I made a Quick Enchilada Sauce in just 20 minutes that highlights classic Southwestern and Mexican chili flavors and works perfectly for enchiladas, soups, nachos, tacos and more, while remaining vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free.
I love a sauce that makes taco night feel like something I actually planned, not a last-minute panic. This Homemade Enchilada Sauce is crazy simple, full of smoky chili powder and a bright hit of tomato paste that somehow tastes like every great Southwest memory squeezed into one pot.
It’s the kind of Quick Enchilada Sauce that makes you mutter How Do You Make Enchilada Sauce and then realize you already did, twice, while sneaking tastes. I usually make a big batch, and honestly I wonder why I ever bought the canned stuff, but we figure things out as we go.
Ingredients
- Chili powder: Gives heat and smoky depth, full of antioxidants and vitamin A, low calories.
- Tomato paste: Concentrated tomato flavor, adds sweetness and umami, packed with lycopene and carbs.
- Cornstarch: Gluten free thickener, mostly starch and carbs, no protein or fiber, makes sauce silky.
- Vegetable broth: Savory liquid base, low cal but sometimes high sodium, boosts brothiness and flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds bright tang and acidity, balances sweetness, may aid digestion a little.
- Vegetable oil: Neutral fat for richness, adds mouthfeel and calories, choose healthy oil if possible.
- Garlic powder: Easy savory hit, small amounts of minerals and sulfur compounds, boosts savory aroma.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (gluten free thickener)
- 3 tablespoons chili powder (use a mild or hot blend, your choice)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional for heat
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or brown sugar
- 2 cups vegetable broth (or water plus a bouillon cube)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, a few cracks
How to Make this
1. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering, then add 2 tablespoons cornstarch and whisk constantly about 30–60 seconds until it forms a smooth paste and loses the raw starch taste.
2. Add 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (if using); whisk and cook about 30 seconds so the spices bloom but dont burn.
3. Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and 1 teaspoon granulated or brown sugar, cook 30–45 seconds while stirring to deepen the tomato flavor.
4. Slowly whisk in 2 cups vegetable broth (or water with a bouillon cube), pour a little at a time until the sauce is smooth and no lumps remain, scraping the bottom of the pan.
5. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer 5–8 minutes, whisking occasionally, until it thickens to a pourable but coating consistency.
6. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper; taste and adjust salt, sugar or cayenne for balance.
7. If sauce is too thick, thin with a splash more broth; if too thin, simmer a few more minutes. If you want it super smooth, press through a fine mesh sieve or blitz briefly with an immersion blender.
8. Use immediately on enchiladas, tacos, soups or nachos, or cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge up to one week or freeze up to three months.
Equipment Needed
1. Medium saucepan (2 to 3 quarts), for heating the oil, whisking the cornstarch and simmering the sauce
2. Whisk, to blend the cornstarch, spices and broth smooth — use a flat or balloon whisk, whichever you got
3. Measuring spoons, for the spices, sugar, vinegar and salt
4. Liquid measuring cup (2 cup capacity), for the vegetable broth and to pour slowly while whisking
5. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon, to scrape the bottom and stir tomato paste
6. Small bowl and teaspoon, to mix tomato paste with the sugar before adding if you want
7. Fine mesh sieve or immersion blender (optional), if you want the sauce super smooth
8. Airtight container or jar, for storing leftovers in the fridge or freezer
(Note: dont worry if you dont have everything—there are easy swaps)
FAQ
Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Cornstarch: Use arrowroot or tapioca starch 1:1 for the same thickening. If gluten isn’t an issue you can use all-purpose flour at about twice the amount, but cook it a bit longer so it doesn’t taste raw.
- Vegetable oil: Swap with avocado, canola, or grapeseed oil, or light olive oil for a touch more flavor. Avoid extra virgin olive oil if you dont want a grassy/peppery note.
- Chili powder: If you have ancho or chipotle powder they work great (ancho is milder, chipotle is smokier and hotter). Or make a quick mix: 2 parts smoked paprika, 1 part ground cumin, plus a pinch of cayenne to taste.
- Tomato paste: Replace with about 1/4 cup tomato sauce or 1/3 cup canned crushed tomatoes simmered down until thick. In a real pinch 2 tbsp ketchup can stand in, just reduce any extra sugar in the recipe.
Pro Tips
1) Bloom the spices but don’t walk away. keep the heat medium, stir constantly for those 20–40 seconds so they wake up but dont burn. if they start to smell acrid or turn dark, pull the pan off the heat and add a splash of broth or a teaspoon of tomato paste to cool things down.
2) brown the tomato paste a bit to get real depth. push it around in the oil for 30–45 seconds until it smells sweeter and a little caramelized, that tiny bit of browning makes a huge difference. if it tastes too sharp later, a pinch of sugar fixes it fast.
3) get the sauce totally smooth and lump free by pouring the broth in slowly while whisking, not dumping it all at once. if you still have grit, blitz it with an immersion blender or press through a fine mesh strainer. and if it’s too thick, thin with more hot broth; too thin, simmer a little longer.
4) make a double batch and freeze in small portions. ice cube trays or little freezer tubs are lifesavers, thaw quickly in a saucepan and re-season after reheating, cuz flavors change in the freezer.
Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe
I made a Quick Enchilada Sauce in just 20 minutes that highlights classic Southwestern and Mexican chili flavors and works perfectly for enchiladas, soups, nachos, tacos and more, while remaining vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free.
8
servings
44
kcal
Equipment: 1. Medium saucepan (2 to 3 quarts), for heating the oil, whisking the cornstarch and simmering the sauce
2. Whisk, to blend the cornstarch, spices and broth smooth — use a flat or balloon whisk, whichever you got
3. Measuring spoons, for the spices, sugar, vinegar and salt
4. Liquid measuring cup (2 cup capacity), for the vegetable broth and to pour slowly while whisking
5. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon, to scrape the bottom and stir tomato paste
6. Small bowl and teaspoon, to mix tomato paste with the sugar before adding if you want
7. Fine mesh sieve or immersion blender (optional), if you want the sauce super smooth
8. Airtight container or jar, for storing leftovers in the fridge or freezer
(Note: dont worry if you dont have everything—there are easy swaps)
Ingredients
-
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
-
2 tablespoons cornstarch (gluten free thickener)
-
3 tablespoons chili powder (use a mild or hot blend, your choice)
-
1 teaspoon ground cumin
-
1 teaspoon garlic powder
-
1 teaspoon onion powder
-
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
-
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
-
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional for heat
-
1 teaspoon granulated sugar or brown sugar
-
2 cups vegetable broth (or water plus a bouillon cube)
-
2 tablespoons tomato paste
-
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
-
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
-
Freshly ground black pepper, a few cracks
Directions
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering, then add 2 tablespoons cornstarch and whisk constantly about 30–60 seconds until it forms a smooth paste and loses the raw starch taste.
- Add 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (if using); whisk and cook about 30 seconds so the spices bloom but dont burn.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and 1 teaspoon granulated or brown sugar, cook 30–45 seconds while stirring to deepen the tomato flavor.
- Slowly whisk in 2 cups vegetable broth (or water with a bouillon cube), pour a little at a time until the sauce is smooth and no lumps remain, scraping the bottom of the pan.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer 5–8 minutes, whisking occasionally, until it thickens to a pourable but coating consistency.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper; taste and adjust salt, sugar or cayenne for balance.
- If sauce is too thick, thin with a splash more broth; if too thin, simmer a few more minutes. If you want it super smooth, press through a fine mesh sieve or blitz briefly with an immersion blender.
- Use immediately on enchiladas, tacos, soups or nachos, or cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge up to one week or freeze up to three months.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 62g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 44kcal
- Fat: 3.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.1g
- Monounsaturated: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 290mg
- Potassium: 88mg
- Carbohydrates: 3.5g
- Fiber: 1.3g
- Sugar: 0.8g
- Protein: 0.5g
- Vitamin A: 1000IU
- Vitamin C: 0.8mg
- Calcium: 12mg
- Iron: 0.5mg