In this Homemade Enchilada Seasoning Blend 12 different spices like chili and chipotle powder, Mexican oregano and cumin (to name a few) collaborate for one flavorful spice mix. Use in recipes like enchilada sauce, dips or as seasoning for your favorite protein. Yields 6 tablespoons.
I love enchiladas. Actually, my whole family loves them and it’s also one of the few things we all can agree on for dinner. Enchiladas are one of those meals that can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. With that said the filling options are endless as are the toppings.
I’ve made my own enchilada sauce from scratch before using fresh tomatoes. I have also made a more simple 15-minute version (which I use more often than not). While making it recently, I casually thought to myself ‘I make this sauce so often I should bottle the spices to make it easier’ queue the lightbulb above my head. The same thing happened when I made chicken shawarma.
Having a pre-made spice blends on hand will aid in using up the spices in your cupboard so they don’t just sit there waiting to expire.
Furthermore having them on hand will no doubt speed up your weeknight (or weekend for that matter) meal making. No more searching for spices and measuring each and every one.
But this homemade enchilada seasoning blend isn’t just for sauce making. Sprinkle it over chicken, rub it into beef or just toss it with a mess of vegetables and grill OR maybe you have a recipe calling for enchilada spice mix? Use it similarly as you would taco or fajita seasoning. I still have a few recipes that I want to try it in, and with any success, you can bet I’ll be sharing it here asap.
To Make This Homemade Enchilada Seasoning Blend You Will Need:
- chili powder
- paprika
- cumin
- light brown sugar
- kosher salt
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- Mexican oregano
- chipotle chili powder
- coriander
- black pepper
- cayenne pepper
What Are The Best Spices For Making Your Own Seasonings and Spice Blends?
There’s no right or wrong brand. I will first say, buy what you can afford. However, not all spices are created equal as you tend to get what you pay for. Currently I use Morton & Bassett (not sponsored) because I find their spices to be top notch in texture, color and flavor. I love and respect what their company stands for not only with charitable work but also quality control. With that said some other wonderful brands I’ve used over the years are Simple Organic, Frontier Co-op and Penzys.
You simply measure and add 1 tablespoon (mild) chili powder, 1 tablespoon paprika, 2 teaspoons ground cumin (I used roasted), 2 teaspoons light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder, 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1-1/2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano (crushed in the palm of your hand), 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper into a jar or container.
I recently found these squatty, wide-mouth jars on amazon and I’m in love. Finally the perfect jar!! They are just the thing for big batch spice blends and are easily stackable, maximizing my cupboard space.
Next stir the spices, the sugar likes to clump and doing so will break it up and is evenly throughout the homemade enchilada seasoning mix.
One of my (many) favorite kitchen tools is this mini whisk. My sister Julie got it for me one Christmas and I use it for allthethings! It’s great for mixing small batches of things like dips, spice blends or salad dressings.
This recipe yields 6 tablespoons, but you can certainly double to have a larger jar on hand. Store this in an air-tight container for up to 1 to 2 years! After you make this homemade enchilada seasoning blend, check out my other homemade seasoning blends!
I’ve always wished I had good writing for labeling. I do not. I also wish that I could find just one black sharpie that wasn’t about to run out.
Enjoy! And if you give this Homemade Enchilada Seasoning Blend recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Homemade Enchilada Seasoning Blend
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Combine in an airtight container or small jar. Whisk or use a fork to break up the brown sugar.
- Store in a cool dry place for 1 to 2 years.
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THANK YOU in advance for your support!
This recipe sounds like a good one to have on hand. Would love to know where you purchased the cutting board and dishtowels. Love them both.
Thanks!
Hi Sarah! The cutting board is by Pfaltzgraff and I picked it up at my local grocery store (Meijer if you’re from Michigan) two years ago and the towel is actually a napkin from this set at Crate & Barrel. 🙂
Excellent recipe. Thank you. How much of this blend would you recommend when making enchiladas with 3 large chicken breasts?
Thank you, Mary! I would say 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons should work. 🙂
So – how does one make enchilada sauce from this seasoning blend? No recommendations given!
Hi Deborah! Great question, this is a seasoning blend that you can use for seasoning meat (like in my enchilada chicken and rice skillet) or use it in a sauce. In the body of this post, I link to two recipes that you can chose from. However, I think the 15-minute enchilada sauce is perfect for busy nights. Simply omit the spices in that recipe and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of the enchilada seasoning or to taste. Enjoy!
I found your site by accident while looking for the spices in enchiladas. It won’t be an accident next time because you’re bookmarked. Excellent site.
Thank you, Kathy! That means so much!
I haven’t tried it yet. But I’m going to. I’d ordered a mix from amazon, made it and ended up with some seriously hot and salty sauce that I now have frozen and intend to use sparingly here and there. Unless I decide that I just can’t deal with it and throw it out LOL But once I have this mix made, how do I make sauce with it?
Nevermind, I saw you already answered that question. Thank you
what keeps brown sugar from lumping?
Thanks
Unfortunately, we still need a correction to this recipe, because you state that we should use this powdered mix in your sauce recipe, but that recipe uses six times more powder than you recommended in your reply to an earlier comment. (1 teaspoon vs. 3 tablespoons).
Hi Ike! I’m confused by your comment, the sauce I’m referring to is the 15-minute enchilada sauce and not the 100% from scratch one.