Red Enchilada Sauce is the secret to making good tasting Enchiladas. This recipe is low carb, gluten-free and easy to prepare. Enjoy it on enchiladas, tacos, or your morning eggs.
I grew up in the Southwest and one of my favorite foods was enchiladas. In Arizona and Texas, when you order enchiladas in a restaurant, it’s understood that you want enchiladas with red sauce. In New Mexico, enchiladas with green sauce is available, too, and so so good. Today I’m sharing a low carb red enchilada sauce that is perfect on eggs, breakfast omelettes or breakfast burritos.
Red Enchilada Sauce is the secret to making good tasting Enchiladas. Making a traditional red enchilada sauce involves re-hydrating dried chile peppers, blending them (in a blender) with chicken broth and spices, and then cooking the sauce on the stove until the flavors mingle and the sauce thickens.
There are many “quick” enchilada sauce recipes on the internet, but most involve making a roux with flour and chicken stock and ground chile powder instead of whole dried chiles . The roux thickens the sauce and helps make it smooth. The chile powder gives the sauce its distinctive flavor and saves time.
This recipe for red enchilada sauce is gluten-free and low carb. It calls for REAL GROUND CHILE POWDER and is thickened with tomato paste instead of a roux. For this red enchilada sauce to taste its best, make sure you use REAL GROUND CHILE POWDER. I buy it in the Mexican section of my grocery store. There are usually two to three kinds to choose from. For a more complex flavor, I mix them together.
The ingredient list for this red enchilada sauce is a little long, but you should have all of the ingredients in your spice cabinet. Don’t worry, this recipe couldn’t be easier. Simply add the ingredients to a pan and simmer on the stove. You will want to have 1 1/2 – 2 cups of enchilada sauce at the end of cooking, so add more chicken broth (or water) to equal 1 1/2 – 2 cups if you need to. If you would like more heat, add cayenne pepper.
This recipe for enchilada sauce makes enough for enchiladas to serve eight. If you are using it to sauce your tacos or eggs, simmer and reduce the red sauce further to thicken it and concentrate the flavors. So good on eggs!
[NOTE:] Why are instant coffee, clove, and cinnamon listed in the ingredients? The coffee adds a smokey flavor to the sauce while the clove and cinnamon lend a complexity. This is a very tasty low carb enchilada sauce.
1/4 cup of this Easy Low Carb Red Enchilada Sauce is 2 net carbs.
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- 3 cups unsalted chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup pure chile powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated erythritol
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
- 1/4 teaspoon instant coffee powder
- 1/16 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/16 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons ghee, butter or olive oil
- Put all of the ingredients into a medium to large frying pan on medium heat.
- Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the red enchilada sauce has reduced by one cup and about two cups are left. It will be thin but flavorful. It will thicken-up in the oven as the enchiladas cook.
- Remember: The enchilada sauce is what flavors the enchiladas, so taste and adjust the seasonings. If the sauce is a little bitter, add just a touch more sweetener. It will help balance the flavors, but go easy with it. Discard the bay leaf before using.
Precious says
This is so good! We doubled the sauce because that’s how we roll and it was fantastic!
Kim says
I’m so glad you liked the sauce, Precious. If you have any left over, try it on breakfast. Yum! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Have a great week. -Kim
Dawn says
What can use as a substitute for the erythinol?
Kim says
Great question, Dawn. What ever sweetener you have – just a little. It helps round out the flavor a bit. -Kim
Stephanie says
Hi there! Do you have a substitute for the instant coffee powder?
Kim says
Hi Stephanie. You don’t have to add it. The coffee gives a nice smokey flavor to the sauce. -Kim
Lydia says
I’ve been looking for a low carb enchilada sauce recipe everywhere! Thanks for this!!
Kim says
You’re welcome, Lydia. enjoy! -Kim
Adina says
I was actually looking for an enchilada sauce recipe, so this is great timing ! It sounds delicious!
Kim says
Hi Adina! I love this enchilada sauce. It’s not traditional by any means, but it still tastes great! Enjoy. -Kim
Georgina says
So many uses for this delicious-sounding sauce!!!
Kim says
Thanks Georgina!!! -Kim
STACEY says
OMG, I have been actively looking for a GF low carb version of this online and in the store! Thank you!! 🙂
Kim says
You’re welcome Stacey! 🙂 -Kim
Lisa says
What a great idea! Seems so easy to just make this fresh at home.
Kim says
Thanks, Lisa! -Kim
Taryn says
I’ve never made enchilada sauce before. I need to try this!
Kim says
Hi Taryn. It’s so great on eggs. Enjoy -Kim
Lisa | Drop The Sugar says
I can’t wait to try this! Any way to make a dish taste good – and this sounds like it. 🙂
Kim says
Thanks, Lisa. Have a great day. -Kim
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
I do love enchiladas and love how easy this sauce is to make!
Kim says
Yes, enchiladas are great. Thanks, Kathy! -Kim
zouhair fiorino najjar says
i love red sauce as well as all types of sauces and dressings. due to lack of pure ingredients we never by ready chills powder, or broth. we make every thing at home and we select the raw materials and process them. even other spices we do not buy them in the shape of powder, we prefer to ground them at home when we need them so as to make sure that they are pure as well as not to loose their aroma if they are stored for long time.
have a nice day,
zouhair
Kim says
Thank’s for sharing, Zouhair. That’s a great reminder that not everyone is honest about what goes into a product that is supposed to be pure. You have a nice day, too. 🙂 -Kim