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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.
Outstanding! Just made these and they simply rock.
Very good and easy. Can’t stand the canned or jarred ones you buy at the store. This one beats them all.
Finally!! I’ve been trying to find an authentic Tex-Mex chili gravy for a while. This is the best for enchiladas or an enchilada casserole. I very much dislike the really red enchilada sauces. They taste like you’re eating chili powder. And we all know the canned stuff is hit or miss. This recipe is full of flavor; exactly what good enchilada sauce should be. Thank you!
Absolutely, hands down the BEST scratch Enchilada sauce! Followed it exactly and I wouldnt change a thing! Made this along with House of Yumms beef enchiladas (added onion and a can of rotel to the beef mixture) for a small gathering of friends and zero leftovers (which kinda bummed me out).
Delicious! I wouldn’t even call this texmex – we moved from Sam Diego to Texas and we’ve been desperately missing our Tijuana style Mexican food restaurants. This sauce tastes exactly like the sauce Jalisco’s uses on their cheese enchiladas. Soooo good!
Impressive! I had to use a bit more flour but it worked out well. Also added a little cayenne pepper. What a nice velvety
smooth sauce! It’s s keeper!
Made the enchiladas and the sauce and its the best stuff every 😋
I’m surprised at the positive comments regarding this recipe. Is this really how some Texans make enchilada sauce? It’s mainly beef broth with only one skimpy little tablespoon of chili powder.
Wow.
I’ve made enchilada sauce for years by bringing about 10 dried, whole New Mexico or California chilis to a boil and then turning off the heat, letting them soak for 45 minutes, running them and a little of the soaking liquid through a food processor to make a purée, and then straining the purée through a sieve or (better yet, and my preferred method) a food mill. The strained liquid is then added to sautéed garlic, flour, and other seasonings, to yield an intensely-flavored, chili-rich sauce.
I’m just surprised to see something such as this recipe would produce, purporting to be enchilada sauce, contain such a miniscule amount of chili.
Very strange.
I’m truly curious: is the kind of cooking represented by this recipe common in Texas? I have to admit I would have expected better.
Hi Ben, this is a Tex Mex sauce, not a Mexican recommendation and that is why it has less chili.
Is that really how you make your enchilada sauce Ben?
Wow.
Dried and reconstituted chiles and food processors, really? I’ve made enchilada sauce for years by planting and growing my own FRESH chiles and picking them at the perfect time and then using a mortar and pestle to grind them up by HAND for hours along with roasted garlic that I also grew myself. I then grind all my other seasonings with the mortar and pestle as well from WHOLE spices that I have toasted over an open charcoal flame. Everything is then strained through multiple layers of artisan cheesecloth.
Is the kind of cooking you’re describing common where you’re from? I have to admit, I would have expected better.
You, my sir, are awesome!
I would like Ben to tell us what the whole of his recipe is?? he strained liquid is then added to sautéed garlic, flour, and other seasonings, to yield an intensely-flavored, chili-rich sauce. and other seasonings???
Some people just absolutely will not give someone else a
compliment. I think Ben should just go ahead and print
out his whole recipe. The right thing to do when you judge
someone else.
Recipe is awesome! This may not meet your needs but it was great the first time out and much better than any can sauce. I will make again and Serene, you don’t have to apologize for your recipe, keep up the amazing work and site.
We couldn’t stop eating this sauce straight from the pan with tortilla chips! So delicious! Perfect, hassle-free enchilada sauce.
I made this gravy using the broth from the carnitas I made (your crockpot recipe) and it was fantastic in the enchiladas I made…thank you!