Canned enchilada sauce no doubt has its place. On crazy days, it is certainly a time saver. On other days when you can spare half an hour or prepare early for meals later in the week, nothing beats making your own from scratch! When it comes to taste, commercially made and canned sauce doesn’t come close to the rich, bold flavor of homemade red enchilada sauce!

What Is Masa Harina?

Masa harina is a fine corn flour that is used to make corn tortillas and tamales. The starchiness of the flour also makes it an excellent thickening agent. What it is not is cornmeal. It is not cornmeal!

Masa harina is usually found in the Hispanic food aisle at your local grocery store. If your store does not carry it, you can order it from Amazon.

Cooking Tip

To prevent clumps, whisk masa harina with the water before adding the other ingredients.

Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon masa harina
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 – 1 tsp cayenne pepper, depends on how hot you like it
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

1. Whisk together all ingredients in a heavy bottomed pot.
2. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Recipes That Use Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

• Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Veggie Enchilada Casserole
• Quinoa Enchilada Casserole