Enchilada Sauce

“This isn’t a topping. It’s a transformation.”

Enchilada Sauce

This deep red enchilada sauce is smoky, earthy, and thick enough to hold memory. It’s made from dried chiles, garlic, cumin, and broth—blended to silk and simmered until every note sings. Use it for enchiladas, tamales, chilaquiles, or pour it over roasted vegetables and call it a blessing.

Ingredients

  • 3 dried guajillo chiles
  • 2 dried ancho chiles
  • 1 dried pasilla chile (optional, for depth)
  • 2 cups hot water, for soaking
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp Mexican oregano
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1½ cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1–2 tbsp oil, for frying the sauce


How The Alchemy Happens


Remove stems and seeds from the dried chiles. Toast them lightly in a dry pan—just until fragrant, not burnt.

Soak chiles in hot water for 20–30 minutes until soft. Reserve soaking liquid.

Blend chiles, garlic, spices, tomato paste, and about 1 cup broth until smooth. Add more liquid as needed for a pourable texture.

Heat oil in a saucepan. Pour in the sauce and fry it—yes, fry it—for 5–10 minutes, stirring until it thickens and deepens.

Add remaining broth to loosen if needed. Salt to taste. Simmer a few more minutes.

Use immediately or store in the fridge up to a week. It freezes beautifully too.

🔙 Back to the Kitchen

“You don’t pour this. You smother.”