FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook

• What Is Enchilada Sauce?
• Why You’ll Love This Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Make Enchilada Sauce
• Storage Instructions
• Ways To Use Enchilada Sauce Recipes
• More Homemade Sauce Recipes
• Recommended Tools
• Enchilada Sauce Recipe (Easy) Recipe card
• Recipe Reviews

From fresh salsa to tender barbacoa to creamy guacamole , there is no shortage of healthy Mexican recipes around here at Wholesome Yum. It’s probably my fave cuisine of all! Since I like to make my own sauces (okay, let’s be real, when I have the time…), a recent less-busy Saturday was the perfect excuse to make a homemade, easy red enchilada sauce recipe from scratch.

What Is Enchilada Sauce?

Enchilada sauce is a vibrant and flavorful Mexican red sauce made with chili peppers, garlic, tomatoes, and spices. It adds a delightful kick to many dishes such as enchiladas , burritos, and tamales .

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe

• Spicy, tangy, and a little sweet, all at the same time
• Simple pantry ingredients
• One pan for easy cleanup
• No roux, thickeners, flour, cornstarch, or cornstarch substitutes needed
• Ready in 10 minutes
• Versatile – you can use this in so many ways!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best easy enchilada sauce ingredients, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card .

• Olive Oil – Used for sauteing the garlic. You could also use avocado oil, your favorite neutral cooking oil, or even butter (or ghee ).
• Garlic – I used fresh garlic for the best flavor, but you could use 2 teaspoons of jarred garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder for convenience.
• Chicken Broth – I typically buy reduced-sodium or make homemade chicken broth , so you may need to adjust the salt depending on how salty yours is. You can also use bone broth for extra nutrition, or vegetable broth to make this vegetarian.
• Tomato Sauce – Tomato sauce adds a classic tang and richness, making it one of the essential ingredients in a recipe for enchilada sauce. If you don’t have any, you can substitute crushed tomatoes pureed in a blender or tomato paste diluted with water.
• Seasoning – For classic flavor, we’re using a combination of chili powder , dried oregano , aromatic cumin , savory onion powder , sea salt, and black pepper (optional). If you like some kick, add 1/4 teaspoon (or more) of cayenne pepper.

How To Make Enchilada Sauce

This section shows how to make easy enchilada sauce, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .

1. Saute the garlic. Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant.
2. Combine the sauce ingredients. Add the broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano, cumin, onion powder, salt, and pepper (if using) to the pan. Whisk until smooth.
3. Simmer. Bring to the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover and simmer on low until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. If desired, adjust red sauce with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

TIP: For faster results, use a larger saucepan.

The thickening process can take more or less time, depending on the size of your saucepan. The larger the pan, the faster you can make your homemade enchilada sauce!

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep homemade enchilada sauce to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Freeze: For longer storage, store the sauce in a zip lock bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw on the counter or in the fridge overnight, and stir before using.

Ways To Use Enchilada Sauce Recipes

This sauce is surprisingly versatile! Use it with these easy recipes to add flavor and spice.

• Enchiladas – Obviously! You can use this sauce on beef enchiladas, gluten-free chicken enchiladas , or even black bean enchiladas.
• Tacos – Replace your taco sauce with this sauce to make the ultimate tacos! You can also drizzle it on other taco-inspired recipes, like zucchini taco boats , healthy taco salad , easy Crock Pot taco casserole , or taco dip .
• Burritos – Add this sauce to your burritos, or a tortilla-free burrito in a bowl .
• Fajitas – Add a more zing to shrimp fajitas , easy chicken fajitas , or Instant Pot steak fajitas .
• Casseroles – Use as a topping over an egg casserole or chicken bacon ranch casserole for a Mexican-inspired flair, or add inside Mexican ground beef casserole .
• Soups – Drizzle enchilada sauce over Mexican chicken soup or black bean soup . Finish with a dollop of sour cream and fresh cilantro.

More Homemade Sauce Recipes

Try some of my other homemade sauce recipes to take your meals from good to gourmet in no time:

Alfredo Sauce

Healthy Spaghetti Sauce

Sugar-Free Cranberry Sauce

Avocado Salsa Verde

Recommended Tools

• Medium Saucepan – One of my favorite saucepans. It has lasted me for years!

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 1 tsp Olive oil (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) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute , until fragrant.
2. Add all remaining ingredients and stir together. Bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to maintain bubbles. Simmer for about 10 minutes , stirring occasionally, until thick enough to your liking.
3. Adjust sea salt and black pepper to taste if needed (do this only after cooking, which develops the flavors and heat).

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1/4 cup

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.

Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• The Basic Keto Meal Formula
• Understanding Macros
• Keto Food Swaps
• Keto Food List
• Electrolyte Basics
• Keto Diet Types
• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• Recipe Reviews

Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.

You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System + EBooks (Only $37)

The Basic Keto Meal Formula

Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.

Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.

Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.

Understanding Macros

Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.

Carbs Are A Limit.

Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.

A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.

“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.

A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.

Protein Is A Goal.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].

“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.

Fat Is A Lever.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.

A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).

Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.

Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.

“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.

Keto Food Swaps

One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.

So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Keto Swaps For Breakfast

Keto Swaps For Bread

Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes

Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces

Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking

Keto Swaps For Drinks

If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .

Keto Food List

When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.

The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!

Foods To Eat On Keto

• Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
• Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
• Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
• Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
• Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
• Avocados
• Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
• Almond flour and coconut flour
• Eggs
• Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.

Foods To Avoid On Keto

• White flour & sugar
• Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
• Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
• Cereal
• Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
• Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
• Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
• Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
• Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
• Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:

Get The Keto Cheat Sheet System PDF (Only $37)

Electrolyte Basics

Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.

For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .

The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:

Keto Diet Types

People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.

Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.

Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!

• Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
• Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
• Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
• Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.

For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ swaps) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System (75 pages, Only $37!)

Enchilada Sauce Recipe (Easy)

Learn how to make the best homemade enchilada sauce recipe in 10 minutes! It’s super easy, naturally gluten-free and uses common ingredients.

Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, and storage, or to save it to your account. You can also find it at: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/enchilada-sauce/

Ingredients

• 1 tsp Olive oil (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)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute , until fragrant.
2. Add all remaining ingredients and stir together. Bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to maintain bubbles. Simmer for about 10 minutes , stirring occasionally, until thick enough to your liking.
3. Adjust sea salt and black pepper to taste if needed (do this only after cooking, which develops the flavors and heat).

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1/4 cup

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. :)