Our Favorite Red Enchilada Sauce
- PREP 10min
- COOK 25min
- TOTAL 35min
Inspired by authentic enchilada sauce, our recipe combines dried chilies, garlic, onion, and spices to make a rich, flavorful sauce perfect for enchiladas. Many dried chilies will work in this homemade enchilada sauce. We love the combination of guajillo and ancho chilies. Guajillo chilies have a natural smokiness and are moderately hot, while ancho chilies are mild and have a fruity, chocolate-like aroma. When combined, the enchilada sauce tastes rich and savory with just a hint of spice. Add one or two hotter chilies like New Mexico or Cascabel for a spicier sauce. You can also make the sauce spicier by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper.
You Will Need
2 ounces dried guajillo chiles (8 to 10 peppers)
1 ½ ounces dried ancho chilies (4 to 5 peppers)
Hot water, plus more for sauce
1/2 tablespoon neutral oil like grape seed, safflower or walnut
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 medium white onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Sugar, optional for balancing sauce
Apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar, optional for balancing sauce
Directions
Prepare Chilies
Cut the stems and remove the seeds from the peppers. The seeds can be bitter, so get rid of them. Use kitchen scissors to cut the stem away and then shake or scrape the seeds inside each pepper. (If you have sensitive skin, wear gloves to prevent the oils from getting on your hands. Also, be careful not to touch your eyes during or after working with chili peppers).
Add the cleaned chilies to a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast them, stirring occasionally until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Be careful not to scorch the chilies, as this can make the sauce taste bitter.
Transfer the toasted chilies to a large pot or bowl and cover with hot water. Cover with a lid to prevent steam escaping and set aside for 20 minutes. (A large plate works well as a lid when using a bowl.)
Make Enchilada Sauce
While the chilies soak, place the skillet used to toast the peppers back over medium heat. Add the oil, sliced onions, and whole garlic cloves. Cook, stirring often, until the onions have softened and have a few brown spots all over, about 5 minutes.
Place the onions and garlic into a blender. Add the cumin, coriander, Mexican oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and unsweetened cocoa powder. Set aside until the peppers are ready.
When the chilies are ready, use tongs to transfer them to the blender with onions and spices.
Taste the soaking liquid. If it tastes bitter, it’s best to use plain water or stock as the liquid for the sauce. If the soaking liquid tastes good, use it.
Add 1 ½ cups of the liquid (water, stock, or soaking liquid), and then blend. Since the chilies are still hot, remove the center insert of the blender lid and hold a paper towel that’s been folded a few times over the hole while blending — this helps to release some of the steam and prevents the blender lid from popping off (which can be a big, hot mess).
If the mixture is too thick, add more liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, until your desired consistency.
Taste the sauce. If it tastes flat, add more salt and a teaspoon of vinegar. If it tastes bitter, add a teaspoon or so of sugar to balance it out.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Store homemade enchilada sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, portion the sauce into small containers (or ice cube trays) and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen sauce in the refrigerator before using.
- Mexican oregano: This differs from the more common Mediterranean oregano found in the spice aisle. They come from different plants. Mexican oregano has grassy, citrusy undertones, while Mediterranean oregano has more sweet with anise undertones. We buy our Mexican oregano from a local Mexican grocery store, but you should also be able to find it online. If you cannot find it, don’t worry, the flavor profiles might not be exactly the same, but you can substitute marjoram, dried verbena and even Mediterranean oregano for Mexican oregano.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.