Green Enchilada Sauce
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Learn how to easily make green enchilada sauce from scratch. Loaded with green chiles, jalapenos, warm spices, to flavor your creamy green chile enchilada sauce perfectly. Use this sauce for making enchiladas, pouring over chimichangas, pairing with Mexican rice, and more.
Now, if you love red enchilada sauce, I feel you. But if you are new to the world of green sauce, you have to try it. It is just as tasty and offers a totally new flavor.
This easy green sauce is naturally gluten-free, rich in flavor, and stores well in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Minced Garlic – If you own a lemon zester, it works great for mincing garlic. The garlic is going to enhance the flavor of this sauce tremendously truly.
- Green Chiles – Find your green chiles next to salsa and refried beans. You can buy mild, medium, or hot. Pick whichever one you want to heat the sauce.
- Onion – White or yellow onion works best for this recipe. It will add depth to the sauce without being overpowering.
- Chicken Broth – If you want to make this a vegetarian sauce, you can use vegetable stock. I find the chicken broth adds more flavor to the sauce.
- Olive Oil – Olive oil is mild in flavor, but it will give the sauce a hint of flavor.
- Spices – Cumin, pepper, kosher salt, and optional cayenne will transform this sauce.
- Jalapenos – This is optional, but it will add some spice to your sauce.
Step-by-step instructions
For the full ingredient amount and full instructions on how to make green chile enchilada sauce see the recipe card below.
In a saucepan, you will want to saute the onions with oil for 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
Next, you will add the garlic to saute. You want the garlic to become fragrant.
Next, add the rest of the ingredients into the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow the sauce to reduce by 20%.
Add the reduced sauce to a food process or high-speed blender. Mix until it lightens in color and is smooth.
Recipe tips and variations
- Make sure to allow time for the onions to saute, as this will really add lots of depth to the sauce.
- Only add in the jalapenos and the cayenne if you want to make your sauce spicy.
- If you use a blender make sure it is a high-speed blender to allow the sauce to really mix well together.
- As you are mixing your sauce, it will lighten in color; that is when you know it is close to blended properly.
- Use your enchilada green sauce right away, or you will need to refrigerate the sauce until ready to use.
Storage and reheating tips
- Refrigerate: Store any green sauce leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 days.
- Freeze: To freeze this green enchilada sauce, place it in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for 3-4 months.
- Reheat: To reheat enchilada sauce, you can use your microwave or stovetop. Or assemble your Mexican dish and then bake it in the oven as you bake your sauce.
How to serve
This sauce is great paired with your Mexican dishes. Use for enchiladas, drizzle on top chimichangas, burritos, or any other Mexican recipes you enjoy.
Frequently asked questions
If it is Hatch green chiles season feel free to use fresh green chiles instead of canned. I used canned as it was easier to use.
Salsa verde is made with tomatillos. There is a verde enchilada sauce, but it will have a different flavor than this green sauce. This recipe is made with green chiles for a totally different flavor.
Mild in flavor is what you will find in this Mexican green enchilada sauce. But you can spice it up with jalapenos as well.
As a general rule of thumb red sauces typically are spicier than green sauces. But depending on how you season your chile green sauce, it can be nice and spicy.
what to serve with green enchilada sauce
Green Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 1 cup green chiles canned
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
Optional to add more heat:
- 4-6 jalapeño slices
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
Instructions
- In a saucepan, sauté the onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. This will reduce the sauce by 20%.
- Add the reduction to a food processor or blender and process the sauce for 60 seconds until the color lightens and is smooth.
- Use right away or store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
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