Name: Easy Red Enchilada Sauce
Prep time: 9 min
Cook time: 21 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 7 servings
Ingredients: 3 tbsp vegetable broth ((or sub water or neutral oil, such as avocado)); 1 cup white or yellow onion ((chopped)); 4 clove garlic ((peeled and smashed)); 7 null mild dried chilies ((such as New Mexico (our preferred), Ancho, or Guajillo)); 1.5 null dried arbol chilies ((stems removed (for heat // add more or less to adjust spice level) *In place of the arbol chilies, you can also sub 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce or 0.25 - 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper (per 2 arbol chilies) when blending for added spice. Omit if you don’t like spicy sauces.)); 2 cups vegetable broth ((or store-bought - we like Imagine brand // or sub water)); 1 cup water; 0.25 cup tomato paste; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 0.5 tsp sea salt ((plus more to taste)); 1 tsp dried oregano ((Mexican oregano if possible // optional))

Easy Red Enchilada Sauce

This smoky, rich, and spicy red enchilada sauce is made with simple ingredients and ready in just 30 minutes. It's perfect for elevating your favorite enchilada dishes, or adding depth of flavor to other Mexican-inspired recipes like quinoa taco meat or tortilla soup. This customizable sauce is bold in flavor and freezer-friendly, making it an ideal staple for any meal plan.

Instructions

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1

Heat a large rimmed skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the vegetable broth (3 tbsp), white or yellow onion (1 cup), and garlic (4 clove). Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and slightly browned.
2

Add the dried chilies (7 mild) and arbol chilies (1.5 dried) and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Then add the vegetable broth (2 cups) and water (1 cup). Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3

Add the tomato paste (0.25 cup), ground cumin (1 tsp), smoked paprika (1 tsp), sea salt (0.5 tsp) and dried oregano (1 tsp) (optional). Stir, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes or until peppers are tender.
4

Transfer to a high-speed blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more [smoked paprika] or [ground cumin] for smokiness, [sea salt] for saltiness, or a pinch of [cayenne pepper] for spiciness (although it should be plenty spicy).
5

Use immediately. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.