This Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce is surprisingly easy to make and way more delicious than the store-bought stuff! Dried Chipotle, Pasilla, and Ancho chiles add a complex and smoky flavor. A must-make!
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Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce
This homemade red enchilada sauce is so easy to make and taste way better than the bottled stuff! Dried ancho, pasilla, and chipotle peppers make up the base of this smoky sauce that is outrageously good in beef enchiladas. Read on to learn how to make it!
How To Make Red Enchilada Sauce
- Add dried peppers to a large skillet set over medium heat. Allow them to roast for about 6 minutes, flipping frequently to encourage even heating. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Slice the onion, tomato, and peel the garlic. Add to the skillet, allowing to char. Once blackened, remove from the pan and into a high-powered blender.
- Once peppers are cool enough to handle, use gloved hands to slice the top off and remove the seeds and ribs from each pepper. Place in a large bowl.
- Heat 4 cups of water in a saucepan and pour over the peppers. Allow to rehydrate for about 10 minutes.
- Add rehydrated peppers to the blender (reserving the liquid!) and blend to combine all ingredients. Add half of the liquid from hydrating the peppers to the blender and blend to combine. Add the remaining liquid and blend until mixture is completely combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a large saucepan and cook for 30 minutes over low heat. Allow to cool and transfer to a glass jar until ready to use. Sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week, and in the freezer for 3 months.
How To Use Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce
You can use this delicious homemade red enchilada sauce the same way you would use anything you buy at the store. My Spicy Beef Enchiladas would be an excellent dish to use it in!
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Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 dried ancho chile peppers
- 3 dried chipotle peppers
- 3 dried pasilla peppers
- 1 yellow onion halved
- 1 large tomato halved
- 5 cloves garlic
- 4 cups water
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
Instructions
- Add dried peppers to a large skillet set over medium heat. Allow them to roast for about 6 minutes, flipping frequently to encourage even heating. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Slice the onion, tomato, and peel the garlic. Add to the skillet, allowing to char. Once blackened, remove from the pan and into a high-powered blender.
- Once peppers are cool enough to handle, use gloved hands to slice the top off and remove the seeds and ribs from each pepper. Place in a large bowl.
- Heat 4 cups of water in a saucepan and pour over the peppers. Allow to rehydrate for about 10 minutes.
- Add rehydrated peppers to the blender (reserving the liquid!) and blend to combine all ingredients. Add half of the liquid from hydrating the peppers to the blender and blend to combine. Add the remaining liquid and blend until mixture is completely combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a large saucepan and cook for 30 minutes over low heat. Allow to cool and transfer to a glass jar until ready to use. Sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week, and in the freezer for 3 months.