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My recipe for Green Enchilada Sauce is an easy, vibrant, and delicious sauce bursting with savory green chili flavor! This is the perfect sauce for Verde enchiladas, tacos, burritos, or any of your favorite Mexican dishes. Ready in under 30 minutes using simple ingredients, this is a sauce you will want to have on hand all the time!
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- Best Green Enchilada Sauce
- Green Enchilada Sauce FAQs
- Green Enchilada Sauce Ingredients
- How to Make Green Enchilada Sauce
- Recipe Tips
- Can I substitute salsa verde for green enchilada sauce?
- What is the difference between red and green enchilada sauce?
- Can I freeze green enchilada sauce?
- Other Uses for Green Enchilada Sauce
- More Easy Sauce Recipes
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- 💬 Reviews
Best Green Enchilada Sauce
My family gets so excited whenever we have an enchiladas night, and who can blame them? My enchilada sauce recipes are what pull the meal together; especially this green enchiladas sauce recipe.
Fresh jalapenos add the perfect amount of heat, and the vibrancy of the sauce is so impressive. You can use green enchilada sauce to finish a dish, bake with, or even use as a salad dressing!
Enchiladas verde makes for the perfect easy weeknight meal! I like to make a big batch of my enchilada sauce, freeze it, and thaw it the night before I am ready for enchiladas. It makes prep so easy!
I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as my family and I do - be sure to tell me what meal you make with it in the comments below!
Green Enchilada Sauce FAQs
Traditionally, verde sauce consists of green chilies, onions, tomatillos, and garlic. Other spices may be included. My recipe for green enchilada sauce is a combination of green chilis, garlic, onion, oregano, chicken broth, olive oil, cumin, jalapeno, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
Green enchilada sauce can be spicy or mild, it depends on taste. My variation of green enchilada sauce has the option of adding fresh jalapenos and cayenne pepper to add heat. If you leave in the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno, the sauce will be spicier.
Green enchilada sauce is best stores in an airtight or sealed container and left in the fridge for up to 5 days.
My recipe for green enchilada sauce is a naturally grain and gluten-free sauce. As always, be sure to check each ingredient for proper food handling and allergy information.
Typically, a blender, food processor, or emulsion blender is needed to give green enchilada sauce its smooth texture. A large mortar and pestle could also be used.
Green Enchilada Sauce Ingredients
- Garlic
- Green chilies
- Onion
- Oregano
- Chicken broth
- Olive oil
- Pepper
- Kosher salt
- Cumin
- Jalapeño (optional)
- Cayenne (optional)
How to Make Green Enchilada Sauce
- 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.
Recipe Tips
- If you would like your sauce to be thicker, use less chicken stock and reduce the sauce by half, rather than 20%
- The texture of the sauce is also to taste, I like a smooth green enchilada sauce (especially to make enchiladas verde). If you like a chunky texture, simply pulse the sauce a few times in the blender rather than blending until smooth.
- Most of the time the heat from a jalapeno comes from the seeds and ribs. If you like the pepper flavor of jalapeno, but you're not a fan of the heat, try using just the flesh of the jalapeno, and discard the rest!
Can I substitute salsa verde for green enchilada sauce?
Though both sauces are similar, green enchilada sauce is cooked while salsa verde is typically raw, like a traditional salsa. Green enchilada sauce also requires a liquid, typically stock or water, while salsa verde is thicker.
Substituting salsa verde for green enchilada sauce would depend on what the sauce is being used for. For instance, I would not substitute salsa verde for green enchilada sauce if I were making enchiladas verde, however, you could substitute it as a sauce on a taco, burrito, or fajita!
What is the difference between red and green enchilada sauce?
The main difference between red and green enchilada sauce is the type of chilis and spices used to make each sauce. Green enchilada sauce is typically made with green chilis and jalapenos while red enchilada sauce is made with red chilis and chili powder.
Both types of enchilada sauce offer a delicious variation for making enchiladas. I like to switch up which sauce I use depending on what I already have in the kitchen, or which ingredients are in season!
Can I freeze green enchilada sauce?
Green enchilada sauce freezes perfectly, it is so easy to do! I like to double batch my green enchilada sauce and freeze half of it for later on when I need a quick weeknight sauce. I especially love doing this in the summertime when jalapenos are in season! Here's how I do it:
- Allow the green enchilada sauce to cool to room temperature
- Place the sauce in an airtight, sealed container or plastic bag (I especially like to use a plastic bag and lay it flat in the freezer for easy storage).
- Label and date the outside of your container
- Green enchilada sauce can be left in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- To thaw the sauce, simply leave in the refrigerator overnight.
Other Uses for Green Enchilada Sauce
Without a doubt, my favorite way to use green enchilada sauce is to make enchiladas verde, which I like to make with chicken, pork, or beef! However, green enchilada sauce is super versatile! Here are some ways I like to use the sauce when I don't use it to make enchiladas:
- Easy Enchilada Guacamole
- Tamale Casserole
- With Mexican Lasagna
- Mexican Stuffed Peppers
- With Instant Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup
- As a sauce for Tacos, Burritos, Fajitas, or Quesadillas
More Easy Sauce Recipes
Try more of our easy sauce recipes:
- Mango Peach Salsa
- Red Enchilada Sauce
- Harissa Recipe
- Quesadilla Sauce
- Avocado Crema
- Birria Consomé
- Carne Asada Marinade
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Green Enchilada Sauce
Equipment
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 sharp kitchen knife
- 1 Blender or food processor
- 1 Saucepan
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 cup Green chiles canned
- 1 cup Onion diced
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 2 cups Chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- ¾ teaspoon Course kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
Optional: For Spicier Sauce
- 3-4 Jalapeno slices
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
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.1 cup Onion diced, 2 tablespoons Olive oil, 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.1 cup Green chiles, 1 teaspoon Oregano, 2 cups Chicken broth, 2 tablespoons Olive oil, ½ teaspoon Pepper, ¾ teaspoon Course kosher salt, 1 teaspoon Cumin, 3-4 Jalapeno slices, 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- This will reduce the sauce by 20%. It should look like a chunky sauce at this point.
- 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 such as a jar, and enjoy!
Notes
- If you would like your sauce to be thicker, use less chicken stock and reduce the sauce by half, rather than 20%
- The texture of the sauce is also to taste, I like a smooth green enchilada sauce (especially to make enchiladas verde). If you like a chunky texture, simply pulse the sauce a few times in the blender rather than blending until smooth.
- Most of the time the heat from a jalapeno comes from the seeds and ribs. If you like the pepper flavor of jalapeno, but you're not a fan of the heat, try using just the flesh of the jalapeno!
Mltarango@live.com says
Will definitely try..sounds delicious..and I love that there are no tomatillos
Isabel Laessig says
We hope you love it! It is truly delicious.