We love enchiladas in this house, whether they be beef, chicken, pork, or even vegetarian style. This homemade enchilada sauce is my go-to recipe for all of my enchilada dishes.
These delicious enchilada stuffed peppers are a perfect example, or if you are looking for a great side dish for your enchiladas, be sure to try our homemade Spanish rice and a side of corn, mmm!
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
I wanted to use up the beef that we currently have in our freezer, so I decided to make beef enchiladas with a round bone roast. I used to buy the Old El Paso enchilada sauce that everyone knows and loves, but I had always wanted to try a recipe that is simple enough to make, but still similar.
We really enjoyed the flavor of this homemade enchilada sauce and I use it all the time. you can even freeze it for later!
I found the recipe in an old cookbook I had lying around, and I thought I’d tweak it a little to fit my needs. The recipe below is my adaptation.
Ingredients to make homemade enchilada sauce
- 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
- 1 4-oz can chopped green chilies (do not drain)
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic minced
Helpful Kitchen Tools
I made a double batch and froze one, the other I tossed in the crockpot with my roast. Cooked it all day, then shredded the beef.
This homemade enchilada sauce would be the perfect addition to any one of these recipes-
- Chicken Enchilada Empanadas
- Shredded Chicken and Chili Enchiladas
- Shredded Beef and Chile Enchiladas
- Taco Bell Enchirito Copycat
- Enchilada Stuffed Peppers
- Cheesy Ground Beef Enchilada Chili – Oh, Sweet Basil
- White Chicken Enchilada Skillet – Dinners, Dishes & Desserts
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Which recipe are you going to try?
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 15 oz tomato sauce 1 can
- 4 oz chopped green chilies 1 can, do not drain
- â…” cup water
- â…“ cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic minced
Before You Begin
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 5-7 minutes.
For the enchiladas:
- Dip each tortilla (both sides) in the enchilada sauce, fill center with beef (can use ground beef or shredded beef as I mention above or even shredded chicken or pork) and roll it up. Place it seam side down in square or rectangular baking pan and top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar and bake for 20 minutes at 350 F.
- Serve with chopped green onions and sour cream.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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Geeta Lahiri says
I’m excited to try this recipe, but don’t have the can of chiles (also would prefer not to use canned stuff). Do you have any suggestions for substitutions for the chiles?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Geeta, I haven’t experimented with this myself, but here are a couple of ideas http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/861405 or here http://community.thenest.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/58801897.aspx
Shari Kelley says
I just tried a recipe for homemade enchilada sauce tonight, and was very disappointed. It used dried pasilla chilies and tasted a little too earthy and bitter. I decided to look for a different one to try and found yours. Thank you for sharing it.
Amanda says
I have you liked it Shari!
marla {family fresh cooking} says
My hubs would be smitten if I made homemade enchilada sauce like this. So much better than anything out of a bottle. I like how you order the cow :) xo
Grace says
Amanda the Betty Crocker Cookbook was the 1st ever cookbook I ever purchased. It helped me cook for the 1st year of my marriage. It's all tattered and torn but I still refer to it often. I must try this recipe looks so delicious. Thank you for sharing!
Maria says
I will be making this recipe often!
Amanda says
Hope you like it Minny!
Barb, I agree! I freeze mine too :)
Barb, sfo says
Just wanted to let you know that this freezes great. I've been doubling the batch and freezing half.
Minny says
Gonna try this again.. it wouldn't post the first time. I am going to try this.. my hubby loves this type of stuff. I can't eat the spicy foods but I could make it for him.
Amanda says
Glad you liked it Barb! It's a staple here now too :)
Barb, sfo says
Finally made some enchiladas. This sauce was awesome! No more cans for me :)
Culinary Cory says
I've been looking all over for a good enchilada sauce. I even went as far as made sauceless enchiladas. Yours are on the list for the next round.
tastestopping says
Can't wait to try it. Looks delicious and super easy, too. That's a win-win in my book!
Thanks for sending the photo our way!
Best,
Casey
Amanda says
Thanks Debbie, Tami, & Blonde Duck!
Bunny – Yes a freezer full is the bomb :)
Navita – Chicken will work perfectly :)
Barb – I still don't know if it's a money saver or not, but the flavor was great!
Michele – :) We pay the farmer directly, he charges us market value for the beef. The last one was $1200 for a 1,500 lb steer. The market price was actually $1350, but he always rounds down if we pay him cash :) Then we pay the packaging house for the processing and wrapping. For the whole order it was $437.40. We did split the last one with a neighbor. The hanging weight was 820 lbs (you lose a lot after bone and blood weight is gone). That comes to about $1.99/lb, but it does include things like soup bones (I make broth from those). I would say when all is said and done that I probably pay around $2.59/lb for the meat that goes into the freezer. :) Imagine buying a prime rib roast for $2.59/lb! :)
Barb, sfo says
If this works as well as the canned, I am definitely giving it a try! The cans are getting smaller and pricier.
The Blonde Duck says
I've been dying for a good enchilada sauce! This is perfect!
Michele says
I can't believe you buy a whole cow! That's pretty cool! What does a whole cow cost???
Your enchiladas look great!
Navita (Gupta) Hakim says
Will sustitute the beef with the chicken…but love the spices in the sauce…thanks for sharing Amanda.
Tami says
MMM! Your enchiladas look good. Homemade sauce tops bottled stuff any time!
Bunny says
I have everything to make this Amanda, this will be dinner tomorrow. Isn't it great to have a freezer full of meat! The best thing my hubby and I ever did was buy a freezer.
Debbie says
I love enchiladas. I am always in the mood for Mexican food. Yours looks great!