I finally perfected my Red Enchilada Sauce, a simple, authentic blend of chilies and spices that makes canned jars obsolete.

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I used to grab cans when life got busy, but this Authentic Red Enchilada Sauce from Cook Eat Laugh changed that. I work with dried ancho chiles and garlic cloves for a deep, smoky backbone that feels real, not fake, and the color will stop you in the middle of dinner prep.

This Red Enchilada Sauce is bold but forgiving, its the kind that fixes a sad weeknight meal. If youve ever typed How To Make Red Sauce For Enchiladas and felt overwhelmed, give this a shot.

I admit I messed up a few times, then finally got a version I actually brag about.

Ingredients

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Ancho chiles: Smoky, mild heat, adds fiber and vitamin A, gives depth and slight sweetness.
Guajillo chiles: Bright fruity flavor, more heat than ancho, provides carbs and antioxidants, vibrant color.
Onion: Adds savory sweetness when cooked, some fiber, vitamin C, boosts sauce body.
Garlic: Pungent, gives umami and aroma, small calories, antibacterial benefits, classic Mexican flavor.
Tomato paste: Concentrated tomato taste, adds umami and natural sugars, provides lycopene, thickens slightly.
Cumin: Warm earthy spice, no protein but adds aroma and savory depth, pairs beautifully.
Mexican oregano: Herbal, slightly citrusy, low calorie, enhances savory profile, traditional in red sauces.
Apple cider vinegar: Adds bright acidity and tang, balances sweetness, tiny calories, preserves freshness.

Ingredient Quantities

3 dried ancho chiles

3 dried guajillo chiles

2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 small white or yellow onion (about 3/4 cup)

3 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour or 1 teaspoon cornstarch (for thickening)

1 teaspoon sugar (optional, i like a little)

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Quickly toast the ancho and guajillo chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat, 15 to 30 seconds per side, just until they smell fragrant not burnt. Cut off stems and shake out most seeds if you want milder sauce, leave a few if you like a kick.

2. Put the toasted chiles in a bowl and pour 2 cups of very hot low sodium chicken or vegetable broth over them. Let them soak 15 to 20 minutes until soft, reserve the soaking liquid.

3. While the chiles soak, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet and sauté the chopped small onion until translucent and starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add 3 smashed garlic cloves and cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant. Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook another 1 to 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.

4. Transfer the softened chiles and most of the soaking liquid to a blender, add the cooked onion garlic tomato paste mixture, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper and 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Add 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon vinegar if using. Blend on high until very smooth, adding a splash of reserved broth if needed to get it moving.

5. Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl or straight back into the skillet, pressing the solids with a spatula to extract as much liquid as you can. Throw the solids away. This step makes the sauce silky.

6. Return the strained sauce to the skillet over medium heat. For thickening with flour: make sure there is a little oil in the pan, sprinkle in 1 tablespoon all purpose flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes, then slowly whisk in the sauce until smooth. For cornstarch: mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry and whisk it into the simmering sauce.

7. Simmer the sauce gently 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until it coats the back of a spoon and the raw flour taste is gone. If it gets too thick, thin with a splash more broth.

8. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, a pinch more sugar or a little extra vinegar if it needs brightness. If you want it smoother, give it one more quick blitz in the blender.

9. Use right away for enchiladas or other dishes, or cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 1 week or freeze for longer.

10. Tips: don’t over toast the chiles or they’ll turn bitter, press the sauce through the sieve well for a restaurant style texture, and save a little soaking liquid to loosen the blender if it gets thick.

Equipment Needed

1. Heavy skillet or cast iron pan, for toasting chiles and sautéing the onion
2. Small heatproof bowl to soak the chiles and hold the soaking liquid
3. Blender (high speed preferred) to puree the sauce youll want it very smooth
4. Fine mesh sieve and a second bowl to strain the sauce and catch solids
5. Spatula to press the solids through the sieve and scrape the blender, dont waste any
6. Whisk for incorporating flour or the cornstarch slurry and smoothing the sauce
7. Measuring cups and spoons for broth, spices, flour etc
8. Chef’s knife and cutting board to trim stems and chop the onion
9. Tongs or kitchen tweezers to handle hot chiles and remove stems or seeds
10. Airtight container for storing the sauce in the fridge or freezer

FAQ

Q: How do I rehydrate the dried chiles and should I remove seeds? A: Toast chiles very briefly in a dry skillet 10 to 20 seconds per side so they wake up, then cut off stems and shake out most seeds. Soak them in hot broth or water for 15 to 20 minutes until soft. Keep a little soaking liquid, it helps thin the sauce if needed.

Q: How spicy is this sauce, and how do I make it milder or hotter? A: This mix of ancho and guajillo is mild to medium, more smoky than fiery. For less heat remove all seeds and membranes. For more heat add a small dried arbol or a chipotle in adobo, taste as you go, you can always add more but you cant take it out.

Q: Do I have to use flour to thicken it or can I use cornstarch? A: Either works. Use 1 tablespoon flour cooked briefly in the pan for a subtle thickening, or mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with a little cold water to make a slurry and stir it into the simmering sauce until it thickens. Cornstarch gives a clearer, silkier finish.

Q: My sauce feels gritty after blending, how do I fix that? A: Blend very well, then push the sauce through a fine mesh sieve with the back of a ladle or a spatula. That catches bits of skin and seeds and makes it smooth. If you skip toasting or dont soak long enough, it can stay grainy, so dont rush those steps.

Q: How long will the sauce keep and can I freeze it? A: Stored in an airtight container it lasts 5 to 7 days in the fridge. Freeze in portion sizes or ice cube trays for up to 3 months, then thaw in the fridge before warming. Freezing is great for making enchiladas later.

Q: Can I make this vegetarian or vegan? A: Yes, just use vegetable broth instead of chicken. Everything else stays the same, the flavors still come out great and its perfect for bean or mushroom enchiladas.

Authentic Red Enchilada Sauce (Salsa Rojas) · Cook Eat Laugh Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Ancho chiles: swap for pasilla or New Mexico chiles, same count (3), or use 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chili powder if you only have powder. Toast and soak them the same way, taste and adjust cause heat can vary.
Guajillo chiles: replace with 3 dried California chiles or 2 to 3 New Mexico chiles. No dried chiles? use 1 teaspoon smoked paprika plus 1/4 teaspoon cayenne for color and a little heat.
Chicken/vegetable broth: use 2 cups water plus 1 bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon bouillon paste, or swap for low sodium beef broth for a deeper flavor, or mushroom broth for a vegan umami boost.
All-purpose flour/cornstarch thickener: use 1 tablespoon masa harina for a corney, authentic body, or 1 teaspoon arrowroot or tapioca starch (mix with cold water first). Or simply simmer longer to reduce and thicken naturally.

Pro Tips

– Toast the chiles very briefly until you can smell them, not until they darken. If one gets a bit too toasty pick it out you can trim the worst scorched parts, burnt bits will ruin the sauce with bitterness.

– Keep and use the soaking liquid but don’t dump it all in at once. Use just enough to help the blender move, then adjust the sauce thickness while simmering. If the puree is too hot, let it cool a few minutes or blend in short pulses with the lid slightly ajar and a towel over it so steam can escape safely.

– For an ultra smooth, restaurant style finish, force the blended sauce through a fine mesh strainer and really press the solids with the back of a spoon or spatula. If you want it even silkier, strain twice or run it through a chinois.

– When you thicken, make sure the flour is cooked briefly in the oil first so you don’t get a raw flour taste. If using cornstarch, mix it into cold water before adding and stir constantly once it hits the pan. Taste and tweak at the end with a little extra salt, a tiny pinch of sugar or a splash of vinegar to make the flavors pop.

Authentic Red Enchilada Sauce (Salsa Rojas) · Cook Eat Laugh Recipe

Recipe by Dan Coroni

0.0 from 0 votes

I finally perfected my Red Enchilada Sauce, a simple, authentic blend of chilies and spices that makes canned jars obsolete.

Servings

servings

Calories

242

kcal

Equipment: 1. Heavy skillet or cast iron pan, for toasting chiles and sautéing the onion
2. Small heatproof bowl to soak the chiles and hold the soaking liquid
3. Blender (high speed preferred) to puree the sauce youll want it very smooth
4. Fine mesh sieve and a second bowl to strain the sauce and catch solids
5. Spatula to press the solids through the sieve and scrape the blender, dont waste any
6. Whisk for incorporating flour or the cornstarch slurry and smoothing the sauce
7. Measuring cups and spoons for broth, spices, flour etc
8. Chef’s knife and cutting board to trim stems and chop the onion
9. Tongs or kitchen tweezers to handle hot chiles and remove stems or seeds
10. Airtight container for storing the sauce in the fridge or freezer

Ingredients

3 dried ancho chiles
3 dried guajillo chiles
2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 small white or yellow onion (about 3/4 cup)
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour or 1 teaspoon cornstarch (for thickening)
1 teaspoon sugar (optional, i like a little)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar (optional)

Directions

Quickly toast the ancho and guajillo chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat, 15 to 30 seconds per side, just until they smell fragrant not burnt. Cut off stems and shake out most seeds if you want milder sauce, leave a few if you like a kick.
Put the toasted chiles in a bowl and pour 2 cups of very hot low sodium chicken or vegetable broth over them. Let them soak 15 to 20 minutes until soft, reserve the soaking liquid.
While the chiles soak, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet and sauté the chopped small onion until translucent and starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add 3 smashed garlic cloves and cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant. Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook another 1 to 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
Transfer the softened chiles and most of the soaking liquid to a blender, add the cooked onion garlic tomato paste mixture, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper and 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Add 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon vinegar if using. Blend on high until very smooth, adding a splash of reserved broth if needed to get it moving.
Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl or straight back into the skillet, pressing the solids with a spatula to extract as much liquid as you can. Throw the solids away. This step makes the sauce silky.
Return the strained sauce to the skillet over medium heat. For thickening with flour: make sure there is a little oil in the pan, sprinkle in 1 tablespoon all purpose flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes, then slowly whisk in the sauce until smooth. For cornstarch: mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry and whisk it into the simmering sauce.
Simmer the sauce gently 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until it coats the back of a spoon and the raw flour taste is gone. If it gets too thick, thin with a splash more broth.
Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, a pinch more sugar or a little extra vinegar if it needs brightness. If you want it smoother, give it one more quick blitz in the blender.
Use right away for enchiladas or other dishes, or cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 1 week or freeze for longer.
Tips: don’t over toast the chiles or they’ll turn bitter, press the sauce through the sieve well for a restaurant style texture, and save a little soaking liquid to loosen the blender if it gets thick.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.