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Prepare yourself for a delectable culinary experience with this quick and tantalizing Red Enchilada Sauce recipe. Boasting a bold blend of red chile powder, this flavorful sauce is ideal for generously coating enchiladas, Chile Colorado, burritos, or any other dish your palate craves. Why settle for mundane canned sauces when you can savor this zesty homemade version in just 20 minutes?

Red Enchilada Sauce with enchiladas

My usual red chile sauce is made with New Mexico dried red chile pods, but every once in a while I make chile sauce made from red chili powder. Slather this on or under your huevos rancheros, enchiladas, dinner-sized burritos, or other New Mexico-inspired dishes for a truly authentic finish.


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Chile Powder vs Chili Powder: So what’s the difference? 

  • Chile powder is made of 100% pure ground dried chile pepper with no additives.
  • Chili powder is a blend of chile peppers and other spices, including cumin, paprika, oregano, and salt.

Ingredients for Red Chile Sauce Recipe

  • Red Chili Powder:   Some red chili powders come in different levels of spiciness from mild to extra hot, so select the heat level you desire
  • Cooking Oil:  Vegetable oil, lard, or olive oil works perfectly for this recipe.
  • Spices & Seasonings: Cumin, Cayenne, Mexican oregano, Garlic powder, salt, black pepper, sugar(optional).
  • Flour:  All-purpose flour, or gluten-free
  • Liquids: Water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth

How to Make Red Enchilada Sauce from Chili Powder

  • In a 2-quart saucepan or skillet heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil to low to medium heat.
  • Whisk in the flour and cook until a light golden brown making a roux as a base for the red chile sauce. Add chili powder to the roux.
browning flour for enchilada sauce
  • When the roux and chili powder have been blended completely, slowly add water or broth and cook to the desired consistency.
flour and chili powder
  • Once the sauce shows signs of boiling, reduce heat to a low simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic powder, cumin, tomato paste, and cayenne, and stir with a whisk to catch any lumps in the sauce. Simmer for 7 minutes.
  • Add salt to taste. If the sauce is a little bitter, add a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to the sauce …more if needed. Enjoy
enchiladas with sauce

Storing

Red Enchilada sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week or frozen for up to three months.

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Red Enchilada Sauce

Easy Red Enchilada Sauce

Eunice Huerta
Prepare yourself for a delectable culinary experience with this quick and tantalizing Red Enchilada Sauce recipe.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course sauce
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 2 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp Ground Chili Powder (mild, medium or hot)
  • 2 cups Vegetable or chicken broth or plain water
  • 3 tbsp All-purpose Flour or gluten-free flour
  • ½ tsp Ground cumin
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp Mexican oregano (optional)
  • ¼ tsp cayenne
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste

Instructions
 

  • In a 2-quart saucepan or skillet heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil to low to medium heat.
  • Whisk in the flour and cook until a light golden brown making a roux as a base for the enchilada sauce. Add chili powder to the roux.
  • When the roux and chili powder have been blended completely, slowly add water or broth and cook to the desired consistency.
  • Once the sauce shows signs of boiling, reduce heat to a low simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic powder, black pepper, oregano, cumin, tomato paste, and cayenne, and stir with a whisk to catch any lumps in the sauce. Simmer for 7 minutes.
  • Add salt to taste. If the sauce is a little bitter, add a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to the sauce …more if needed. Enjoy
Keyword red chile sauce, red enchilada sauce, red chile sauce recipe, recipe for tamales
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