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    Home » Recipes » Sauces & Condiments » Easy Red Enchilada Sauce

    Easy Red Enchilada Sauce

    Published: May 2, 2023 by Jenna Passaro · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe with text overlay and Jenna Passaro with Sip Bite Go logo

    This yummy homemade red enchilada sauce is gluten free and packed with flavor! Use it to make a tasty Mexican meal at home, from scratch. This easy recipe for enchilada sauce will help you make two batches, so you can enjoy it for two meals!

    Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce gluten free recipe
    Add this to your rotation of Tex Mex recipes!

    Follow Sip Bite Go on Instagram and TikTok for easy home cooking recipes…

    Table of Contents

    • Why Red Enchilada Sauce is so great to make…
    • Ingredients
    • How to make enchilada sauce at home…
    • See how to make smoked enchiladas with homemade sauce 
    • FAQs 
    • Easy Mexican food inspired recipes on Sip Bite Go…
    • Meat thermometer recommendations
    • Are you a foodie, too?
    • Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe (Gluten Free) | Sip Bite Go

    Why Red Enchilada Sauce is so great to make…

    • Mild spice – or add more seasonings to spice it up!
    • DOUBLE BATCH – I’ll show you how to make 2 meals worth, one for now and one to enjoy later. 
    • It’s gluten free – you use simple ingredients and no All Purpose Flour, and no gluten free flour, either. You don’t need any flour for this recipe!

    The best smoked chicken enchiladas start with this homemade enchilada sauce.

    Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce in baking dish with enchiladas prepped in tortillas

    New to cooking homemade Mexican food from scratch? 

    Scroll to the bottom of this post for step-by-step video instructions.

    Ingredients

    Here’s what you need to make enchilada sauce from scratch.

    Infographic with list of ingredients to make enchilada sauce with Jenna Passaro and Sip Bite Go logo
    This easy enchilada sauce is made with simple pantry ingredients you probably already have…
    • ½  onion 
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tsp chili powder
    • ½ tsp ground cumin 
    • ½ tsp oregano
    • 1 tbsp brown sugar
    • salt + pepper
    • 28 oz tomato sauce
    • 1.5 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth
    Spices to make homemade enchilada sauce

    Stock up on the Spice Walla spice kit I use to make seasonings and rubs any time!

    See popular smoked food recipes on Sip Bite Go…  

    How to make enchilada sauce at home…

    Now I’ll walk you through it…

    Infographic demonstrating How To Make Red Enchilada Sauce Gluten Free Recipe with step captions and Jenna Passaro with Sip Bite Go logo

    Quick look at making red enchilada sauce

    1. Simmer onion, garlic, and olive oil for about 10 minutes.
    2. Add seasonings and stir for 30 seconds.
    3. Add tomato sauce and chicken stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until done – I like to thicken the sauce a bit.
    4. Use in your favorite homemade enchilada recipe.
    Mason Jar With Homemade Enchilada Sauce

    Soon I’ll have a recipe for green enchilada sauce, too…

    Detailed Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe…

    1. Simmer onion, garlic, and olive oil for about 10 minutes in a pot on the stove on medium heat, stirring regularly, until onion is translucent.
    2. Add all seasonings (chili powder, cumin, oregano, brown sugar, salt) to sautéed onions and garlic and let the flavors infuse together for about 30 seconds on medium-low heat. 
    3. Add tomato sauce and chicken stock. Simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes on medium-low heat. Cool to room temperature and blend smooth if desired (I don’t find it necessary, but you can). 
    Chicken Enchilada with Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe

    To make enchiladas, sautéed onions and peppers while cooking the red enchilada sauce.

    You’ll put enchilada sauce at the bottom of a pan, and over the tortilla rolled enchiladas before baking them, smothered in cheese.

    Assemble enchiladas with cooked protein and griddled corn on the cob, or smoked corn on the cob kernels…

    And then smoke, air fry, or bake chicken enchiladas according to the Sip Bite Go recipe of your choice, until cheese is melted.

    See how to make smoked enchiladas with homemade sauce 

    See tasty Sip Bite Go smoker recipes…. 

    Try this beer can chicken smoker recipe…

    FAQs 

    Can you freeze leftover enchilada sauce?

    Yes, add it to a bag or container that is freezer safe. Take it out of the freezer the night or two before you want to use it in a recipe.

    What to do with leftover enchilada sauce?

    Enchilada sauce will stay good for a few days, maybe longer depending on your seal. Try this recipe for using enchilada sauce as a simmer sauce for chicken. Serve it up with some Mexican rice, caramelized onions and griddled corn on the cob for a tasty meal.

    Easy Mexican food inspired recipes on Sip Bite Go…

    • chicken enchiladas (a must-try recipe)
    • Homemade enchilada sauce
    • fajita sides
    • make ahead Mexican salad
    • recipe for Mexican pasta salad
    • smoked Mexican food for taco night
    • Mexican tortellini salad
    • griddled quesadillas
    • griddled chicken fajitas
    • smoked salsa
    • smoked queso
    • smoked margaritas
    • sauteed peppers and onions for fajitas
    • Taco Bell inspired ground beef pizza
    • Pizza Hut inspired taco-flavored ground beef pizza
    • salsa marinade for steak
    • how to freeze refried beans
    Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe with text overlay and Jenna Passaro with Sip Bite Go logo

    New recipes and foodie guides….

    • Tri tip (it’s so good!)
    • Chicken enchiladas with homemade enchilada sauce
    • Homemade pizza
    • Smoked wings
    • Traeger pizza
    • Pan grilled chicken
    • Bacon wrapped hot dogs
    • Potato side dishes
    • Pasta side dishes
    • Baked brisket
    • Sous vide frozen steak
    • Cooked chicken temp guide
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    • Sous vide pork chops
    • Coulotte steak
    • GUIDE: How to make hamburger patties
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    • Best restaurants in Portland
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    Grill and smoker recipes…

    • Grilled chicken wings
    • Smoked pizza
    • Smoked chicken
    • Smoked tri tip
    • Traeger pulled pork
    • Grilled shrimp
    • Smoked turkey breast
    • Smoked chicken wings
    • Smoked ham
    • Flank steak marinade
    • Skirt steak marinade
    • Smoked mac and cheese
    • Smoked chicken breast
    • Grilled broccoli
    • Smoked queso

    Meat thermometer recommendations

    Every home chef needs a reliable meat thermometer to cook food perfectly. 

    On Sip Bite Go, you’ll often see me using:

    1. Meater thermometer – a fancy wireless thermometer that connects to a phone app – gifted to me from a Traeger partnership.
    2. ThermoPro digital thermometer – which has a wire that connects the thermometer to a display box outside the oven/grill. 

    It’s like being psychic! The great thing about either of the thermometers above is that I don’t have to take the food out of the oven to know the temperature. 

    How to use ‘em… What I do is stick the digital thermometer in steak, pork, chicken, whatever… Then put the food in the oven, on the smoker, or grill.

    While the meat cooks, it reads the temperature so I know exactly what temp meat is as it’s cooking. Without having to take it out and check. It’s really difficult to overcook food when you know exactly what temp it is inside!

    Are you a foodie, too?

    Hey home chef, hope that answers all your questions about how to make red enchilada sauce that is gluten free and delicious.

    Enjoy cooking and chat soon on Instagram / TikTok / YouTube.

    – Jenna

    Next, browse the Sip Bite Go recipe collection…

    Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce gluten free recipe

    Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe (Gluten Free) | Sip Bite Go

    This yummy homemade red enchilada sauce is gluten free and packed with flavor! Use it to make a tasty Mexican meal at home, from scratch. This easy recipe for enchilada sauce will help you make two batches, so you can enjoy it for two meals! | sipbitego.com
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Condiments
    Cuisine: Mexican, tex mex
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 135kcal
    Author: Jenna Passaro

    Equipment

    • Spicewalla Essential Spices

    Ingredients

    • ½ medium onion diced small
    • 3 cloves garlic diced
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tsp chili powder ground
    • ½ tsp cumin ground
    • ½ tsp oregano dried
    • 1 tbsp brown sugar
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ¼ tsp pepper brown
    • 28 oz tomato sauce plain, from a can
    • 1.5 cups chicken stock

    Instructions

    • Simmer onion, garlic, and olive oil for about 10 minutes in a pot on the stove on medium heat, stirring regularly, until onion is translucent.
    • Add all seasonings (chili powder, cumin, oregano, brown sugar, salt) to sautéed onions and garlic and let the flavors meld together for about 30 seconds on medium-low heat.
    • Add tomato sauce and chicken stock to the red enchilada sauce spices in the pot. Simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes on medium-low heat. Cool to room temperature and blend smooth if desired (I don’t find it necessary, but you can).
    • To make enchiladas, sauté onions and peppers filling (get recipe on Sip Bite Go) while cooking the red enchilada sauce.
      HIGH LEVEL – You’ll put enchilada sauce at the bottom of a pan, and over the tortilla rolled enchiladas before baking them, smothered in cheese.
      Assemble enchiladas with cooked protein like chicken or steak, and corn and onions and peppers filling. Then you'll bake / smoke / air fry enchiladas according to the Sip Bite Go enchilada guides you can find online.

    Video

    Notes

    See the recipe: https://sipbitego.com/red-enchilada-sauce
    Watch the full-length YouTube recipe video for making enchilada sauce on Sip Bite Go’s YouTube channel.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 1371mg | Potassium: 736mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1019IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SipBiteGo or tag #sipbitego!
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    jenna passaro food blogger from Portland Oregon

    Hey, I’m Jenna Passaro.

    I develop easy recipes that can transform your kitchen into a restaurant – and you into a true home chef.

      

    Where to start?

    Learn the secrets to smoking tasty Traeger recipes and making pizza at home. And cook amazing tri tip steak dinners.

    Or, fall in love with something new to cook with your air fryer, pellet smoker, BBQ grill, sous vide cooker, and more…

    You’ll notice, I kind of geek out over new cooking trends and tools!

    Instagram me @sipbitego & chef hubs @handmodelpatrick

    My story. Growing up, I didn’t learn to cook.

    (I was actually banned from cooking for years)

    And then in my 20’s I didn’t have to cook because my job as an event planner involved a lot of travel and it was easier to eat out. At the time, I was 100% positive that restaurant food would always taste better than cooking at home, and there was nothing I could do about it.

    Until I fell in love with a chef. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen. My mind was blown.

    Since then, I’ve been on a mission to figure out easy ways to make restaurant style food at home and share it here on Sip Bite Go.

    Love to eat out and travel? I can totally relate. See my guide on where to eat in Portland, OR.

    jenna passaro the home chef's sous vide cookbook

    Never in a million years did I imagine I’d ditch the 9-5 lifestyle in my late 20’s, move across the country on a whim, start a new life, start a food blog, and write a book.

    But here I am!

    See my book on Amazon: The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

     

       

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