This dinner recipe is a must have for busy evenings. For more delicious recipes with Mexican inspired flavor, check out these cheesy Enchilada Meatballs serve with tortillas to make the ultimate dinner idea. Then there is this Turkey Taco Pasta, loaded with cheese and flavor. For a meal lighter in calories, check out this Weight Watchers Taco Soup.
My kids devoured these tex mex cheese enchiladas (not kidding!!) and I don’t think I can make them again fast enough! And who wouldn’t be pleased with soft corn tortillas, hot melty cheese, and a smokey red sauce.
This dish is gluten free as long as you make sure you buy gluten free corn tortillas and shred your own cheese from a block.
I love this cheese enchilada recipe because it is insanely easy to put together and just throw right into your oven. If you love cooking with peppers and cheese, try these homemade chiles rellenos.
Huge bonus is it only takes about 30 minutes to make! So it is perfect to make on busy weekdays. If you are super short on time, just use your favorite jarred or canned red enchilada sauce instead of the homemade version.
The red chile sauce in this enchilada recipe is creamy and flavorful, but not too spicy. It has a subtle hint of warmth, that comes from the Ancho Chile powder which has a smokey, mild flavor. This sauce comes together easily with a few basic pantry staples.
I’m not going to say that these enchiladas are healthy per se, but they are a fabulous comfort food. They are healthier than restaurant enchiladas at least. This recipe actually has you heat the corn tortillas in the microwave instead of frying them. Saving you calories and time!!
Once these babies were cooked, I sprinkled these scrumptious, cheesy enchiladas with fresh cilantro and queso fresco. What is queso fresco you may ask? It’s a crumbly Mexican cheese with a delicate, slightly salty flavor. If you have never had it, I recommend it!
Looking for a version with chicken? Then try these easy chicken enchiladas or these creamy chicken enchiladas.
Easy Cheese Enchiladas Ingredients
- Ancho Chili: Dried ancho chili powder.
- Cumin: Dried cumin powder.
- Garlic Powder: Dried garlic powder.
- Oregano: Either dried oregano or powdered oregano.
- Vegetable Oil: Extra-Virgin olive oil.
- Flour: All purpose flour.
- Vegetable Broth
- Vinegar: I used Apple Cider Vinegar, but you can also use distilled white vinegar.
- Cheese: You will need both Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses. Grate this yourself from a block of cheese for best results.
- Salt: Sea salt or kosher salt.
- Pepper: Freshly ground pepper.
- Tortillas: Use corn tortillas, the 6-inch size.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro for topping.
- Queso Fresco: A crumbly Mexican cheese for topping the baked enchiladas.
How to Make Easy Cheese Enchiladas
- In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add in ancho chile powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and flour for about one minute. Stir in vegetable broth and simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring until the sauce has thickened, for around 6-8 minutes. Mix in vinegar, more salt, and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, and set aside.
- Preheat oven and spread 1/2 cup of prepared sauce in a 13×9 dish.
- Combine both types of cheese together in a bowl. Set aside 1/2 cup of cheese for later use as topping.
- Put the stack of corn tortillas on a plate and into the microwave. Heat for 45 seconds to 1 minute.
- Take 1 heated tortilla and spread about 1/4 cup of cheese down the center. Roll the tortilla tightly and place in baking dish in 2 rows. Repeat with all of the tortillas.
- Top with the rest of the sauce and the 1/2 cup of reserved cheese.
- Cover the dish of prepared enchiladas with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes, remove foil for the last 5 minutes to allow it to crisp up.
- Top with chopped cilantro and queso fresco cheese.
Easy Cheese Enchiladas Recipe Tips
- Use your favorite jarred or canned enchilada sauce instead of the homemade one.
- There are many garnishes you can use to top your enchiladas. Some ideas are: diced tomatoes, guacamole, pico di gallo, diced avocado, diced yellow onion, sour cream, green onions, salsa, black olives, or Mexican Crema.
- Cut the recipe in half and make it in an 8×8 pan for a smaller meal.
- If you don’t have ancho chile powder on hand, any chile powder will work.
- Keep it Gluten free by making sure your corn tortillas are 100% corn and they haven’t snuck some wheat flour in there AND shred your own cheese from a block.
Can I Make These Cheese Enchiladas Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can make these cheese enchiladas in advance. Prepare them, then cover with tightly with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, pull pan out of fridge and bake according to directions. The enchiladas will need to cook for a longer amount of time, try 25 minutes then move up in 5 minute increments if still not heated through.
Storage Instructions for Enchiladas
- How to Refrigerate Enchiladas: Let the enchiladas cool and put in a glass container or BPA-free airtight plastic container or zipper bag. The enchiladas should last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
- How to Freeze Enchiladas: Let the enchiladas cool off completely before putting into an airtight glass, BPA-free freezer-safe bag or freezer-safe plastic container. You can also put pre-cooked enchiladas in the freezer to cook at a later date. Make sure to label the enchiladas with the recipe name and date. They should last about 3 months in the freezer.
- How to Thaw Frozen Enchiladas: Thaw the frozen enchiladas in the refrigerator overnight.
- How to Re-Heat Enchiladas: Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Cook enchiladas for 25 minutes or longer if they are not heated through. Finish or toss any cheese enchiladas that you have re-heated and do not re-store anything that is leftover.
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Easy Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce
Ingredients
For the ancho chile sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons vinegar, apple cider or distilled white
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
For the enchiladas
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, 1 1/2 cups
- 8 ounces monterey jack cheese, 2 cups
- 12 corn tortillas, 6-inch
Instructions
-
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add in and whisk together ancho chile powder, dried oregano, garlic powder, cumin, flour, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute.
-
Whisk in vegetable broth and simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring until the sauce has thickened, for around 5-6 minutes. Mix in vinegar, more salt, and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, and set aside.
-
Move rack to the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 450.
-
Spread 1/2 cup of prepared sauce in a 13×9 dish. Combine both types of cheese together in a bowl. Set aside 1/2 cup of cheese for later use as topping.
-
Put the stack of corn tortillas on a plate and into the microwave. Heat for 45 seconds to 1 minute.
-
Take 1 heated tortilla and spread about 1/4 cup of cheese down the center. Roll the tortilla tightly and place in baking dish in 2 rows. Repeat with all of the tortillas.
-
Top with the rest of the sauce and the 1/2 cup of reserved cheese. Cover the dish of prepared enchiladas with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes, can remove foil for the last 5 minutes to allow it to crisp up.
-
Top with chopped cilantro and queso fresco cheese.
Recipe Notes
- If using a store bought jarred or canned sauce, start at step 3 with moving oven rack and preheating the oven.
- Top enchiladas with your favorite toppings like sour cream, fresh chopped cilantro, and salsa.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
Nutrition Information
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