Homemade Enchilada Sauce
User Reviews
4.3
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
24 (10-12 cups)
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Calories
78 kcal
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Cuisine
Vegetarian
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Description
Homemade Enchilada Sauce uses dried Ancho chili peppers that are lightly roasted to enhance their smoky flavor before rehydration. Alongside these, plum tomatoes are also roasted to develop a sweet, caramelized depth. Sautéed onions and whole garlic cloves add savory richness to the sauce's base. After blending the chili and tomato mixture with stock and seasonings like Mexican oregano and cumin, the sauce is strained to remove skins and seeds, yielding a smooth and velvety consistency without graininess.
The sauce carries a balanced heat influenced mainly by the Ancho chilies, complemented by a gentle sweetness from the roasted tomatoes. The final cooking step gently warms the sauce, melding flavors beautifully. This sauce works well as a classic enchilada topping but can also be adapted for other recipes calling for a flavorful chili sauce.
A practical note is that the soaking liquid of the chilies can be tasted before use; if it tastes bitter, it's better to use stock to dilute the sauce instead. For roasting chilies, either a brief oven roast or a quick flash in a skillet works well. When freezing, leave some headroom in jars because the sauce will expand when frozen, and it is easiest to freeze jars uncovered initially.
Ingredients
- 15-20 dried Ancho chili peppers
- 7-8 plum tomatoes approx. 1.5 pounds
- 3 onion
- 8 garlic cloves
- 8 cups stock
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- black pepper freshly cracked
Instructions
- Wipe off any dusty crevasses on the dried chilis. De-stem and de-seed the chilis, but don't worry about getting rid of every last seed.
- Roast the chili pieces for 1-2 minutes in a 400F oven. Add them to a bowl and cover them with hot tap water. Let the chilis reconstitute for 20-30 minutes. If they float to the surface you can use a small bowl or plate to keep them submerged.
- Roast 7-8 plum tomatoes in a 400F oven for 20-30 minutes.
- Roughly chop 3 onions and peel 8 garlic cloves. Add a dollop of oil to a skillet on medium heat and saute the onions and whole garlic cloves until lightly browned.
- You'll probably have to combine the ingredients in two batches. Add half of the tomatoes, chilis, onion mixture, and stock to a blender and combine well. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve and discard the leftover skin and seed remnants. You might have to use the back of a spoon to push the sauce through the strainer.
- Add a dollop of oil to a saucepan on medium heat. Add the enchilada sauce along with 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, and some freshly cracked black pepper. Simmer for 30-45 minutes or until it has reduced down to a velvety consistency. Take a final taste for seasoning.
- Let the sauce cool and then portion it into 2-cup portions (or larger if you want to, you'll have about 10-12 cups total). I typically keep a portion in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. Mason jars and Ziplocs are both good options for storing in the freezer.
- If you want to make a batch of chicken enchiladas, please see our Ancho Chicken Enchiladas post for details.
Notes
- If the soaking liquid from the chilies tastes bitter, use stock to loosen the sauce instead for better flavor.
- Roast dried chilies briefly in a 400°F oven or flash roast in a skillet for 15-30 seconds to enhance flavor.
- When freezing the sauce, freeze in jars without lids first and cap after freezing, leaving space for expansion.
- You can add Guajillo or New Mexican chilis to vary the flavor beyond Ancho chilis.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24(10-12 cups)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 78 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 78kcal | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.3
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