This enchilada sauce for canning is a rich homemade enchilada sauce that relies on roasted poblanos, chipotles in adobo, toasted spices, and fresh Roma tomatoes for deep flavor-layering. It’s pureed into a velvety, smoky red sauce with a bright finish from apple cider vinegar, delivering restaurant-quality depth that will bring any dish to life!
This canned red enchilada sauce delivers authentic Mexican flavor by first sautéing a blend of dried spices to unlock their full aromatic potential, then building depth with umami-rich tomato paste. A final splash of vinegar brightens everything, amplifying the taste in a way that sets it apart from other versions out there. Unlike store-bought enchilada sauce, this homemade sauce is free from unnecessary processed ingredients or MSG and it’s a great way to preserve your homegrown tomatoes and peppers.
Enjoy this red enchilada sauce in all the same ways you would with green enchilada sauce – adding it to your tacos, enchiladas, burritos, or using it as a flavor booster for Mexican Rice, Chili Mac, Chicken Enchilada Casserole, and more!
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🍅 Ingredients:
This enchilada sauce for canning contains a number of basic ingredients, and all of them are easy to find at your local grocery store. Let’s talk about the most important ingredients.
- Toasted spices – Coriander, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne (if using) are toasted until fragrant, offering a rich flavor foundation for this red enchilada sauce.
- Aromatics – Chopped yellow onion and freshly minced garlic are a powerhouse duo for this red enchilada sauce, elevating the other ingredients in the sauce.
- Poblano chiles – Adds a mild, earthy pepper flavor with a subtle complexity that is much deeper than bell peppers.
- Tomato paste – Concentrates the tomato flavor, adds natural sweetness, and helps thicken the sauce to give it body and richness.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo – Adds a deep, smoky heat with a touch of tang, providing a complex, rustic layer of flavor.
- Roma tomatoes – Once broken down, these tomatoes offer the main liquid for the sauce.
- Apple cider vinegar – Brightens the completed sauce thanks to the acidity, cutting through the richness and balancing the sweetness of the tomatoes and onion. White vinegar can be used instead, tasting a bit cleaner and sharper.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
You can use homemade red enchilada sauce to make Chicken Enchilada Casserole, in place of green enchilada sauce in most recipes, to dip tortilla chips in, or on top of tacos.
Equipment Needed:
Use a pressure canner if you plan to make this enchilada sauce for canning. You will also need appropriate canning jars with sealable lids. See the canning directions in the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations
- Increase the heat – For a spicier red enchilada sauce, add 3-4 dried arbol chiles with the spices, or sauté a finely chopped habanero with the onion, keeping the seeds for maximum intensity.
- Decrease the heat – Omit the pinch of cayenne pepper and replace the roasted poblano chiles with roasted red bell peppers, although the poblanos have very little heat.
- Flavor booster – Deepen the tomato flavor by tossing the chopped Roma tomatoes in olive oil and roasting them at 400°F for 25-30 minutes before adding them to the pot.
- Adjust the quantity – This recipe makes about 7 pints. You can easily halve the recipe if you don’t need as much.
- Touch of cinnamon warmth – 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon could be added to the sauce for a lovely bit of warmth and complexity.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
Step 1: Add the coriander, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne (if using). Stir and toast for about 1 minute, just until fragrant. (You can also toast them dry and then add the oil before adding the onion in the next step.)
Step 2: Add the chopped onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Add a splash of water (2-4 tablespoons) to loosen the spices and deglaze the pan if they begin sticking.
Step 3: Stir in the garlic, chopped poblanos, tomato paste, and chipotle in adobo. Sauté for 1–2 minutes to caramelize the paste slightly.
Step 4: Add the chopped tomatoes and ½ tablespoon of the salt.
Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has deepened in color.
Pro Tip: I love the ease of an immersion blender, but if you don’t have one, simply blend the sauce mixture in a regular blender. Make sure to blend in batches to avoid spillage and mess.
Step 5: Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until very smooth. (Or blend in batches.)
Step 6: Stir in the remaining ½ tablespoon of salt (adjust to taste) and the apple cider vinegar.
SERVE: Taste the freshly made red enchilada sauce and adjust the heat, salt, and chipotle level as needed before serving or canning.
Recipe Tips for Canned Red Enchilada Sauce
- Once completely cool, you can freeze this red enchilada sauce in pint containers, freezer bags laid flat, or even in ice cube trays for easy access to small portions at a time. I love to use my Souper Cubes (aff) and freeze in 1-cup portions in addition to canning pint sized jars.
- I recommend stocking up on fresh ingredients when they are in season, then make a double batch and freeze or can for later. This will guarantee the best flavor every time. I can 2-3 batches in the summer and the supply lasts me until my tomatoes are ripening again the next summer.
- For the smoothest texture, you can strain the red enchilada sauce through a fine-mesh sieve after blending to remove any remaining pieces/chunks or tough skins. To be honest, though, I haven’t found any pieces of tomato skin in my sauce and I don’t bother straining it.
- To reduce recipe time, consider using high-quality canned fire-roasted tomatoes instead of fresh Roma tomatoes without sacrificing depth of flavor.
- Check out the tips for canning this red enchilada sauce in the recipe card below – please note, canning guidelines are for informational purposes based on my personal experience. Home canning carries risks of foodborne illness, including botulism, if not done correctly. Readers should always follow current safety guidelines from the USDA or the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Use this recipe at your own risk; the author is not liable for any illness or adverse effects resulting from the use of this information.
Fun Fact
“Enchilada” comes from the Spanish verb enchilar, meaning “to add chile to,” which means an enchilada is basically just a tortilla seasoned with chile. As you can see, the sauce (whether red or green) is not merely a topping, but the very essence of the dish! – Tasting Table
Recipe FAQs
This red sauce is great for an array of Mexican-inspired dishes, such as enchiladas, burritos, tacos, and chilaquiles. It can also be used as a flavorful base for soups, turkey enchilada casserole, stews, and chilis. I love to stir a pint of sauce into my creamy chicken tortilla soup recipe.
This canned red enchilada sauce is earthy and smoky from the toasted spices, poblanos, and chipotle, with a bright, tangy finish from the simmered tomatoes and apple cider vinegar.
This enchilada sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Let it cool completely before transferring to pint containers, leaving a little space at the top for expansion and keep the lid slightly loose until fully frozen. Alternatively you can freeze the sauce in freezer bags, removing excess air and laying them flat. Properly canned enchilada sauce will keep for 12-18 months.
This recipe offers a moderate level of heat thanks to the chili powder, optional cayenne, and chipotle peppers in adobo. The heat can easily be adjusted according to your preferences.
If you tried this Enchilada Sauce for Canning or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Enchilada Sauce for Canning
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Pinch cayenne pepper optional, for extra heat
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- Splash of water as needed to prevent sticking
- 3 poblano chiles roasted, peeled, and chopped
- 8 ounce can tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo
- 5 pounds Roma tomatoes chopped
- 1 tablespoon salt divided
- 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar; see note
Instructions
Enchilada Sauce for Canning
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the coriander, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne (if using). Stir and toast about 1 minute, just until fragrant. (You can also toast them dry and then add the oil before adding the onion in the next step.)
- Add the chopped onion. Cook 5–7 minutes, until softened. Add a splash of water (2-4 tablespoons) to loosen the spices and deglaze the pan if they begin sticking.
- Stir in the garlic, chopped poblanos, tomato paste, and chipotle in adobo. Sauté 1–2 minutes to caramelize the paste slightly.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and ½ tablespoon of the salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has deepened in color.
- Use an immersion blender to puree until very smooth. (Or blend in batches.)
- Stir in the remaining ½ tablespoon of salt (adjust to taste) and the apple cider vinegar.
- Taste and adjust heat, salt, and chipotle level as needed.
Canning Instructions (Pressure canner only!)
- Hot pack the sauce into jars, leaving ½" headspace.
- Process for 20 minutes (for pints) OR
- Process for 25 minutes (for quarts).
- Adjust for altitude per your canner manual.
- Let jars cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours.
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Notes
- Freezing option: Let the sauce cool completely, then freeze in pint containers (or freezer bags laid flat) for up to 6 months.
- Recommended flavor booster: To deepen the tomato flavor, toss the whole tomatoes in a bit of olive oil and roast them at 400 degrees F for 25–30 minutes, then proceed with the recipe.
- Only use a pressure canner for canning your red enchilada sauce as this is a low-acid sauce before vinegar is added.
- Disclaimer: Home canning carries risks of foodborne illness, including botulism, if not done correctly. This recipe and guide are for informational purposes based on my personal experience. Readers should always follow current safety guidelines from the USDA or the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Use this recipe at your own risk; the author is not liable for any illness or adverse effects resulting from the use of this information.
Nutrition
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