I created this easy Gluten Free Enchilada Sauce to continue enjoying my beloved enchiladas! I love enchiladas. Green or red, whichever, just let me eat them. My first thought was that Whole Foods was bound to have a healthy enchilada sauce already bottled and waiting for me to use for an instant satisfaction of my craving, but I was sadly disappointed! I couldn’t find a single can or jar that had reasonable ingredients. I usually make my own green enchilada sauce, but hadn’t made a red sauce in years since cutting out grains. I wanted something quick, and that used ingredients that were likely already in my pantry so it would be easy for you guys to make for a quick weeknight meal.
It's a really simple gluten free enchilada sauce to make that only takes 10 minutes! We like our sauce mild so Asher can enjoy it too, but feel free to throw in a few dried chilies or some cayenne pepper to heat things up a little bit! For a verde sauce, see my Chicken Enchiladas or my Enchilada Stuffed Peppers.
A sauce so versatile, add it as a topping for sweet potatoes and other veggies! Check out my recipe for Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.
Follow the recipe substitution to make it SCD and Whole30 compliant!
Keep an eye out for this sauce to show up in a new recipe on the blog next week!
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Emily @ Glitz Glam Gluten-Free
This sauce looks absolutely delicious and I cannot wait for your recipe with the sweet potatoes! I have been craving enchilada-type stuff but all the pre-made sauces I’ve seen were either not gluten-free or they had dairy! Can’t wait to try yours! I made your homemade taco seasoning last week and it was fantastic!
Leah
I live by the motto: everything is better with enchilada sauce. Can’t wait to try it and can’t wait for the sweet potato recipe. Drooling!
Caryn Karriker Scheving
Sounds delicious! What would you think about canning this recipe? I really like to have things on hand when I need them – especially when it’s a healthy choice.
Danielle
I’m really unfamiliar with canning, sorry! If you do it please let us know your findings!
Stéphanie
I cannot wait for your recipe with sweet potatoes!!!!! It looks sooo goood!!!
Kimberly Clark Robbins
Ill have to try this! I put cinnamon in our recipe!
Danielle
Thank you Tiffany!
Danielle
I’m a wimp too! This is very mild.
Cara
Made this tonight & my family loved it! You’re recipes are always no fail! Making Waffles from your cookbook in the morning 🙂
Danielle
Hmm waffles and enchilada sauce could have something to it 😉
Michelle
You are my hero!! Ahhhh….you have no idea how happy this recipe makes me. I LOVE enchilada sauce and its so nice to find a recipe (especially YOUR recipe) for Paleo friendly!
Danielle
Thank you! 🙂
JenNZ
Hi, I love your recipes and cookbooks and am making this for dinner tonight 🙂 I just have one question that may be a bit silly but I have just made the Enchilada Sauce and it says to use 3 Tablespoons (15ml). I only used 2 Tablespoons and it’s pretty spicy (I’m usually pretty good with spicy food). I’ve tried googling to see if a US Tablespoon is the same as an NZ one and they seem to be? Maybe I shouldn’t be eating the sauce off a spoon and should wait until the rest is ready haha
JenNZ
Dinner tasted really good but i’m thinking Chilli Powder in NZ may be different to the USA powder as even a tiny bit is really hot?
Danielle
Yes it must be different because this is meant to be mild! Are you using Cayenne?
JenNZ
I’m using NZ Chilli Powder which is just ground red chillis and pretty spicy. I’ll definitely remember next time to use less 🙂 It ended up tasting good but I had to dilute it quite a bit with a a jar of tomato puree. I just found some threads from NZers asking about US Chili powder strength so at least it isn’t just me haha. Thanks for your amazing recipes and congratulations 🙂
Betsy
This is a fabulous, zingy
but not-too-spicy enchilada sauce. Simply and perfectly delish!
Danielle
Thank you!
Jessica
This was amazing! I totally misread the recipe & didn’t buy enough tomato paste so I used trader joes organic ketchup for the last 3 oz…. It actually turned out really good still, even with a last minute sub. Thanks for the recipe!
Dr.Deb @periodcrampsrelief.com
I can’t wait to try this. I love enchiladas too, but have never found a convincing sauce recipe. I appreciate that you give SCD variations on the recipes, and will definitely pass along your blog to my patients who are on that diet! Separately, thought I’d mention that I’ve been “noodling on” (ha) a zucchini/vegetable spiralizer for probably 2 years, but your cashew-cream pesto recipe just sent me over the edge and I just went ahead and ordered the device you recommended. Now I’m 100% ready for when my heavily adored CSA farm starts sending me piles and mounds of summer squash this year!
Danielle
Happy spiralizing!
Dr.Deb @periodcrampsrelief.com
Since the comments on the cashew-cream pesto recipe are closed, I’m just back for a super-quick note that my spiralizer arrived, and I took it on its maiden voyage with that creamy basil recipe (extra heavy on the basil). Oh man, we’re totally hooked. So yummy, and I’ve been promising friends and sister that I’d forward the link. Even 17-year-old son loved it, as did his friend (who didn’t even realize they weren’t really noodles until I told him). Son made me promise to make it “more often.” I feel like a superhero when I get major vegetable quantities into teenagers, especially unsuspecting friends of my son. My son eats half like a teenager, and half like the son of a naturopathic doc that he is, so it’s only half bad. I suspect with his friends it’s all bad ;). Thanks for the great intro to veggie noodles.
Danielle
That’s awesome!
Dayna
What could I use in place of the chicken stock for my vegan roommate?
Danielle
Veggie stock will work!
Mischi
This is so, so good! I think I’ve been deprived of good food too long! I made the SCD version and used HOT chili powder and I. LOVE. IT. I’m going to make another enchilada right now. Thank you so much for your creativity!
Rena Narron
This recipe was a lifesaver to me. I had planned to make a beef & bean enchilada casserole. I thought I had everything together to make it grain & dairy free only to find out that enchilada sauce has corn starch in it 😩. I did a search for grain free enchilada sauce & found this. It turned out even better than the “normal” version of the casserole. Thank you so much fir helping me be able to convert one of our families go to recipes to something I can eat again!
Danielle
I’m glad you enjoyed it!!
Kirsten
Love this recipe. Making it yet again to have a couple bags for freezer. Makes my crock pot quinoa chicken enchilada casserole a breeze. I cannot pay $6 per jar of Paleo enchilada sauce and the cheap ones all are filled with inedible chemicals. I don’t hesitate to use 6oz cans when I don’t have the 7oz jars, and I don’t sweat it.
S Valente
which of the books will i find this in?
Danielle
Hi! I have recipes for enchilada sauce on the blog, in my cookbook Meals Made Simple and in my newest cookbook, Healthy In a Hurry! Enjoy!