Enchilada Spice Blend Recipes

Enchilada spice blend is a pantry seasoning mix built around warm dried chiles, earthy cumin, garlic, onion, oregano, and a touch of heat. It is most often used to make quick red enchilada sauce, but it is just as useful for seasoning chicken, beef, beans, roasted vegetables, rice, and skillet dinners.

Use it when a recipe needs bold Mexican-inspired flavor without measuring several spices one by one. Blooming the blend in a little oil before adding tomato sauce, broth, or cooked ingredients helps deepen the flavor and keeps the spices from tasting raw.

Because salt and chile heat vary by blend, start with a modest amount, taste, and adjust. It works especially well in saucy recipes where the spices can hydrate and mellow as they simmer.