Authentic Red Enchilada Sauce

Homemade enchilada sauce beats canned every time. Period. If you have never made it from scratch, you should give this authentic Mexican recipe a try. It is much easier to make than you may think and the results are phenomenal.

This recipe contains chili (ancho), peppers (pasilla), onions, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, marjoram, olive oil, salt

8 Servings

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 50 min

Ingredients:

• 8 ancho chiles
• 4 pasilla chiles
• 1 medium onion quartered
• 2 roma tomatoes
• 3 clove(s) garlic
• 1/2 tsp. Mexican oregano
• 1/2 tsp. marjoram
• 2 tbsp. cooking oil
• Salt

Instructions:

• 1. Toast the chiles in a hot pan until fragrant. (about 10 to 15 seconds per side)
• 2. Allow chiles to cool and then remove stems, seeds and veins.
• 3. Char the onion, tomatoes and garlic in a hot pan.
• 4. Place the chiles, onion, tomatoes, garlic oregano and marjoram in a pot with just enough water until the ingredients are almost covered.
• 5. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.
• 6. Simmer for 15 minutes to reconstitute the chiles and soften the veggies.
• 7. Blend the chiles, onion, tomatoes, garlic, oregano marjoram and the soaking water until smooth. It usually takes about a minute.
• 8. Add water little by little if necessary to blend. You may have to blend in two batches
• 9. Strain the mixture.
• 10. Add two tablespoons of cooking oil to a hot pan add the strained sauce to fry it.
• 11. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
• 12. Add salt to taste.
• 13. Allow the sauce to sit for at least 2 hours so that the flavours meld.
• 14. Warm the sauce before serving.