Green Chile Enchilada Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between green enchilada sauce and salsa verde? ›

There are two main differences between green enchilada sauce and salsa verde. Enchilada sauce is cooked, while salsa verde is raw. Enchilada sauce is thinned out with a liquid (usually stock or water), while salsa verde is simply chopped or puréed vegetables and peppers.

Improving upon canned enchilada sauce

If you're using fresh garlic, onion, or peppers, sauté those first in a bit of oil, then combine the butter, stock, and seasonings. Mix in the flour to thicken it, then pour in that canned enchilada sauce, and bring the mixture to a boil.

If you are making enchiladas, you may be wondering, “Which sauce should I use?” This is an excellent question, and the most straightforward answer is whatever you prefer. If you are making beef enchiladas, it is more common to pair them with a red sauce, and chicken enchiladas usually have a green sauce.

If you want something more mild, use a green bell pepper. If you want more spice, use a jalapeño. This is up to you.

Salsa Verde is a fantastic replacement for green enchilada sauce. Most salsa Verde is a little simpler than green enchilada sauce, often just a mix of tomatillos and jalapenos without other spices. Enchilada sauce is often a bit more complicated, including onions, garlic, spices, and other additions.

Before you assemble your enchiladas, heat the sauce up and whisk in a little flour and sugar to taste. The flour will neutralize some of the bitterness and thicken the sauce a bit in the process. This can be a good thing, too, as canned enchilada sauce is usually a little thin in consistency.

Green Enchilada Sauce is tangy and rich and, best of all, so easy to make yourself! Just roast green chiles, then simmer them with tomatillos, onions, garlic, jalapeños and spices. Give the mixture a quick blend and you're ready to make enchiladas from scratch!

Most green enchilada sauce recipes will tell you to add a seeded serrano pepper. This chili packs a fiery punch between 10,000 to 23,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). So, instead of serrano, you can opt for a small jalapeño. Rated only between 2,000 to 8,000 SHU, this will reduce the spice down to only a gentle tingle.

While some recipes use flour tortillas, corn tortillas are traditional — and for good reason — are the better option for enchiladas. Corn tortillas have a distinct flavor that plays a key part of the enchilada experience, compared to flour tortillas, which are more like a blank slate.

white onions are more commonly used in Mexican cuisine but yellow onions are just as good in a pinch. What is this? White onions are sharper and more pungent than yellow onions. That scares some people but it works great for most Mexican dishes, so don't be afraid of them!

How to doctor up canned green enchilada sauce? ›

Add seasonings - Cumin, chili powder, Mexican oregano, etc. are great ways to punch up the flavor of canned enchilada sauce. You might also consider adding a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.

Treat Your Tortillas Right

The most important tip for avoiding soggy enchiladas is to briefly fry your tortillas in hot oil before you fill and roll. This creates a little bit of a barrier so that the tortillas don't soak up too much of the sauce and therefore start to break down.

Bake the enchiladas before adding sauce

Another thing you can try is baking your enchiladas after filling them until the tortillas are just be-ginning to get brown and starting to crisp. Then, add your cheese and sauce on top and bake them again until the cheese is melted.

Salsa vs Enchilada Sauce

These two sauces might overlap in their ingredients, but the key difference is that enchilada sauce is thin, smooth, and served hot. It's also considered an important part of dishes like enchiladas, while salsa roja is a cold table sauce that can be added to anything.

Yes, salsa can be used as a substitute for enchilada sauce. It will add a similar tangy and spicy flavor to your dish. You can use it as is or blend it to achieve a smoother consistency before using it in your enchilada recipe.

The use of fresh green chili peppers and tomatillos imparts a mild to moderate level of heat, making it more approachable for those who are sensitive to spice. The addition of cilantro, lime juice, and tomatillos provides an herbaceous, citrusy undertone to the sauce, enhancing its overall freshness.

Salsa verde is really easy to make from scratch, all you need are tomatillos, onion, jalapeño, lime, and cilantro. To make the salsa verde, you will need to cook the tomatillos, which you can do by either boiling them, broiling them in the oven, or pan roasting them.