Here’s a quick and easy red enchilada sauce that you can make in a skillet–in no time at all!
What’s so speedy about this particular Tex-Mex enchilada sauce is that it’s made in one skillet. No blender needed. Instead of dried chiles, this sauce is made with chili powder. Chili powder, (affilliate link) chili ending in “i”, to differentiate from chiles, or ground chile pepper, ending with “e”. Chili powder is a blend of ground red chiles, along with cumin, garlic, oregano, and a few other spices.
JUMP DIRECTLY TO RECIPEYou make this quick and easy enchilada sauce with vegetable broth and tomato vegetable juice, like V-8. You start by making a garlic-seasoned gluten-free roux of cornmeal and avocado oil, and slowly add the broth and juice.
Know that this isn’t the truly authentic way to make red enchilada sauce. But it is quick and easy–using ingredients that many cooks always have on hand.
For the real deal, make my authentic red enchilada sauce with dried red chiles. Authenic red enchilada is quite easy to make as well, although you need to soak dried chiles about 20 minutes and you need a blender.
Delicious recipes to make with red enchilada sauce:
- Ladle red enchilada sauce over these chile relleno enchurritos, enchiladas made with flour tortillas wrapped around cheese-stuffed green chiles.
- For Mexican spaghetti squash, stir red enchilada sauce into pinto beans and ladle it onto baked spaghetti squash–easy peasy.
- Vegetarian chard enchiladas–soooo good!
- Amazing spinach and bean enchiladas!
More Mexican food ideas to love :
- Read about the history of Cinco de Mayo and make these chard and pepper jack quesadillas.
- These bright pink hibiscus margaritas make a delicious complement to your favorite Mexican meal.
Wishing you a fabulous weekend–get in the kitchen and cook something spicy!
To get my latest recipe posts and exclusive monthly newsletters, subscribe here. (I hate Spam too and will never share your email with anyone.)
- Follow me on Instagram! It’s my favorite!
- Peruse my Pinterest boards for more vegetarian recipe ideas,
- Find daily vegetarian and healthy living ideas on my Facebook page.
This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase products via my links, it doesn’t cost you anything and I earn a tiny commission, which helps me continue to provide free content here on Letty’s Kitchen. Thank you!!
Quick and Easy Red Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 1 ½ cups hot vegetable broth or water
- 8 ounces V8 juice or Very Veggie Juice
- fine sea salt , to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet or saucepan over medium flame. Stir in the garlic; cook a minute. Stir in the cornmeal and chile powder and cook, stirring constantly, to make the roux.
- Slowly pour in the vegetable broth and vegetable juice, continuing to stir. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens into a sauce, 5 to 10 minutes.
Notes
- This recipe uses cornmeal as a gluten-free sauce thickener. You can substitute whole wheat or all purpose flour.
- If you don't have vegetable juice, substiture more vegetable broth for the juice.
