These easy enchiladas are so good that if you take them to a potluck, you won't be bringing home leftovers. Made with a homemade tomato sauce and cheesy filling, they'll be jumping off the serving table!
Cheese Enchiladas
Cheese enchiladas are easy to throw together, and they taste absolutely delicious. What more could you want from a weeknight meal? They’re also extremely versatile, so think of this recipe as a mere springboard. You can add beans or roasted vegetables, experiment with different spices and types of cheese, and use whatever toppings you’d like to really make this dish your own. Creamy, cheesy and very family-friendly, these enchiladas are ready to be devoured in just 30 minutes—ideally washed down with a frozen margarita for the adults.
Ingredients for Cheese Enchiladas
- Tomato sauce and water:Â You could also use a combination of tomato paste and broth here.
- Seasonings:Â Chili powder brings the heat, cumin bolsters the spiciness, fresh garlic adds a kick (though you could also substitute a bit of garlic powder) and dried oregano adds a nice herby note (use Mexican oregano, if you have it).
- Enchilada filling: The enchilada filling is made creamy and delicious with sour cream, chopped onion, parsley, salt, pepper and two kinds of cheese: Monterey Jack and cheddar.
- Tortillas: Flour tortillas are ideal for this cheese enchilada recipe, since they’re soft and flexible, making them easy to assemble with the other ingredients.
- Toppings (optional): Shredded lettuce, sliced ripe olives, chopped tomatoes and additional sour cream all make for great toppings. While they’re technically optional, we’d say that the toppings are what put this dish over the top.
Directions
Step 1: Make the sauce
In a large saucepan, combine the tomato sauce, water, chili powder, garlic, oregano and cumin, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, four to five minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 2: Make the cheese filling
In a large bowl, mix the sour cream, parsley, salt and pepper, then stir in the Monterey Jack cheese, 2 cups of the cheddar and the onions.
Step 3: Assemble the enchiladas
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread 2 tablespoons of sauce over each tortilla, then top that with about 1/3 cup of the cheese mixture and roll up the tortilla. Place the enchiladas in two greased 13×9-inch baking dishes, seam side down. Pour the remaining sauce over the top.
Step 4: Bake the enchiladas
Bake the enchiladas, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the dish with the remaining cheddar cheese, then bake until the cheese is melted, four to five minutes. Serve with additional toppings, if desired.
Cheese Enchilada Variations
- Add spinach:Â Toss a few handfuls of fresh spinach in the tortillas for extra nutritional value.
- Increase the heat: If you like spice, add a dash of cayenne pepper or thinly sliced jalapeno to the sauce.
- Make them with beans: Refried or black beans go well in these enchiladas. Do thoroughly rinse, drain and dry canned beans before using them.
How to Store Cheese Enchiladas
To properly store leftovers of cheese enchiladas, tightly cover the pan with foil and store it in the refrigerator. They’ll last for up to two days.
Can you freeze cheese enchiladas?
Yes, you can. Cover the enchiladas with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze them before baking. To use, partially thaw in the fridge overnight. Remove the enchiladas from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking. Heat the oven to 350°, and bake as directed, increasing the time as necessary to heat the enchiladas through.
Cheese Enchilada Tips
Can I make a vegan version of this cheese enchiladas recipe?
These enchiladas can easily be made vegan—just use dairy-free cheese and sour cream. That said, because this is such a dairy-heavy dish, we recommend making a vegan enchilada recipe—perhaps one that incorporates beans, tofu, spinach or other veggies.
Should cheese enchiladas be covered while baking?
Some recipes call for enchiladas to be covered. But in this recipe, the enchiladas are not covered, allowing the edges of the rolled enchiladas to crisp up nicely.
What should I serve with cheese enchiladas?
Since cheese enchiladas are on the rich, hearty side, we like pairing them with black beans and either roasted vegetables or a veggie-packed Mexican fiesta salad.
Cheese Enchiladas
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
25 min
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) tomato sauce
- 1-1/3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 2-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 16 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
- Optional toppings: Shredded lettuce, sliced ripe olives, chopped tomatoes and additional sour cream
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, combine first 6 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a large bowl, mix sour cream, parsley, salt and pepper; stir in Monterey Jack cheese, 2 cups cheddar and onions. Spread 2 tablespoons sauce over each tortilla; top with about 1/3 cup cheese mixture and roll up. Place in 2 greased 13x9-in. baking dishes, seam side down. Pour remaining sauce over top.
- Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 4-5 minutes. Serve with toppings as desired.
Nutrition Facts
2 enchiladas: 778 calories, 42g fat (23g saturated fat), 106mg cholesterol, 1741mg sodium, 66g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 6g fiber), 34g protein.
You won't bring home leftovers when you take these easy enchiladas to a potluck. With a homemade tomato sauce and cheesy filling, they always go fast. You can substitute any type of cheese you wish. —Ashley Schackow, Defiance, Ohio
Recipe Creator
