This sour cream enchilada sauce recipe is one of my top recipes! It’s versatile and incredibly delicious!
This sour cream enchilada sauce is one of my favorite recipes to make for guests because I know they are going to love it. In fact, everyone who consumes it asks what kind of sauce it is and if they can have the recipe.
Is this sour cream sauce only good for enchiladas?
No. Although this sauce makes a heavenly pairing with fish or chicken enchiladas, you can also use it to dress up pasta, gnocchi, veggies and more.
Do I have to use it all up right away?
No. This sauce will keep for a while in the fridge and still tastes delicious left over. Just heat it up, pour it on something yummy and you are on your way to happy taste buds!
Does this recipe take a lot of time to make?
No. It’s quick an easy. Just how I like my recipes!
Since this is one of my popular recipes, I remade it specifically to put on my chicken enchiladas and re-shoot the ingredients! It’s amazing how far my photography has come. I left one of the original photos in this post. It’s the one with the sour cream in the front.
How to Make Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce
All the ingredients except for the cheese are pictured above. We have flour, butter, sour cream, chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
Heat a heavy saucepan on medium heat and melt 3 tablespoons of butter, making sure not to brown it. Add 3 tablespoons of all purpose white flour and whisk for about 1 minute. It should form a paste.
Next, add the chicken broth, salt, garlic and onion powder. Whisk them all together until incorporated and smooth. Continue to stand there and let it come to a boil, all the while whisking as it thickens up. It takes around 5 minutes.
Here’s one of the old ingredients photos.
Will heat curdle sour cream?
Yes. Once your base sauce has cooked for a few minutes and thickened, take it off the heat and let it cool for a minimum of 5 minutes. No curdled sour cream in my enchilada sauce! Once the liquid is cool, add the sour cream and stir until smooth.
How do I adjust the texture?
I admit I’ve been known to gild the lily, so to thicken the sauce and give it more flavor, sometimes I add 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and stir it into the sauce until it’s melted. You don’t have to add cheese, of course, but I find it makes this sauce extra rich and delish!
On the flip side, if you feel the sauce is too thick when it’s done, add more chicken broth to thin it. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t, depending on what I’m using it for.
That is it! See? Easy.
I chose to top some chicken enchiladas with this yummy sauce. I like topping shrimp enchiladas with this sour cream enchilada sauce too, but not today.
Let’s get a closer view of the chicken enchiladas draped with this lovely sauce.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe. Please feel free to leave me a comment and also you can Pin any photo to Pinterest and Yum the recipe to Yummly.
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons white all purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth divided keep 1/2 cup to the side to thin out the sauce to your liking
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Heat a heavy sauce pan on medium heat
- Add butter, melt but don't brown it
- Add flour and whisk for 1 minute until thickened
- Add chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder and salt
- Whisk until smooth
- Let it come to a boil and whisk it as it thickens
- Take off heat and let cool for 5 minutes
- Add sour cream and stir it in
- Put pan back on low heat
- Add cheese and stir until melted
- Add 1/2 cup or less of chicken broth to thin the sour cream sauce to your liking
- Ladle on enchiladas or dish of your choice
- Enjoy
Love this sauce, I have been going mad looking for sour cream here in France but I know it is there somewhere with a name that cannot remember. A friend bought it once but she has no clue how and I cold never find it again. I keep buying all types of cream but no luck for the moment. Hopefully I will find it again soon and will make this sauce.
Thanks so much Laura, it’s so good! I sometimes sneak spoonfuls when Christopher isn’t looking!
Homemade is always the best!
It really is Jacque, isn’t it?
What a great sauce! this looks decadent!
Thanks Suzy, it’s so yummy!
What a great idea! I don’t think you can go wrong with a sour cream-based anything sauce! YUM!
Thanks so much Traci!! I appreciate it!
Yes!! Was just telling someone about my current craving for enchiladas! This recipe couldn’t have popped up at a better time! Can’t wait to try this sauce!
Thanks Sarah. You won’t be disappointed!
Okay okay- you’re convincing me.. I NEEEEED to make enchiladas! Or maybe I’ll just make this sauce and drizzle it all over tacos. YUM!
Oooo. That would be good on tacos Sarah!!
Chicken enchiladas are a favorite in my house. This sauce looks SO creamy and delicious! YUM!
Thank you Ashley!
Homemade enchilada sauce is the best. This white version looks great. I would use this on pasta too….and might just have to give this experiment a try.
Thank you Gloria. It’s pretty awesome on pasta, especially gnocchi!
I’ve never made enchiladas but this sauce looks so yummy I need to try it…..with cheese of course!
Thank you Amanda!
Oh, yes, you have indeed come a long way with your photography! Well done! I love creamy enchilada sauces—with extra cheese, please! This is going to the top of my To-Make list!
Thanks Michelle!! I appreciate it!
I love how versatile this sauce is – I could eat it on so many thing and in so many different ways! Yummy!
Thanks Corina! It is so yummy!
I can definitely see this being used on some fish. Yummy. Thanks for sharing this homemade versio
You are welcome Renz!! It’s a great sauce.
I love the idea of a sour cream sauce! It’s literally perfect for everything! I was planning on making enchiladas tonght for dinner and now I think I am going to tweak my plan and use your sauce instead of the green sauce! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Carrie! I hope you enjoy it!
I’ve never had or made an enchilada sauce and this one looks fantastic! It must be so good on some veggies too, and I can easily see why your guests love it and ask for the recipe!
It’s so yummy Nicoletta. Thank you for commenting. 🙂
this sauce looks amazing,never made mine but would love to try it soon☺
Thank you Prasanna. I hope you enjoy it!
Sounds like a great all-around sauce! I need to give it a try on an enchilada casserole that I love to make!
It really is Kathryn! So yummy.
MMMMMmmmmmmmm!!
You know it babe!
I really love the versatility of this sauce. I am a big fan of sour cream and Mexican crema so this sauce makes sense to me. I can’t wait to try it, maybe on some rice dishes when I don’t get the rice just right and it tastes like it needs ‘something’, ha ha. Your photography is beautiful, I really love your use of natural light:)
Thanks Tina 🙂 I agree about how versatile it is! (p.s. I use artificial light – it’s a good light so I’m glad it is fooling peeps! ) 😉
Yum! This would be perfect! I will be bookmarking this recipe for the next time I make Enchiladas. I have actually never made a white enchilada sauce, so this will be a good surprise for the family.
It’s so good Lois. Thanks for commenting!
Don’t you just love when something so simple turns out so tasty? And the icing on the cake is that it is so versatile and can be used to dress up so many different dishes. What’s not to love?
Yes, I do Lynn! Thanks for commenting!
Sweet baby Jesus! This sauce is fantastic. Though, I added half a cup of cheese instead of a 4th and doubles the garlic. I love the simplicity and versatility of the sauce. I already have plans for this sauce with poblano peppers and maybe hatch chilis.
Seriously, amaahhhzing!!!
Thanks so much Stephanie! You just made my night. I’m so glad! I love your modifications! I’m going to try yours!
A much easier and quicker way than waiting for the gravy to cool is to temper the sour cream with the hot gravy.
Add a spoonful of the hot liquid at a time to the sour cream and stir, then repeat. I’m extra paranoid of curdling so I end up adding about 1/4 cup of the hot liquid per cup of sour cream (I’ve been told I don’t need to temper as much as I do).
I do that regularly with stroganoff and it’s brilliant.
Great tip Shelby. Can’t wait to try it your way.