homemade enchilada sauce [in 10 mins!]

There’s no need to buy pre-made enchilada sauce with this tutorial for making homemade enchilada sauce from just a jar of tomato sauce! Just toss on the stovetop and you’ll have the enchilada sauce ready in under 10 minutes for a delicious base for your next Mexican fiesta!

While I’m certainly not thrilled with our current global situation (my feelings fluctuate between panic, fear, and deep sadness), I’ve been working all day to find the pockets of joy. From the flowers blooming on our property to overusing my label printer, there are definitely things to feel good about. One of those things is how much more time I spend in the kitchen. To be honest, I probably spend more time in the kitchen than the average person (after all, it’s part of my job!), but cooking – and more specifically – innovating with simple kitchen ingredients is in some ways the pinnacle become my day.

This Homemade Enchilada Sauce is no exception! It can be easily made from a jar of tomato sauce and a spice mix that most of us have at home. So if you’re out of enchilada sauce or the store has sold out, this enchilada sauce recipe is for you!

Ingredients in homemade enchilada sauce

• 1 glass of tomato sauce – A standard 24 ounce glass works perfectly
• olive oil – or a neutral oil like vegetable oil or avocado oil
• Flour – regular all-purpose flour
• Spices: Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cumin

How to make homemade enchilada sauce

Pour olive oil into a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add a little flour to the oil and when it sizzles, it’s ready for the flour. Slowly add the flour and work into the oil with a whisk. Pour in tomato sauce, spices, salt and pepper and water. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat until the mixture thickens.

Suggestions + tips

Use a mild tomato sauce – Try to use the mildest tomato sauce you can find. I know we all work with what we have on hand, so don’t stress if all you have is truffle-infused mushroom and basil tomato sauce (although that sounds fancy, so you might want to save it lol) , but generally this tastes better with a milder marinara sauce or basic tomato sauce.

Mix if desired – If you only have a can of diced or chopped tomatoes, you can certainly use that in place of the tomato sauce. However, depending on how chunky the canned tomatoes are, you may want to use an immersion blender (or regular blender) to get that creamy consistency. It won’t change the flavor though, so work with what you have.

Use gluten free flour – If you are gluten-free, you can easily substitute a gluten-free flour mix for all-purpose flour

How to store homemade enchilada sauce

Your enchilada sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week. However, I made extra and froze an extra batch. Simply store in an airtight container in your freezer for up to 6 months. Be sure to label and date your homemade enchilada sauce!

I take mine out the night before to allow it to thaw, or you can let it thaw slightly and reheat over the stovetop or microwave before using.

My favorite enchilada recipes

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homemade enchilada sauce

There’s no need to buy pre-made enchilada sauce with this tutorial for making homemade enchilada sauce from just a jar of tomato sauce! Just toss on the stovetop and you’ll have the enchilada sauce ready in under 10 minutes for a delicious base for your next Mexican fiesta!

• Author: David Lederle
• Preparation time: 0 minutes
• Cooking time: 10 mins
• Total time: 10 mins
• Yield: 4 cups 1X
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Cook
• Kitchen: Mexican
• Diet: Vegan

• 1/4 cup olive oil (or other neutral oil)
• 1/4 cup flour (gluten-free flour works too)
• 1 jar of tomato sauce (24 ounces)
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup Water

1. In a medium sauce pan, add olive oil (or neutral oil) and bring to a boil.
2. Add a little flour to the oil and when it sizzles, it’s ready for the flour. Slowly add the flour while beating to incorporate it into the oil.
3. Add tomato sauce, spices, salt and pepper and water. Stir to combine.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat until the mixture thickens.
5. If the tomato sauce is chunky, feel free to puree it with an immersion blender or in a stand-alone blender. This is optional.
6. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Use in place of store-bought enchilada sauce if you like.

Keywords: homemade enchilada sauce