Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is traditional enchilada sauce made of? ›

This homemade Red Enchilada sauce is an aromatic and vibrant red sauce made with a combination of dried red chili peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices. This sauce tends to have a rich and robust flavor profile with a moderate level of spiciness.

Fry each of your tortillas in hot oil before adding in your enchilada filling. This will help keep the tortillas from soaking up too much of your sauce too quickly, which can also cause them to break apart.

Add stock - Chicken, beef, or vegetable, stocks pack a ton of flavor - because they are prepared by simmering bones and vegetables in water for hours, often with herbs and spices until the flavor is extracted - and can instantly elevate the flavor of canned enchilada sauce.

Ranchero sauce is another good option. It's similar to enchilada sauce in taste and texture. The biggest difference is that ranchero sauce has tomatoes, and is usually a tomato-based sauce, while enchilada sauce is usually made without tomatoes.

The most common “red” enchilada sauce may also be called salsa roja, salsa roja para enchiladas, or mole rojo. This is a sauce made out of ancho/pasilla/New Mexico and/or Cascabel chiles, onion, garlic, tomatoes, broth, cumin, oregano, etc.

Toppings: When it comes to enchiladas, I vote the more toppings the merrier! Any combination of chopped fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, diced red onion (or quick pickled red onions), sliced radishes, fresh or pickled jalapeños, sour cream or Mexican crema, and/or extra cheese would be delicious!

Use a shredded Mexican cheese blend for the best melting and flavor. A rustic cut blend of 4 cheese is the best all-around cheese for enchiladas. Look for one that includes Montery Jack, Cheddar, Asadero and Queso Quesadilla Cheese. Avoid using all cheddar as it can be too oily.

It isn't necessary to cover enchiladas while baking. All of an enchiladas components are cooked and you are just heating them through when you bake them. Ideally your ingredients will be room temperature, not ice cold, when you assemble the enchiladas.

The main difference is that red sauce is made from dried red chile peppers instead of green peppers, and the spices used are sometimes slightly different. This sauce has vinegar, garlic, onions, and other spices like oregano, chili powder, and basil.

Use Las Palmas^® Mild Green Enchilada Sauce to make delicious Mexican staples. Offering a mild level of spice to enhance but not overpower your enchiladas, this sauce is sure to make your meal a hit.

Which tortilla is better for enchiladas? ›

While some recipes use flour tortillas, corn tortillas are traditional — and for good reason — are the better option for enchiladas. Corn tortillas have a distinct flavor that plays a key part of the enchilada experience, compared to flour tortillas, which are more like a blank slate.

If you taste your enchilada sauce and find it has a bitter or sour aftertaste, this could be simply due to the acidity of the peppers or tomato, if added. Not to worry. Mix in agave syrup or brown sugar, starting with 1/2 teaspoon and adding more until the taste is evened out to your liking.

The key here is to fry the tortillas in oil for just a few seconds before you fill them. You don't want them to get the least bit crispy, this just makes the tortillas soft and pliable and helps create a barrier so the tortillas don't soak up too much sauce and become soggy and mushy.

If you are actually following a quality enchilada recipe, you should have already dipped your tortillas into your chosen sauce before baking. This process softens the tortilla and infuses it with flavor, so if you just dump the rest of the good stuff on top of your dish before baking, you are begging for a soggy mess.

Enchiladas. The American and Mexican enchiladas closely resemble each other, which is some point of agreement between the two cuisines. The US version has more ground beef and may use gravy. The original has less meat and goes perfectly with vegetables.

Enchilada sauces are smooth, chili-based sauces that include salsa roja (red enchilada sauce), chile con queso (cheese-based sauce), verde sauce (green enchilada sauce), and mole sauces.

The main difference is that red sauce is made from dried red chile peppers instead of green peppers, and the spices used are sometimes slightly different.