Homemade Enchilada Sauce + Canning Instructions
This homemade Enchilada Sauce recipe is far superior to the stuff you buy in a can. Made with just a few ingredients, it’s a pepper sauce not tomato based. Like some of the recipes which aren’t authentic.
This recipe only contains six ingredients. It really couldn’t be easier.
Do you use canned enchilada sauce? If you do, you need to try this recipe! It is really easy and the taste is unbelievable! Of course, the other added bonus is that you control ingredients in your meals!! No artificial anything!
What you need
- dried peppers – Ancho, Pasilla and Guajillo chili peppers are the best. You can substitute others but be aware that the hotter the pepper you pick, the hotter the sauce. The japones pictured are hotter and make a hotter sauce.
- garlic – peeled
- onion – cut into wedges
- tomatoes – you need both fresh tomatoes and crushed tomatoes.
- oregano – if you have Mexican oregano, use that.
- marjoram
How to make it
- Buy a mixture of peppers, I use what I can find. Today I found Chile Arbol and Guajillo. I also use serrano and ancho when I can find them. To prepare the enchilada sauce, all you need to do is char the peppers in a dry cast iron pan..
- Let peppers cool and char the vegetables in same pan, or on the grill. Once peppers cool, remove seeds. Turn and brown vegetables on all sides.
- Add onions, tomatoes and peppers to a pan.
- Add crushed tomatoes and herbs.
- Cook for about 30 minutes.
- Make sure the vegetables are soft and the peppers are reconstituted.
- Transfer to blender container. Break up into batches if you multiply this recipe. Process in your blender until smooth.
- I clean the pan that I browned the peppers and vegetables in between. Then add a few teaspoons of olive oil to the pan
- Then, strain the sauce through a fine sieve.
- Discard the solids.
- Cook it down for another 30-minutes, or so, until it gets nice and thick. That’s all there is to it!
*** See recipe notes for important substitutions!!
How to Store leftovers
You can place the enchilada sauce in a sterilized jar and store it in the refrigerator for a couple weeks. It also freezes beautifully! Freeze it in a canning jar (leave at least 1″ headspace), or place it in plastic bags. Freeze sauce at least 1 year.
Thawing Sauce
When you want to use frozen sauce, thaw completely in the refrigerator and then reheat.
You can also add a few tablespoons of water to a saucepan. Cover pan with lid and slowly thaw sauce, over medium low heat. If sauce needs to thicken a bit, because of the added water, remove lid and cook on medium low, stirring occasionally, until desired consistency.
How pressure can sauce
This Enchilada sauce can also be pressure canned.
Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1″ headspace (space between the sauce and the rim of the jar). Wipe rim of jars clean with damp towel. Center lids on jars. Tighten band fingertip tight.
Place jars in pressure canner on rack with 2″ of water in the bottom. Place lid on canner and lock. Allow steam to vent for 10 minutes. Place the dial or weighted gauge on pot. Allow pot to come up to 10 psi (pounds per square inch) for weighted gauge and 11 psi for dial gauge, over medium high heat.
Process pint jars for 50 minutes. Turn off heat. Allow pressure to vent naturally. Leave for 5 minutes. Then remove lid. Let jars sit in pot for another 10 minutes to cool.
Carefully remove from canner and place on counter. Do not disturb for 12-24 hours. Then check seal. Lid should not flex up or down. If any do then jar is not sealed and should be stored in the refrigerator for about a week or frozen for longer storage.
For step by instructions, via video, head over to my YouTube video! There is also a video for assembling and cooking the enchiladas.
How to use it
Use this enchilada for any type of enchiladas you like, such as chicken, beef, pork, cheese, bean. You can also use it for taco dips, make an enchilada pasta dish, an enchilada or tamale casserole, and lots of other recipes.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more instructional videos! Recipe for pork enchiladas is here.
Are you a fan of making your own sauces? Try this Green Tomato Sauce for pasta, honey BBQ sauce for grilling, Lobster Ravioli Sauce, or this Mojo Rojo, which is great for so many things.
Connect with us through our social media pages! Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter.
Please ask any questions or share your comments in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe today.
Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Homemade Enchilada Sauce recipe
Ingredients
- 3 dried ancho clillies *see notes
- 3 dried guajillo or pasilla chillies
- 2 fresh tomatoes *see notes
- 1 c crushed tomatoes
- 1 medium onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
- 1/2 tsp oregano, dried
Instructions
- Toast peppers in a dry cast iron pan on both sides, remove and let cool.3 dried ancho clillies, 3 dried guajillo or pasilla chillies
- Quarter onion. Peel garlic. Halve tomatoes. Toast the onions, garlic and tomatoes in the same pan.2 fresh tomatoes, 1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Remove to a medium saucepan.
- Once peppers are cool enough to handle. Remove seeds and stem end and place in the saucepan with the onions and tomatoes.
- Add crushed tomatoes , marjoram and oregano. Almost cover the vegetables with water and bring to boil.1 c crushed tomatoes, 1/2 tsp dried marjoram, 1/2 tsp oregano, dried
- Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or so until the peppers have reconstituted.
- Place the contents in a blender and cover the blender with a kitchen towel, in case it splatters so you won’t get burned. Blend on high at least a minute.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the solids. Discard the solids. The sauce will look thin at this stage.
- Add a few teaspoons of oil to a frying pan and heat over medium high heat. Add the strained sauce and fry for a few minutes.
- Reduce heat and simmer at least 30 minutes until sauce has thickened and coats the back of spoon.
- Let the sauce sit at least 2 hours for the flavors to mingle.
How to Pressure Can Sauce
- Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1″ headspace (space between the sauce and the rim of the jar). Wipe rim of jars clean with damp towel. Center lids on jars. Tighten band fingertip tight.
- Place jars in pressure canner on rack with 2″ of water in the bottom. Place lid on canner and lock. Allow steam to vent for 10 minutes.
- Place the dial or weighted gauge on pot. Allow pot to come up to 10 psi (pounds per square inch) for weighted gauge and 11 psi for dial gauge, over medium high heat. See altitude adjustment in recipe notes below.
- Process pint jars for 50 minutes. Turn off heat. Allow pressure to vent naturally. Leave for 5 minutes. Then remove lid. Let jars sit in pot for another 10 minutes to cool.
- Carefully remove from canner and place on counter. Do not disturb for 12-24 hours. Then check seal. Lid should not flex up or down. If any do then jar is not sealed and should be stored in the refrigerator for about a week or frozen for longer storage.
See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you click the link and purchase something. See FTC Disclosure, here.
I definitely always try to make sauces rather than buy, but haven’t ever tried making enchilada sauce yet. This looks great, though, so I must give it a try!
Oh, you will love it, Caroline! It’s really super easy, too! Thanks!
May be I am picky, more often than not I am unhappy with the store bought sauces. Never thought of making these though . Definitely going to try .
Agreed about store bought sauces! I think you will love this one! Thanks Syama!
This is definitely added to our list of homemade sauces. I like your recipes, you always make it simple, easy and delicious.
Thank you so much, Arjhon! I am glad the recipes are helpful to you!
This sauce looks so rich and tasty and so much better to make it yourself. Perfect to make with home grown tomatoes too!
Oh, yes! I always use homegrown, either frozen or fresh! Thanks, Amanda!
That is so perfect! I love enchiladas and tacos. I actually put enchilada sauce on my taco instead of taco sauce or salsa. I’ll get some major use out of this recipe.
Great! I’m so glad you like it, Jack!
Well explained. Nothing can beat homemade sauces. I’m in complete sync with you. Love the clicks.. Beautifully narrated excellent share !!
Thank you so much, Jolly! High praise indeed! Have a lovely weekend!
I usually just buy canned enchilada sauce but the taste of homemade can’t be beat. Thank you for such a detailed recipe, can’t wait to try making my own sauce!
Oh, Lalaine, it is far superior to canned, you have to give it try! Thanks for the comment!
I always prefer homemade over store bought. the flavors are always more deep and less salty. This recipe looks delicious
Thank you very much, Kallee! Have a great weekend!
I’m totally going to have to add this to my collection of homespun condiments. This is one thing I’ve yet to make myself and I can’t wait! It looks so rich in flavor !
It truly is! You won’t be sorry, giving this a try! Thanks, Dana!
Homemade sauces are always so much better! I have some dried guajillo chilis so I can’t wait to make this!
I have used straight guajillos before. If I don’t have a mixture of peppers, I just use what I have in the house! It always turns out awesome!Thank you, Ellen! Enjoy!