Red Enchilada Sauce

This easy and healthy homemade Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe will become a new favorite! Made from broth, spices, tomato paste, and ghee, it comes together in 10 minutes and tastes just like your favorite Mexican restaurant’s enchilada sauce. Perfect for any kind of enchiladas, tacos, burritos, dips, veggies, and anything else you can imagine!

Homemade enchilada sauce!! I am (and so are you guys!) obsessed with my homemade buffalo sauce so I figured let’s keep the party going with an healthy red enchilada sauce. If you can’t find any at the store, turns out it is super easy to make!

By now you guys should know sauce is my jam. I have some kind of form of it, whether it is homemade or just as simple as mustard or salsa, with all my meals. Sauce is the spice of life and it can take any old meal into something special.

Whether you want to make enchiladas or just have something on hand to spice up a meal, this red enchilada sauce is it. It comes together in 10 minutes and made from pantry staples like ghee, spices, broth, and tomato paste. It’s rich and spicy, naturally thicken, and absolutely delicious!

What is red enchilada sauce made of?

Enchilada sauce is a mixture of spices, oil or butter, tomato paste, and flour for a thickener. By combining everything together, it creates a thick and rich sauce used frequently in Mexican cuisine.

While you can buy enchilada sauce at the store, it is so good freshly made! I also find that store bought ones are usually loaded with a bunch of junk – canola oil, thickeners, and additives to name a few. So I figured let’s just make it at home!

To keep our homemade enchilada sauce recipe gluten free and Whole30 approved, I used ghee instead of vegetable oil and omitted the flour (let it thicken on its own!). It is rich and buttery and has a good kick to it. And it tastes like your favorite restaurant’s homemade enchiladas!

How to make enchilada sauce

This homemade enchilada sauce recipe could not be easier to make and it requires basic kitchen staples you probably already have in your house. It has the perfect balance of heat and richness and doesn’t contain any flours making it gluten free. You will want to put in on everything!

Here is what you need:

• broth – chicken or vegetable work
• ghee – butter works too
• tomato paste
• chili powder
• dried oregano
• cumin
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• cinnamon
• salt and pepper

First, add your ghee to a small sauce pan and slightly melt. Next add tomato paste and spices and whisk to combine. Let toast for 1 minute until fragrant and well combined with the ghee.

Then pour in your broth and whisk to combine. Bring to a low simmer and simmer for 5-10 minutes until slightly thickened. Feel free to adjust according to your taste – add more chili powder for a bolder sauce, more ghee for a more buttery flavor, or some lemon juice for zip.

It is really that simple!

I like to store ours in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It goes a lot faster than that, but it will keep that long. Since ghee hardens in cold temperatures, you will have to take it out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before you want to use it and allow it to come to room temperature. You can also just pop it in the microwave or back into a sauce pan to heat up.

For a thicker sauce

The longer you let the sauce simmer, the thicker it will become (and more flavorful!). I find 5 minutes is enough, but feel free to let it simmer for longer. Also, as it cools, it will become thicker.

Ways to use homemade enchilada sauce

Besides putting this red enchilada sauce recipe on anything and everything like I do, here are some things you can use it in:

• in enchiladas – chicken, beef, turkey, black bean, or veggies!
• tossed with shredded chicken
• used in skillet enchiladas with protein and veggies
• in dips like this chicken enchilada dip
• drizzled on eggs
• dipped in French fries or roasted potatoes
• mixed with rice (white or cauliflower)

More healthy sauce recipes

Here are some more of my favorite sauces that we use on the regular in our house!

• whole30 buffalo sauce
• greek yogurt blue cheese dressing
• special sauce dressing
• tzatziki sauce
• spicy chipotle mayo
• 6 whole30 sauces that aren’t mayo

4.82 from 16 votes

Red Enchilada Sauce

Author: Kelly Nardo

This easy and healthy homemade Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe will become a new favorite! Made from broth, spices, tomato paste, and ghee, it comes together in 10 minutes and tastes just like your favorite Mexican restaurant’s enchilada sauce. Perfect for any kind of enchiladas, tacos, burritos, dips, veggies, and anything else you can imagine!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: Side Dish

Calories: 51kcal

Protein: 0.6g

Carbs: 2.8g

Fat: 4.6g

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 1/2 cups

ingredients

• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup broth (veggie, chicken...)
• salt and pepper, to taste

instructions

• In a small saucepan, add ghee over medium-low heat and let it melt, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and spices and let toast for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant and well combined with the ghee. Add broth and stir to combine. Bring it to a slow simmer and let simmer for 5-10 minutes until thickened to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside and let cool. Sauce will thicken as it cools. Store in a sealed glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

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notes

Enchilada sauce will solidify some in the fridge. To warm, add to a small sauce pan or microwave until liquid again.

nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Red Enchilada Sauce

Amount Per Serving (2 tablespoons)

Calories 51 Calories from Fat 41

% Daily Value*

Fat 4.6g7%

Saturated Fat 2.7g17%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g

Monounsaturated Fat 1.3g

Potassium 99mg3%

Carbohydrates 2.8g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 0.6g1%

Vitamin A 725IU15%

Vitamin C 1.3mg2%

Calcium 19mg2%

Iron 0.8mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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