The Garden Grazer

  • Recipes
  • Matcha
  • About
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Oil-Free
  • Subscribe
  • About
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Oil-Free
  • Subscribe
  • About
×
Home » Recipes » Sauce + Seasoning

Vegan Enchilada Sauce

May 28, 2013 by Kaitlin · 50 Comments

Jump to Recipe

This is our favorite Mexican-inspired vegan enchilada sauce recipe! It's simple to prepare right on the stovetop, and made with a delicious seasoning blend. Perfect poured over a wide variety of enchiladas.

Homemade enchilada sauce being poured over a pan of enchiladas

This is our favorite homemade enchilada sauce!

Making your own sauce allows you to control the ingredients and also leave out any additives and preservatives.

Plus it tastes so much better than the canned or packaged alternatives.

Please note: This is not an authentic red enchilada sauce recipe, but merely my own favorite stovetop version.

Warm homemade enchilada sauce in the pan

Ingredients for Enchilada Sauce

For this recipe you will whisk together in a medium saucepan or pot:

  • Tomato paste
  • All-purpose flour: For a gluten-free option, I like Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour. This is what helps thicken the sauce.
  • Ground cumin: Be sure all of your pantry spices are fresh (not expired) for best flavor in this sauce.
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Chili powder: I use mild, but use your own favorite.
  • Vegetable broth: Be sure to use low-sodium if desired.
  • Olive oil: This is used to make the roux which thickens the sauce.
Black Bean Spinach Enchiladas on a plate with fork

Customizing

Make it spicy: The sauce is mild if using mild chili powder. So if you like it spicy, stir in a dash of dry chipotle powder or cayenne pepper. You could also include chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

Spices + seasoning: Change up the flavors how you see fit. My favorite variation is adding a half teaspoon of smoked paprika (or more to taste).

Oil-free version: I have not tested this recipe without oil yet, but will be sure to update when I do. If wanting to omit oil, I'd suggest simply adding all the other ingredients to the saucepan together (instead of using the oil to make the roux). Then simply heat and whisk until thickened.

Serving

Simmer up this sauce, then pour it on your favorite enchiladas. A few ideas include:

  • Black Bean Spinach Enchiladas (pictured above)
  • Protein Monster Vegan Enchiladas
  • Easy Vegan Bean Enchiladas
  • Vegetable Quinoa Enchiladas
  • Black Bean Avocado Enchiladas

Create your own! Or make your own stacked/layered enchiladas with corn tortillas, black beans (or refried beans), cooked rice or other grain, sweet corn, vegan shredded cheese, onions, etc.

Enchilada sauce being poured from pan over the top of enchiladas

For more inspiration, also browse all sauce + seasoning recipes.

Homemade enchilada sauce being poured over enchiladas

Vegan Enchilada Sauce

Our favorite Mexican-inspired stovetop enchilada sauce! A savory sauce to pour over your beautiful enchilada creations.
4.75 from 36 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Gluten-Free Option, Mexican-inspired, Vegan
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I use GF all-purpose)
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. chili powder
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 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

Variations: Add smoked paprika or a touch of chipotle powder to give it a wonderful, smoky kick.
Adapted from Martha Stewart.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Nutrition Facts
Vegan Enchilada Sauce
Amount per Serving
Calories
58
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
4
g
6
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
3
g
Potassium
 
97
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
 
6
g
2
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
 
337
IU
7
%
Vitamin C
 
2
mg
2
%
Calcium
 
11
mg
1
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.

Get the Monthly NewsletterSubscribe here!

If you are enjoying this easy vegan enchilada sauce recipe, also check out:

  • Vegan Bean Dip

Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook for more inspiration.

More Vegan Sauce & Seasoning Recipes

  • Asian sesame ginger dressing cover photo
    Asian Sesame Ginger Dressing
  • Chipotle Crema (Vegan!)
  • Roasted red pepper dressing cover photo
    Roasted Red Pepper Dressing (Easy!)
  • Easy Vegan Gravy (10 Minute!)

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating:




  1. Patti says

    June 29, 2023 at 3:55 pm

    5 stars
    This is one of the best sauce recipes I’ve come across. It may not be authentic but it’s delicious! I use New Mexico chili powder which makes a difference. Thank goodness for Amazon and the ability to get things shipped to northern Maine where there is no Mexican food! Thank you for the simplicity of this delicious recipe, I utilize it over and over and share with friends.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      July 02, 2023 at 12:02 pm

      Hello Patti! So great to hear you're enjoying this sauce, and I love your tip with the New Mexico chili powder. Will keep an eye out for that. Thanks very much for sharing your kind and helpful feedback!

      Reply
  2. Tracie says

    March 19, 2023 at 4:28 pm

    5 stars
    I've used this recipe SO MANY times! Thanks for making a great foundational base. We like things a bit more spicy so my current take on the spices are: 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp chili Powder, 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      March 19, 2023 at 5:41 pm

      Hi Tracie! That's fantastic. Love that you make it more spicy. Thanks for sharing your very kind and helpful feedback!

      Reply
  3. Alaina says

    February 28, 2023 at 4:23 pm

    5 stars
    This was amazing, I have a ton of extra though. Could extra sauce be frozen?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      March 04, 2023 at 10:34 am

      Hello Alaina! So glad you enjoyed it. I've never tried freezing this sauce, but I think it would freeze well. (I'm guessing it would keep for no more than 3 months however.)

      Reply
    • Tracie says

      March 19, 2023 at 4:30 pm

      When I make enchiladas with this sauce, I freeze half the batch before baking. I add the sauce and cheese to top then freeze. I thaw for approx. 36 hours in the fridge before baking and it turns out great. No separating or flavor changes. Freezing the sauce alone will likely work well. Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Patti says

    November 30, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    5 stars
    Fast, easy and tasty! I do use more chili powder than called for and I use New Mexico chili powder just because it has the best flavor. Great recipe, thank you!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      November 30, 2021 at 4:05 pm

      Great to hear, Patti! And fantastic tip with the New Mexico chili powder. Will try that next time - thank you!

      Reply
  5. Jess says

    May 12, 2021 at 11:19 am

    5 stars
    Easy & tasty! My new go-to enchilada sauce!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      May 12, 2021 at 11:20 am

      Great to hear!

      Reply
  6. Dawn says

    March 05, 2021 at 3:53 pm

    Can’t wait to try this! May I use beef broth instead of vegetable?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn says

      March 06, 2021 at 1:17 pm

      Hi Dawn! I haven't personally tried that (we're vegan so only use plant-based broths) but I imagine any type of broth would work!

      Reply
  7. Arlaux says

    July 23, 2020 at 3:10 pm

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

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn says

      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
  8. Fawn says

    September 21, 2019 at 3:55 pm

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn says

      September 24, 2019 at 12:56 pm

      So great to hear!

      Reply
      • Luna says

        November 07, 2021 at 10:33 pm

        5 stars
        Wonderful! Have made this twice and will keep making it. Didn't have any vegetable broth so used water & tiny bit of tamari in addition to the salt and pepper. Added a little ancho pepper powder, but as you mentioned, this is so amenable to little additions here and there and none are necessary. Delicious! Far better than any store-bought kind I've ever had and the enchilada sauce - hater in the house likes this a lot!

        Reply
        • Kaitlin says

          November 08, 2021 at 7:28 am

          Excellent to hear, Luna! Thanks so much for your helpful feedback and sharing your wonderful substitutions. So glad you're enjoying it!

  9. Ange says

    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
  10. Cyndi Evans says

    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 says

      October 30, 2016 at 3:25 pm

      Hi Cyndi! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  11. Chris Dahl says

    January 15, 2016 at 5:18 pm

    Just made it. Awesome! Thanks

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer says

      January 18, 2016 at 8:13 pm

      Fantastic! Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
  12. Tracy Souder says

    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 says

      October 31, 2015 at 10:10 pm

      So great to hear!

      Reply
  13. NBenson says

    August 07, 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 says

      August 09, 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
  14. JBerens says

    September 03, 2014 at 4:15 pm

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

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer says

      September 03, 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
  15. Hannah Waterloo says

    August 07, 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 says

      August 07, 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
  16. Anonymous says

    August 04, 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 says

      August 04, 2014 at 8:28 pm

      Sounds so great! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  17. lmckeel says

    July 08, 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 says

      July 08, 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. Merry says

    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 says

      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
  19. Mary Johnson says

    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 says

      December 17, 2013 at 7:14 pm

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

      Reply
  20. Anonymous says

    November 03, 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 says

      November 08, 2013 at 3:18 pm

      Hi! I 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
  21. Anonymous says

    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 says

      September 25, 2013 at 5:57 pm

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

      Reply
  22. Anonymous says

    September 15, 2013 at 8:06 pm

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

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer says

      September 25, 2013 at 5:52 pm

      Sure!

      Reply
  23. Anonymous says

    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 says

      July 24, 2013 at 5:33 pm

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

      Reply
  24. Jess says

    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 says

      May 28, 2013 at 7:39 pm

      So great to hear! Thank you!

      Reply

Hello, I'm Kaitlin!
I live in Montana and share vegan recipes that are easy and healthy. About Me →

Footer

↑ back to top

Info

About
Privacy Policy
Contact

Follow

Newsletter
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest

Recipes

Recipe Index
Oil-Free Recipes
Gluten-Free Recipes

Copyright © 2025 The Garden Grazer

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required