Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce

4.78 from 50 votes

Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

This easy homemade enchilada sauce comes together in about 10 minutes with simple pantry ingredients. It’s rich, smooth, and packed with bold flavor—perfect for enchiladas, tacos, casseroles, and more.

Prep Time5

Cook Time12

Total Time17

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: enchilada sauce, homemade

Servings: (about 2 cups)

Calories: 75kcal

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons flour (can use gluten-free flour or cornstarch)
2 tablespoons chili powder (can use less for a milder sauce)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups vegetable broth
Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional

Instructions

In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for one minute. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, oregano, onion powder, and garlic; stir for about a minute. Whisk in the tomato paste, then slowly pour in the vegetable broth, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth.
Let the sauce simmer over medium low heat for 10-12 minutes or until slightly thickened. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Taste and season with additional salt, if necessary. If you want a spicier sauce, you can add a pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste.

Notes

Use less chili powder and no cayenne pepper for a milder enchilada sauce. You can always start with 2 tablespoons and add more!

Nutrition