Red enchilada sauce is the dried-chile sauce that covers a pan of enchiladas rojas: guajillo, ancho or New Mexico chiles soaked, blended and simmered, sometimes with tomato, garlic and a little thickener. Making it from scratch takes most of an hour. A good store-bought sauce takes the time out, but labels vary more than the cans suggest, from pure chile sauces to tomato sauces seasoned with chile powder.
This guide answers one narrow question: which ready-made red sauce to keep in the pantry, and whether it is worth looking for one in a jar. Our main store-bought enchilada sauce guide covers red, green and powder mixes together; three brand families appear in both pages, but here every pick is a red sauce, chosen for what is on the label and what it comes in.
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Quick verdict: which red enchilada sauce to buy
The best jarred red enchilada sauce we could recommend with a published label is The Fresh Chile Co. Hatch Red Chile Sauce (Hot), a real glass jar of Hatch red chile, garlic, salt and an acid. It is hot, though, so our best overall is a can: Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce is dried red chile, water, salt, oil and vinegar, with no tomato, and it tastes most like a kitchen’s chile colorado. For an organic can, choose Hatch Organic Medium Red Enchilada Sauce; for a resealable pack, La Victoria Red Enchilada Sauce in pouches; and for a mild family sauce, Old El Paso Mild Red.
Why so few red sauces in jars? Most of the jarred New Mexico red chile sauces on Amazon do not publish an ingredient list we could find, so they did not meet our rule for food. The table compares the five standout picks, and all seven are reviewed below it.
Five enchilada sauces side by side
Five picks, one for each kind of cook, with what each maker, retailer label or listing states. All seven sauces are reviewed below.
| Enchilada sauce | Best for | Base & heat | Package | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce, Medium, 28 ozBest overall
|
Chile colorado-style enchiladas | Dried red chile, medium | 28 oz can | View on Amazon |
Hatch Organic Medium Red Enchilada Sauce, 15 ozBest organic
|
Organic weeknight enchiladas | Tomato and spices, medium | 15 oz can | View on Amazon |
La Victoria Red Enchilada Sauce, Mild, 12 oz Pouches, 6-PackBest resealable
|
Small households | Red chile purée, mild | 6 x 12 oz resealable pouches | View on Amazon |
| Children and mild eaters | Tomato, mild | 19 oz can | View on Amazon | |
| A real glass jar with real heat | Hatch red chile, hot | 16 oz glass jar | View on Amazon |
Product images from Amazon. Heat levels, packaging and ingredients are as stated by each maker, retailer label or Amazon listing; check the label before you buy.
Our picks for the best jarred red enchilada sauce
All seven picks are red sauces. Every one was in stock on Amazon from an identifiable brand when we checked, and every one has a published ingredient list, from the listing, the maker or a retailer’s copy of the label; each review says which. The package (can, pouch, carton or jar) is given for each, because for most buyers that is what “jarred” really means: a sauce you can open, use and keep.
1. Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce, Medium, 28 oz – Dried Red Chile, No Tomato
Las Palmas sells two red sauces, and this is the less familiar one. Its Red Chile Sauce, also sold as salsa de chile colorado, is a pure chile sauce: a Walmart copy of the label lists water, dried red chile peppers, salt, cottonseed oil, cider vinegar, fumaric acid, garlic powder, spice and olive oil. There is no tomato, flour or sugar, which is how a kitchen makes red chile for enchiladas, tamales and chile colorado.
The listing calls it medium and says the deep, spicy flavor comes from the red chile peppers. One retailer gives 15 calories and 370 milligrams of sodium per quarter-cup serving. Because it is not thickened, it is thinner than a typical enchilada sauce; simmer it for a few minutes with a spoonful of oil or a little masa if you want it to cling.
It comes in a 28-ounce can, enough for a 9 by 13-inch pan of enchiladas with some left for a pot of beans or a braise. Our main enchilada sauce guide recommends the same brand’s Red Enchilada Sauce; this chile sauce is the more concentrated, chile-only version.
Why we like it
- Dried red chile is the first flavor ingredient (retailer label)
- No tomato, flour or sugar
- Medium heat, per the listing
- Large can for a full pan
Key specifications
| Size | 28 oz |
|---|---|
| Count | 1 can |
| Heat | Medium (listing) |
| Base | Dried red chile |
| Main ingredients | Water, dried red chile peppers, salt, cottonseed oil, cider vinegar, fumaric acid, garlic powder, spice, olive oil |
| Allergens/diet | Not stated |
| Package | Can |
| Sodium (as listed) | 370 mg per 1/4 cup (retailer) |
Why we recommend it
Choose it if you want a red sauce that tastes of dried chile rather than tomato, for enchiladas rojas, chile colorado or tamales.
Skip it if you want a thick, ready-to-pour enchilada sauce or a mild one for children. It is thin and medium-hot.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Chile-forward flavor
- Short ingredient list
- Doubles as a braising sauce
Cons
- Thin without simmering
- Can, not a jar
- No organic option
2. Hatch Organic Medium Red Enchilada Sauce, 15 oz – Organic, Vegan and Gluten-Free
Hatch Chile Co., named on retailer labels as the maker, sells several red enchilada sauces, and its organic medium red is a tomato and spice sauce rather than a pure chile purée: retailer labels list water, organic tomato paste, organic spices, salt, organic cane sugar, organic corn starch, organic baker’s yeast, citric acid, organic flavor and natural flavor.
Retailers describe it as USDA Organic, vegan and gluten-free, and the listing adds no MSG. Most retailer panels give 350 milligrams of sodium per quarter cup, though one shows 230; the label on your can is the one to trust. The corn starch gives it a ready-to-pour body, so it coats rolled tortillas without any cooking.
This is the medium version. Hatch also sells a mild organic red and non-organic red sauces, some of which were scarce on Amazon when we checked. The 15-ounce can sauces about eight enchiladas.
Why we like it
- USDA Organic (retailer labels)
- Vegan and gluten-free
- Ready to pour, already thickened
- Medium heat
Key specifications
| Size | 15 oz |
|---|---|
| Count | 1 can |
| Heat | Medium (listing) |
| Base | Tomato and spices |
| Main ingredients | Water, organic tomato paste, organic spices, salt, organic cane sugar, organic corn starch, organic baker’s yeast, citric acid, flavors |
| Allergens/diet | Vegan, gluten-free (retailer labels) |
| Package | Can |
| Sodium (as listed) | 350 mg per 1/4 cup on most retailer panels |
Why we recommend it
Choose it if you want an organic, ready-to-use red sauce with medium heat for weeknight enchiladas.
Skip it if you want chile, not tomato, at the front of the label. The spices are not named, and there is a little cane sugar.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Organic
- No prep needed
- Vegan
Cons
- Tomato-led, not chile-led
- Spices unnamed
- Sodium figures vary between retailers
3. La Victoria Red Enchilada Sauce, Mild, 12 oz Pouches, 6-Pack – Resealable, No Can Opener
If what you want from a jar is a lid, La Victoria’s pouches give you one without the glass. When the brand launched them, its press release said each red sauce is the same formula found in the can, now in a 12-ounce resealable pouch, with no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives or MSG, and vegan, gluten-free and kosher.
That formula is chile-based. The maker’s product record for the canned red sauce lists water, red chile purée (red chile peppers, vinegar), modified corn starch, mild California chile pods, soybean oil, and 2 percent or less of salt, distilled vinegar, pasilla chile peppers, garlic purée and spice. California and pasilla chiles give a mild, slightly fruity red sauce. Note the soybean oil if you avoid soy.
The listing calls it mild, gives 25 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per serving, and says it is kosher-certified and made without gluten-containing ingredients. Six 12-ounce pouches are enough for six small pans, and an opened pouch can be closed and kept in the fridge.
Why we like it
- Resealable pouch, no can opener
- Chile purée and dried chile pods lead the list (maker record)
- Kosher, no gluten-containing ingredients (listing)
- Mild enough for children
Key specifications
| Size | 12 oz |
|---|---|
| Count | 6 pouches |
| Heat | Mild (listing) |
| Base | Red chile purée and dried chiles |
| Main ingredients | Water, red chile purée, modified corn starch, California chile pods, soybean oil, salt, vinegar, pasilla chiles, garlic, spice |
| Allergens/diet | Contains soybean oil; kosher, vegan (maker) |
| Package | Resealable pouch |
| Sodium (as listed) | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
Choose it if you want a mild, chile-based red sauce you can open, close and keep, in portions that suit a small household.
Skip it if you want heat or avoid soy. It is mild and made with soybean oil.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Resealable
- Chile-based
- No artificial colors or preservatives (maker)
Cons
- Mild
- Contains soybean oil
- Ingredient list from the can’s record
4. Old El Paso Mild Red Enchilada Sauce, 19 oz – Gentle Tomato-Chile Sauce
Old El Paso’s mild red is one of the most widely sold supermarket enchilada sauces, and the listing describes it plainly: tomato purée, chile pepper and seasoning, mild heat, and one 19-ounce can. It is the gentlest red sauce here, and the 19-ounce size is the right amount for a 9 by 13-inch pan.
Retailer labels list water, tomato purée (water, tomato paste) and modified corn starch, then 2 percent or less of sugar, salt, chile pepper, soybean oil, vinegar, spices, citric acid, hydrolyzed corn protein, onion powder, natural flavor, and black carrot and paprika extracts for color. The label gives 20 calories and 290 milligrams of sodium per quarter cup and names General Mills as the maker. It also says to refrigerate any unused portion.
This is a tomato sauce with chile, not a chile sauce, and it tastes like it. That is a plus if you are cooking for children or for people who find red chile bitter, and a minus if you want the earthy taste of guajillo or New Mexico chile. Our main guide lists the hot version of the same sauce for those who want more heat.
Why we like it
- Mild heat for children and cautious eaters
- Right size for a 9 by 13 pan
- Colored with vegetable extracts (retailer label)
- 290 mg sodium per 1/4 cup (retailer label)
Key specifications
| Size | 19 oz |
|---|---|
| Count | 1 can |
| Heat | Mild (listing) |
| Base | Tomato |
| Main ingredients | Water, tomato purée, modified corn starch; under 2% sugar, salt, chile pepper, soybean oil, vinegar, spices, flavors |
| Allergens/diet | Contains soybean oil |
| Package | Can |
| Sodium (as listed) | 290 mg per 1/4 cup (retailer) |
Why we recommend it
Choose it if you are cooking enchiladas for a family that prefers mild, tomato-forward food.
Skip it if you want real chile flavor. Chile pepper is in the last 2 percent of the label.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very mild
- Less sodium than Las Palmas
- Easy to find again
Cons
- Little chile flavor
- Contains added sugar and flavors
- Can, not a jar
5. 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Red Enchilada Sauce, 15.5 oz – Chipotle and Ancho Over Tomato
Whole Foods Market’s house-brand sauce is the second organic option here, with a different flavor from Hatch. Whole Foods lists the ingredients as organic tomato purée, organic red bell pepper purée, organic distilled white vinegar, organic cornstarch, salt, organic cane sugar, and organic chipotle, onion, chile, garlic, paprika, ancho, cumin, coriander and black pepper, with organic yeast extract.
Chipotle is the first spice on that list, so expect a smoky edge, with ancho behind it. Whole Foods gives 300 milligrams of sodium per quarter cup and about seven servings per container, and describes the sauce as organic, vegan, gluten-free and free of artificial preservatives or additives. The listing adds that it is crafted in small batches.
This sauce also appears in our main enchilada sauce guide as the organic pick. It is here because it is the smoky alternative to Hatch’s organic can, and because the maker publishes its full label. Neither Whole Foods nor the listing says whether it comes in a jar or a can, so check the photo on the Amazon page if packaging matters to you.
Why we like it
- Full ingredient list from the maker
- Organic, vegan and gluten-free (maker)
- Chipotle and ancho for smoke
- 300 mg sodium per 1/4 cup (maker)
Key specifications
| Size | 15.5 oz |
|---|---|
| Count | 1 |
| Heat | Mild (maker title) |
| Base | Tomato and red bell pepper |
| Main ingredients | Organic tomato purée, red bell pepper purée, vinegar, cornstarch, salt, cane sugar, chipotle, chile, ancho, spices |
| Allergens/diet | Vegan, gluten-free (maker) |
| Package | Not stated |
| Sodium (as listed) | 300 mg per 1/4 cup (maker) |
Why we recommend it
Choose it if you want an organic red sauce with a smoky chipotle note, and you like a sauce you can use straight from the container.
Skip it if you want the earthiness of dried red chile. Tomato and bell pepper lead the label.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Organic
- Smoky flavor
- Full maker label
Cons
- Tomato-led
- Packaging not stated
- Contains cane sugar
6. Frontera Red Chile Enchilada Sauce, 8 oz Pouch, 6-Pack – Roasted Tomato and Garlic
Frontera’s red enchilada sauce comes in 8-ounce pouches, and this listing is a case of six. The Amazon listing for the single pouch of the same sauce describes diced and fire-roasted tomatoes, New Mexico chile, roasted garlic, roasted onions and fire-roasted red bell peppers, and calls the sauce mild, Non-GMO Project Verified and gluten-free.
A retailer copy of the label adds apple cider vinegar, salt, cane sugar, xanthan gum, cayenne and oregano, and one retailer lists 480 milligrams of sodium per quarter cup, the highest figure on this page. Frontera says to heat the sauce in a skillet and that enchiladas are ready in about 15 minutes; the pouch is not meant for the microwave.
An 8-ounce pouch is the right size for a small pan of four to six enchiladas, which is why we include the case here. Our main enchilada guide recommends the single pouch; buy the six-pack if it becomes your weeknight sauce.
Why we like it
- Roasted tomato, chile and garlic (maker)
- Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free
- Small pouches, no leftovers
- Quick: about 15 minutes, per the maker
Key specifications
| Size | 8 oz |
|---|---|
| Count | 6 pouches |
| Heat | Mild (maker) |
| Base | Roasted tomato and New Mexico chile |
| Main ingredients | Tomatoes, New Mexico chile, roasted garlic, onions, red bell peppers, cider vinegar, salt, cane sugar, xanthan gum, spices |
| Allergens/diet | Gluten-free, Non-GMO Project Verified (maker) |
| Package | Pouch (not for microwave) |
| Sodium (as listed) | 480 mg per 1/4 cup (retailer) |
Why we recommend it
Choose it if you cook small pans of enchiladas often and like a roasted, slightly sweet tomato-chile sauce.
Skip it if you watch sodium or want to buy one pouch at a time. It has the highest sodium figure here, and this listing is a case.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Roasted flavor
- Portion-sized pouches
- Clear cooking directions
Cons
- Highest listed sodium
- Six pouches at once
- Contains cane sugar
7. The Fresh Chile Co. Hatch Red Chile Sauce, Hot, 16 oz Jar – Real Glass Jar, Four Ingredients
This is the one red sauce here that is a true jarred sauce with a label we could read. The Fresh Chile Company, a New Mexico chile maker, sells it in a 16-ounce glass jar with a screw lid. Its own page lists fire-roasted Hatch red chile purée, garlic, salt and lime juice. The Amazon listing also names four ingredients, but gives them as fresh Hatch red chile, garlic, citric acid and salt, so the two sources differ on the acid. Check the jar if that matters to you.
Neither list includes wheat, soy, milk or any other major allergen. We did not find a formal allergen statement from the maker, so if you have an allergy, read the label and ask the maker about shared equipment. The listing says gluten free, with no preservatives and no added sugar, and the maker’s page adds vegan. The maker gives 25 calories and 210 milligrams of sodium per quarter cup, the lowest figure on this page, and about eight servings per jar.
This listing is the hot version, which the maker puts at about 5,000 Scoville units. It is the only sauce here sold as hot. There is no starch or flour, so it pours thin; simmer it for a few minutes, or whisk in a little masa harina, before dipping tortillas. One jar covers a 9 by 13-inch pan lightly, at the low end of what that pan needs. The maker says to refrigerate it after opening and use it within two to four weeks.
Why we like it
- A real glass jar with a screw lid (maker)
- Four ingredients, red chile first
- No thickener or added sugar
- 210 mg sodium per 1/4 cup (maker)
Key specifications
| Size | 16 fl oz (maker) |
|---|---|
| Count | 1 jar |
| Heat | Hot (listing) |
| Base | Hatch red chile |
| Main ingredients | Hatch red chile purée, garlic, salt, lime juice (maker); the listing says citric acid instead of lime juice |
| Allergens/diet | No major allergens in either list, no formal allergen statement found; gluten free (listing), vegan (maker) |
| Package | Glass jar |
| Sodium (as listed) | 210 mg per 1/4 cup (maker) |
Why we recommend it
Choose it if you want red chile in a real jar, with nothing but chile, garlic, salt and an acid, and you like heat.
Skip it if you are cooking for children or want a thick sauce. It is hot and thin, and one jar is a tight fit for a large pan.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Real glass jar
- Very short label
- Lowest listed sodium here
Cons
- Hot, not for mild eaters
- Thin without simmering
- Maker and listing differ on the acid
How to choose a red enchilada sauce
Every red enchilada sauce on the shelf falls somewhere between two styles, and knowing which one you are buying matters more than the brand. Our enchilada sauces explained guide covers the red, green and mole families in more depth.
1. Chile sauce or tomato sauce
Read the first three ingredients. When dried red chile, chile purée or chile pods come first (Las Palmas Red Chile, La Victoria, The Fresh Chile Co.), you are buying a chile sauce: earthy, slightly bitter, closer to what a Mexican kitchen makes. When tomato comes first (Hatch, Old El Paso, 365, Frontera), you are buying a tomato sauce seasoned with chile, which is milder and sweeter. Neither is wrong, but they make different enchiladas.
2. Which chiles
Guajillo and New Mexico chiles give a bright, earthy red; ancho adds sweetness; chipotle adds smoke; California chiles are mild and fruity; árbol and cayenne add heat. Our guide to Mexican chiles explains each one. Many labels just say “spices” or “chile pepper,” which tells you little.
3. Thickness
Sauces thickened with corn starch or modified starch pour and coat straight from the container. Unthickened chile sauces are thinner and taste more concentrated; simmer them for five minutes, or whisk in a spoonful of masa harina, before dipping tortillas.
4. Package: can, pouch, carton or jar
Glass jars are rare for red enchilada sauce. Most sauces come in cans, which need a can opener and should not be stored open; move leftovers to a clean, covered container in the fridge, as the USDA advises for opened shelf-stable food. Pouches and jars can be closed and kept. Buy the size you will use in one or two meals: 8 to 12 ounces for a small pan, 19 to 28 ounces for a 9 by 13.
5. Sodium, sugar and soy
Sodium ranges widely, from about 210 to 480 milligrams per quarter cup among the picks here. Several sauces add a little sugar to balance the chile’s bitterness, and two use soybean oil. If any of those matter to you, the label will tell you in seconds.
Why most jarred red chile sauces are not on this list
Search Amazon for jarred red enchilada sauce and you will find several New Mexico red chile sauces in glass jars, including Ol’ Gringo, Santa Fe Seasons, Monroe’s and The Bossy Gourmet. Some of them may be excellent. We could not find a full ingredient list for any of them, from the maker, the listing or a retailer, and red chile sauces can contain wheat flour, a common allergen, as a thickener. El Pinto’s red chile sauce was a closer call: retailers show a list for the 16-ounce jar, but that jar was not reliably in stock, and we found no label for the 35-ounce jug that was. Our rule for food is simple: no published ingredient list, no recommendation. If those makers publish their labels, we will look again.
Two other jarred or popular options were unavailable: Siete’s red enchilada sauce, sold in a jar, was listed as unavailable, and the Somos red jar was out of stock. Somos red pouches were in stock, but we could not find an ingredient panel for the pouch, and a jar label is not good enough where allergens are concerned. We also left out El Pato’s enchilada sauces. A University of Nevada, Las Vegas study, reported by Grist, found lead above 0.1 parts per million in a bottle of El Pato’s hot sauce. That is a different product and an old result, and the 0.1 figure is the FDA’s guidance level for candy, not a limit for sauces, but with other good choices available we would rather point you elsewhere.
How we picked these seven sauces
We searched Amazon’s grocery category for red enchilada sauce and red chile sauce, checked every candidate’s stock with Amazon’s product data, and kept only sauces that were in stock from an identifiable brand. We then required a published ingredient list for each one, from the maker, the listing or a retailer’s copy of the label, and recorded sodium where a label gave it. We chose for variety: three chile-based sauces, one of them in a glass jar, and four tomato-based ones in different styles and package sizes.
We have not tasted these sauces for this guide, and nothing here says the restaurant uses them. Flavor notes come from the ingredient lists, the makers’ own words and what a kitchen knows about how each chile behaves. We did not use prices, star ratings or review counts.
Enchilada sauce questions, answered
What is the best jarred green enchilada sauce?
We do not have a pick for this right now, because this page covers red sauce and the green jar we liked is not available. The Somos 12-ounce jar has a short label of tomatillos, three green chiles, onion, garlic and olive oil, but it was out of stock when we last checked. Somos also sells green sauce in pouches, though we could not find the pouch’s own ingredient panel. For canned green sauces, see our main store-bought enchilada sauce guide.
Is red chile sauce the same as red enchilada sauce?
Close, but not quite. Red chile sauce is usually just chile, water, salt and seasoning, as in Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce. Enchilada sauce is often thickened and may be built on tomato. Both work for enchiladas; the chile sauce tastes more of chile.
How long does enchilada sauce keep after opening?
Do not store sauce in an opened can. Move it to a clean, covered container and refrigerate it, and follow the label’s guidance; Old El Paso’s label simply says to refrigerate the unused portion. Pouches and jars can be closed and refrigerated as they are.
How much sauce do I need for a pan of enchiladas?
About 2 to 3 cups, or 16 to 24 ounces, for a 9 by 13-inch pan of 10 to 12 enchiladas: some to dip the tortillas and the rest to pour over. One 19- or 28-ounce can, two 12-ounce pouches or two 15-ounce cans will do it.
Can I make a jarred sauce taste more homemade?
Yes. Fry the sauce for a few minutes in a spoonful of hot oil, add a pinch of cumin or Mexican oregano and a splash of stock, and taste for salt. With a tomato-based sauce, a teaspoon of ground ancho or guajillo chile adds the earthiness it lacks.
Our final word on red enchilada sauce
Keep a can of Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce for real chile flavor, add Hatch’s organic can or La Victoria’s pouches for easy weeknights, and pick up a jar of The Fresh Chile Co.’s Hatch red if you want a real glass jar and like heat. For every color of enchilada sauce, including green cans and powder mixes, see our best store-bought enchilada sauce roundup. And when you would rather someone else rolled the enchiladas, see our menu, or call to order at (346) 546-8283.