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    Home » International Recipes » Flavors from Mexico » Pasilla Sauce for Enchiladas

    Pasilla Sauce for Enchiladas

    Apr 30, 2015 · by Valentina · 10 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This delicious Pasilla Sauce for Enchiladas has a deep, rich smoky flavor that's amazing not only with enchiladas, but also with chicken, steak, fish, pasta, rice or simply for a dipping sauce. Smoky Pasilla Enchilada Sauce in a round terra cotta bowl with one dried pepper on top.

    I originally created this Pasilla Sauce recipe for enchiladas I made for Cinco de Mayo, and it quickly became something I wanted in the fridge at the ready all the time.

    I love creating sauce recipes using different chile varieties, and the smoky flavor of the dried pasillas makes this recipe incredibly delicious!

    Now I switch off between this recipe and an Ancho Chile Sauce that I also love. I use both of them on everything from rice and pasta dishes to grilled steak and shrimp -- oh yes, and on enchiladas, too!  

    And check out these super cool snacks from the Don Enrique line at Melissa's Produce. They're called Pasta Para Duros and they're fun, so I wanted to share them with you.

    Smoky Poblano Enchilada Sauce and Pasta Duros in a terra cotta bowl

    What are Pasilla Chile Peppers?

    • Pasilla chile peppers are the dried form of the Chilaca chili pepper, a long and narrow pepper.
    • Named for their dark, wrinkled skin, they vary in heat from mild to medium-hot, and are rich in flavor.
    • In the U.S., Poblanos are often called Pasillas, but from my research, they are indeed different peppers.

    I love this smoky Pasilla Enchilada Sauce on so many foods -- chicken, meat, fish, rice, nachos, and even pasta. And check it out on my favorite Vegetarian Enchiladas below.One vegetarian enchilada on a white plate, sliced in half so the filling is showing, with avocado slices and diced tomato on top.

    Enjoy!

    Smoky Poblano Enchilada Sauce and Pasta Duros-green-clay-ceramic-herbs | cookingontheweekends.com

    Smoky Pasilla Enchilada Sauce Recipe

    Valentina K. Wein
    This smoky, delicious Smoky Pasilla Enchilada Sauce recipe is divine with enchiladas (of course!), as well as chicken, steak, fish, pasta, rice or simply for a dipping sauce. 
    Makes approximately 2 cups
    5 from 1 vote
    Print
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Sauces, Ingredient
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 16
    Calories 9 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • about 5 medium-large dried pasilla chiles
    • water
    • 1 cup cooking liquid (reserved -- see recipe instructions)
    • ¾ cup vegetable stock
    • 4 small garlic cloves, peeled, stems and roots removed
    • 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

    Instructions
     

    • Place the dried chiles in a medium-sized sauce pot and add enough water to cover them.
    • Bring the water to a boil and then cover the pot and remove it from the heat. Let the chiles hydrate in the hot water for at least 45 minutes.
    • Remove 1 cup of the water from the pot and pour it a blender.
    • Then remove the chiles from the pot. (You should have about 1 cup's worth.) Use your hands or a paring knife to gently remove the stems and seeds. Then add the chiles to blender.
    • Add the stock, garlic, cumin, sugar, salt and cinnamon.
    • Purée until the sauce is completely smooth, about 30 seconds.
    • Pour the sauce into a storage container and keep refrigerated until you're ready to use it.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 9kcal
    Keywords Mexican sauces, great for enchiladas
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.



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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jeanne @JollyTomato

      April 30, 2015 at 9:07 am

      Oh my gosh! Those pasta para duros are so cool! I can't wait to try them!

      Reply
      • valentina

        April 30, 2015 at 10:38 am

        5 stars
        I had no idea they'd puff up like that. So cool! And tasty, too.

        Reply
    2. Blanca

      April 30, 2015 at 11:34 am

      Duritos are so addicting. I was just talking about them last night. We always had these at home growing up. The pinwheels and the flat long ones. I like the long ones because you can scoop up more stuff with them. Now I need to stock up on some chiles and duros because my mouth is watering. Thanks for all the great recipe ideas.

      Reply
      • valentina

        April 30, 2015 at 8:52 pm

        Thank YOU, Blanca. I so appreciate your continued support! XOXO

        Reply
    3. Ann Godfrey

      May 01, 2015 at 7:47 am

      Hello. I was thinking this sauce would be great in a corn, black bean and red pepper salad or a pasta salad with beans? What are your thoughts?

      Reply
      • valentina

        May 01, 2015 at 10:13 am

        Ann, my thoughts are that, that sounds fabulous! YUM! 😀

        Reply
    4. David

      May 02, 2015 at 7:53 am

      The sauce is TDF. And I saw the Pasata Para Duros at my Food City the other day - all kinds of them. I meant to ask what they are and how to prepare them. Definitely worth knowing they are good for dipping!

      Reply
      • valentina

        May 03, 2015 at 6:31 pm

        So cool you saw the Pasta Para Duros before you saw this. Love that I addressed this question for you. 😉 xo

        Reply
    5. Ash-foodfashionparty

      May 03, 2015 at 8:54 pm

      The sauce looks amazing. What I'm more happy about are the fried pasta which is so common in Indian cooking too. Love this one.

      Reply
      • valentina

        May 04, 2015 at 2:28 pm

        Thank you so much! Yes, I've had some similar Indian treats/snacks and love them! 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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