Siete Foods is a company based in Texas that makes grain-free and dairy-free Mexican food products. One of their most popular items is the Siete green enchilada sauce. This tangy green sauce can be used to make delicious enchiladas, tacos, burritos, and more. But what exactly is in this sauce that makes it both flavorful and gluten-free? Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients list on a bottle of Siete green enchilada sauce.
The Siete green enchilada sauce contains just 8 main ingredients, all of which are natural and minimally processed. By keeping the ingredient list short, Siete is able to create an authentic Mexican enchilada sauce flavor using wholesome, gluten-free foods.
Tomatillos
The first ingredient listed on a bottle of Siete green enchilada sauce is tomatillos. Tomatillos are a staple of Mexican cooking and provide the base for many green sauces. Sometimes called a “Mexican husk tomato”, the tomatillo looks similar to a small green tomato but with a papery husk covering the outside. When this husk is removed, the tomatillo has a firm flesh that ranges from green to yellow-green in color.
Tomatillos have a tangy, citrusy flavor that offers some natural sweetness. When cooked down into a sauce, tomatillos create a balanced, savory flavor profile. In the Siete green enchilada sauce, the tomatillos are simmered along with the other ingredients to create a flavorful green sauce. Just one cup of tomatillos contains only 42 calories yet is packed with vitamin C and vitamin K.
Avocado Oil
The second ingredient is avocado oil. Avocado oil is an unrefined oil that is extracted from the fleshy pulp surrounding the avocado pit. It has a mild green color and smooth, buttery texture thanks to its high oleic acid content. Avocado oil has a very high smoke point of over 500°F, making it an ideal oil for cooking.
In the Siete green enchilada sauce, avocado oil is likely used both for some of the cooking process as well as adding richness and creaminess to the finished sauce. Using avocado oil instead of canola or vegetable oil gives the sauce a more natural, less processed quality. And because avocado oil is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, it provides a nutrition upgrade over more conventional cooking oils. Just one tablespoon of avocado oil contains 120 calories and 14 grams of fat, most of which are monounsaturated.
Hatch Green Chiles
No green enchilada sauce would be complete without green chiles, and Siete uses Hatch green chiles in their recipe. The Hatch chile is a famous regional chile pepper grown in Hatch, New Mexico. While they can vary in heat levels, Hatch chiles are typically mildly hot with a bright, crisp flavor. When roasted, they take on earthy, sweet notes that complement the other ingredients nicely.
Hatch chiles give the Siete green enchilada sauce authentic New Mexican flavor. The amount used balances spice with sweetness, while letting the tomatillo and spices shine through. Just 2 ounces of roasted Hatch chiles contain 20 calories, 140 mg potassium, and vitamin C. They also provide immune-boosting antioxidants like carotenoids and capsaicin.
Jalapeño
Jalapeño peppers are another ingredient in the Siete green enchilada sauce, listed after the Hatch chiles. Native to Mexico, jalapeños are one of the most widely used peppers in Mexican cuisine. They have a hotter, more pungent flavor than Hatch chiles.
The combination of Hatch chiles and jalapeños gives this enchilada sauce a layered, complex heat. Jalapeños contain capsaicin, the compound that gives all chili peppers their spicy kick. Capsaicin may have health benefits related to pain relief, weight management, and heart health. Jalapeños also provide vitamin C.
Onion
Onions play an important savory role in Siete’s enchilada sauce recipe. Onions contain natural sugars that caramelize when cooked, bringing out their sweet, mellow flavors. This provides a nice complement to the tart tomatillos and heat from the peppers.
Sautéing the onions before simmering everything together enhances their sweetness. Onions are very low in calories and high in vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, and manganese. They contain antioxidant flavonoids as well as prebiotic fibers that support healthy digestion.
Garlic
Garlic is another fundamental ingredient in enchilada sauce, used along with the onions. Garlic has a pungent, spicy aroma that mellows out considerably during cooking. When infused into the simmering sauce, garlic adds layers of umami flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.
Garlic provides many nutrients and health benefits as well, including antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and antimicrobial effects. It may help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. One clove of garlic has just 4 calories yet contains manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and selenium.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The next ingredient is extra virgin olive oil, an essential component of Mexican cuisine. Extra virgin olive oil is an unrefined oil made from the first cold pressing of olives. It has a bold, fruity aroma and flavor with some natural bitterness. Extra virgin olive oil also contains powerful antioxidant compounds like oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol.
In the Siete enchilada sauce, extra virgin olive oil adds a touch of richness without weighing down the sauce. It likely gets stirred in at the end for fresh olive oil flavor. The monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil are tied to many health benefits, including reduced inflammation, improved cholesterol levels, and better heart health.
Spices and seasonings
The final ingredients in Siete green enchilada sauce are the spices and seasonings that give it authentic Mexican zing. Based on the flavors, it seems their spice blend contains ingredients like:
- Cumin – Earthy, nutty cumin is essential for Tex-Mex and Mexican dishes. It adds a warm, aromatic layer to the sauce.
- Oregano – Herby, slightly pungent oregano nicely seasons the simmering tomatillos and chiles.
- Garlic powder – More garlic flavor.
- Onion powder – Adds savory umami taste.
- Sea salt – For seasoning.
- Black pepper – Provides subtle heat.
This mélange of spices perfectly balances and melds with the other ingredients, resulting in a flavorful yet not overpowering enchilada sauce. The spices and chiles provide antioxidants as well as compounds that may aid digestion.
Conclusion
Siete Foods manages to create an authentic, restaurant-quality enchilada sauce using just a handful of natural whole ingredients. By relying on real foods like tomatillos, Hatch chiles, avocado oil, and olive oil, they produce a flavorful sauce that would be hard to tell apart from one made with more processed ingredients. It’s a testament to the power of high-quality whole foods in making dishes that deliver on both taste and nutrition.
The 8 main ingredients in Siete green enchilada sauce highlight the flavors of Mexican cuisine:
- Tomatillos – Tart, citrusy flavor
- Avocado oil – Rich, creamy texture
- Hatch green chiles – Savory roasted chile flavor
- Jalapeño – Spicy kick
- Onion – Sweet, mellow notes
- Garlic – Savory, aromatic
- Olive oil – Fruity, full-bodied
- Spices – Cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper
Together they create a tasty, gluten-free green enchilada sauce you can feel good about eating. Next time you want to make enchiladas, tacos, or another Mexican dish, try Siete’s green enchilada sauce for authentic home-cooked flavor from wholesome ingredients. Your taste buds and your body will thank you.
| Ingredient | Key Characteristics | Nutrients |
|---|---|---|
| Tomatillos | Tangy, tart, fresh | Vitamin C, vitamin K |
| Avocado Oil | Rich, buttery | Monounsaturated fats |
| Hatch Green Chiles | Savory, earthy | Vitamin C, potassium |
| Jalapeño | Spicy, pungent | Capsaicin |
| Onion | Sweet, mellow | Vitamin C, folate |
| Garlic | Pungent, aromatic | Manganese, vitamin C |
| Olive Oil | Fruity, bitter | Monounsaturated fats |
| Spices | Warm, earthy | Antioxidants |
References
- Siete Foods. https://sietefoods.com/
- USDA FoodData Central. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
- Barbaro, A. (2014). Tomatillos: A tasty new treat. https://producesmadesimple.ca
- Gunnars, K. (2018). Avocado oil: The healthiest oil on the planet? https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/avocado-oil-benefits
- New Mexico State University. (n.d.). Hatch chile. https://hatchchile.nmsu.edu/
- Lomax, A.R. & Calderwood, L. (2018). Onions: Health benefits, facts, research. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/276411
- Mercola. (2015). What are the benefits of garlic? https://foodfacts.mercola.com/garlic.html
- Gill, C.I.R., Boyd, A., & McDermott, E. (2021). Potential health benefits of olive oil and plant polyphenols. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8123420/