My easy guajillo sauce recipe blends dried guajillo chiles, garlic, lime, cumin, and oregano into a smooth, flavorful red chile sauce. Use it as a salsa, enchilada sauce, taco sauce, and more. Naturally vegan and gluten-free!
A Note From Kristen
I’ve made this guajillo sauce countless times over the years, and I love how much flavor you can coax out of such a simple handful of ingredients. Guajillo chiles have a rich, slightly fruity and earthy flavor without overwhelming heat, so this is one chile sauce I can use generously. I especially love it spooned over tacos and enchiladas, but I’ve found it’s incredibly versatile and worth keeping a batch on hand. Enjoy!
~Kristen
5-Stars From Our Readers
“We had this with tacos and it was delicious!
I wasn’t sure if it was going to be really spicy (even though you wrote that it wasn’t….but I am a weakling when it comes to spice) but it wasn’t, it was just really flavorful. We have some left over so I am going to use it for breakfast with my country potatoes and eggs! THANK YOU”
— Claire
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Key Ingredients
A few quick notes on the ingredients that matter most. Find the full ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Guajillo Sauce
My Favorite Ways to Use Guajillo Sauce
- Enchiladas: My favorite way to use guajillo sauce is as an enchilada sauce! I love it with simple cheese enchiladas made with corn tortillas and Monterey Jack.
- Tacos: Drizzle it over tofu tacos, veggie burritos, tostadas, or taco bowls for an easy red chile sauce.
- Dipping sauce: Serve it salsa-style with quesadillas, tortilla chips, taquitos, or even French fries.
- Beans and rice: Spoon it over black beans, pinto beans, Mexican rice, or your favorite grain bowl.
- Roasted vegetables: Toss with roasted potatoes, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, or other vegetables for a smoky chile flavor.
Storing Homemade Guajillo Sauce
Store leftover guajillo sauce in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. For longer storage, freeze the sauce for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Are Guajillo Chiles Spicy?
Guajillo chiles are considered relatively mild, typically ranging from about 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville heat units. They have a rich, earthy and slightly fruity flavor with gentle heat, which makes this guajillo sauce flavorful without being overwhelmingly spicy.
More Delicious Chile Sauces You Might Like
Guajillo Sauce (Easy Red Chile Sauce)
Ingredients
- 5 large dried guajillo chiles stemmed
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 ¼ cup boiling water to cover
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar of choice I like to use coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground oregano
Method
- In a large bowl add the stemmed dried chiles and garlic cloves. Cover with the boiling water, then cover the bowl with a towel and allow the chiles to soak for 20 minutes or until softened.
- Add the chiles, garlic and soaking water to a blender or food processor along with the lime juice, sugar, salt, cumin and oregano.
- Blend until you have a smooth, vibrant red sauce.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated using a third-party calculator and is an estimate only.
I loved the bold flavor of this sauce, perfect for Friday night enchiladas.
I recently came across the Guajillo Sauce recipe and decided to give it a try. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed! I used the sauce as a salsa for our recent game night and my boys absolutely loved it.
The recipe was easy to follow and the end result had the perfect balance of spiciness and acidity. The Guajillo chilies gave the sauce a unique flavor that was unlike any other salsa I’ve ever had.
We paired the salsa with some tortilla chips and it was a hit among all of our guests. The sauce was so good that even the picky eaters at the party couldn’t resist going back for seconds.
Overall, I highly recommend giving the Guajillo Sauce recipe a try. It’s an easy way to add some excitement to your next party or gathering, and you won’t be disappointed with the results.
We had this with tacos and it was delicious!
I wasn’t sure if it was going to be really spicy (even though you wrote that it wasn’t….but I am a weakling when it comes to spice) but it wasn’t, it was just really flavorful.
We have some left over so I am going to use it for breakfast with my country potatoes and eggs!
THANK YOU
This sauce was incredibly flavorful! Love that it is much healthier than store bought versions.
I made this as a larger part of a Mexican inspired charcuterie/ taco board and everyone loved it. I liked how easy it was. Will make again.
I loved the taste and the beautiful vibrant color of this sauce!
Thanks so much!
Had this on our tacos and WOW! I want bottles of this sauce!
We used this guajillo sauce as the base of our quesadillas and it gave them such an amazing flavor! Great Friday night meal.
This had the perfect amount of spiciness! And so flavorful. Thanks so much!
This is a must-try sauce recipe! Guajillo sauce is so easy to make, flavorful (not too spicy) and I love that it’s gluten-free and vegan.
This was bursting with flavor! We made enchiladas and they turned out fantadtic
I want this sauce on everything! It’s so bold and robust without being overly spice! Love it!
This flavor was insane! But not too spicy, we loved it
This hits such a perfect balance between smoky, sweet, and tangy – I tried it on eggs and now I’m going to put it on everything! Love this recipe!
This gave my enchiladas just the right amount of spice!
I wanted to make enchiladas but didn’t have any jarred sauce so I tried this recipe. It was perfect for the dish and super easy to make!
This makes the perfect enchilada sauce. Great recipe, the whole family loved it.
I made this for enchiladas and we liked how this sauce wasn’t too spicy! Will make it again!
This homemade sauce is delicious. Great for taco Tuesday.
I’ve always been intimidated to make my own chile sauces from scratch but this was SO EASY. I am totally converted! Thank you!!!
This sauce is delicious! Just the right amount of heat. My daughter likes a mild spice and this was perfect. Thank you for the recipe!
I love making sauces and this was easy to make and loved the flavor and that vibrant color. I used this for tacos.
Wonderfully spiced and flavored! Used this as an appetizer at a recent get together and everyone loved it!
Love this rich and flavorful sauce! I used it as a topping for enchiladas instead of regular enchilada sauce and it turned out great!
The sauce was a big hit at dinner last night. Thanks!
We made birra tacos and topped them with this salsa! So good!
This guajillo sauce is a new favorite! It’s got some of those really delicious flavors without a whole lot of heat, which can sometimes be overpowering. Definitely making this again to serve with appetizers!