Homemade Enchilada Sauce
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Made with whole dried chiles, this will take your enchiladas to the NEXT level! No more store-bought sauce!
I am all for a good shortcut here and there when you are in a pinch. But once you make enchilada sauce from scratch, it’ll be very difficult to go back to store-bought. (Similarly to homemade pasta.)
There are a few steps involved here but I promise, it is well worth it.
Now the recipe does call for New Mexico or California chile peppers as they are on the milder side, but please feel free to use your own combination of peppers if you prefer a bit of a kick.
Either way, this homemade sauce will take your enchiladas to the next level. I use it all the time for these weeknight enchiladas. It’s an absolute game-changer!
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dried chile peppers, such as New Mexico or California
- 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
- 2 Roma tomatoes, halved
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 ½ cups chicken stock
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
Instructions
- Heat a medium cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add chiles and cook until toasted and fragrant, about 30-45 seconds per side. Set aside and let cool; remove and discard seeds and stems.
- Add onion and tomatoes to the skillet and cook until blackened, about 3-5 minutes per side; set aside.
- Add garlic to the skillet and cook until blackened, about 1 minute per side; set aside.
- Place chiles into a 3 quart saucepan. Stir in onion, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, cumin and chicken stock; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until chiles have softened, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 15 minutes.
- Combine chili mixture and honey in blender until smooth.
- Heat canola oil in the saucepan over medium heat. Working carefully, add chili mixture to the saucepan. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Transfer to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Did you make this recipe?
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My favorite recipe from scratch is Italian Sausage Casserole. It is almost all done in one pot and it comes out AMAZING!
Tweeted 🙂 – https://twitter.com/Enter_Now/status/449513608847060992
I love to make my moms enchilada recipe from scratch. Not only is it delicious, but it’s one of the few things I can actually make well lol 🙂
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/peg42/status/449504707493765120
Homemade Chili. Love it!
I would have to say enchiladas from scratch are the best..
Do you think this sauce could be canned for future use?
Unfortunately, I have not tried canning this so I cannot really answer this question.
Tweet!
https://twitter.com/ScoomerBlog/status/448992310701727744
My Grandmother’s Chicken Noodle Soup 🙂
great recipe! a recipe that I will always make from scratch?? i love making challah bread…really easy and SO much better than store bought 🙂
My favorite recipe that is worth making from scratch is German Apple Pancake.
I make a casserole of apple crisp for breakfast & dessert.
ummm, hate to tell you, but enchilada sauce doesn’t have tomatoes in it…Most recipes have NONE and a few have maybe one roma in it…Enchilada sauce is made from CHILES…lol..
Sherry, I am aware that enchilada sauce is made from chiles. This is simply another variation of enchilada sauce that can be made, and as I mentioned in the previous comment, not once do I mention that this is an “authentic” sauce originating from it’s native country. This is my spin on the recipe, and that’s what this site is – recipes with my personal twist to it.
I make a really good German chocolate cake from scratch.
Trying this recipe next week
the recipe for my homemade blueberry muffins
nannypanpan@gmail.com
I love the recipe for the enchilada sauce! Thanks so much for posting! My favorite made-from-scratch item is Lemon Curd! My recipe uses the microwave, and is super-easy! Nothing like a dollop of homemade lemon curd swirled into a Vanilla Greek yogurt, topped with fresh blueberries! My favorite snack!
https://twitter.com/OneFrugalGirl/status/447363028506652673
Bread. There is nothing like fresh baked bread. It makes the house smell so homey.
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/447178993616162816