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4.6 from 747 votes

Authentic Enchilada Sauce

This authentic enchilada sauce recipe is made with dried chiles and packed with traditional Mexican flavor that's better than store-bought!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 2 cups
Calories: 37 kcal
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 4 guajillo chiles, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
  • 2 ancho chiles, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
  • 1 árbol chile, rinsed and stemmed
  • water, as needed
  • ½ large Roma tomato, plus more if desired
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • ⅛ tablet Abuelita Mexican chocolate (about 12 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a medium pot, add the guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles and enough water to cover them completely. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let the chiles soak for 10 minutes to soften.
  2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles to a blender. Add 1 cup of the chile-soaked water, ¼ cup of fresh water, and the tomato, garlic, salt, and Mexican chocolate. Blend until completely smooth. This step may take a few minutes, depending on the power of your blender. Add more water if the sauce is too thick for your liking.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes.
  4. Cover and store until ready to use. It's perfect for making chicken enchiladas, red chilaquiles, and chicken enchilada soup.

Notes

  • Dried chiles: If you'd like to make this sauce as mild as possible, I recommend removing and discarding the seeds of the dried chiles in addition to the stems.
  • Mexican chocolate: If you don't have Mexican chocolate, you can substitute 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon turbinado/raw sugar instead.
  • Storage: Enchilada sauce can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving 0.5cup Calories 37kcal (2%) Carbohydrates 6g (2%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 1g (2%) Sodium 699mg (29%) Potassium 5mg (0%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 3000IU (60%) Vitamin C 0.8mg (1%) Calcium 10mg (1%) Iron 0.7mg (4%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2cups

Amount Per Serving

Calories 37

% Daily Value*

Serving 0.5cup
Calories 37kcal 2%
Carbohydrates 6g 2%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 1g 2%
Sodium 699mg 29%
Potassium 5mg 0%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 3000IU 60%
Vitamin C 0.8mg 1%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 0.7mg 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.