how to make enchilada sauce

June 27, 2026

Homemade enchilada sauce is basically a quick spiced gravy made with oil, flour, chili powder, and tomato plus broth.

Quick Scoop

Here’s a simple stovetop red enchilada sauce you can make in about 15 minutes.

What you’ll need

Oil (neutral or olive oil both work).

All-purpose flour.

Chili powder (the blend, not pure chile unless you adjust the amount).

Ground cumin.

Garlic powder (or very finely minced fresh garlic).

Dried oregano.

Salt, plus black pepper to finish.

Tomato sauce or tomato paste plus broth.

Broth or water (chicken or vegetable are most common).

Optional warm spices: a pinch of cinnamon and/or cayenne for heat.

Typical base quantities for about 1½–2 cups of sauce:

3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons flour
2–3 tablespoons chili powder (adjust for heat and brand)
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon oregano
¼–½ teaspoon salt (adjust later)
Pinch of cinnamon and/or cayenne (optional)
1 can (about 15 ounces) tomato sauce, or a mix of tomato paste and broth.

1½–2 cups broth or water, added until the thickness looks right.

Step‑by‑step: classic roux method

This is the style many popular food blogs use for fast weeknight enchiladas.

Warm the oil
- Heat the oil in a small or medium saucepan over medium heat until it shimmers.

Make the roux
- Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly for about 1 minute to form a smooth paste; this cooks off the raw flour taste.

Toast the spices
- Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and any optional spices, then whisk for another minute until fragrant (don’t let it burn).

Add tomato and liquid
- Slowly whisk in tomato sauce (or tomato paste) and then the broth, a little at a time so the sauce stays smooth and lump‑free.

Simmer and thicken
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, for about 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened; it will thicken more as it cools.

Final seasoning
- Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, or chili powder.
- Some recipes finish with a small splash of vinegar for brightness.

Use right away for enchiladas, burritos, or as a general Mexican‑style red sauce, or cool and store for later.

Variations and forum‑style tips

Home cooks and commenters often tweak this basic template in similar ways:

Oil swaps: Neutral oils are common, but many people happily use olive oil if that’s what they have.

Heat level: If your chili powder is strong, start with less and build up; some add cayenne separately to control heat.

No‑cook shortcut: A few recipes blend tomato sauce, spices, and oil or a bit of broth with no simmer for emergency weeknight dinners.

Make‑ahead: Fridge storage for about a week and freezer storage for a few months are widely recommended, often in jars or small containers so you can thaw just what you need.

From‑scratch chile style: Some “authentic” red sauces use dried Mexican chiles simmered and blended instead of chili powder and tomato, for a deeper, earthier flavor.

A typical comment trend over the last few years: once people start making their own enchilada sauce using this quick method, they often say they stop buying canned sauce because the homemade version tastes fresher and is nearly as fast.

Simple HTML table of a basic recipe

Below is an HTML table version of a straightforward red enchilada sauce using the roux method, aligned with several popular online recipes.

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Step</th>
      <th>What to Do</th>
      <th>Details</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>1. Prep</td>
      <td>Measure all dry ingredients</td>
      <td>Have flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and optional spices ready in a small bowl.[web:1][web:3][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>2. Heat oil</td>
      <td>Warm oil in saucepan</td>
      <td>Use about 3 tbsp neutral or olive oil over medium heat until shimmering.[web:1][web:3][web:5][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>3. Make roux</td>
      <td>Whisk in flour</td>
      <td>Add 3 tbsp flour and whisk for 1 minute to form a smooth paste.[web:1][web:3][web:5][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>4. Toast spices</td>
      <td>Add spice mix</td>
      <td>Whisk in chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and optional cinnamon/cayenne for about 1 minute.[web:1][web:3][web:5][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>5. Add tomato</td>
      <td>Pour in tomato sauce</td>
      <td>Add one 15 oz can tomato sauce (or tomato paste plus some broth), whisking constantly.[web:1][web:3][web:5][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>6. Add liquid</td>
      <td>Whisk in broth or water</td>
      <td>Slowly add 1.5–2 cups broth or water until smooth and slightly thin.[web:1][web:3][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>7. Simmer</td>
      <td>Cook until thickened</td>
      <td>Simmer 10–15 minutes, stirring often, until it lightly coats a spoon.[web:1][web:3][web:5][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>8. Season</td>
      <td>Adjust flavor</td>
      <td>Taste and add more salt, pepper, chili powder, or a splash of vinegar if desired.[web:3][web:5][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>9. Use or store</td>
      <td>Serve, refrigerate, or freeze</td>
      <td>Use immediately for enchiladas, or store in the fridge up to 1 week or freeze for a few months.[web:3][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

TL;DR: To make enchilada sauce, cook oil and flour into a roux, toast in chili powder and spices, then whisk in tomato and broth and simmer until thick; adjust seasoning and use or store.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.