Name: Vegan Enchilada Sauce (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)
Prep time: 2 min
Total time: 2 min
Ingredients: 150 mililitres tomato paste ((1 small can)); 1 ¼ cups vegetable broth ((no salt added/ low sodium)); 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon chili powder; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; salt ((to taste; about ¼ tsp))

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5 from 9 votes. Leave a review!

Many vegan enchilada sauce recipes require cooking or thickening of the sauce over heat before you use it. While this may help develop certain flavors, this enchilada sauce is meant to be baked over top of enchiladas. The flavors can come together while your enchiladas bake, saving loads of time!

Wooden spoon holding up red sauce above glass bowl full of sauce; small piece of cilantro to the back right behind bowl

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Tomato Paste Creates Great Sauce

Another reason this recipe comes together so quickly is there’s no need to thicken the sauce. Tomato paste is used instead of tomato sauce, so a much thicker consistency is achieved based on its starting ingredients – not cooking method.

Tomato paste is ideal to thicken most red enchilada sauces. If you base the whole recipe off tomato paste, it’s possible to create a thick sauce in a couple minutes. However, you can achieve a thinner consistency with additional flavor by adding vegetable broth.

Small glass jar full of thick red vegan enchilada sauce with marble patterned spoon sitting in jar and sprig of cilantro blurred in the back right

How to Use this Enchilada Sauce

This recipe is ideal for pouring over any enchilada recipe before baking it.

I love my recipe for black bean sweet potato enchiladas so you should definitely check that out!

This recipe also works great in addition to taco, burrito or fajita recipes that could use a boost of flavor and sauce. I like to add this sauce to TVP tacos or drizzle some into my jackfruit fajitas!

Half empty jar of dairy free enchilada sauce with marble spoon resting in it, in front of tray of baked vegan enchiladas

Kick up the Heat

If you’d rather spicy vegan enchilada sauce, there’s two simple ways to add heat:

Sprinkle some cayenne pepper to taste.
Add your favorite hot sauce. I recommend no more than 2 tablespoons of hot sauce so you don’t thin the sauce.

Square tipped marble patterned spoon full of gluten free enchilada sauce resting across top of jar filled with sauce and a spring of cilantro to the back right of the jar

If you make this recipe, please rate and comment below to help others benefit from your experience!

Close up of a wooden spoonful of red enchilada sauce hovering over glass bowl of the sauce.

Vegan Enchilada Sauce (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)

Enjoy a quick, simple and flavorful vegan enchilada sauce that's gluten free and dairy free. This recipe is ready to use on delicious vegan enchiladas in just 2 minutes!

5 from 9 votes. Leave a review!

Prep Time 2 mins

Total Time 2 mins

Servings Servings (1 C)

Calories 76 kcal

Cuisine Mexican-inspired, Vegan

Equipment

Whisk
Mixing bowl (medium-sized)

Ingredients

150 mililitres tomato paste (1 small can)
1 ¼ cups vegetable broth (no salt added/ low sodium)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
salt (to taste; about ¼ tsp)

Instructions

Whisk all ingredients together.
150 mililitres tomato paste, 1 ¼ cups vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, salt
Pour over enchiladas before baking or use in taco/ burrito recipes!

Video

Notes

Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrition information based on using low-sodium vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Serving (⅙ of recipe)Calories: 76 kcalCarbohydrates: 17 gProtein: 4 gFat: 1 gSodium: 143 mgPotassium: 881 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 10 gVitamin A: 1695 IUVitamin C: 18 mgCalcium: 37 mgIron: 3 mg

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About Nicole Stevens

Nicole is a vegan Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Lettuce Veg Out.

She helps people thrive on a vegan diet with balanced recipes and easy-to-understand nutrition science.