Healthy Red Enchilada Sauce from Scratch [With Video]

Need a healthy sauce to spice up your dinner? 

This healthy red enchilada sauce is the answer!

This delicious, vegan sauce is perfect for dipping vegetables and corn chips in, plus contains a range of carefully-chosen healthy ingredients to make sure it can be a healthy side for dinner. 

This healthy enchilada sauce is made with fresh onions, chilies and tomatoes that are filled with nutrients that can help to lose weight and promote digestive health.

This is super easy to make! Let's get started.

Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Here's how to make a healthy enchilada sauce that'll leave your guests gagging for more!

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp vegetable broth
• 1 cup white or yellow onion (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (peeled and smashed)
• 7 mild dried chilies (such as New Mexico, Ancho, or Guajillo)
• 1-2 dried arbol chilies* (stems removed (for heat // add more or less to adjust spice level)
• 2 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
• 1 tsp dried oregano 

Method

1. Heat a large rimmed skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add vegetable broth (or water or oil), onion, and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and slightly browned.
2. Add dried chilies and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Then add vegetable broth and water (see photo). Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste, cumin, paprika, salt and oregano (optional). Stir, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes or until peppers are tender.
4. Transfer to a high speed blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more paprika or cumin for smokiness, salt for saltiness, or a pinch of cayenne pepper for spiciness (although it should be plenty spicy).
5. Use immediately. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.

Cumin in Enchilada Sauce Has Amazing Nutritional Properties!

Cumin is a nutritional powerhouse with high iron content and cancer prevention properties. The most common traditional use of cumin is for indigestion. Research has confirmed cumin may help improve digestion.

Cumin also increases the release of bile from the liver. Bile helps digest fats and certain nutrients in your gut. In one study, 57 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) reported improved symptoms after taking concentrated cumin for two weeks.

Cumin may also be helpful for people trying to lose weight. One study involving overweight adults compared the effects of cumin with a weight-loss medication and a placebo on weight. After 8 weeks, the researchers found that the cumin and weight-loss medication groups both lost significant amounts of weight. People in the cumin group also experienced a decrease in their insulin levels

Cumin seeds are naturally rich in iron, a mineral that can promote muscle cell growth and combat fatigue during your work-outs. One teaspoon of ground cumin contains 1.4 mg of iron, or 17.5% of the RDI for adults. Few foods are as iron-dense as cumin, so it’s a great iron source, even when used in small amounts as a seasoning.

Healthy Red Enchilada Sauce the Whole Family Will Love!

This red enchilada recipe can make any healthy snack taste even more amazing. What's great about this healthy sauce is that it contains cumin, and is suitable for a vegetarian and vegan diet.

• Check out more delicious healthy recipes here.

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How'd you go with your healthy red enchilada sauce? Let me know in the comments.