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We’ve made cheese enchiladas for decades, and over the years have perfected them to become a no-fail family favorite.
This recipe was first handed down from our great-grandma Bean Burro down to my grandma, then to my mom, and now to us! We’ve simplified it a bit over the years, but the result is still delicious and authentic.
We make these ALL of the time for our families and friends since it’s a top “Luna recipe request” – and we think it will be the same for your family. It’s simple, cheesy, easy to freeze and great to make for a crowd.
Serve these easy cheese enchiladas up with Pinto Beans, Spanish Rice, or maybe even some Beef Empanadas!
Why we think you’ll love it:
- 10 minutes of prep. Even making a homemade enchilada sauce, this recipe comes together quickly and is a no-fail!
- Authentic flavors. The flavors, spices, and cheese make these enchiladas to die for and ideal for any Mexican meal.
- Perfect for parties. Whether it’s for Christmas or a fiesta, these enchiladas (along with our Chicken Enchiladas) are the star on the menu.
Cheese Enchiladas Ingredients and Substitutions
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil – canola oil or olive oil
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons Gebhardt Chili Powder – We prefer Gebhardt brand, but any brand of chili powder works.
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 cups chicken broth – or chicken stock or vegetable broth
- corn tortillas – We usually roll about 12 enchiladas
- Mexican blend cheese – about 3-4 cups. Mexican blend usually consists of Monterrey Jack cheese and Cheddar, but other great cheeses include: Colby Jack, and any other cheeses that melt easily such as Asadero and Oaxaca (also known as quesadilla cheese).
- optional toppings – sliced avocado, sliced black olives, diced tomatoes, diced green onions, diced jalapeno peppers, Pico de Gallo, Homemade Salsa, Guacamole, Avocado Cream Sauce, sour cream, cotija cheese, queso fresco, or cilantro
How to Make Cheese Enchiladas
- SAUCE. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a pot and heat on medium. Pour in 4 tablespoons flour and create a roux by whisking for 1-2 minutes.
- Add 3 tablespoons chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon oregano and mix until clumpy. see our homemade red enchilada sauce for more tips.
- Pour in 2 cups chicken broth, whisking the entire time and until there are no more clumps. Heat for about 15 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
- ASSEMBLE. Place the 11×7-inch baking pan close to the pot of sauce, along with a bowl of shredded cheese, and the tortillas. Dip a tortilla into the sauce until soft and put into the greased dish.
- Add ¼ cup cheese roll up and push to the end of the 9×13-inch baking dish with the seam side down.
- BAKE. Continue doing this with your tortillas until your pan is full. From there, you will pour the excess sauce over your tortillas. Sprinkle the top with more cheese, then bake (uncovered) in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- CHILI POWDER. We only use Gebhardt and believe it makes a difference. The flavor is unmatched, and some powders are more brown and make the enchiladas look very dark and not as red. Trust us – you’ll love Gebhardt too.
- ROLLING. For easy rolling with no cracking, we highly recommend wrapping your corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 30-60 seconds. They should be able to roll very easily.
Cheese Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons Gebhardt chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 cups chicken broth
- corn tortillas, about 12
- Mexican blend cheese, about 3-4 cups
Instructions
- Add oil to pot and heat on Medium. Pour in flour and whisk. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and oregano and mix until clumpy. Pour in chicken broth, whisking the entire time until there are no more clumps. Heat for 15 minutes or until thickened.
- After you have made your sauce, you will want to dip your corn tortillas in the sauce until they are soft and immediately put it into a greased 11×7-inch casserole dish.
- Add cheese (I use the Mexican blended cheese), roll it up, and push it to the end of the dish.
- Continue doing this with your tortillas until your pan is full. Pour the excess sauce over your tortillas. Sprinkle the top with more cheese. (You can also prepare this in advance and refrigerate until ready to cook).
- Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
You can add any kind of meat you like! We’ve added rotisserie chicken, Shredded Chicken, Pork Barbacoa, and even shredded beef (our Beef Enchiladas are basically this recipe with the addition of beef).
Assemble the enchiladas, cover the pan with plastic, and refrigerate for 24 hours. Wrap the pan again with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before baking.
Store leftovers in an airtight container(s) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Complete The Meal
Sides
Homemade Spanish Rice Recipe
45 mins
Mexican Street Corn Recipe
13 mins
Mexican Cornbread
50 mins
Canned Refried Beans
10 mins
Desserts
Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
4 hrs 45 mins
How to Make Flan
9 hrs 10 mins
Cheesecake Chimichanga
30 mins
Carmelitas
45 mins
More Enchilada Recipes
Collections
This recipe was first shared February 2013.
In my humble opinion the sauce could use less chili powder, three tablespoons is too much….
This enchilada sauce is amazing. I’ve tried many recipes and this is THE one! I’ve taken these enchiladas to many gatherings and always get rave reviews.
My sauce ends up so dark and the color doesn’t look anything like yours in your photos or video. I even cut back the chili powder from 3T to 2T and still very dark. What am I doing wrong? I am using the Gebhardt Chili Powder.
Also, a tip….I don’t dip my tortillas in the sauce while it is in pot I cooked the sauce in because that seems to use up too much sauce and the tortillas sometimes tear from the weight of the sauce when you pick them up (I noticed in your video, on the final sauce dip that your tortilla tears as well). I found the best thing to do is to pour some sauce (about 1/4 cup to half a cup) onto a dinner plate.
Then I spread it around the plate with the larger spoon from my flatware (not a serving spoon), place your tortilla on the plate and then carefully turn it over with your spoon and spread the sauce around the tortilla so it is completed covered then turn over and do the same.
I do fill the tortilla when its on the plate and then transfer the filled tortilla to the baking pan although you could probably also transfer the sauce covered tortilla to the baking pan and put the cheese on there so you don’t have to worry about cheese falling out during the transfer.
Do you have a favorite brand of corn tortillas?
Can you used butter instead of Vegetable oil?
When trying to make this I think the sauce was too thick somehow?
It was very thick and my corn tortillas just broke trying to get them out of the sauce!
What am I doing wrong?
If the sauce is seeming too thick, you can add a little more chicken broth as needed to thin it out to a better consistency. Hope that helps!
Easy and Delish!
Easy and yummy recipe