• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Garden Grazer

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Matcha
  • About
  • Newsletter
  • Contact

Enchilada Sauce

May 28, 2013 By Kaitlin McGinn 55 Comments

Our favorite stovetop enchilada sauce! The perfect savory sauce to smother over your beautiful enchilada creations. (Vegan, gluten-free)

Homemade enchilada sauce being poured on pan of enchiladas

*Note: this is not an authentic enchilada sauce; merely my own favorite stovetop version/adaption of one.

Have you tried making your own enchilada sauce? I love making fresh, homemade versions of sauces & seasonings. (Such as our favorite Taco Seasoning or creamy Thai Peanut Sauce.) By making your own, you can control the ingredients and also leave out any funky additives & preservatives. Plus I feel like it just tastes so much better than the canned or packaged alternatives!

I’ve made this enchilada sauce countless times and it’s been great on a variety of different enchiladas (like these Black Bean Spinach Enchiladas & also the Protein Monster Vegan Enchiladas).

Warm homemade enchilada sauce in the pan

The sauce is mild as written, so if you prefer spiciness try a little chipotle or cayenne pepper to kick it up. My favorite variation is adding smoked paprika (usually about 1/4 – 1/2 tsp.) and a touch of chipotle powder so it has a wonderful, smoky kick. It’s fun to play around with different spices and I’d love to hear your variations if you give it a try!

Come join The Garden Grazer on Instagram and share a photo if you make this! I love seeing your recreations. (Also please leave a review & star rating below if you give it a try. Your feedback is greatly appreciated – thank you!)

Enchilada sauce being poured from pan over the top of enchiladas
Homemade enchilada sauce being poured on pan of enchiladas
Print Pin
4.75 from 24 votes

Enchilada Sauce

Our favorite stovetop enchilada sauce! The perfect savory sauce to smother over your beautiful enchilada creations.
Author: Kaitlin – The Garden Grazer
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Total Time:20 minutes
Category: Sauce
Cuisine: Gluten-Free Option, Mexican, Vegan
Servings:8

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I use GF all-purpose)
  • 2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. chili powder
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt/pepper to taste
  • Optional: 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika, dash of chipotle powder, etc.

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine flour, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder. (Or other spices of choice.)
  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil.
  • Once oil is hot, carefully add tomato paste and the bowl of flour/spices.
  • Cook for 1 minute, whisking continuously. (It will form a very thick mixture – just go with it!)
  • Slowly whisk in broth. Then increase heat and bring to a light boil.
  • Once lightly boiling, reduce heat to medium-low. Let sauce lightly simmer for about 8 minutes (or until thickened) whisking occasionally to break up clumps.
  • Salt/pepper to taste.

Notes

My favorite variation is adding smoked paprika & a touch of chipotle powder which gives it a wonderful, smoky kick!
Adapted from Martha Stewart

Nutrition Per Serving (estimate)

Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 374IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @thegardengrazer on Instagram and hashtag it #thegardengrazer. I love seeing your recreations!
Our favorite homemade enchilada sauce

Feel free to also check out the full “Mexican-Inspired” recipe archives for more plant-based inspiration!

Filed Under: Mexican-Inspired, Recipe, Sauce/Seasoning, Vegan Tagged With: cumin, enchiladas, family-friendly, sauce

Previous Post: « Broccoli with Asian Garlic Sauce
Next Post: Vegan Hawaiian BBQ Quesadillas »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jess

    May 28, 2013 at 5:05 pm

    This is seriously the BEST sauce ever. I had stopped making enchiladas when I ditched processed foods because I could never make it taste the way the canned stuff tastes. This? Tastes even better. I love it!! THANK YOU!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      May 28, 2013 at 7:39 pm

      So great to hear! Thank you!

      Reply
  2. LittleMonsterx14

    May 29, 2013 at 1:28 am

    oooh this looks so good! i must try it!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      May 29, 2013 at 4:17 pm

      Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Elana

    May 29, 2013 at 2:10 am

    Omg, this is awesome! I will definitely be trying this one out soon!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      May 29, 2013 at 4:18 pm

      Enjoy Elana! 🙂 Would love to hear what kind of enchiladas you try it out on!

      Reply
  4. Mythreyi

    June 11, 2013 at 10:18 pm

    Looks Wonderful and very nice Presentation.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      June 14, 2013 at 3:27 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  5. Tish

    June 28, 2013 at 7:02 am

    Where could I go and get an enchilada recipe so I could try this wonderful sauce

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      July 1, 2013 at 4:51 pm

      Hi Tish! This is great on a variety of different enchiladas, but our favorite is the Black Bean Spinach Enchiladas seen here:
      https://www.thegardengrazer.com/2012/03/black-bean-spinach-enchiladas.html

      Reply
    • Anonymous

      September 16, 2013 at 9:01 pm

      Thank You! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Patty

    July 12, 2013 at 7:50 pm

    Sauce recipe sounds great…one little recommendation…it looks like you use flour torts in the picture, try using corn tortillas next time. I'm from San Antonio TX, the Tex Mex capitol of the world and my family is from Mexico so that should lend to my street cred on this topic 🙂 Anyway, using corn tortillas is the traditional way to make enchiladas and you will find that the corn tortillas hold up much better than flour. I can only imagine that the flour tortilla get a little mushy or gummy when drenched in sauce and thru the baking process. That won't happen with corn it's a much better texture and tastes AWESOME! Just an idea. Also, if you wrap the corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and nuke em for 2 min. to heat them up, they become very soft and easy to roll without having to lightly fry them before rolling. It reduces the fat and makes the tortillas nice and pliable so they don't break when rolling.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      July 15, 2013 at 4:45 pm

      Hi Patty! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  7. Emmy

    July 13, 2013 at 3:28 am

    I love enchiladas but I'm more a green enchilada sauce person. Can you tell me how you would change this if I used tomatillos instead? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      July 15, 2013 at 4:43 pm

      Hi Emmy! I’d suggest using a different sauce recipe altogether if that’s your preference! Salsa verde/tomatillo salsa would be great!

      Reply
  8. Anonymous

    July 23, 2013 at 9:19 pm

    My sauce got lumpy with the flour and very thick 🙁 what did I do wrong?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      July 24, 2013 at 5:33 pm

      Oh no! Did you be sure to whisk it well enough?

      Reply
  9. Anonymous

    September 15, 2013 at 8:06 pm

    could you possible substitute the olive oil for veg. oil?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 25, 2013 at 5:52 pm

      Sure!

      Reply
  10. Anonymous

    September 19, 2013 at 7:29 pm

    OOOOH MY GOODNESS. Just made my first ever homemade enchiladas. Checked out this recipe of yours and, boom baby, this is the business. I never leave comments but I had to thank you for this so simple recipe. I will never order this at a resturant again.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 25, 2013 at 5:57 pm

      Haha, so great! Congrats on your first homemade enchiladas. Glad they worked out for you!

      Reply
  11. Anonymous

    September 23, 2013 at 8:20 am

    Whaaaaat?! These are burritos smothered in tomato sauce! If you want a REAL enchilada "sauce", use dried red chile pods. Red chile is much better for you as well. I'm from New Mexico and if we know anything, it's definitely enchiladas. You'll never use a tomato sauce for these again. Sick!

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      July 8, 2014 at 3:13 pm

      Eww! No need to be rude….

      Reply
  12. Anonymous

    October 4, 2013 at 1:32 am

    No worries. This recipe was easy cause I already had everything. Now I gotta be authentic. Get a clue. There is always someone who does it better. Thanks again for the simplicity.

    Reply
  13. Anonymous

    November 3, 2013 at 6:18 pm

    Fantastic recipe! Thank you, Do you think I can make a large batch and freeze it? Have you ever tried that?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      November 8, 2013 at 3:18 pm

      Hi! I've haven't personally tried freezing it yet, but a reader of mine has and here was her comment:

      "I froze the enchiladas and the sauce separately. Thawed the sauce in the fridge overnight, then when I was ready to bake, I heated the sauce slowly in a saucepan – whisking helped keep it smooth. Then poured the sauce over the frozen enchiladas, added some cheese, and baked @ 400, covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for 15 minutes."

      Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Mary Johnson

    December 15, 2013 at 1:03 am

    Yum! This sauce is delicious! Much better than the canned stuff. I added a little smoked paprika and cayenne and the family loved it. My little ones who love to "help" me cook even tried licking the pan! Lol thanks for posting. This one is going in my recipe box.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      December 17, 2013 at 7:14 pm

      Hi Mary! Glad you and your little ones loved it. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  15. Merry

    December 29, 2013 at 10:01 pm

    I want to substitute corn starch for the flour (we are wheat free) Do you suppose it would be equal amounts?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      December 29, 2013 at 10:04 pm

      Hi Merry! Use only half as much corn starch (1/8 cup) in place of the flour, and mix it with a little water before adding. I use Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose gluten free flour with success if you have any of that!

      Reply
  16. Melody

    February 26, 2014 at 6:13 am

    This is exactly what I need in my life! I've been making smothered burritos a couple times a month since the folks I cook for love them. However, I've been stuck using canned sauce, much to my chagrin. That's all going to change next time I serve up smothered burritos, and I'm really looking forward to it! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      February 27, 2014 at 5:30 pm

      Wonderful!

      Reply
  17. lmckeel

    July 8, 2014 at 3:12 pm

    How many ounces does this recipe make? I want to use this recipe for some slow cooked tostadas and the recipe calls for 20 ounces. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      July 8, 2014 at 3:26 pm

      Hi! This is somewhere in the vicinity of 24 oz. so it should be just about perfect (with a little extra just in case!) Hope you enjoy 🙂

      Reply
  18. Anonymous

    August 4, 2014 at 6:33 pm

    I made this tonight for some roasted vegetable enchiladas. I added a couple of minced chiles, a clove of minced garlic, a pinch of brown sugar, and a small handful of cheddar cheese to thicken it up. It was wonderful! I never knew how easy enchilada sauce was to make!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      August 4, 2014 at 8:28 pm

      Sounds so great! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  19. Hannah Waterloo

    August 7, 2014 at 12:52 am

    This looks fantastic! Do you think it's possible to freeze some of the sauce for quick dinners?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      August 7, 2014 at 12:40 pm

      Hi Hannah! I haven't personally tried freezing this yet, but a reader of mine did and left these instructions on reheating: "Thawed the sauce in the fridge overnight, then when I was ready to bake, I heated the sauce slowly in a saucepan – whisking helped keep it smooth." Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply
  20. JBerens

    September 3, 2014 at 4:15 pm

    Would my kids be able to eat this? They don't like anything spicy.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 3, 2014 at 7:07 pm

      Hi! This recipe is mild as written, so it should be okay for kids (my daughter really enjoys it) 🙂

      Reply
  21. Carrie

    May 25, 2015 at 8:50 am

    Just came across your recipe and can't wait to try it! I live in Beijing where we can't find canned enchilada sauce, and I need some for my slow-cooker sweet pork barbacoa recipe!! Just a question – how much sauce does this recipe make? I'm guessing about 3.5-4 cups? Thanks! 🙂

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      May 25, 2015 at 4:11 pm

      Hey Carrie! I’ve never measured it exactly but you’re on track with your estimate 🙂 Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  22. NBenson

    August 7, 2015 at 5:00 pm

    Great recipe! Have you ever tried canning it? A few summers back I made a different enchilada sauce recipe and it canned well. I assume I could can as I would any other sauce with tomatoes?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      August 9, 2015 at 2:19 pm

      What a great idea! I’ve never tried canning this before, so I’m not sure how it would do. Would love to hear if you give it a go! 🙂

      Reply
  23. Tracy Souder

    October 31, 2015 at 7:28 pm

    This is the BEST! I've stopped buying sauce from the stores cause they are all pretty awful, this is just like restaurant enchilada sauce. Thank you

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      October 31, 2015 at 10:10 pm

      So great to hear!

      Reply
  24. Chris Dahl

    January 15, 2016 at 5:18 pm

    Just made it. Awesome! Thanks

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      January 18, 2016 at 8:13 pm

      Fantastic! Thank you for sharing 🙂

      Reply
  25. Cyndi Evans

    October 13, 2016 at 1:46 am

    I've been using this recipe, changing up a few ingredients as my fridge/pantry allows. Like roasted garlic, beef or vegetable stock, and some fresh lime juice and zest. I will never buy enchilada sauce again. It's easy, fast, less expensive and tastes better than store bought. My only suggestion is to make a roux with the olive oil and butter, combine stock, paste and spices then whisk it into the roux. You won't have any lumps or sticking. So glad I found it! Thanks

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      October 30, 2016 at 3:25 pm

      Hi Cyndi! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  26. Ange

    February 20, 2018 at 2:51 am

    Absolutely love this sauce. Way better than the canned stuff! Mine too gets a little clumpy when I put flour mixture in, I whisk but it continues to clump. Once I add in the broth and turn up the heat, whisk a little more, it all combines.

    Reply
  27. Fawn

    September 21, 2019 at 3:55 pm

    Wow I tried this because I didn’t want to drive an hour into town to get the canned stuff. LOL. Wow was I surprised my whole family kept commenting on how good the enchiladas were this time. That what ever I did different write it down and do it again. Yep I’ll be making my own sauce from here on out.5 stars

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      September 24, 2019 at 12:56 pm

      Awesome!! So lovely to hear you enjoyed it Fawn! It’s definitely a great recipe to play around with depending on the spices you enjoy 🙂 Thanks so much for the kind feedback and leaving a rating/review! Wishing you a great rest of the week! -Kaitlin

      Reply
  28. Arlaux

    July 23, 2020 at 3:10 pm

    Is there a way to use tomato sauce instead of paste with this recipe?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      August 24, 2020 at 3:40 pm

      Hi! I haven’t tested that with this recipe, but my best guess would be:
      -Use 1/2 cup tomato sauce in place of 1/4 cup tomato paste
      -Then slightly decrease the amount of vegetable broth by about 1/4 cup to compensate
      Would love to hear if you give it a go 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Did you make this recipe? Please rate it! (Thank you!)




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Kaitlin! I share easy vegan recipes that are mostly whole food, plant-based, oil-free, & gluten-free. Learn More About Me →

Join 200,000+ followers!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 · thegardengrazer.com

Privacy Policy