Enchilada sauce is one of the most distinctive sauces from Mexican cooking, and also one of the most popular for people to use in their own cooking. Its delicious tanginess, spice, and complex layers of spices make it one of the best tools for adding healthy flavor to your foods.
But, if you don’t have enchilada sauce, don’t want to make it at home, or your grocery store ran out, you might be looking for good substitutes. Enchilada sauce is pretty distinctive, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other options out there that will give you a similar delicious flavor.
Here are some of the best replacements for enchilada sauce you can use in a pinch. But first, let’s talk about what enchilada sauce is so you’re better prepared to find a good substitution.
What Is Enchilada Sauce?
Enchilada sauce is made with a combination of broth, chili peppers either fresh or dried, with vinegar, aromatic spices and vegetables, and sometimes tomatoes. Some recipes are thickened with flour to give the sauce a richer texture.
Red enchilada sauce is usually made from dried and rehydrated chilies, which often turn red during the drying process. They are blended together with liquid, sometimes water, sometimes broth, sometimes vinegar or a combination of all three, to create a smooth slurry that can be combined with the other ingredients and cooked to create the right flavor and texture.
This sauce often uses garlic and onions to help round out the flavors. The vinegar can also give enchilada sauce a sort of savory fermented taste, without requiring actual fermentation.
Green enchilada sauce is essentially the same as red enchilada sauce, with the exception that the sauce is made with fresh chilies. It can also contain tomatillos, but not all recipes call for them.
The chilies that go into enchilada sauce are also usually roasted ahead of time, which adds to the umami of the sauce, provides a similar smokey flavor to the dried chilies, and also deepens both the sweetness and the savory taste of the ingredients.
Green enchilada sauce can taste fresher and stronger, depending on the recipe, but it can also be a bit more variable since drying out the chilies used in red enchilada sauce tends to bring out the capsaicin and create a more uniform and predictable flavor than fresh chilies, which can had a wide range of both flavor and heat.
Looking for a delicious enchilada alternative? Check out our chicken enchilada bubble-up!
Why Would You Want To Replace Enchilada Sauce?
There are a few reasons to find a substitute for enchilada sauce. For one thing, you might not be able to find enchilada sauce, especially when grocery stores and manufacturers are dealing with a shortage of chilies due to weather conditions or a bad growing year.
Replacements can also give you a wider variety of flavors, or work as a replacement if you’re cooking for someone with an allergy, or who is looking for a different spice level than you can get in enchilada sauce.
Or you could need a substitution because of an allergy.
There are a lot of reasons to look for a substitution. Fortunately, there are good options no matter what kind of substitution you’re looking for.
Not sure what the difference between enchiladas and chimichangas is? We can help clear that up with this article comparing the two dishes.
My 5 Star ENCHILADA SAUCE // You’ll Never Want Another One ❤️
Can you substitute salsa for enchilada sauce?
While both salsa and enchilada sauce have a spicy kick, salsa is typically milder and more versatile in its uses. When it comes to substituting salsa for enchilada sauce, one of the main factors to consider is the texture and consistency. Enchilada sauce is thick and velvety, while salsa is chunky and watery.
What can I substitute for chili pepper?
There are many varieties of chili peppers that have varying levels of heat. Typically, the larger the pepper, the milder the heat. If you don’t have chili peppers for the spicy kick needed in a dish you can substitute cayenne pepper or hot paprika. Start with small amounts to taste, then add more if the dish is not spicy enough. For individuals who don’t like spicy food, a mild sweet paprika works as a replacement, or simply use less chili pepper than the recipe calls for. You can also try bell peppers if you are looking to replace nutrients lost by removing chili pepper. For those who are allergic to peppers in general, the appropriate substitution will depend on the specific recipe. Many times chili pepper can be left out of a recipe. Experimentation is best way to find out what works.
Can salsa be used as a dip or sauce for enchiladas?
The answer is yes, salsa can be used as a dip or sauce for enchiladas. However, it is important to note that the flavor and texture may differ from traditional enchilada sauce. Salsa tends to be thinner and more watery than enchilada sauce, which is often thicker and richer in flavor.
Can tomato sauce replace enchilada sauce?
Tomato sauce can be a great replacement for enchilada sauce, too. After all, it is readily available. And it is a versatile ingredient you can use in various dishes beyond enchiladas. For this reason, tomato sauce is a pantry staple that is always useful to have on hand. Plus, it is a blank canvas you can easily transform into a flavorful sauce.