to a medium sauce pan.
2. Heat over medium heat until just simmering.

You can make this recipe right when making your enchiladas and just allow it to cool slightly before using so you do not get burned.  The nice thing about using a freshly made, warm sauce is that it helps the enchiladas cook a few minutes faster.

Enchilada Sauce Video Recipe

Check out this short one-minute video to learn how to make this super easy enchilada sauce recipe, which takes only five minutes to make. The video outlines all the ingredients and step-by-step instructions.

As you can see from the video recipe, you will never need to buy canned enchilada sauce again and can make your own enchilada sauce anytime with simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

Easy and Delicious Enchilada Sauce

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You can make a super quick enchilada sauce in only 5 minutes that tastes better than the canned versions you can get at my grocery store.

• Total Time: 6 minutes
• Yield: 3 cups 1x

Ingredients

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• 2 cans tomato sauce (15 oz each) or 3 cups
• 1 Tbs dried oregano
• 1 Tbs ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 Tbs smoked paprika
• 1 Tbs brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbs hot sauce such as Cholula

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Instructions

1. In a medium sauce pan add tomato sauce and then all other ingredients.
2. Heat over medium heat until sauce reaches a low simmer.
3. Remove from heat and let cool.

• Author: anthony
• Prep Time: 1
• Cook Time: 5
• Category: Sauces
• Method: Stove
• Cuisine: Mexican

Can you freeze leftover enchilada sauce?

You can absolutely freeze leftover enchilada sauce.  Simply let the enchilada sauce cool, transfer to an airtight container and store in your freezer for up to 4 months.  If you do not want to freeze the leftover sauce, you can store it in your fridge for up to 7 days.  Because this sauce keeps so well in the fridge and freezer I often make a double batch so I have extra on hand.  You can thaw the frozen leftover sauce overnight in the fridge, in the sink under cold running water or in the microwave.