The Basic Ingredients That Make Canned Enchilada Sauce Taste Homemade

Keeping a can of enchilada sauce on hand is a great idea. (If you're a fan of enchiladas, that is.) There are some times when simplicity is the main goal in the kitchen, and sauces like these really come in handy then. Life gets busy, so whether you're a fan of the green or red variety of this sauce, keep some canned sauce stocked in the pantry.

Still, we know it's hard for any canned ingredient to beat the homemade version, so a meal that relies on something from a can might not be the dish of your dreams. But with a few extra ingredients, your canned enchilada sauce can easily pass as homemade. 

The key ingredients in making the magic happen here are very basic, so there's no need to be intimidated. To make your canned enchilada sauce taste homemade, grab some butter, a little flour, and some chicken stock. This trifecta of ingredients infuses a canned enchilada sauce with a satisfyingly thick texture and a rich, savory flavor. Bonus: It's so easy to make, too.

Since canned enchilada sauce is already full of a flavorful smattering of chiles and garlic, it doesn't take much to complete the package. There's no need to grab everything in your spice cabinet to improve the taste: All you'll need is the combined power of equal parts butter and flour. This mighty duo is known as a roux, and is a well-known tool in the kitchen.

Often used as a thickening agent, a roux can bring soups and sauces up a level by infusing them with a thick texture. Canned sauce is often thin, so making a roux to strengthen it can really help elevate your dish. Once the canned enchilada sauce is mixed in with this agent, adding in some chicken broth makes for some extra hearty flavor too, creating an especially well-rounded dish.

Altogether, this simple addition adds just five minutes more to the cooking process and the result is a restaurant-quality enchilada sauce, so why not spare the time?

While making a roux is easy, there's no need to panic if you're out of flour. Just pivot your sauce plan by trying one of these simple ways to make a canned enchilada sauce taste homemade. 

The ingredients for an enchilada sauce vary, but the basic makeup remains the same. To really elevate this dish, add some fresher varieties of what's already inside. If the ingredient list shows that garlic and onion are in there, sauté up these additions in a pan. Mix it with the canned mixture to bring a fresh punch of flavor to the sauce. Brightening the sauce with fresh herbs like cilantro can also bring new flavors into this dish. Still, the best way to elevate anything is to taste it and see what it needs for yourself, so try a little dash of the canned sauce and add according to its needs. 

With these hacks in mind, no one will know your enchilada sauce came from a can. (If you don't tell, we won't either.) So next time you've got company coming, don't feel obligated to cook an entire meal from scratch. There's a lot you can do to elevate a canned enchilada sauce, so don't pass up the opportunity to make some easy and delicious enchiladas.