Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Is Homemade Enchilada Sauce worth the effort?  Yes!   With just a few pantry staples and a handful of spices, you can have amazingly flavorful homemade enchilada sauce done in about 20 minutes.

Each month, I write two or three how-to articles for the site Food.com, the online sister of The Cooking Channel.  I prepare the given food for each assignment ... things like crepes ... or pizza dough ... or how to build a better burger ..., take step-by-step photos of the process all along the way, and write up basic step-by-step instructions for Food.com to share with their readers.

In preparation for Cinco de Mayo coming soon, Food.com has me busy prepping a bunch of Mexican-themed items ... like homemade tortillas, flan, the ultimate nachos, mojitos.

And enchiladas.

Well, when asked to write a how-to about enchiladas, I couldn't help but wonder if going the extra step to make homemade enchilada sauce was worth the effort.

I mean, I have to admit, I've always just used the stuff in the can.  But here I was being asked to 'instruct' others on how to make enchiladas ... Shouldn't I know if homemade enchilada sauce trumps the canned stuff?

Um, yes ... yes, I should.

So I set about doing some taste comparisons to build my knowledge and let my palate form an opinion.  

My palate's verdict?

Oh, it's not even close.  Homemade enchilada sauce absolutely  trumps the stuff in a can!  So much so, in fact, I highly doubt the canned stuff will ever grace my pantry again.

Now, the other question I was thinking is one you may be thinking, too ... Is homemade enchilada sauce difficult to make?

No! ... homemade enchilada sauce is actually very easy  to make.  Much easier than I thought.  And quick, too.  With just a few pantry staples and a handful of spices, you can have homemade enchilada sauce done in about 20 minutes.

And believe me ... the result is well worth the effort.

It took me a few tries to get the sauce the way I liked it, but below is the simple & quick recipe I landed on.  It begins with a simple slurry of melted butter and flour ... to which you add tomato paste, loads of chili powder, and a touch of other spices ...  

This all gets mixed with some chicken or vegetable broth and then simmered for a few minutes until thickened and tasty.

I found that a few teaspoons of apple cider vinegar 'smooth out' the bite of the chili powder and bring on a nice balanced flavor.

Once the sauce is simmered, it's ready to use right away to slather over a batch of chicken enchiladas with homemade enchilada sauce ...

Or, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks to use later. Either way, I highly encourage you to ditch the can and whip up your own homemade enchilada sauce.  Truly, the little bit of effort it takes is absolutely worth it!

Homemade Enchilada Sauce
(Printable recipe)

Ingredients

• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 2 T. all-purpose flour
• 2 or 3 T. chili powder*
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 6 oz. tomato paste
• 2 1/2 c. chicken broth or vegetable broth {or water, but broth will give a richer flavor}
• 3 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 & 1/2 minutes.
2. Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, oregano, pepper, and tomato paste; stir until well blended. Using a whisk, gradually add chicken broth, whisking constantly.
3. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes until thickened.
4. Use immediately in your favorite enchilada recipe, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

* Be sure to use the spice blend sold as 'chili powder' or 'chili powder blend,' not  cayenne pepper.  Adjust amount to suit personal taste and desired level of spiciness.  We like ours with 2 tablespoons chili powder, and find it plenty spicy enough.  Keep in mind that different brands or varieties of chili powder may produce different flavor, color, and spiciness results.  Experiment to see what you like best.

Enjoy!

Please enjoy these other spicy dips & sauces from The Kitchen is My Playground ...

Easy Restaurant-Style Salsa

Roasted Corn, Black Bean, & Mango Salsa

Black Bean Salsa

Hot Corn Dip

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