This is the homemade enchilada sauce I always come back to. Ancho chili peppers give it a rich, complex flavor that works wonders when it's gooped over some crispy corn tortillas.
Enchilada sauce also happens to freeze quite well, so I've gotten in the habit of making an oversized batch and freezing a few portions. This recipe will make 10-12 cups of otherworldly enchilada sauce that will officially outlaw store-bought enchilada sauce from your pantry.
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
You've got some leeway on the chili peppers used in this recipe. If you've got Guajillos or New Mexican chilis on hand feel free to add some in, but the Anchos seem to create the most flavor so I would recommend building the sauce around those. (Are Ancho chilis hot?)
These guys were a bit smaller than usual so I'm using 20 of them for this batch -- 15 normal sized Anchos would be a good equivalent.
If you're new to Anchos try to buy the ones that are soft and pliable, like big raisins. If they're brittle they are probably older and will have lost a bit of their flavor.
Start by giving them a once-over and wipe off any dusty crevasses with a damp paper towel. Cut off the stems and de-seed them, but don't worry about getting rid of every last seed.
Roasting dried chilis will wake up some dormant flavors, so I typically throw these in a 400F oven for 1-2 minutes. An alternative would be to use a hot, dry skillet to give them a flash roast (15-30 seconds).
Keep in mind that burnt chilis will turn your sauce bitter, so definitely stay on the cautious side when roasting them. If the edges crisp up and start to disintegrate then you've crossed into the dreaded Burnt Zone.
Once roasted, add them to a bowl and cover them with the hottest tap water you've got. This will reconstitute them and make them more amenable to being ground up.
If they float to the surface you can use a small plate or bowl to keep them submerged. These will need about 20-30 minutes to reconstitute and this will give you plenty of time to gather the other ingredients.
Add 7-8 plum tomatoes to a 400F oven and roast them for 20-30 minutes. This is about 1.5 pounds of tomatoes; feel free to substitute other tomato varieties.
Meanwhile, roughly chop up 3 onions and saute them in a dollop of oil over mediumish heat. You can also add 7-8 garlic cloves but don't worry about mincing up the garlic as all of this will head to the blender eventually. Cook until the onions are lightly browned.
Okay before we blend the sauce together I want to mention the Bitter Dilemma that comes about when using dried chilis.
By now the chilis have fully reconstituted. Take a taste of their soaking liquid. Does it taste bitter to you?
It usually tastes a little bitter to me so I tend to not use the soaking liquid in sauces. Instead, I typically use stock to liquefy the sauces.
But half the world will say it tastes earthy and will crave more of that flavor. Those peeps are good candidates for using the soaking liquid.
Also keep in mind that there are other ways to reign in the bitter undertones of sauces. For example, in our Colorado Enchiladas we use a sliver of chocolate and some adobo sauce to counter the earthy flavor and the result is delish.
To summarize, I like this sauce best when the earthy flavor is mild, so we're using stock and the sweetness of the roasted tomatoes to keep it that way.
Okay enough chatting, in a blender we're going to combine the drained chilis, tomatoes, the onion mixture, and the stock.
You'll probably have to blend this in two batches because there is loads of it.
Give it a whirl until it's thoroughly combined and strain this mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. You can discard the leftover seed and skin remnants. You'll probably have to smoosh it through the sieve using the back of a spoon.
You're left with a bowl full of unlimited potential. Nice!
But don't eat it yet!
Heat up a dollop of oil (or lard!) in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sauce to the pan along with:
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons salt
freshly cracked black pepper
I think Mexican oregano works really well in this sauce so keep an eye out for some if you don't normally stock it. But don't sweat it if you don't have any, you can just omit it altogether and you'll still end up with a good batch.
Let this simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until it has reduced down to a velvety consistency. It'll cling to the tortillas better if it's a bit thicker.
This simmer also helps the flavors meld together so trust me it is worth it even if you're getting hungry!
Take a final taste for seasoning. I added another pinch of salt to this batch.
You're left with 10-12 cups of otherworldly enchilada sauce. I typically freeze a few portions in Mason jars. You'll fit just over 2 cups of sauce in each jar and this is a good amount for a 2-person meal.
I think it's easiest to freeze these with the lids off and then once frozen you can cap them. Be sure to leave a bit of headroom as it will expand a bit as it freezes.
You can also freeze some of the sauce in Ziploc bags if you want to.
Okay you've got some awesome red enchilada sauce, now what?!!
My default is to use this sauce for a batch of chicken enchiladas. We have a detailed post on these enchiladas here, but here's the quick skinny on them...
Shredded chicken works best for the enchiladas, so you can use shredded rotisserie chicken or you can poach chicken breasts while the sauce is simmering.
Once you've got cooked chicken on hand, warm up 7-8 corn tortillas; this will make them easier to roll. (I usually put them in the oven for a couple minutes to warm them up.)
Add some of the sauce to a plate and dredge a tortilla in it. Flip it over and fill with chicken, cheese, and some finely chopped onion.
Roll tight and add them to a baking dish. You can put a layer of the enchilada sauce on the baking dish to prevent sticking.
Drench them with the enchilada sauce and give the dish a jiggle so that you get sauce in between the enchiladas.
Bake this at 400F for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is all gooey and delish.
You can serve as is and your fam will be plenty happy, but of course garnishing with Crema, cilantro, or a bit of Cotija never hurts.
That's 8 enchiladas in the above baking dish and 2 cups of enchilada sauce is a good amount for that batch; this will easily feed two hungry people.
And if all went according to plan you've now got 10-12 cups of the enchilada sauce on hand. If cooking for two, that's easily 5-6 meals you've got on standby. Well done!
Okay, please let me know if you have any questions about this enchilada sauce. It's worth getting familiar with the technique as the flavor will knock the socks off the local competition.
Buen Provecho.
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 15-20 dried Ancho chili peppers
- 7-8 plum tomatoes (approx. 1.5 pounds)
- 3 onions
- 8 garlic cloves
- 8 cups stock
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Wipe off any dusty crevasses on the dried chilis. De-stem and de-seed the chilis, but don't worry about getting rid of every last seed.
- Roast the chili pieces for 1-2 minutes in a 400F oven. Add them to a bowl and cover them with hot tap water. Let the chilis reconstitute for 20-30 minutes. If they float to the surface you can use a small bowl or plate to keep them submerged.
- Roast 7-8 plum tomatoes in a 400F oven for 20-30 minutes.
- Roughly chop 3 onions and peel 8 garlic cloves. Add a dollop of oil to a skillet on medium heat and saute the onions and whole garlic cloves until lightly browned.
- You'll probably have to combine the ingredients in two batches. Add half of the tomatoes, chilis, onion mixture, and stock to a blender and combine well. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve and discard the leftover skin and seed remnants. You might have to use the back of a spoon to push the sauce through the strainer.
- Add a dollop of oil to a saucepan on medium heat. Add the enchilada sauce along with 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, and some freshly cracked black pepper. Simmer for 30-45 minutes or until it has reduced down to a velvety consistency. Take a final taste for seasoning.
- Let the sauce cool and then portion it into 2-cup portions (or larger if you want to, you'll have about 10-12 cups total). I typically keep a portion in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. Mason jars and Ziplocs are both good options for storing in the freezer.
- If you want to make a batch of chicken enchiladas, please see our Ancho Chicken Enchiladas post for details.
Notes
We use similar techniques to make a batch of authentic Adobo Sauce.
Still hungry?!
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cheryl
Hello Patrick
Wish you well.
Sister gave me some ancho chiles dried. Jumped right in with your recipe. Only thing I did tweek...I blended or emulsified everything instead o straining after blending. Then cooked all slowly on stovetop. I love the flavor I can taste tomato smokey sweet
No Salt!! So much healthier for me!
I love this easy recipe all the flavor is amazing.
Patrick
Thanks Cheryl! This is one of my favorite recipes on the site and it's been awhile since I've had it -- thanks for the reminder!
Kelley Black
Can this sauce be canned?
Patrick
Hi Kelley! To be honest, I don’t do any long term canning so I can’t really comment on how well this sauce will preserve. I’ve been getting that question a lot so I might look into it, but until then I’ve been pointing people to the Ball website as it seems to have loads of good info on canning:
https://www.freshpreserving.com/canning-guide-pdfs.html
Hope that helps a bit. Cheers.
Stacey
A small question here: how long can this sauce be stored in the fridge! Thank you for the recipe!
Patrick
Hi Stacey! The enchilada sauce will keep for a few days in the fridge and much longer in the freezer. Cheers.
Amanda
In response to the bitterness, my family has always insisted on painstakingly removing all the seeds and inner veins in the Chiles. Also, I would have to agree with Syl G. on a few key points. First, no lard or oil. Also, mí Abuela, from Northern Mexico, taught us to use particular chiles, Southwestern, and we never add tomatoes because it takes away from the integrity of the “Pepper Sauce” . Tomatoes are for salsa not pepper sauce. If you add tomatoes, the seeds also add bitterness. Perhaps it’s a regional or personal preference.
Otherwise, good recipe.
Billy
I love all of your pictures! Does a great job of outlining every step and how everything should look. Thank you so much for sharing! Can't wait to make my own enchilada sauce at home.
Patrick
Thanks much for the feedback Billy -- I hope the enchilada sauce treats you well!
Syl Gutierrez
Hi Rick,
I make my own enchilada sauce too. Being half Mexican and half Italian, you gotta know how to make it! The tomatoes for me just diluted the chili flavor way too much. It seems to me you are getting way too close to entomatada type sauce. Perhaps you can use a mild ancho or Colorado - you can purchase mild or hot- and omit the tomato. I don’t use stock at all. None of the Southwest Mexican heritage folks I know do either. Omitting keeps it vegetarian for those that follow that preference. And chocolate? Now, you are turning it into a mole type sauce. Stick to the path Rick and truly represent.
Patrick
Thanks for your note Syl! Using all chiles (and no tomatoes) in enchilada sauce is a good option for some peeps but that sauce will taste bitter or earthy to others, including me. Adding some roasted tomatoes offers up a good balance and lets you keep most of the flavor from the dried chiles. Cheers.
tony
Ey yo Paddy,
Wanted to add to this comment. I'm a total gringo and made this sauce tonight. I ended up using a 75/25 mix of Ancho and Pasilla and it was that perfect amount of "earthy" for me. Any more peppers and I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much. I was actively googling for that tomato balance. Using broth over the chilli water also made sure it didn't go too far.
Patrick
Hey Tony, I'm glad you found this recipe as it sounds like we have similar palates! I love balancing out that dried chili flavor with some stock and sweetness from the tomatoes, it's such a satisfying combo and I come back to it all the time. Cheers.
Ricky
one tip from me about freezing. I freeze sauces and pureed fruit often in ice cube bags. That way they can be used in small amounts for yogurt and sauces. Since here in Germany we get one brand of Mexican food I definitely will give your sauce a try.
Patrick
Awesome, thanks much for the tip Ricky! So cool to think about peeps over in Germany making these Mexican recipes. It sounds like if you make the enchilada sauce you will have instant opportunity to open a restaurant!
Debbie Spivey
I love that your sauce includes fresh tomatoes and onions. Going to try this next time I make mine. Thanks for sharing this!
Patrick
Thanks Debbie, hope it treats you well!
Kevin Rosinbum
Very similar to the sauce I usually make already with some great changes: toasting the chiles, frying the spices and using stock rather than soaking water. I'll follow this next time but it gets 4 stars simply because I can already tell it's top-notch.
Patrick
Thanks Kevin! I love putting some homemade stock into this sauce, it really seems to add another layer of flava to it. Cheers.
Chris Partlin
How much and what kind of stock is used for the enchilada sauce ? It sounds great can't wait to try it
Patrick
Hey Chris, I hope the enchilada sauce is a keeper for you! There's a recipe box at the bottom of the post that has all the juicy details. For this batch I used 8 cups of homemade chicken stock. You don't have to use homemade stock but of course you'll get a slight upgrade in flavor if you do. Let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers.