Next Time You Make Spaghetti, Break Out A Can Of Enchilada Sauce

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Enchilada sauce has more uses than its namesake dish. And while other Mexican specialties like burritos, chilaquiles, and chiles rellenos will benefit from enchilada sauce, some Italian dishes will too. So, next time you plan on making a spaghetti recipe, leave the jarred pasta sauce in the pantry and grab a can of enchilada sauce instead.

A zesty and spicy blend of spices, aromatics, vinegar, and tomato paste, canned enchilada sauce brings more depth than a cheesy Alfredo or simple tomato sauce. Plus, it'll streamline spaghetti night by making the meal a veritable dump dinner. There are plenty of ways to incorporate a can of enchilada sauce, starting with the obvious application of simply pouring it over spaghetti with a bit of starchy pasta water to loosen it up.

Since this canned ingredient is significantly more intense than tomato sauce and meant to be used with cheesy, meaty enchiladas, another option is to use it in a one-pot crock pot recipe or even as a baked dish. You can swap tomato sauce for enchilada sauce in this recipe for instant pot spaghetti with ground beef. The addition of broth will temper the intensity of this spicier substitute. Of course, you could also soften the sauce's flavor by blending it with Mexican crema or cream cheese in a sauce pan, which will enrich and thicken it as well.

Enchilada sauce brings a completely different flavor profile to the table which can likewise take your spaghetti dinner in new and creative directions. Since many ingredient upgrades for canned enchilada sauce overlap with classic Italian sauce recipes, a culinary fusion won't be too much of a stretch. For a Mexican spin on the classic spaghetti bolognese, you can make a sauce with crumbled chorizo, a can of enchilada sauce, and a can of Rotel Hot Diced Tomatoes. You can draw inspiration from recipes like our loaded beef and cheese enchilada to put a Mexican twist on baked spaghetti. You can fry ground beef with onions, garlic, and bell peppers before adding the enchilada sauce. Additionally, swap out the dried basil for dried oregano and the mozzarella cheese for a cheddar and Monterey Jack blend. You can use up a leftover rotisserie chicken by shredding it and blending it with enchilada sauce, cream cheese, and chicken broth.

If you're looking for a vegetarian recipe, you can make an enchilada cream sauce for the spaghetti, stirring in some frozen corn kernels, roasted poblano strips, and grilled onions. Add a sprinkle of cotija cheese as a garnish. Just as beans are a popular Italian addition to dishes like pasta e fagioli, black beans would be a great addition to enchilada spaghetti. Pair them with roasted red peppers, black olives, and green onions for a protein-packed and flavorful vegetarian meal.