Enchilada Sauce
Published September 21, 2023
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup chili powder blend
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican, crushed into a fine powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups low-sodium chicken, mushroom or vegetable stock
Nutritional analysis per serving
8 grams carbs; 116 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 10 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 377 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein; 1 gram sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add flour and cook, stirring frequently until clumps have disappeared and mixture is bubbling, about 1 minute. Add chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, pepper and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until a thick paste forms. Use the back of a spoon to smash and smear the paste onto the bottom of the pot, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, stirring until caramelized, about 1 minute.
- Step 2
Whisk in chicken broth until no lumps remain. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Private Notes
Comments
Unlike users who comment without actually making the recipe, I made this and it is delicious.
I live in Santa Fe, NM, and found this a quick & easy red sauce, way better than canned, bottled or packaged sauce powders and easier than using chile puree. Had to add a bit more oil to whisk the chile powders & spices into the roux but otherwise it worked as advertised. Used 5T of hot & mild local red chile powders and ancho powder. The tomato paste adds richness to the sauce without making it tomato-y. This sauce will reflect the quality & flavors of the chile powders you use. Experiment!
I made it this morning, and it’s great! For me, the powdered spices made it a quick recipe. I know I can use fresh garlic and onion and chiles, but today, this was far better than canned enchilada sauce or powdered.
I made this recipe and to my chagrin, 1/4 cup chili powder was an overpowering amount of spice. I ended up tossing the enchiladas because they turned out it be much too spicy! Next time, I would use only a fraction of the recommended chili powder.
Added the juice of one lime in the final stage, and it went from good to great.
I made this recipe and it was great. I didn’t have tomato paste so I used ketchup. Come at me if you want, I don’t care. It worked just fine. I’ve made the original version (rehydrated chiles, garlic, etc.) and while it’s better, this one is really good too.