Here’s the easiest tastiest Enchilada Sauce that requires no cooking, no chopping and can be made in literally five minutes, using a blender! You’ll never buy it again! Full of flavor, this red Enchilada Sauce is silky smooth and perfect for Vegetarian Enchiladas, Chicken Enchiladas, smothered burritos, or Enchilada Pie.
As a chef, catering large events, everything was made from scratch. This enchilada sauce recipe was a godsend because not only could I control the heat level, but I could also control the ingredients.
The problem with many store-bought enchilada sauce is that they contain inflammatory seed oils, flavorings, stabilizers and thickeners. Not the healthiest!
WATCH: How to Make Enchilada Sauce
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Enchilada Sauce Recipe!
- No pre-cooking required! This untraditional Enchilada Sauce is made in reverse, blended then cooked. It cooks in the oven with your enchiladas- and it comes in very handy when short on time.
- Made with simple pantry ingredients. Most everyone has these basic ingredients on hand, saving you from the dreaded last-minute trip to the grocery store. (Very similar in flavor to Trader Joe’s bottled Enchilada Sauce.)
- Use fresh or canned tomatoes! During the summer months, use fresh tomatoes, and during the colder months, diced canned tomatoes or tomato puree work well too.
- It’s healthy. This is such an easy way to cut back on highly processed foods. You know exactly what is in this sauce. No artificial flavors or preservatives. Make it organic if you like. We intentionally leave out the flour so its gluten-free and vegan.
Easy Enchilada Sauce Ingredients
- Tomatoes– diced, fire-roasted canned tomatoes are our go-to. But regular diced tomatoes work, tomato puree or even tomato sauce. If you have an abundance of fresh tomatoes, definitely use those!
- Vinegar- adds a tangy brightness to the sauce. Use apple cider, or any light colored vinegar.
- Garlic– easiest to use dried garlic powder or granulated garlic but fresh is best.
- Spices– a mix of chili powder, ground cumin, chipotle, oregano , salt and pepper totally create the depth of flavor in the sauce. Use fresh oregano if you have it!
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make Enchilada Sauce!
- Place enchilada sauce ingredients in blender. (If using tomato puree, you can whisk or stir ingredients in a bowl.)
- Blend until smooth.
- It’s done and ready to use!
How to store Enchilada Sauce
Refrigerate Enchilada Sauce up to 5 days in a sealed jar in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 6 months in the freezer. I haven’t tried canning this recipe, but I am sure it could be done easily.
Of course, you can cook the Enchilada Sauce after you blend it- just simmer gently, over medium heat, covered in a saucepan for 10-15 minutes, but if using it on something that will be baked, or cooked, not need to simmer ahead of time.
Quick Enchilada Sauce FAQs
Yes the sauce will stay fresh in the fridge for 4 days.
Yes! It freezes beautifully.
This easy enchilada sauce recipe is made from tomatoes, chili and Mexican spices.
In this authentic enchilada sauce recipe, the key is using high quality ingredients and achieving the perfect balance between savory depth, tangy and spicy heat.
There are many varieties of enchilada sauces. This version is red made with a tomato base. Green Enchilada sauce is made with tomatillos and green chilies.
The spice level of enchilada sauces can range from mild to hot, depending on the type of chili powder used in the recipe. Regular chili powder is pretty mild, while chipotle powder can be hot!
We intentionally leave out the flour in this enchilada sauce recipe to keep it gluten-free. To thicken it, cook it down uncovered on the stovetop for 10 minutes. Alternately, you could whisk in 1-2 tablespoons of masa harina flour to thicken it.
Uses for Enchilada Sauce
We use this homemade enchilada sauce in so many ways! Of course on our enchiladas, drizzled over nachos before baking, in casseroles, with tamales, in smothered burritos, quesadillas, and mixed with shredded chicken.
More Recipes You May Enjoy
- Easy Chicken Enchiladas
- Shrimp Enchiladas
- Chicken(or Turkey) Enchiladas with Black Beans
- Butternut Squash Enchiladas
- 45 Fresh & Tasty Mexican Recipes!
- Lemon Butter Sauce
A fast and easy recipe for Enchilada Sauce, not lacking in flavor!
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
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Quick & Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 5
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups
- Category: sauce
- Method: blended
- Cuisine: mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A quick and easy, homemade, red enchilada sauce recipe that requires no cooking! Can be made in 5 minutes using a blender.
Ingredients
- 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes (with juices) preferably fire-roasted tomatoes (or sub-crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato puree, or 1 1/2 cups fresh tomatoes)
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic (or onion powder, or 2–3 garlic cloves)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
- optional: 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder or cayenne pepper (or smoked paprika for smoky flavor) more to taste.
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Taste, add more chili powder or chipotle powder to desired heat level.
- If serving over enchiladas, the sauce will cook as it bakes with enchiladas.
- Or feel free to simmer gently on the stovetop, covered for 10-15 minutes.
Notes
The sauce will keep 4 days in the fridge or can be frozen.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Calories: 47
- Sugar: 1.2 g
- Sodium: 377.6 mg
- Fat: 3.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.7 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 0.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
I was craving some enchiladas after seeing someone eating them on TV. I didn’t have enchilada sauce but had some canned diced tomatoes so I googled and didn’t expect much from such a simple recipe thrown in the blender for a few minutes but I’m surprised! This recipe is a keeper-better than canned enchilada sauce!
This recipe was excellent! I usually buy enchilada sauce but I forgot and happened to have all these ingredients on hand. I did add some hot pepper sauce but the basic recipe tastes very good and love the tomatoes!
I only have some watery (homemade) passata from the freezer. Could I still use it here? How could I then thicken the sauce, so it doesn’t turn the enchiladas into mush? Thank you, Sylvia!
You could blend in a couple tablespoons of flour. Or just use less sauce?
Trying now.
With chicken n veggies
Tasted pretty good I must say
WOW I was impressed by this recipe! so simple and tastes great and the best part is that I know what went into it! Love your veggie enchiladas (trying to eat more plant based foods) and will use this sauce when I make them this week! Thank you!
I was wondering if you use Greek oregano or Mexican oregano in this recipe? Quite different flavours, as I’m sure you know. Thanks!
So easy and so good.
This is the bomb! I’ve only purchase enchilada sauce once. I had to buy a large can and I didn’t think it was very good.
This was fast, easy, and delicious even though I only had crushed tomatoes instead of the fire roasted. Much better than the canned sauce I purchase and less expensive. I used it on a black bean pizza.
Thanks so much for this and all of the sauces you’ve posted!
loved this!
Really easy, and my vegetarian 13 year old loved it. Saw the smoked paprika suggestion and added a few drops of liquid smoke. Both my wife and daughter raved at the smell while I was heating it up. Delicious, too.
Love it! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome and super easy.
Awesome- glad you liked it! 🙌
I made this tonight in hopes that my mother will like it. She cannot tolerate spicy hot food. I must say I was surprised by how easy and tasty it is. I am hoping it gets the ok from mom!
Great to hear and hope she likes it! 🙌
easiest enchilada recipe ever!
Yay!!! Great to hear. Thanks for sharing! 🙌
I really love this recipe! I’ve been using it as a salsa rather than enchilada sauce, so since I haven’t baked it, I simmered it for a while before serving to cook off some of the canned tomato flavor.
Thanks Holly!
Hi Sylvia! I came across this recipe because I unfortunately made another recipe that I was disappointed in so when I saw the.g.is was 5 minutes I thought what the heck! I made as written except the can of fire roasted tomatoes I had on hand had green chiles in it. It came out so good and my enchiladas were perfect! Your recipe saved my dinner & This will now be my go-to… thank you!! ❤
Family loved this sauce! I doubled the recipe for 2 pans of enchiladas. Very good.
Love your website and knowledge of so many different foods. Thank you for taking the time to share so many excellent recipes.
Thanks so much Dianne! Appreciate this!
Delicious! Ingredients we have around the house. Easy and awesome!
I needed an emergency enchilada sauce recipe & made this last night- it turned out amazing! Thank you so much for the recipe 🙂 My family thanks you, too!
Thanks Beth!
Loved this sauce! So delicious and is perfect with your veggie enchiladas. One thing I would do is cut the salt in half. I will make this again!
Thanks so much, Christine! Appreciate this.
I made this for the first time last night and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to throw together and how tasty the enchiladas turned out! I made your veggie enchiladas with this sauce, and they were delicious – the smoked paprika is a genius addition. I topped them with avocado and sour cream, and had your Mexican Slaw as the perfect side. Can’t wait for leftovers for lunch today!
Awww thanks Angie!
I made this sauce exactly as the recipe is written. It was so good and easy! Definitely use the fire-roasted tomatoes. This sauce goes terrific with the veggie enchiladas!
Im so glad you enjoyed this! Thanks Candice!
Hi just made this and was wondering how long it lasts in the fridge not the freezer?
up to a week!
thanks!! was great
delicious enchilada sauce
Simple and delicious!
This simple Enchilada Sauce turned out so good. Happy that it is gluten-free too.