Saturday, September 27, 2025

Authentic Enchilada Sauce

  • I modified this recipe from @isabeleats so that it’s just spicy enough👌🏼

  • guajillo chiles, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
  • 2 ancho chiles, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
  • 1 árbol chile, rinsed and stemmed
  • Water, as needed
  • 1 large Roma tomato, pan roasted
  • 1 clove garlic, pan roasted
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes 
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  •  tablet Abuelita Mexican Chocolate (about 12 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • In a medium pot, add the guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles and enough water to cover them completely. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let the chiles soak for 10 minutes to soften.
  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles to a blender. Add 1 cup of the chile-soaked water, ¼ cup of fresh water, and the tomato, crushed tomatoes, garlic, salt, and Mexican chocolate. Blend until completely smooth. This step may take a few minutes, depending on the power of your blender. Add more water if the sauce is too thick for your liking.
  • Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes.
  • Cover and store until ready to use. It’s perfect for making chicken enchiladas, red chilaquiles, and chicken enchilada soup.