Is Enchilada Sauce Spicy and Bitter?

This delicious Mexican sauce has since acquired a reputation for its versatility in the kitchen. It can be used as a base for chile beans, used to garnish steamed vegetables, and be put over your crunchies like enchiladas, tortillas, tacos tamales, and nachos. 

The fact that it can be prepared quickly at home, crowns it all. 

Because Mexico is known for spicy cuisines, it is a no-brainer that you’d want to know if enchilada sauce is spicy. Enchilada sauce can and cannot be spicy, its spiciness ranges on a continuum from mildly spicy to heavy-breathing spicy.

Is enchilada sauce spicy?

Yes, enchilada sauce is spicy. Regardless of who puts the sauce together, enchilada sauce remains a spicy sauce. Because chili is an integral part of this Mexican sauce, the level of its spiciness ranges from mild to super spicy and this is dependent on the type of chili that was used in the process of making it. 

Predominantly, enchilada sauce can be red or green. The difference in color and taste stems mainly from the chilis that are used. 

Is green enchilada sauce spicy?

Not always. Green enchilada sauce doesn’t always have to be spicy.

Commonly, people are of the notion that green enchilada sauce is not exactly, spicy which is not remotely false. Green enchilada sauce can range from mild to spicy but it can get a slightly sweet flavor from tomatillos and a bit of heat from the green chilis used to make the sauce. 

Is red enchilada sauce spicy?

Yes, red enchilada sauce can be spicy. But like green enchilada sauce, it all depends on the chili. Red enchilada sauce is made from a variety of red chilis that can potentially knock your socks off. Its heat is on a scale of mildly hot to very hot. Red enchilada sauce has been noted to be somewhat spicier than its green enchilada sauce counterpart. 

If you want to enjoy the savory taste of an enchilada sauce but you’re on the lookout for something less spicy, here’s the way to go.

How do you make enchilada sauce less spicy?

Is your enchilada sauce spicy? 

Don’t fret, kitchen situations happen to the best of us. You can reduce the heat in your enchilada sauce by adding dairies like cream, cheese, cow’s milk, sour cream, or yogurt. You can also add acids like lemon, vinegar, tomatoes, and wine to neutralize the taste.

Another alternative is oils like grape seed oils, coconut oil, or olive oil.

Sugar is another interesting way out if your enchilada sauce is spicy. 

This way, you get a milder flavor.

What is enchilada sauce made of?

Green enchilada sauce is made by blending green chilis, green tomatillos, vinegar, onions, garlic, olive oil, salt, lime, water or broth, and some other spices like cumin and cilantro to give it a characteristic taste and texture.

Red enchilada sauce, unlike green enchilada sauce, is made predominantly of dried red chili peppers. Other constituent ingredients include vinegar, garlic, red tomato sauce or paste (sometimes) basil, oregano, chili powder, broth or water, onion, paprika, salt to add an original taste to the sauce.

What is the least spicy enchilada sauce?

If spicy doesn’t do it for you, you can still enjoy enchilada sauce. A mildly hot enchilada sauce is Rosarita. This is because it is made with mostly fresh ingredients like red chili purée and tomato paste. This lets it give an authentic Mexican flavor while being friendly on your tongue and bowels.

Which type of enchilada sauce is not spicy?

Green enchilada sauce. It is often believed that green enchilada sauce is slightly less spicy than red enchilada sauce. But all the same, the heat in enchilada sauce depends on the chilis used. 

Read also: Can You Eat Raw Salmon from Costco?

Why is enchilada sauce bitter?

Different reasons. Your enchilada sauce can turn out bitter if:

  • The skin of the chilis wasn’t removed after toasting them. 
  • There was a lot of garlic.
  • Too much salt was added.
  • The chilis didn’t have a good flavor. 

You can rectify this by adding some brown sugar, or baking soda.

Best substitutes for enchilada sauce

  • Taco sauce
  • Salsa sauce
  • Chiltomate sauce
  • Ranchero sauce
  • Picante sauce
  • Sofrito sauce

Is canned enchilada sauce good?

Yes, it is. If you’re all about the quick and simple life, canned enchilada sauce is a good pick. Canned enchilada sauce has a great flavor still. When getting canned enchilada sauce, you should look out for one with the most authentic ingredients. You want one with an assertive authentic taste, but that is not too overwhelming to your tastebuds.

Read also: Is Yoplait Yogurt Healthy?

What can I add to canned enchilada sauce to make it taste like a restaurant’s?

Here’s a look at some things you can add to your canned enchilada sauce to make it taste like the one you’d have at a restaurant.

To 10 ounces of your enchilada sauce, add:

  • ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.
  • A teaspoon of unsalted butter.
  • A teaspoon of flour (all-purpose).
  • ½ teaspoon of kosher salt.
  • A cup of preferred chicken broth.

How to prepare it…

  • Place your saucepan over medium heat and melt your butter till it assumes a foamy look.
  • Add your flour and stir for one minute. 
  • Pour in and stir the canned enchilada sauce.
  • Add chicken broth, salt, and pepper. 
  • Leave to boil for about 10 to 15 minutes, reduce the heat and let it simmer till the sauce becomes thick. 
  • Retain its warmth over low heat.
By Luong Tan

Luong Tan, the creative and passionate founder of Bourbono, is a multi-talented individual with a deep love for the culinary arts. An accomplished food blogger, cookbook author, and former Ambassador of US cuisine in Vietnam (2015-2016), Luong has been on a mission to share his appreciation for food with the world.

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