With bold, robust and classic flavors, this Keto Enchilada Sauce has the perfect blend of spices that will take your homemade enchiladas to a whole new level.

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why You’ll Love this Homemade Enchilada Sauce
• 🛒 What’s in Enchilada Sauce
• 🔪 How to Make Your Own Enchilada Sauce
• Does Canned Enchilada Sauce Have Carbs?
• Other Ways to Use Enchilada Sauce
• What Does Enchilada Sauce Taste Like?
• What Can I Use as a Substitute for Enchilada Sauce?
• What is the Difference Between Red and Green Enchilada Sauce?
• More Keto Mexican Inspired Recipes

❤️ Why You’ll Love this Homemade Enchilada Sauce

• Bold classic Mexican flavors
• Super easy to make
• Used to make homemade enchiladas
• Only 1 net carb per serving

If you've tried to recreate restaurant style enchiladas, but find that they fall short on flavor, the problem is typically the sauce. The canned version you get at the grocery store doesn't compare to classic enchilada sauce that's made from scratch.

Unlike store-bought sauce, that's made using soybean oil and added sugars, this recipe uses Keto-friendly ingredients that you can enjoy, knowing exactly what you're eating. It only takes a handful of ingredients and will change the way you make enchiladas forever.

This low carb enchilada sauce also happens to freeze quite well. Make an extra batch and freeze it in small portions for those times when you need a last-minute sauce.

🛒 What’s in Enchilada Sauce

• Chicken broth
• Fire roasted tomatoes with green chilis
• Ancho chili powder
• Tomato paste
• Smoked paprika
• Ground cumin
• Garlic
• Butter
• Salt
• Monk fruit/allulose
• Dried oregano

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Saucepan
• Immersion blender or bullet blender

🔪 How to Make Your Own Enchilada Sauce

Heat a saucepan to medium and add in the butter.  Once it has melted, add in the garlic and sauté for about 15 seconds.

Tip: Never allow garlic to brown or it will become butter and ruin your entire dish. It's best to cook garlic on medium or medium-low heat to prevent it cooking too quickly.

Add in the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, ½ teaspoon of the salt and dried oregano. 

Allow the spices to toast for 20 seconds.

Tip: Don't skip this step, toasting the spices really helps bring out their flavors, resulting in a more flavorful sauce.

Then add in the tomato paste, tomatoes, chicken broth and sweetener. 

Stir until everything is well combined and simmer on low for 10 minutes or until slightly reduced and thickened. 

Tip: Taste it to see if it needs more salt, if so, add another ½ teaspoon.

Using an immersion blender or a bullet blender, puree the sauce until smooth, and it’s ready to use.

Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze.

If you can’t find fire roasted tomatoes with green chilis, you can use any canned diced tomatoes and a tablespoon of green chilis.

This sauce has a little heat to it, so if you don’t like much heat, use tomatoes without the green chilis.

Does Canned Enchilada Sauce Have Carbs?

Canned enchilada sauce is not overly high in carbs. For the average brand there are about 4 carbs per serving. And though it's easy to work those carbs into a daily allowance, it's more important to know why it's not healthy for you.

The primary oil used in making the canned version is soybean oil, which is one of the worst oils you can eat. If you'd like to learn more about why you should avoid soybean oil, check out this article from Perfect Keto.

Other Ways to Use Enchilada Sauce

If you're like me, I can't get enough of this sauce and I'm always looking for other tasty ways to use it. Here are some of my favorites:

• Drizzle it over a Tex-Mex omelet
• Add it to scrambled eggs
• Spice up casseroles that typically call for salsa
• Add some to Mexican soups to give it extra flavor
• Mix in a couple tablespoons to Ranch Dressing to make a creamy and spicy salad dressing
• Use it as a base to make spicy dips

What Does Enchilada Sauce Taste Like?

This sauce has a rich tomato flavor with earthy and smoky notes. It has a bit of heat, but with this recipe you can tailor the amounts of spice to suit your personal preference.

What Can I Use as a Substitute for Enchilada Sauce?

It's hard to find the perfect substitute for the rich and smoky bold flavors of enchilada sauce. One of the only substitutions that will give you similar flavor is to dress up organic or homemade salsa by adding in some Mexican seasonings like chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika.

What is the Difference Between Red and Green Enchilada Sauce?

Both are used as a sauce to make enchiladas, but while red enchilada sauce is made using red tomatoes and ancho chili, green enchilada sauce is made using green tomatillos and has a herby flavor.

Depending on the ingredients, both can vary in the amount of heat, from mild to super spicy.

More Keto Mexican Inspired Recipes

• Easy Taco Casserole
• Creamy Chicken Poblano
• Baked Southwest Skillet
• Stuffed Poblano Peppers
• Mexican Cauliflower Rice