Recipe for an easy red enchilada sauce, also known as salsa roja or mole rojo, prepared with dried ancho and pasilla chiles. Use it as a base for Pozole too.
Prep Time35 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Course: Salsa, Sauce
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: How to Make Red Enchilada Sauce, Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe
Servings: 8servings
Calories: 113kcal
Author: Douglas Cullen
Ingredients
8ancho chilesmild fruity dried chili pods
4pasilla chilesmild fruity dried chili pods
1medium onion quartered
2plum tomatoes
3clovesgarlic
½teaspoonMexican oregano
½teaspoonmarjoram
2tablespoonscooking oil
salt to taste
Instructions
Toast the chiles in a hot pan until fragrant. (about 10 to 15 seconds per side)
Allow chiles to cool and then remove stems, seeds, and veins.
Char the onion, tomatoes, and garlic in a hot pan.
Place the chiles, onion, tomatoes, garlic oregano and marjoram in a pot with just enough water until the ingredients are almost covered.
Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.
Simmer for 15 minutes to reconstitute the chiles and soften the veggies.
Blend the chiles, onion, tomatoes, garlic, oregano marjoram, and the soaking water until smooth. It usually takes about a minute.
Add water little by little if necessary to blend. You may have to blend in two batches
Strain the mixture.
Add two tablespoons of cooking oil to a hot pan add the strained sauce to fry it.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Add salt to taste.
Allow the sauce to sit for at least 2 hours so that the flavors meld.
Warm the sauce before serving.
Notes
Optional
You can add a pinch of cumin.
Substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth for the soaking liquid.
Preparation Notes
The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon.
To runny? If it is a little runny and you need to thicken it just simmer until it has reduced the desired consistency.
Too thick? If it is a little too thick, add water a couple of tablespoons at a time until it has reached the desired consistency.
Too bitter? Add only one of the following to reduce bitterness: ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 to 2 teaspoons agave syrup.
Use any neutral flavor cooking oil to fry.
Serving size is about ½ cup per person.
IngredientsIf you are unable to find the ingredients at your local store, you can order them online through Amazon or Mexgrocer.StorageThe sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days. It freezes very well. Try making a double or even triple batch and freezing the extra into portioned 2 cup bags.Alternative Uses
You can also use this enchilada sauce as the base for red posole or on poached chicken breasts.