Making homemade green enchilada sauce is easier than you think, and it’s the perfect way to turn up the volume on your favorite enchiladas recipe.
I’ve never been a fan of enchiladas made with red sauce. I do like them better when I use homemade sauce, but I much prefer enchiladas made with a lighter, green sauce. Plus, I’ll basically eat anything with roasted peppers, so there’s that.
Roasting fresh peppers gives them a depth of flavor that you just can’t find in a canned sauce. By combining the peppers with garlic and onions, you get a result that, in addition to being the perfect Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce, can be used as a salsa or a marinade.
Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
4 poblano peppers
1 jalapeno pepper
2 tbs olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
2 tbs flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
Instructions
Begin by roasting the the poblanos and the jalapeno. Cut each pepper in half lengthwise and use a spoon to remove the seeds and the ribbing. Place peppers cut side down on a baking sheet and place in the oven under the broiler until peppers are blackened and blistered. Remove from oven and immediately place peppers in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow peppers to sit for ten minutes and then peel off the blackened skin. Dice peppers and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for two to three minutes, stirring frequently. Add the onion and cook three to five minutes, or until onion is translucent. Sprinkle in the flour and stir it quickly into the garlic and onions to form a thick paste. Pour in the chicken stock and whisk constantly until flour dissolves and mixture thickens. Add remaining ingredients, mix to incorporate, and simmer three minutes more.
Use an immersion blender to blend into a smooth sauce, leaving as few or as many chunks of onion and pepper as desired. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to two months.
Tools I Used
Notes
- Watch your peppers carefully while they’re roasting so as not to burn them.
If roasted peppers are your thing, check out Pasta in Roasted Poblano Cheddar Cream Sauce and Cheesy Chicken Poblano Dip.
Pin this Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce for later!
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I keep seeing enchilada sauce recipes.. I don’t think I’ve ever made enchiladas! This must change, because it sounds delish!!!
Ooh, you definitely need to make them! They’re so easy, and they aren’t too unhealthy as far as comfort food goes.
I need to experiment with poblanos more often at home. This sauce looks *SO* good, and enchiladas are a favorite in my house. Yum!
I’m currently having a pretty serious love affair with poblanos. I can’t get enough!
I love homemade salsa! Especially green salsa!! I can not wait to try your version!! We eat homemade Mexican food practically weekly and I can’t wait for hubby to taste your salsa as it looks right up his alley (and mine) 😉 Your photos are beautiful and I can just imagine what it tastes like!!
Thank you, Elaine! Mexican food is a staple around here, too, so we’ve put this sauce to good use.
I love enchiladas but I haven’t made them for such a long time. It really is time I had another go at them as me and my husband both love them!
I agree, Corina, and I think this green sauce is just what you need!
Ohh.. green sauce does taste better. Love that you used fresh peppers for this. Thanks for sharing
Thanks, Renz! It’s green the best?
i could see this being used in so many recipes!!!
I’m dreaming of the endless possibilities, too!
Oh, that sounds good! And yes, a nice change from tomatoes (and I can rarely get tomatilloes here, which has limited my options.)
It’s funny, I really just “discovered” enchiladas in the last year or two, and can’t imagine how I’ve missed them! So delicious, and such a perfect family meal. Now I”m actively trying to remember to make them – this should help!
I can’t often get tomatillos, either, so poblanos are the way to go.
I love homemade green sauce! Every year my husband and I spend a weekend making a huge batch and then canning it to save for the rest of the year and through winter. I can’t wait to try your recipe because we are always looks for new ways to spice things up!
I would love to be able to can a bunch of this stuff for use throughout the year! What a great idea.
This is the second recipe I encounter for enchilada sauce and I didn’t even know it was a thing! Thank you for opening up my horizon on new flavors! I especially like the use of the peppers (which I, too, love)!
If you love peppers, you should definitely wade into the world of homemade enchilada sauce. You’ll never go back!
i am so going to try my enchilada sauce, never attempted to make mine.looks fabulous!
You definitely should! It’s surprisingly easy.
I think you’d love it, Prasanna!
Poblanos are way up there in my favorite pepper hierarchy, I substitute other peppers for poblanos in recipes. I am excited about trying this out. Definitely saving this one:)
Team Poblanos here, too!