Why You’ll Love this Homemade Enchilada Sauce
You know what typically happens when you reach for that store-bought enchilada sauce? You’re stuck with something that tastes like tomato soup’s boring cousin.
This homemade version actually has personality—real vegetables, proper spices, and that fresh flavor you can’t get from a jar. Plus, I control exactly what goes in.
What Ingredients are in Homemade Enchilada Sauce?
The beauty of this enchilada sauce lies in its simplicity—you probably have most of these ingredients hanging out in your pantry or fridge right now. No need to hunt down exotic spices or make three trips to the grocery store because you forgot something again.
- 2 (500 g) cartons passata
- 1 bell pepper, deseeded and chopped (any colour)
- 2 sticks celery, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 hot chili peppers, deseeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground or dried coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Now, about those chili peppers—this is where you get to decide how brave you’re feeling today. The recipe calls for hot chilies, but honestly, you can dial this up or down based on your heat tolerance. If you’re cooking for people who think black pepper is spicy, maybe go with just one chili or even substitute with a milder pepper. And that passata? It’s basically smooth, strained tomatoes, so don’t stress if your store calls it something else or you can only find the chunky version—it’ll work just fine.
How to Make this Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Making this enchilada sauce is honestly one of those cooking tasks that feels way more impressive than it actually is—like you’re some kind of culinary wizard when really you’re just throwing things into a food processor and letting it do the work. Start by gathering everything except 1 carton of passata and dump it all into your food processor. That’s your 1 bell pepper (chopped and deseeded), 2 sticks of celery (chopped), 1 onion (chopped), 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 2 garlic cloves (chopped), 2 hot chili peppers (deseeded and chopped), 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 carton of passata. Blend until it’s fairly smooth—and by fairly smooth, I mean it doesn’t have to be baby food consistency, just no big chunks that’ll make your enchiladas look like they’ve got mystery lumps.
Now comes the easy part where you actually feel like you’re cooking something. Transfer this beautiful, chunky mixture to a saucepan and stir in that remaining carton of passata. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then immediately turn the heat down and let it simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t decide to stick to the bottom of your pan and become tomorrow’s scrubbing nightmare. The sauce will thicken up nicely during this time, and your kitchen will start smelling like a Mexican restaurant, which is always a good sign.
Once it’s done, let it cool down before you use it—trust me, molten enchilada sauce isn’t something you want to wrestle with when you’re trying to roll tortillas. If you’re planning to make enchiladas regularly for a large group or restaurant, consider investing in a bread making machine that can handle commercial-scale food preparation tasks.
Homemade Enchilada Sauce Substitutions and Variations
Now that you’ve got the basic recipe down, let’s talk about how to make this sauce work for whatever you’ve got lurking in your pantry or whatever your taste buds are craving. Can’t find passata? Crushed tomatoes work perfectly.
Want more heat? Toss in jalapeños or a dash of cayenne. I love experimenting with different pepper combinations.
What to Serve with Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Where do I even begin with all the delicious possibilities this sauce opens up? I love drizzling it over chicken enchiladas, beef burritos, or even scrambled eggs for breakfast.
You can use it as a dip for tortilla chips, pour it over nachos, or spoon it onto grilled vegetables. It’s basically liquid gold.
Final Thoughts
After years of buying jarred enchilada sauce that tastes like sadness mixed with preservatives, I can honestly say this homemade version will change your kitchen game forever.
It’s fresher, more flavorful, and you control every ingredient. Plus, making it yourself feels incredibly satisfying. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you later.
