Easy enchilada sauce with a tangy tomato taste and smoky base. So simple to make, healthy and super flavorful, you’ll wonder why you ever bought it!
Enchilada sauce can either make or break a recipe, so finding a good one is like striking gold…just much less profitable in the money department. If fact, it’s not cheap.
Homemade Enchilada Sauce Vs Store Bought Sauce
My favorite store brand is almost $3 a pack, and since I’m a saucy kind of gal, I use 2 packets in my enchiladas. So sauce alone I’m forking out $6! That’s when I decided I needed to look at that packet’s ingredients and just make my own. And that I did! Homemade vegan easy enchilada sauce to the rescue!
I like my enchilada sauce with a tangy tomato taste and smoky base. I like the deep dark flavored sauces versus the light and fresh. To make my own meant a little extra time, so easy and quick was a must.
Easy Enchilada Sauce In Minutes!
Well people, I’m here to tell you, if I can do this with a baby, a 3 year old and 4 year old, you too can find a few extra minutes in your week! Honestly, this takes all of about 5 minutes.
I even whisk it all up in the pot I’m cooking it in. It’s a ONE pot sauce. And make sure it’s a big pot because you will want to have loads of extra to freeze. If you’re saucy like I am, then just go ahead and make a vat full. You’ll be eating it with a spoon I’m sure. I mean, someone has to taste this easy enchilada sauce as it’s cooking right?!
I know you’re writing down all these ingredients now. So another thing to write down so you don’t forget is to tag me when you make this homemade vegan easy enchilada sauce.
I really really love seeing all your comments and feedback, so leave a comment here, find me on Facebook or tag me on Instagram at both @veggiesdontbite #veggiesdontbite so I don’t miss it! Instagram decided to pick and choose what they want to show you, and I’ve been missing some of your tags. So don’t forget to tag me in your main comment, I really don’t want to miss it! I do respond to each and every comment I see!
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 2 cup veggie broth , low sodium if needed
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Himalayan pink salt to taste I used a little under 1 teaspoon
- 1 tablespoon brown rice flour or regular flour if not concerned about gluten free
- Place ingredients into a pot and whisk until combined. Place pot on stove top and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer slowly until cooked down by 1/2 or until thickened to liking. Use for recipes, as a dip or as a drizzle over main dishes.
While cooking, the more you reduce the more concentrated the flavors will be, so if you prefer a milder flavor don’t reduce as much.
The Vegan 8 says
Girlllll I love enchilada sauce! Yours looks perfect! I use brown rice flour to thicken mine too, such a great gluten-free alternative. Use it for my gravies too. My favorite enchilada sauce was always at a local Mexican restaurant here….Mexican food is super popular here down in Texas and it’s spicy with a sweet undertone, so good!! Classic Mexican flavor that I could probably drink lol! I ate more Mexican food and enchiladas growing up than probably anything else, I think that’s why I love Mexican flavors the most and create that type of recipe the most…I can’t get enough. I’ll need to try your version too!! Yum!
veggiesdontbite says
Thanks so much Brandi! Yes, brown rice flour is an awesome thickener for all sauces. I use to use it in SO much before I started wanting to use more flavorful and nutrient rich flours. But I still love it for a lot of things and am starting to go back to it. I definitely need to try your enchilada sauce too. I’m sure it’s a different flavor since our areas have different tastes of Mexican food. But I love it all and would love to try something a little different. This sauce is a copy of that favorite store bought one I talk about. I love it so much so I just looked at the ingredients and made it myself! LOL I added a few extra things too, but I can literally eat it like soup. HA!
Shivani Saxena says
Yummy…going to be my favourite from now.
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you Shivani! It’s so easy to make I’ll never buy it again! And it tastes even better homemade. Thanks for being here!
LydiaF says
This sauce sounds perfect for us. I used to buy salsa roja from the Latin section of the grocery store, but that’s no longer an option. I’ll definitely be giving this a try!
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you so much Lydia! I know you’ll love it, it’s so much better homemade! Let me know when you try it!
Byron Thomas says
Would you believe me if I said I’ve never tried enchiladas? It’s true! This sauce sounds lovely though. Can I use it on other things?
veggiesdontbite says
WHAT?!!! You NEED to make yourself some enchiladas! Seriously, so good! But yes, this sauce is great on so much. I have a recipe coming in the nest few weeks that will show you another way to use this, but I also have a SUPER easy enchilada recipe coming Monday! You may also eat this with a spoon, drizzle on just about anything, or dip whatever you can find into it. ALL good ways to use it. Did I mention it’s SUPER easy to make?? Well, it is. As in dump everything in a pot and heat type of easy!
Howie Fox says
wow, i never knew how enchilada sauce is put together! Thanks for the recipe. Btw, good point making this at home instead of paying 6 bucks for store bought stuff! Just way too much
veggiesdontbite says
Thanks so much! It’s so much better than paying for it!
Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily says
having lived in the SW my entire life I know enchilada sauce. This looks absolutely amazing!
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you so much Gwen! That means so much. It’s so easy and so good!
pragati says
Planning to make enchiladas soon..I don’t have a chili blend so am planning to make my own with some chipotle chillies.
And I prefer homemade too…I can take salsa in a bottle..but for some reason, I am not fond of bottled enchilada sauce!
veggiesdontbite says
That sounds great! Homemade is just so good and not hard to make either!
Ricki says
I bet this would work as a pizza sauce, too! Looks great–and so easy! 🙂
veggiesdontbite says
Yes, it would Ricki!! It would be a great pizza sauce! I’ll have to try it as I’ve really been into Mexican based pizzas lately.
Jenn says
Making this tonight! I have leftover lentils and black beans in the fridge and tortillas that need to be used up. Enchiladas here we come!!!
veggiesdontbite says
Oh yay!!!! So excited! Hope you guys like it!
Caroline says
This sauce was so good that I’m finding reasons to have an enchilada almost every day!
veggiesdontbite says
Hahahaha!!!! You crack me up. Thank you so much. I love it so much and it’s so darn easy to throw together. I’m going to put them over burritos this week! With my cheese sauce!
ian says
Hi! I’ve recently discovered your website and have enjoyed looking through all your wonderful recipes. I wanted to ask you if it was ok to substitute the brown rice flour in this recipe with garbanzo/chickpea flour?
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Ian! Thank you for the kind words. The flour here is basically used to thicken the sauce, so any flour you usually use to thicken would work. I have never used chickpea flour to thicken so I’m not completely sure how it works. But give it a try if you have!
Elaine says
Sophia, enchilada sauce is one of my favorite! I am always very picky about the texture and color of it in the result. I stopped by to say that yours is EXCELLENT! In fact, I think that your enchilada is one of the greatest I have seen on the web. Cheers!
veggiesdontbite says
Elaine, thank you so much for your great review! I so appreciate you taking the time to let me know. I’m so happy you like it! I have another enchilada sauce in my new book coming out Tuesday. It’s similar just slighting different proportions of seasonings. Thank you for being a reader!
Kelly Randall says
This is now my go-to enchilada sauce. Thank you for making it so easy and delicious! Perfect flavor.
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Kelly! Thank you so much!! I have another great enchilada sauce in my book. It’s so easy to make them at home isn’t it? Hope you’re doing well! And we hope to see you some day soon!
Michelle Rodman says
I made this tonight as I was searching for a “no oil” enchilada sauce. My only regret is that I did not double the recipe. It is so delicious. It will definately be my new go-to enchilada sauce. Thank you!!
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you so much Michelle! I so appreciate the feedback and great review!
Maureen says
I almost didn’t click on this because I thought it was going to be take too long to make. Am glad I clicked through.
veggiesdontbite says
I’m glad you clicked through too! Thanks so much for giving it a try Maureen!