Name: The Best Easy Gluten-free Enchilada Sauce Recipe from Scratch
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 tsp Ghee ((or butter, or oil of choice)); 4 cloves Garlic ((minced)); 1/2 cup Chicken broth, reduced sodium ((or vegetable broth for vegetarian)); 15 oz Tomato sauce; 2 tbsp Chili powder; 2 tsp Dried oregano; 2 tsp Cumin; 1 tsp Onion powder; 1/2 tsp Sea salt ((to taste)); 1/4 tsp Black pepper ((optional))

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You probably know by now how much I love Mexican food. Along with Italian and French, it’s one of my faves! From coconut flour tortillas to slow cooker barbacoa to low carb tortilla chips, there is no shortage of low carb Mexican recipes around here. And since I prefer to make my own low carb sauces too, it was the perfect excuse to make an easy gluten-free enchilada sauce recipe from scratch.

How To Thicken Enchilada Sauce Naturally

Like many sauces, most homemade enchilada sauce recipes typically use wheat flour as a thickener. That’s obviously a big problem when you are low carb and gluten-free!

So, how to make enchilada sauce if you don’t want the carbs and gluten? Don’t worry, it’s totally doable. And, unlike some low carb or gluten-free recipes that taste different from the real thing, with this one you won’t be able to tell the difference.

Preparing gluten-free enchilada sauce is incredibly simple. It’s one of the easiest recipes to convert. You really don’t need flour at all!

To thicken an easy enchilada sauce without flour, all you really have to do is cook your sauce for long enough. The extra water will evaporate as it cooks. This is essentially the process of reducing the sauce. Since tomato sauce is pretty thick to begin with, it doesn’t take very long.

This alfredo sauce is thickened naturally with heavy cream and cheese!

So, even though thickening can be a challenge for some types of low carb sauces, that’s not the case here. It’s basically effortless to make enchilada sauce gluten-free.

Why This is the Best Enchilada Sauce Recipe

So, why is this the best enchilada sauce recipe from scratch? One word: simplicity.

The sauce is made using common ingredients. All you need is some garlic (and a little fat to saute it in), tomato sauce, chicken broth, a handful of spices, and sea salt. I pretty much always have this stuff on hand!

Despite how simple it is, the flavor in this gluten-free enchilada sauce is amazing. And that’s another reason why I think it’s really the best. Spicy and tangy and a little sweet, all at the same time!

I’ll be honest, there’s a fair chance that I couldn’t tell the difference between an authentic enchilada sauce and one that is not. What, exactly, would make it authentic? I’m not sure.

All I know is that this one tastes absolutely delicious. And that’s what counts, right?

As far as I’m concerned, that’s what makes it the best enchilada sauce. It has to taste amazing (most important!), be easy to make, the ingredients have to be ones I’m happy with, and it has to be versatile enough to be used in all kinds of recipes. Check, check, check, and check!

Easy Enchilada Sauce in 10 Minutes

As if it wasn’t enough that the ingredients are always conveniently in my pantry, this easy enchilada sauce recipe is also crazy easy. It takes just ten minutes from start to finish!

Simply saute the garlic for a minute, dump in all the other ingredients, and give it a nice stir. Then, just simmer until it’s thick enough.

The thickening process can take more or less time, depending on the size of your saucepan. The larger your pan, the faster you can make your homemade enchilada sauce! I like to use a medium-large saucepan to make the process as fast as possible.

You can store the sauce in the fridge for approximately a week. It may even last longer – I just haven’t had the chance to find out.

I can always find a good use for a homemade red enchilada sauce. Of course, you can always make enchiladas, but I have plenty of other ideas. In fact, I’ll be sharing my favorite recipe with it this weekend. Stay tuned!

Easy Gluten-free Enchilada Sauce Recipe from Scratch

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24 Comments

Vicki Craig
0 August 1, 2022Reply

Great Gluten Free Recipe! I thicken either by cooking longer as the recipe suggests, or I add in some avocado.
Julianne R.
0 August 25, 2021Reply

This is the answer to my prayers. I began my gluten free journey a little over two months ago and needed to bring some ‘traditional’ Mexican enchiladas back to the dinner table at my family’s request. Now I can enjoy the same meal! This sauce is just like my mom’s.
Leigh Houston
0 April 17, 2021Reply

Absolutely delicious! About to make it for the 3rd time in as many weeks. I love how easy it is!
Mary
0 March 21, 2021Reply

Yummy!
Jenna
0 June 5, 2020Reply

I found that Old El Paso has enchilada sauce with only 3g of carbs for every 1/4 cup serving.
Amy
0 February 24, 2020Reply

I made this last night and I will never buy a can of enchilada sauce again. It was delicious!
Lydia
0 January 8, 2020Reply

So easy and delicious! I cut back on the chili powder and cumin a bit and didn’t add the black pepper because my young kids don’t appreciate things being very spicy. And it was a total win! I love how easy it is to mix up and I freeze any of the sauce that I don’t end up using.
Diana
0 September 20, 2019Reply

Authentic red chili enchilada sauce is made with red chilis not tomato’s. I live in NM capital of growing chilis. It is made way different now you know the difference
Sharon
0 August 14, 2019Reply

Is there a reason you don’t use paprika? When I make my home made I do.
- Wholesome Yum
  0 August 29, 2019Reply
  
  Hi Sharon, you can absolutely use paprika if you like!
Patricia R.
0 May 21, 2019Reply

Made this tonight. It was delicious! I was making a chicken enchilada something or other and I mixed up my flours by accident making some tortillas and ended up with a mess. But I improvised and it all turned out great. This recipe is a keeper. Fast to make and pretty much fool proof. Every store bought sauce I found had unwanted ingredients. And tomatoes. Not sure about the comment about not having tomatoes, but I have yet to find one that didn’t.
Donna
0 March 13, 2019Reply

Delicious and EASY
Rebecca Wells
0 March 11, 2019Reply

Yeah except that REAL authentic enchilada sauce has NO tomato sauce in it. It is made with redi chilis, or chili powder and camino powder, oil, salt and pepper.

So I made my home made sauce with just a sprinkle of Arrowroot and your coconut tortillas, not bad not bad atol. Also try the tortillas with Herdez Salsa Verde and Fontana cheese….YUM
Nathan
0 February 6, 2019Reply

This sauce is absolutely perfect. The only difference from the recipe is that I used Kerrygold butter to saute the garlic. Everything else was the same. Then made an enchilada bake/casserole. It was amazing, mainly because of this awesome sauce 🙂 Will be making this over and over again. Seems like it would make a really good marinade too. Just a thought. Thank you!
Miranda
0 August 21, 2018Reply

YUM!! I’m definitely going to have to try this. Do you think using butter will change the recipe much compared to using Ghee?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 August 22, 2018Reply
  
  Ghee would definitely work in this recipe, Miranda! I hope you like it!
Monica
0 June 22, 2018Reply

Love this sauce!
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 June 23, 2018Reply
  
  Thank you, Monica! Thanks for stopping by!
Tracy
0 May 11, 2018Reply

Just made this to accompany my pork roast tonight as I’m finally breaking my egg fast… it was delicious!! I did add about a tablespoon on chipotle tobacco for some heat and it worked well with the flavor profile.
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 May 17, 2018Reply
  
  Great idea to add Chipotle, Tracy! I am so glad you liked it!
Carissa
0 January 9, 2018Reply

How long would this last in the fridge?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 January 10, 2018Reply
  
  Hi Carissa, it should last about a week in the fridge.
Beverly Jackson
0 October 30, 2017Reply

Some great gluten-free recipes. Thanks.
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 October 31, 2017Reply
  
  Thank you, Beverly!