This easy Tex-Mex Cheese Enchiladas recipe is a family favorite! Simply lightly fry corn tortillas, roll up with jack or cheddar cheese, top with a tomato green chili sauce, more cheese and bake.
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When I’m asked, “What’s your favorite recipe on the site?” my answer without hesitation is this – my mom’s cheese enchiladas!
Video: How to make cheese enchiladas
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enchiladas
How to make enchiladas
My mom, a 5th generation Hispanic from Arizona, learned this recipe from my grandmother. Here’s her step-by-step recipe for making enchiladas using yellow corn tortillas, a cheese filling, and a tomato, green, and chili sauce.
Note that there are many types of enchiladas – green chili, shrimp, chicken, red chili – to name a few. This recipe is a lot more Tex Mex than Mexican and easy to make.
You soften some corn tortillas, put some jack cheese in them and roll them up. Place the rolled tortillas in a 9×13 baking dish, top with the tomato and green chili sauce, some more cheese and bake.
A tip for tortilla preparation
Sturdy yellow corn tortillas hold up better in these enchiladas than more tender white corn tortillas. (Do not use flour tortillas in this recipe; they won’t taste right.) The corn tortillas need to be softened before they are rolled and baked in the casserole.
Frying them gently in a little oil softens the tortillas and also improves their flavor significantly. You can do this individually or take my mom’s trick.
She places another tortilla either on top of the tortilla in the pan (then flips both tortillas) or underneath. In either case, the tortilla absorbs some of the excess fat from the first tortilla.
You can continue to “stack” tortillas by removing those that have bubbled, soaked, and lightly browned while adding more oil to the pan as needed. This way you can heat and soften the tortillas without using a lot of fat.
How to make this enchilada sauce
The sauce for these enchiladas couldn’t be easier to make! Start by cooking chopped onions and garlic in a pan. Then add canned tomatoes, green chillies, some oregano and a little water.
If you don’t have green chiles, you can substitute 1 cup of your favorite prepared salsa for the chiles (cooked, don’t use fresh, uncooked tomato salsa).
What to serve with enchiladas
We like to eat these enchiladas with a simple side of thinly sliced iceberg lettuce, sprinkled with some apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt. Cool and crunchy, iceberg lettuce has just the right texture and flavor to accompany these enchiladas.
You can also serve them with chopped avocado or guacamole, dollops of sour cream, and some freshly chopped cilantro.
Prep, Freeze, and Reheat Instructions
You can assemble these enchiladas the day before and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to bake them. Once cooked, they will keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
You can also freeze them and just reheat them in the microwave or oven. To freeze, wrap them first in plastic wrap and then in heavy-duty aluminum foil.
More enchiladas to fall in love with
- Red Chili Chicken Enchiladas
- Green chile enchiladas
- Easy stir fry chicken enchiladas
- Texas Stacked Corn and Black Bean Enchiladas
- Creamy Cheesy Turkey Enchiladas
Easy enchiladas
Sturdy yellow corn tortillas hold up better in these enchiladas than more tender white corn tortillas. The corn tortillas need to be soaked before they are rolled and baked in the casserole. Gentle frying in a little oil enhances the taste of the tortillas enormously. Do not use flour tortillas for this recipe.
If you don’t have green chiles, you can substitute 1 cup of your favorite prepared salsa for the chiles (cooked, don’t use fresh, uncooked tomato salsa).
ingredients
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2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil or other cooking oil
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12 Corn Tortillas
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1/2 Onionchopped (about 3/4 cup)
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1 clove Garlic, chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
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1 (14–ounce can of chopped tomatoespreferably fire roasted
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3/4 Cup chopped cooked green chilies (about a 4-ounce can) or 1/3 cup chopped pickled jalapeños (more or less to taste, depending on how hot the chilies are and how spicy you want your enchiladas)
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1/2 Cup water
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1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
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1 pound (4 cups) Rifle Cheesemild cheddar or blend, grated
Serve:
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1/2 head iceberg lettuce
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2 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
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sprinkle from Salt
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1 Cup sour cream
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handful coriander
method
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Preheat oven to 350°F
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Lightly sear the tortillas to soften them:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add a tablespoon of oil. When the oil is simmering and hot, add a corn tortilla to the pan. Cook for a few seconds, turn over with a metal spatula and cook for a few more seconds.
You can tenderize all the tortillas individually this way, or use my mom’s trick of doubling and tripling the tortillas to absorb excess fat.
My mom puts another tortilla either on top of the tortilla in the pan (then flips both tortillas) or underneath. In either case, the tortilla absorbs some of the excess fat from the first tortilla.
You can continue to “stack” tortillas by removing those that have bubbled, soaked, and lightly browned while adding more oil to the pan as needed.
This allows you to brown and soften the tortillas without using a lot of fat.
It’s important to pre-cook the tortillas because not only will cooking help soften them up for rolling, but cooking them in some fat will help develop the flavor of the tortillas.
When the tortillas are browning a little, transfer them to a plate.
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Make the enchilada sauce:
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the crushed tomatoes. Add the green chilies. Add 1/2 cup of water. Add the oregano. Bring to a simmer and taste. If the sauce tastes too vinegary, add half a teaspoon of sugar to the sauce. Remove from stove.
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Roll up the tortillas with cheese:
Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of a 3-quart (9×13) casserole dish. Lightly cover 2/3 of a tortilla with the grated cheese, then roll up and place in the casserole dish. Continue until all of the tortillas are filled and rolled.
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Add sauce and cheese:
Pour sauce on top of tortillas in casserole dish. Make sure the rolled tortillas are covered with the sauce. If not, add a little water to thin the sauce and distribute it more evenly on the tortillas. Cover with the remaining grated cheese.
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Bake:
Place the casserole in the oven at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Serve with sliced (1/3 inch to 1/2 inch) iceberg lettuce that has been sprinkled with apple cider vinegar and salt. Garnish enchiladas with coriander and sour cream.
See Perfect Guacamole for a great guacamole and avocado side dish.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 830 | calories |
| 58gr | Fat |
| 47g | carbohydrates |
| 33g | protein |
