An enchilada sauce can make or break an enchilada dish. This is a really easy classic enchilada sauce that takes minutes to prepare, then the occasional stir while it simmers away for 10 minutes. I like my enchilada sauce smooth, which is why this recipe uses passata but it is just as good made with crushed tinned tomatoes (it comes out slightly chunkier).
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Enchilada Sauce - Classic
Prep: 3 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Sauce
Mexican
Servings3 1/2 - 4 cups
Tap or hover to scale
Enchilada sauce can make or break an enchilada dish. And homemade is always best! There are a lot of enchilada sauce recipes out there - this one is a classic essential.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup flour (all purpose / plain)
- 700 g / 24oz tomato passata (1 bottle) or 16 oz (2 cans) US tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, low sodium (or vegetable broth, or water + bouillon cube)
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional extras: cayenne pepper (for spiciness), ground chipotle
Instructions
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add flour and whisk until well combined, about 1 minute.
- Add remaining ingredients except salt and pepper, whisk, bring to boil, then reduce to simmer.
- Simmer for 10 minutes or so, until thickened, whisking occasionally.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- This can be stored for up to 1 week in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It also freezes well.
Recipe Notes:
- This recipe is not made with what America called Chili Powder which is a mix of spices, not just chili. Because American Chili Powder differs from brand to brand and is not available all over the world, this recipe is made from scratch, essentially making a DIY American Chili Powder.
Have used this recipe and it’s is wonderful! Why though is it different to the recipe in your Dinner cookbook?
I love this recipe! I am married into a MexiRican familia and it’s been so strangely hard to find a good enchilada recipe. This is the one though. It’s a keeper! I personally think that both the Passata as well as the spices are uber important. I’ve made this recipe before as is and it was perfect. Today I made this with blended up canned San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes because I didn’t have any Passata and that worked beautifully too. Caution though, I have made this before by blending up diced tomatoes and some other types I had in hand, and it literally ruined the sauce. Not kidding it completely changed the palette and I was not happy. Your tomatoes matter with this sauce. With all that said, you just gotta make this recipe. It’s spot on.
The best enchilada sauce!!! Will make it again today!!!
Nagi’s recipes are consistently so deliciously good, never fail!!!!
Delicious! I’ve been looking for a good, easy recipe for a while now and this is perfect!
Nagi, you’ve nailed it again! I used to spread Old El Paso salsa over my enchiladas but this sauce changes everything – so easy, but so full of flavour. Next level delicious 🙂
This sauce elevates enchiladas and is easy peasy.
I’ll never buy bottled gloop masquerading as enchilada sauce again.
i just need to update my tortilla’s next.
Awesome sauce! I’m never using store bought again! Thank you
Hello, can I swap out the vegetable oil for olive oil? Thank you
I make it with EVOO and it works beautifully. Avocado oil works too.
No.EVOO Is great in Mediterranean dishes, but does not play nice with most other ethnic dishes. Imagine a Chinese stir fry that uses EVOO!!! (It’s not pleasant, trust me.)
Mexican food needs to be made with lard or a neutral vegetable oil.
Hi Nx! Love this recipe! As I read closer it sounds line i can use American McCormicks Chili Powder vs the individual spice mix listed. True or No?
Only if you are OK with second-rate sauce.
This stuff is the bomb. Lifts any mexican meal to the next level. I’m never buying store-bought sauce again.
This was super easy and delish. So much better than bottle enchilada sauce. I was concerned by the whisking but it was really easy and I managed to make another meal at the same time so didn’t require constant attention once simmering.
This sauce is amazing! I’ve made it for Nagi’s pulled pork enchiladas multiple times and it always yields left over. Guess what? It works perfectly as base for veggie soups! I made capsicum soup this week and the liquid I used was homemade chicken stock and about 1 cup of this sauce. It made the soup creamier, spicier, better all together. 10 stars!
Ihave made this sauce multiple times, it’s awesome 👌
I forgot to add that this sauce freezes well.
Hi Nagi. I’m actually looking for a passata recipe as opposed to your ‘what passata is’. Have you published one on your web page? Thanks. Jan.
whizz up two tins of good chopped tomatoes pass through a sieve just fine enough to catch any seeds using the back of a desert spoon in a circular motion and voila about 800ml of thick passata.
Yet another AMAZING recipe! Thanks Nagi (and Dozer of course)
I find the acidity of tomatoes can be unpleasant and add a pinch of bicarb soda while cooking to bring the tomatoes into a good balance for my taste. My mother always made cream of tomato soup from tomatoes from the vegetable garden and would always add a good pinch of bicarb before adding the milk or cream as it prevented any curdling.
I use a pinch of baking soda too in dishes that have just too much tang or sour. I wish this trick was shared more with recipes so more people knew about it.. We do have to be careful with it though. The slightest bit too much of baking soda and your dish will have a soap like flavor. Once you make that mistake though you’re super careful not to make it again lol. I usually wait until the sauce is made and then taste it to see if I actually need to add any. When using San Marzano tomatoes for instance, I rarely ever need the baking soda. It just depends.
So easy and really took the enchilada game to a whole new level.
Also makes a great pizza sauce.
Amazing. No other words needed. Making your lasagna today with it
Today is Cinco de Mayo and saw your recipe online. All I can say is that I will never buy another sauce since yours is so delicious and easy and to make! It’s going to go with your Pulled Pork Enchiladas (Pork Carnitas) recipe!
Enjoy your Cinco de Mayo celebrations Sharon!! N x
I made this sauce and it is truly the best enchilada sauce. I have got so many compliments.
I’ve made this recipe at least six times now! My husband and I love it! We always do our red enchiladas with shredded roast pork. I had some rendered pork fat so I used that instead of the oil. It was excellent!
Great tip Eve! N x