Simple Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Finally a sauce for all the beans I have been talking about! Make this simple homemade enchilada sauce the way you like it, mild or spicy, when you create it in your own kitchen. It has only a few simple ingredients and is ready in about 15 minutes. Whisk together olive oil, flour, spices, and broth and it’s ready to pour. No sugar, cornstarch, or other questionable ingredients needed. Plus, you get to control the amount of sodium by making it at home. You can even make it ahead and freeze it for later. This enchilada sauce is miles ahead of any store bought brand. Once you try this homemade version, you won’t buy store bought enchilada sauce again!

It’s amazing what we can make at home with little effort in the kitchen and this enchilada sauce is one of those simple creations. Whisk together a little olive oil, a few tablespoons of flour, an assortment of spices, and seasoned vegetable broth to end up with the most delicious enchilada sauce ever!

This is the perfect sauce for enchilada’s or making a wet burrito. It can also be used as a base for making chili, by adding it to beans and chopped vegetables, or use it to create homemade black bean tortilla soup. The best thing about making it at home is you can control the sodium content and avoid added chemicals that tend to be used in canned foods. Plus, you get to decide how spicy you make it. This sauce is made with real simple ingredients and comes together quickly. Store it in the refrigerator until ready to use or freeze it for later.

If you start reading the ingredients on canned foods you may stop buying them or at least cut way back. Especially if you are looking for ingredients you can pronounce and recognize. I especially like the use of the word “natural” on food labels. What does this mean? What is natural flavor? In reality, it could be anything! I prefer to know what is in my food and since there are very few things in life I can control, it’s nice to know I can control the ingredients I use to create food in my kitchen. Sodium content is another reason to make your own sauces and soups. There is a reason canned food is shelf stable for years!

All it takes is a little inspiration and creativity to start making things from scratch. This Simple Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe is a great place to start. It is quick and easy with only a few ingredients needed.

Ingredients:

• Olive Oil
• Organic All-Purpose Flour
• Chili Powder
• Cumin
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Smoked Paprika
• Cayenne Pepper (Optional)
• Spring or Filtered Water
• Organic Better than Bouillon – Seasoned Vegetable Base

Kitchen Equipment

• Small Sauce Pan
• Whisk

Making Enchilada Sauce

Let’s start with the spices. This is where your creativity comes into play. If you like a mild enchilada sauce, pass on the cayenne pepper. It’s completely optional. I recommend using all Organic Spices and making sure that your spices are not expired, as this is what creates all the flavor for this sauce. I do have a few favorite spice brands I am willing to share if you would like. Comment below and I will pass them along.

In a small bowl, add 3 tablespoons Organic Chili Powder, 1 teaspoon Organic Cumin, 1 teaspoon Organic Onion Powder, 1 teaspoon Organic Garlic Powder, 1/8 teaspoon of Organic Smoked Paprika. Mix together and set aside. Optional: for spicy sauce add 1/8 teaspoon of Organic Cayenne Pepper. Please use organic spices when creating in your kitchen! Also, check to make sure your spices have not expired. You won’t get the same flavor or quality of sauce with expired spices!

Once you measure out all your organic spices, add a 1/2 teaspoon of Organic Better Than Bouillon Seasoned Vegetable Base to 2 cups of filtered room temperature water. Stir to combine. Set aside. You will need to slowly pour this mixture into the sauce pan, while whisking the flour to avoid clumps, so make sure to use a liquid measuring cup with a pour spout.

If you don’t have Organic Better than Bouillon, you can use a low sodium broth. I prefer to use Better than Bouillon because then I can control the amount of sodium I am adding. Plus, it stays fresh in the refrigerator for months so it is always on hand and ready to use, with no waste. Not to mention it is the perfect flavor for this enchilada sauce or any sauce or soup for that matter.

Next, warm up a small sauce pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil.

Once the oil is warm, add 2 tablespoons of Organic All-Purpose Flour and begin whisking until it all binds together. It should only take a few stirs to accomplish this. It will begin to glob together and brown slightly. Once this happens it’s time to also add all the spices.

Add all the spices and continue whisking while slowing pouring in the Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base liquid. Keep whisking to avoid clumping. The mixture will appear quite thin, however, it will thicken once it simmers and cools slightly. Whisk until everything is incorporated and smooth.

Once the Simple Homemade Enchilada Sauce appears smooth, simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Whisk occasionally while the sauce simmers to avoid clumping or sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. The sauce will begin to thicken as it simmers and gets closer to a boil.

After 15 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before using.

At this point you can use the sauce to make homemade enchilada’s, as a chili base, or place it in a quart size canning jar (once cool) and freeze for later. Make sure you allow the sauce to completely cool if you are going to freeze it. I recommend first placing the cool jar into the refrigerator for the night before freezing.

Once your sauce is made all you need to do is roll up some homemade flour or corn shells with Organic Refried Black or Pinto Beans, Freshly Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Sliced Black Olives, and Organic Chopped Onion.

To assemble easy enchiladas: Line the bottom of a large casserole dish with sauce, place shells together in a row, and pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top, making sure to cover the shells completely. Top with freshly shredded cheddar cheese, sliced olives, cilantro, chopped tomatoes, and chopped onions. It’s ok to stop here and cook them the next day. These are a great make ahead meal! Store in the refrigerator overnight and cook them the next day. They make great left overs too. I’ll post my favorite homemade corn and flour shell recipes soon.

Below you will find my recipe for Simple Homemade Enchilada Sauce. As always, I encourage you to use this recipe as inspiration to create your own variation of homemade enchilada sauce – mild or spicy! Remember you can always change the spices:)

Remember to be creative with your food. It doesn’t have to be complicated and there is inspiration all around you. If you haven’t tried making Enchilada Sauce before, what are you waiting for?

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