Last updated on March 12, 2026 by Jessica Healey
Originally published on January 12, 2015

Love enchiladas but don’t love the ingredients in store-bought sauce? Try this super easy enchilada sauce from scratch—rich, flavorful, and free from unnecessary additives!

A Family Built on Kitchen Confidence

Growing up in a large family, everyone played a role in the kitchen. Prepping, cooking, and cleaning—it was always a team effort. Our meals weren’t based on strict recipes but rather on taste, trial, and error. We had beautiful cookbooks, but more often than not, our best meals came straight from our imagination.

I also had the incredible advantage of learning from my mother, who loved to experiment in the kitchen. If she heard about a new cooking technique or a healthy ingredient, she’d bring it home and test it out. One day, when I was around eight or nine, I came home to a beautiful dinner featuring roasted vegetables and edible flowers. I tried my hardest to convince her that flowers weren’t meant to be eaten, but she confidently told me otherwise.

My Shift to More Analytical Cooking

While I share my mother’s love for creating meals by feel, I take a more analytical approach to cooking. I enjoy understanding how ingredients work together. Cooking, after all, is part science—when you master the formula, you can tweak it to fit your tastes.

One of the first cookbooks I ever bought was a vegetarian one. I had just started dating my now-husband, a lifelong vegetarian, and I wanted to explore new recipes. It wasn’t a fancy cookbook, but it introduced me to some creative ideas, including vegetarian enchiladas—something I loved in restaurants but had never made at home.

The original recipe called for a filling of spinach, spring onions, cheddar cheese, celery, corn, and grated carrot. While it sounded tasty, it didn’t feel authentically Mexican to me. So, I modified it, swapping in Spanish rice, mushrooms, peppers, onions, garlic, and refried beans for a heartier, more flavorful filling.

At the time, I used a store-bought enchilada sauce mix to finish the dish. I didn’t think much about it—I simply grabbed a pack off the shelf whenever I had a craving.

Love enchiladas but don't like the ingredients for the sauce in the store-bought package? Try this super easy enchilada sauce from scratch- tasty and easy!

Why I Started Making My Own Enchilada Sauce

My switch to homemade enchilada sauce wasn’t sparked by a grand realization about clean eating. It was pure necessity. One day, my go-to store stopped carrying my favorite mix, forcing me to look for an alternative.

As I researched recipes, I quickly realized how simple—and cost-effective—it was to make enchilada sauce from scratch at home. More importantly, I had complete control over the ingredients. No more mystery additives—just real, wholesome flavors.

That moment shifted my cooking mindset. I wasn’t just making food from scratch because I had to—I was making it because I wanted to. This enchilada sauce became a symbol of that choice, reinforcing my commitment to serving my family food I could stand behind 100%.

The Best Enchilada Sauce You’ll Ever Make

Now, I never go back to store-bought. This enchilada sauce is rich, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make. Plus, it’s perfect if you love extra sauce on the side (like I do!).

Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Ritu Sundaram

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Servings Cups

Ingredients

3 tbsp grass-fed butter or any oil with a high smoke point Fatworks tallow and lard work well!
2 tbsp sprouted spelt flour organic preferred (see notes below)
3 cups hot vegetable broth
3 ½ tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chili powder adjust to taste; organic, non-irradiated recommended
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
½ tsp unrefined sea salt adjust to taste

Instructions

Heat the butter or oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Stir in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, whisking constantly.
Slowly whisk in the hot broth, increasing the heat slightly as you whisk.
Once fully incorporated, add the tomato paste and stir well.
Reduce heat to medium-low, then mix in the spices.
Simmer for 3–4 minutes, adjusting chili powder to taste.
Use immediately over enchiladas or store in an airtight container for later.

Nutritional information provided is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Take Control of Your Kitchen

If you’ve never made enchilada sauce from scratch, now is the perfect time to start. It’s quick, easy, and packed with bold, authentic flavors. Plus, nothing beats the satisfaction of knowing exactly what’s in your food.

So, give it a try—I promise you won’t miss the store-bought version!