Rosas Homemade Red Chile Sauce For Tamales And Enchiladas Recipe

There’s nothing quite like transforming a handful of simple ingredients into a fiesta of flavors with this vibrant red chile sauce. Let me take you on a spicy adventure that’s sure to become a kitchen staple, perfect for drizzling over tamales or dunking your favorite enchiladas.

My homemade red chile sauce is what takes tamales and enchiladas to the next level. The smoky, rich flavor of the sauce, made from dried red chile pods, is so good that I could—and often do!—eat it straight (with a spoon, if necessary) or use it as a base for a multitude of sauces.

But that’s another story. Far from soupy, the red chile sauce has the perfect consistency to coat and flavor any meal that could use a bit of added oomph.

Rosas Homemade Red Chile Sauce For Tamales And Enchiladas Recipe Ingredients

• Dried red chile pods: Rich in vitamins A and C, these chilies add heat and depth to the sauce, with antioxidants that support overall health.
• Garlic: Known for its immune-boosting properties, garlic brings a pungent flavor and aids heart health.
• Cumin powder: Offers a warm, earthy flavor, and is known for its digestive benefits and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Chicken broth: Provides a savory base with protein content and enhances the sauce’s richness.
• Flour: Thickens the sauce, providing a smooth consistency without altering flavor significantly.

Rosas Homemade Red Chile Sauce For Tamales And Enchiladas Recipe Ingredient Quantities

• 15 dried red chile pods
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon flour

How to Make this Rosas Homemade Red Chile Sauce For Tamales And Enchiladas Recipe

1. Start by washing the dry red chili pods well to eliminate any dirt or dust. Cut off the stem and remove the seeds from each pod.

2. Place the cleaned chile pods in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Heat on medium-high until the water comes to a boil. Then reduce the heat and let the pods simmer for about 15 minutes, or until they’re softened all the way through.

3. After softening the chile pods, drain them and put them in a blender. To the blender, add minced garlic, cumin powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Add the chicken stock and pulse until smooth. If needed, do this in batches. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer, using a spoon to help it along, and discard the solids that are left behind.

5. In another saucepan, medium heat the vegetable oil. Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly until the mixture turns light brown.

6. Pour the strained chile sauce into the saucepan with the flour mixture, stirring all the while to keep it lump-free. In cooking, as in life, there’s nothing quite so disheartening as reaching a moment when you have little choice but to soldier on. At that point, what you most need is a good attitude and a revitalizing bit of hope.

7. After combining, bring the sauce to a simmer and allow it to cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring now and then, until it thickens and the flavors meld.

8. Savor the sauce and modify the flavoring as required. Add more salt or pepper as your heart desires.

9. Take the sauce off the heat and allow it to cool a bit. Now, it’s good to go over tamales or enchiladas and serves as a zestful base for some other dishes.

10. Refrigerate sauce leftovers in a container that isn’t going to let air penetrate. For the next week, you will have at your easy disposal a healthful and delicious addition to many a meal.

Rosas Homemade Red Chile Sauce For Tamales And Enchiladas Recipe Equipment Needed

1. Cutting board
2. Knife
3. Medium saucepan
4. Blender
5. Fine-mesh strainer
6. Spoon
7. Additional saucepan
8. Measuring spoons
9. Measuring cups
10. Airtight container

FAQ

• Can I use a different broth instead of chicken broth?Of course, feel free to use vegetable broth if you want a vegetarian version.
• What kind of dried red chile pods should I use?Chiles from New Mexico or California are excellent, but you can use guajillo or ancho chiles for distinct flavors.
• How spicy is this sauce?The sauce registers a heat level from mild to medium, which can be tuned to taste by adding chile pods to the mix or reducing their number.
• Can I make this sauce ahead of time?Of course, it can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for as long as one week.
• Is the flour necessary in the recipe?You can omit the flour if you want a thinner sauce. But if you want a sauce that’s somewhat thicker, then use flour.
• Can I freeze the sauce?The sauce may be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for as long as three months.
• What dishes pair well with this sauce?It’s ideal for drizzling on tamales, enchiladas, burritos, or even grilled meats.

Rosas Homemade Red Chile Sauce For Tamales And Enchiladas Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Two cloves of garlic, minced: Replace with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
1 teaspoon cumin powder. You can use 1 teaspoon ground coriander instead, but the flavor profile will be different.
1 teaspoon salt. Substitute with 1 teaspoon soy sauce for an umami boost.
Two cups chicken broth: For a vegetarian option, substitute with 2 cups vegetable broth.
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil can be swapped out for 2 tablespoons of olive oil. This will yield a slightly different taste since the oil used in this recipe is vegetable oil.

Pro Tips

1. Roast the Chile Pods Before washing and de-seeding, dry-roast the chile pods for about 1-2 minutes per side in a pan over medium heat until they start to puff up slightly and become fragrant. This will enhance their flavor.

2. Use Whole Cumin When possible, use whole cumin seeds instead of ground cumin. Toast them in a dry pan briefly until fragrant, then grind them in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Freshly ground spices have more vibrant flavors.

3. Enhance the Garlic Flavor Instead of adding raw minced garlic to the blender, consider sautéing the garlic briefly in a little oil until it’s golden before adding it to the blender. This can add a deeper garlic flavor to your sauce.

4. Customize the Spice Level Before blending all the chile pods, blend a small batch of the sauce and taste it for heat. If it’s too spicy, you can mix in some roasted tomatoes or bell peppers to balance it out without losing flavor.

5. Extra Straining Tip When straining the sauce, use a flexible silicone spatula to press the sauce through the strainer more efficiently. This can help extract more sauce and reduce waste.