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Best EVER Enchilada Sauce Recipe. Also known as Tex Mex Chili Gravy. This quick and easy recipe comes together in about 10 minutes. It’s bold and flavorful and will give your enchiladas an authentic taste!
This isn’t just any enchilada sauce y’all. This is certified Tex Mex Chili Gravy. This sauce is exactly what you will find smothering enchiladas in the great state of Texas. Designed to be a combination of gravy that could be found on a steak and a traditional Mexican enchilada sauce, this Chili Gravy is a cornerstone to Tex Mex cooking. Serve these enchiladas alongside some Charro Beans and Mexican Rice for a complete Tex Mex experience.
If you don’t have any enchilada sauce on hand or you’re wanting to elevate your cooking this recipe is for you! And you will never go back to using the canned version again!
Ingredients Needed:
- oil/fat– my preference is to use butter. However, you could use a corn or vegetable oil. Olive oil tends to have a strong flavor and I avoid it in this recipe.
- All purpose flour– use to thicken the sauce slightly.
- Spices– a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, and Chile powder. My all time favorite chile powder is Gebhardts, which originated in Texas in the 1800. If you can’t find it in your local markets, Amazon does sell it. (affiliate link)
- Broth– my preference for this sauce is to use beef broth. However, some people say the flavor is too much using the beef. You can easily substitute with a chicken or even a vegetable broth if you prefer. Just ensure you are using a low sodium. If you are using a regular broth you will need to cut out the salt in the recipe and salt according to taste if needed.
- Tomato paste– just a small amount, it adds to the thickness of the sauce.
How to make Homemade Enchilada Sauce:
- Melt butter in a large saucepan.
- Create a roux: Sprinkle in the flour and cook for several minutes.
- Season: Add in the spices.
- Pour in the beef broth and add the tomato paste, stir while heating until sauce is thickened.
How to Store Enchilada Sauce:
- This enchilada sauce can be stored in the fridge 5-7 days. Just give the jar a shake before using.
- To freeze this enchilada sauce: add to freezer resealable bags, lay flat in the freezer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, you can easily stack the bags. Can be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, place the enchilada sauce into the refrigerator overnight. Reheat the sauce in a skillet.
Best Ways to use Enchilada Sauce:
- Nothing beats a classic Tex Mex Cheese Enchilada!
- For a fun appetizer or snack these Tex Mex Enchilada Meatballs will hit the spot.
- These Smothered Burritos are always a hit for family dinner and have tons of rave reviews!
- A tasty twist on beef enchiladas, try these Chorizo Enchiladas.
- Authentic Beef enchiladas are easy to make and extra flavorful!
Tex Mex Chili Gravy Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup oil or butter can use canola or vegetable oil
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 cups beef broth can sub with another type use a LOW or NO SODIUM
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
Instructions
- Heat Oil: Heat the oil or butter in a medium size skillet over medium heat.
- Make Roux: Add in the flour and stir to mix. Will be a thick mixture. Allow this to cook for just 1-2 minutes.
- Season: Add in the spices. Stir to form a thick paste.
- Heat: Stir in the broth and tomato paste. Stir until smooth. Continue to heat while stirring for several minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Keep the heat to just below a simmer.
- Use: Pour into a jar to store or use to make .
Video
Equipment
Notes
- This enchilada sauce can be stored in the fridge 5-7 days. Just give the jar a shake before using.
- To freeze this enchilada sauce: add to freezer resealable bags, lay flat in the freezer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, you can easily stack the bags. Can be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, place the enchilada sauce into the refrigerator overnight. Reheat the sauce in a skillet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally posted in 2016. Updated on March 28, 2018. And updated again on January 10, 2020 with new photos and informational video.
Serene, this was really good! I went wrong somehow with the roux and my oil-flour mix remained thin so I kept adding more flour. I like spicy so I blended 2 chipotle peppers with the stock.. I will certainly be making this again.
Thanks for the recipe.
The roux will get thicker as it cooks. With the flour and the spices it does get thick before adding the broth in. But I’m so glad you like the flavor!! Thanks for your comment 🙂
How much time you simmer the sauce?
Just enough to thicken the sauce.
My family loved it! It is so much better than canned. It tastes just the enchilada sauce my mom made from scratch when I was a child.
So glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
I made this recipe last night for dinner.. i followed the directions exactly. The sauce came out really salty. Like unbareably salty! Idk what went wrong. I ended up adding some sour cream to the sauce.. idk why, I just did. Lol! It actually turned out to be pretty amazing! It was still a lil salty for my taste, but all in all pretty good the sour cream toned it down and added some creaminess.. the family loved it!
You probably had a high salt broth which is always problematic. Try using salt-free or low salt broth/stock/bone broth. I’m sure you will have a better experience.
Forgot to buy the supermarket offering and made this at the last minute. I will never buy enchilada sauce again! Easy to make and great taste! Followed the original recipe and wouldn’t change a thing.
I loved the butter! I used fresh onion & garlic and oregano because I had them. I substituted water because I didn’t have broth. I used a can of tomato sauce & one of petit diced tomatoes. I ? love it! Thank you.
How long do you simmer?
I’m looking for a homemade recipe for enchilada source for veggie enchiladas and saw your recipe. It’s so easy to make but I decide to leave out the chili powder
Oh my gosh! This was AMAZING!
I love this enchilada sauce! Is this considered a mild sauce? There probably isn’t much heat at all in this right? What do you recommend if I wanted to add a little heat to the sauce? Thanks for sharing!
I would consider it to be mild. If you want to bump up the heat you could even add some adobo sauce or blend up a chile and add it to the sauce.
McCormick’s Hot Mexican chili powder is another way to add some heat. A little goes a long way so start with 1/16 teaspoon and add more to taste. This is a great, authentic Tex-Mex sauce with just a little bit of tomato. Most canned sauces have way too much tomato.
Hi Beth! I haven’t tried a Hot Mexican Chili Powder before. I’ll have to keep an eye out for that one! So glad you like the sauce 🙂