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Recipes Sauces and Spreads

Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauce

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If you are in the market for a spicy, tangy enchilada sauce, then you’re in luck! Made with chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic powder, to name a few, this Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauce is anything but tame or boring! Store it in the fridge for up to a week and enjoy it with burgers, burritos, tacos, ground beef, chicken, or grilled veggies! {Vegan + Gluten-Free}

Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauce is a mason jar on top of a royal blue towel.

Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauce is the recipe we’ve been missing, friends. It all started when I was on the hunt for a Taco John’s-style taco salad dressing that harkened back to my childhood. A surf of the internet told me it was a combo of enchilada sauce and Catalina dressing. Fair enough. So I set out to create recipes for both.  

And now we have a Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauce that when paired with Catalina dressing tastes just as delicious as I remember it on those early taco salads. It also tastes mouthwatering on its own.

In fact, we started developing more recipes just to have an excuse to consume more enchilada sauce. We don’t do anything halfway. Thank you for understanding. 

Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauce in a mason jar with spoons, parsley, and a royal blue napkin.

Who can even blame us? You seriously can’t go wrong with enchilada sauce of any kind. However, this version has a little extra kick to it because we use tomato sauce (instead of paste since the stores were out when I looked). The ingredient substitute turned out to be perfect, though, because there is nothing boring or forgettable about this Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauce recipe.

And in case you need a vegan enchilada sauce recipe, we have you covered. This recipe is made with gluten-free flour and homemade vegetable broth, which creates a balanced flavor that goes with just about everything. Then you can jazz it up with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion salt, oregano, sea salt, and even a pinch of cinnamon. 

Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauce with spoons, fresh parsley, and a royal blue napkin.

I mentioned we spiced up the flavor with tomato sauce. And here’s the deal about that. I went to the store in the hopes of finding tomato paste, which is how most enchilada recipes are made. But I couldn’t find any. So I used tomato sauce instead. It has a tangier flavor than tomato paste, but it’s mouthwatering and tantalizing. And now it’s the only way I want to prepare enchilada sauce. 

This sauce is thick enough to match hearty meals that include ground beef, chicken, grilled vegetables, tacos, burritos, enchiladas (of course!), and MORE. And all without getting lost in the shuffle.

Grab your skillet, tomato sauce, and spices, and let’s get sizzlin’!

Olive oil, gluten-free flour, and spices in a stainless steel skillet.

GLUTEN-FREE ENCHILADA SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

Below are the ingredients for Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauce. You can sub apple cider vinegar for the red wine vinegar, if you’d like.

  • The base: gluten-free flour and olive oil.
  • Spices: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion salt, oregano, sea salt, and cinnamon.
  • Final add-ins: tomato sauce, vegetable broth, and red wine vinegar.
Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauce in a stainless steel skillet.

HOW TO MAKE ENCHILADA SAUCE:

Had I known how easy it would be to make my own Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauce, I would have done it sooner!

  1. In a large skillet, combine the olive oil and gluten-free flour. Stir together until the mixture heats up and thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Then stir in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion salt, oregano, sea salt, and cinnamon.
  2. Next, add in the tomato paste, vegetable broth, and red wine vinegar. At first the sauce will look completely watered down. This is normal. Continue to cook, stirring until thickened.
  3. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

PAIR THIS WITH…

  • Slow Cooker Beef Tacos
  • Paleo Cauliflower Rice Tacos
  • Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers
Print

Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauce

Print Recipe

If you are in the market for a spicy, tangy enchilada sauce, then you’re in luck! Made with chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic powder, to name a few, this Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauce is anything but tame or boring! Store it in the fridge for up to a week and enjoy it with burgers, burritos, tacos, ground beef, chicken, or grilled veggies! {Vegan + Gluten-Free}

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cups 1x
  • Category: Sauce and Salad Dressings
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons gluten-free flour
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 2 cups Homemade Vegetable Broth
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, combine the olive oil and gluten-free flour. On a MEDIUM to HIGH heat, stir the oil and flour together until the mixture heats up and thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Then stir in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion salt, oregano, sea salt, and cinnamon.
  2. Next, add in the tomato paste, vegetable broth, and red wine vinegar. Stir until thickened, about 5-10 minutes (I usually cook right in the middle at about 7-8 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool. Sauce will continue to thicken as it stands.
  3. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Notes

  • If the flour and olive oil start to clump, reduce heat and gently press the clumps down, stirring them into the mixture. Once the lumps are smoothed out, then increase the heat to where it was prior and continue cooking.
  • The enchilada sauce will start out thin and watery. Continue to cook and stir at the same time. The sauce will thicken within about 5-10 minutes, and will thicken more when it stands during cooling.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @SpiritedMorgan on Instagram and hashtag it #SpiritedRecipes

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Recipes Sauces and Spreads


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I'm Morgan. A spirited, social chatterbox, small biz owner, and teacher. Lover of all things food. Think dip. Lover of all things family. Think K-Hubs, Toodlebug, and Twinkleberry. I'm so glad you found our spirited community.... Click Here to Read More

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I'm Morgan. A spirited, social chatterbox, small biz owner, and teacher. Lover of all things food. Think dip. Lover of all things family. Think K-Hubs, Toodlebug, and Twinkleberry. I'm so glad you found our spirited community. Learn more…

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