Easy Red Enchilada Sauce {15 minute Recipe} (2024)

FAQs

What can I use if I don't have enchilada sauce? ›

Tomato sauce is a good way to replace enchilada sauce if you're looking for a milder alternative. It's easy to take a pre-made tomato sauce and spice it and add other ingredients to get closer to a real enchilada sauce.

Red enchilada sauce may also be called salsa roja, salsa roja para enchiladas or mole rojo. It is a sauce made out of ancho/ pasilla/New Mexico and/or Cascabel chiles, onion, garlic, tomatoes, broth, cumin, oregano, etc. all blended together then simmered until thickened.

Add seasonings - Cumin, chili powder, Mexican oregano, etc. are great ways to punch up the flavor of canned enchilada sauce. You might also consider adding a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.

Salsa can also be used as a substitute for enchilada sauce, especially if you enjoy a bit of heat and chunky texture in your dishes. Look for a salsa that closely matches the flavor profile of traditional enchilada sauce, such as a red salsa with a medium to hot spice level.

Fry each of your tortillas in hot oil before adding in your enchilada filling. This will help keep the tortillas from soaking up too much of your sauce too quickly, which can also cause them to break apart.

It comes from a combination of dried spices, which are sautéed in oil to bring out their best, and umami-rich tomato paste. The cinnamon is optional since some people just don't like it in savory applications, but just a pinch adds some lovely warmth and complexity.

Salsa roja ( lit. 'red sauce') is a type of spicy red sauce in Mexican cuisine. It is made of jitomate (red tomato), ground with onion, garlic, chilli, salt and pepper to taste.

To your blender full of chiles, add 2 cups of water (use the chile water or fresh), an 8oz can of Tomato Sauce, and ½ teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, Mexican oregano, cumin, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Also, add 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic and about ¼ of a white onion.

Choosing the Wrong Tortillas

While some recipes use flour tortillas, corn tortillas are traditional — and for good reason — are the better option for enchiladas. Corn tortillas have a distinct flavor that plays a key part of the enchilada experience, compared to flour tortillas, which are more like a blank slate.

Las Palmas makes the best green enchilada sauce at the grocery store. It's a little tangy, super savory, and it tastes very fresh, even though it's canned enchilada sauce.

How do you get the bitterness out of canned enchilada sauce? ›

Before you assemble your enchiladas, heat the sauce up and whisk in a little flour and sugar to taste. The flour will neutralize some of the bitterness and thicken the sauce a bit in the process. This can be a good thing, too, as canned enchilada sauce is usually a little thin in consistency.

While they may seem similar in color and taste, Taco Bell's red sauce and traditional enchilada sauce are not exactly the same. Each has its own unique recipe and flavor profile that sets it apart.

LA VICTORIA® Red Enchilada Sauce Mild is a perfect blend signature spices and red chiles for a mild flavor profile for those who want great taste without too much heat.

Enchilada sauces include chili-based sauces, such as salsa roja, various moles, tomatillo-based sauces, such as salsa verde, or cheese-based sauces, such as chile con queso.

Marinara is primarily tomatoes reduced and flavored with onion and Italian herbs like basil and oregano. Enchilada sauce (which means 'in chili') is primarily pureed, rehydrated, toasted, dried peppers, flavored with a little tomato, onion, and Mexican spices such as cumin.

LA VICTORIA® Red Enchilada Sauce Mild is a perfect blend signature spices and red chiles for a mild flavor profile for those who want great taste without too much heat.

Enchiladas just wouldn't be complete without enchilada sauce. This distinct sauce typically calls for dried chili peppers, onions, garlic, spices, and, yes, occasionally tomatoes. The exact recipe may vary depending on the region and personal preferences, resulting in a range of flavor profiles.

Thankfully, you probably have something in your pantry or fridge that you can use in its place. Let's look at four possible substitutes for tomato sauce: The two best are tomato paste and canned tomatoes, while ketchup and tomato soup can be used for certain recipes when you are really in a pinch.