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. 
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.
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.
Enjoy!
Smoky Pasilla Enchilada Sauce Recipe
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.
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Jeanne @JollyTomato says
Oh my gosh! Those pasta para duros are so cool! I can’t wait to try them!
valentina says
I had no idea they’d puff up like that. So cool! And tasty, too.
Blanca says
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.
valentina says
Thank YOU, Blanca. I so appreciate your continued support! XOXO
Ann Godfrey says
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?
valentina says
Ann, my thoughts are that, that sounds fabulous! YUM! 😀
David says
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!
valentina says
So cool you saw the Pasta Para Duros before you saw this. Love that I addressed this question for you. 😉 xo
Ash-foodfashionparty says
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.
valentina says
Thank you so much! Yes, I’ve had some similar Indian treats/snacks and love them! 🙂