Red enchilada sauce
A deep red, smoky enchilada sauce made from dried guajillo and ancho chillies. Far better than anything from a tin.
Make this once, then cook it into 46 different dishes.
- Time50 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.74 a head
- Makesabout 900 ml, enough for 2 enchilada dishes for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat a dry pan over a medium heat. Toast the guajillos, anchos and chile de arbol for 15 to 20 seconds on each side, pressing flat, until they smell fruity. Do not let them blacken.
0 min 40 s - 2
Put the chillies in a bowl and cover with 400 ml hot (not boiling) water. Weigh them down with a plate and soak for 20 minutes until soft.
20 min - 3
Drain the chillies, keeping the soaking water. Blend them with the onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper and 250 ml of the soaking water until completely smooth. Press through a sieve into a bowl.
- 4
Heat the oil in a wide pan over a medium-high heat. Whisk the masa harina into the strained sauce, then pour it into the pan (it will spit). Fry for 5 minutes, stirring, until it darkens.
5 min - 5
Add the stock and salt. Bring to a simmer, then cook gently, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
15 min - 6
Taste and adjust the salt. It should taste deep, smoky and gently fruity. Thin with a splash of water if it is too thick.
- 7
Cool in a shallow container and chill within 2 hours. Use in the dish recipes that call for your ready made red enchilada sauce.
About red enchilada sauce
Red enchilada sauce is a smooth, brick red sauce made from rehydrated dried guajillo and ancho chillies blended with garlic, onion and spices, then fried and simmered. Mexican enchiladas rojas are built on this kind of chilli sauce, not on a flour thickened tomato sauce.
Guajillo gives a bright, tangy fruitiness and a clear colour. Ancho gives sweet, raisiny depth and body. The two together make a sauce that is rich and mild to medium in heat, with a gentle smokiness. A little masa harina thickens it into a sauce that coats tortillas.
Use it for enchiladas rojas, enmoladas-style dishes, entomatadas, chilaquiles, tamales, and to simmer chicken, pork or beans. One batch makes enough for two dishes, and freezes well.
Tips
- Remove the seeds and stalks and toast the chillies only until fragrant, 20 seconds a side. Burnt chilli turns the whole sauce bitter.
- Soak the chillies in hot water, not boiling, for 20 minutes. Press them under the water with a plate so they all rehydrate evenly.
- Pass the blended sauce through a sieve. It removes tough chilli skins and gives a smooth sauce that clings to tortillas.
- Fry the sauce for about 5 minutes before adding the stock. This step cooks out the raw chilli taste and deepens the colour.
- For a quick version, blend one 400 g tin of tomatoes with 2 tbsp mild chilli powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, garlic and stock, then fry and simmer for 15 minutes. It is easier but less complex.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 2 hours, then keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze in 400 ml portions for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to a simmer until steaming hot all the way through.
Dishes you can make with red enchilada sauce
Enchiladas Ahumadas de Queso (Smoky Cheese Enchiladas)
EFNFBurritos Mojados (Smothered Bean and Cheese Burritos)
VEFNFEnchiladas Rojas de Res Deshebrada (Shredded Beef Enchiladas)
EFNFEnchiladas Rojas de Carnitas con Crema de Lima (Pork Enchiladas)
EFNFEnchiladas de Picadillo (Beef and Potato Enchiladas)
DFEFNFEnchiladas Rojas de Cordero (Lamb Enchiladas)
EFNFTamales Rojos de Puerco (Red Pork Tamales)
GFDFEFAlbóndigas en Chile Rojo con Arroz Rojo (Meatballs in Red Chilli Sauce)
GFNFBurritos Enchilados de Res y Frijol (Wet Beef and Bean Burritos)
EFNFPastel Azteca de Res (Aztec Beef Tortilla Bake)
GFEFNFCarne con Papas en Salsa Roja (Beef and Potatoes in Red Chilli Sauce)
DFEFNFAsado de Puerco (Pork in Red Chilli Sauce) with Pot Beans
GFDFEFQuestions
What chillies do I need for red enchilada sauce?
Dried guajillo and ancho chillies. They are sold in the world food aisle of larger supermarkets, in Mexican or Latin shops and online. If you can only find ancho, use 6 anchos; if only guajillo, use 10.
Is red enchilada sauce spicy?
Mild to medium. Guajillo and ancho are both low on the heat scale. Add a chile de arbol, which is included here, for a little kick, or leave it out for a very mild sauce.
Why is my enchilada sauce bitter?
Usually the chillies were burned while toasting, or the seeds were left in. Simmer longer and stir in a pinch of sugar and a squeeze of lime to balance. If it still tastes acrid, the chillies were burnt and it is best to start again.
Is red enchilada sauce gluten free and vegan?
Yes, as written. It uses masa harina (corn flour), gluten free vegetable stock and chillies, so it is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free. Check the label on your stock.
Can I freeze red enchilada sauce?
Yes. Freeze it in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and simmer until steaming hot. It may thicken, so thin it with a splash of water or stock.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.