Description
Mexican Guajillo Chili Red Enchilada Sauce delivers complex, smoky flavors straight from traditional kitchens. Homemade sauce brings authentic depth that restaurant versions cannot match, inviting passionate cooks to explore regional culinary traditions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2½ cups (591 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1½ oz (42 g) dried guajillo chiles (about 6 peppers)
- 2 tsp (10 ml) olive oil
- ½ cup (75 g) yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tsp (10 g) sugar, or more to taste
- 2 tsp (5 g) chili powder
- ½ tsp (2.5 g) cumin
- ¼ tsp (1.25 g) black pepper
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Roast guajillo peppers in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes until they puff and release a fragrant aroma. Let them cool completely, then meticulously remove stems and seeds.
- Transfer roasted peppers into a blender along with onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, pepper, and diced tomatoes. Pulse until achieving a silky, uniform consistency.
- Warm olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pour the pepper mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce darkens and thickens to a deep crimson color, approximately 3 minutes.
- Pour chicken broth into the sauce, bringing the liquid to a vigorous boil. Immediately reduce heat to create a gentle simmer, allowing flavors to meld and intensify.
- Let the sauce simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, occasionally stirring to prevent scorching. Adjust liquid volume with additional chicken broth if the consistency becomes too thick.
- Taste and calibrate seasoning by incorporating sugar and salt, neutralizing any potential bitter undertones. Continue adjusting until the sauce reaches a harmonious flavor profile.
Notes
- Toasting guajillo peppers in the oven intensifies their rich, smoky flavor and helps release their complex aromatics before blending.
- Remove pepper seeds carefully to control heat level, keeping some seeds for extra spiciness if desired by personal preference.
- Simmer sauce slowly to develop deep, layered flavors and allow ingredients to meld together beautifully, creating a more harmonious taste profile.
- Adjust sweetness with sugar gradually to balance potential bitter undertones from peppers, creating a smooth and balanced enchilada sauce that complements various dishes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 35 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg