Enchilada sauce is one of those things you certainly could buy canned from the store. As with almost everything else that is prepared in a factory, it probably contains a ton of unnatural ingredients (“natural flavoring” is anything but), preservatives, hidden gluten, and BPA from the can lining. No thanks.
This Roasted Pepper Enchilada Sauce is so easy to prepare and so full of flavor I’m sure that once you try it you won’t go back to canned. The roasted bell pepper and onion give it a unique flavor that you’re going to love! It does take a long time to cook but almost all of the time is inactive. Make a bunch and freeze the extra so you can have it on hand for several future meals!
Skip the canned tomatoes and use fresh for maximum flavor and nutrients. Don’t stress over removing the tomato seeds. You don’t have to get every last one, just dig your finger into the cavity and pop most of them out.
I use 2 chipotle chiles with a healthy dollop of adobo and my sauce is flaming hot. You can omit or even start with 1/2 a chile and see what you think. They are potent but so very tasty.
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, sliced in half
- 1 bell pepper. Red, yellow, or orange
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, seperated
- 2 lbs. tomatoes on the vine, seeds mostly removed and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1-2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. Optional
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 heaping teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 heaping teaspoon cumin
- pinch of sugar
- pinch of cinnamon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425. Lightly brush olive oil over a baking sheet, the bell pepper and onion. Roast the pepper for 10 minutes then add the onion, cut side down. Continue roasted for another 30 minutes turning the bell pepper every 10 minutes so the skin chars evenly. Remove from oven and cool enough remove bell pepper stem and seeds and roughly chop both vegetables.
- Pour remaining olive oil into a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan. Heat over low/med heat then add the tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper. Cover and simmer until the tomatoes start to soften. Remove lid and add the remaining ingredients. Continue to simmer until all vegetables are very soft, around 30 minutes.
- Blend with an immersion blender a food processor until very smooth.
So easy and so delicious. You’ll never buy canned again!
Enjoy. 🙂
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