Our Favorite Homemade Enchilada Sauce
A Simple Pantry Staple That Brings Big Flavor to Homemade Meals
There are certain recipes that quietly become part of your family’s story. They aren’t reserved for holidays or special occasions—they’re the recipes you reach for over and over because they’re dependable, wholesome, and simply delicious.
This homemade enchilada sauce is one of those recipes in our home.
Years ago, while searching for healthier ways to recreate some of our favorite comfort foods, my daughter Chelsea shared Gina Homolka’s incredible website called SkinnyTaste. I’ve been making it ever since. It has become the foundation for our homemade chicken enchiladas, and I honestly can’t imagine buying canned enchilada sauce anymore.
Here at Bokee Farm, we love cooking from scratch whenever we can. It’s one small way we care for ourselves, use simple pantry ingredients, and gather around the table for meals that nourish both body and soul. Whether I’m using homemade chicken bone broth, fresh garlic from the garden, or simply pulling ingredients from the pantry, this sauce always reminds me that good food doesn’t have to be complicated.
If you’ve never made enchilada sauce from scratch before, don’t be intimidated. It comes together in about 15 minutes and tastes so much fresher than anything you’ll find on the grocery store shelf.
Why We Love This Recipe
This recipe has earned permanent “keeper” status in our kitchen because it’s:
- Made with simple pantry ingredients
- Ready in about 15 minutes
- Rich and flavorful without being overly spicy
- Freezer friendly
- Perfect for meal prep
- Free from unnecessary preservatives and additives commonly found in canned sauces
One batch quickly disappears around here, so I almost always make extra to freeze for busy weeknights.
A Few Bokee Farm Kitchen Tweaks
One of the things I love most about cooking is making recipes your own over time.
These are a few small changes I often make when preparing this sauce:
- I use homemade chicken bone broth whenever I have it available.
- Fresh garlic is always my first choice.
- I use organic ingredients, it’s truly healthier.
- If I want a richer flavor, I’ll let the sauce simmer a few extra minutes.
- I’ll occasionally add a tiny drizzle of honey provided by our Bokee Farm hives, if the tomato sauce tastes acidic.
They’re simple changes, but they fit the way we cook here at Bokee Farm.
Note: I place a monthly order with Azure Standard. Azure Standard is where I purchase the bulk of the organic, non-GMO & natural groceries we use. However for your convenience, I have linked the ingredients for this recipe on Amazon.
Our Favorite Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Makes: Approximately 4 cups
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp avocado oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 -1/2 cups chicken broth (I use homemade)
- 3 cups canned tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1 tsp chili powder, or more to taste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Redmonds real salt
- black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Heat the avocado oil in a saucepan over medium heat and then add the minced garlic. Saute until golden about 1 -2 minutes.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper allowing the spices to bloom for about one minute.
- Slowly whisk in the tomato sauce, chicken broth and chipotle chili’s until mixed well.
- Simmer until the sauce thickens and the flavors have melded together – about 10-12 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed before using in your favorite recipes.
This recipe is inspired by Gina Homolka’s Homemade Enchilada Sauce from SkinnyTaste. If you’d like to see her original recipe, I highly encourage you to visit SkinnyTaste—it’s been one of my favorite healthy cooking resources for many years.
Ways We Use This Sauce
Although chicken enchiladas are our favorite, this sauce is incredibly versatile.
Try it in:
- Chicken enchiladas
- Beef enchiladas
- Cheese enchiladas
- Smothered burritos
- Mexican lasagna
- Taco casserole
- Slow cooker shredded chicken
- Mexican-inspired soups
- Rice bowls
- Stuffed peppers
Once you have a batch in the refrigerator, dinner comes together in no time.
Make Ahead & Storage Tips
This sauce stores beautifully, making it one of my favorite meal prep recipes.
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. I like freezing it in portions so I can thaw only what I need.
Be sure to leave a little room in your container for expansion if freezing in glass jars. Click here to take a look at the containers I use.
Building a Thoughtful Pantry
One of the biggest changes we’ve made over the years is keeping our pantry stocked with ingredients that allow us to cook from scratch without making life harder.
A few simple staples like tomato sauce, chicken broth, chili powder and cumin mean homemade enchilada sauce is always within reach.
It takes only a few extra minutes, but the flavor is worth every one of them.
From My Kitchen to Yours
I don’t believe every meal needs to be gourmet.
I do believe that cooking at home is one of the simplest ways we can care for ourselves and the people we love.
Some nights dinner is elaborate. Other nights it’s chicken enchiladas made with sauce I pulled from the freezer.
Both are enough.
My hope is that the recipes I share here become trusted staples in your own kitchen the same way they’ve become part of ours.
Happy Cooking!
