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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
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2-3 tablespoons Gebhardt chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt with parsley flakes, or salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups full-sodium chicken broth
- 9 (6-inch) corn tortillas,
- 4 cups Mexican blend cheese, divided
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking together, for 1-2 minutes.
- Add chili powder, garlic powder, garlic salt, cumin and oregano and mix until clumpy. Pour in chicken broth, whisking the entire time until there are no more clumps. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until thickened.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 7×11 inch (or 9×13 inch) baking dish and set aside.
- After the sauce has thickened dip each tortilla in the sauce until soft and immediately put it into the prepared dish. Add ⅓ cup cheese and any meat you wish to add to the tortilla, roll it up and push it to the end of the pan.
- Repeat with all the tortillas until your pan is full. Pour remaining sauce over the tortillas. Sprinkle the top with remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
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.
Great recipe! I’ll never buy canned enchilada sauce again. Where did you get that baking dish, It’s gorgeous
Love to hear that!! Thank you so much!! I love the Staub line!
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
This recipe does not call to flash fry the tortillas, so you end up with more of a casserole than anything. The enchiladas lose their shape, flatten, and get mushy or tear. Not how authentic enchiladas are done.
Thanks for the feedback! You could definitely flash fry the tortillas if you prefer it that way. It would be delicious!
The best enchilada recipe I’ve ever made!
Hi! Made this and it was so delicious. But the enchiladas melted into each other and we can’t figure out why? Anyone suggest anything?
Did you place the seam down toward the pans bottom after rolling them?
Hello, I love this! you made me into the best enchilada maker in the RV park! Tks Joe
Oh I’m so glad to hear that!! 🙂
Can you substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth to make a vegetarian version or is there something else you’d suggest?
Yes, you absolutely can!!
I have made this so many times. It’s a favorite of ours for sure! I normally double the recipe and freeze some for later. Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
It does not tell me how much cheese or how many tortilla to buy.
You can buy one package of tortillas and an 8 oz bag of shredded cheese will work. Unless you like LOTS of cheese. Then you could use more. The exact amount kind of depends on how big you fill the enchiladas.
Would love the recipe. Link isn’t working.
Here’s the link to the enchiladas. Hope you enjoy: https://lilluna.com/red-cheese-enchiladas-recipe/
Where’s the recipe using Bueno Red Chile for the enchilada sauce?
Where are the amounts for ingredients?
Under the ingredients listing in the recipe. You had to scroll past it to reach here and ask a question.
If you click on “jump to recipe” at the top of the page, it will take you to the recipe card with the full ingredient amounts and instructions. Hope that helps!
How can one enchilada only have 62 calories? I think you nutrition calculator is incorrect.
I know these will be delicious but Geghardt is not available in my area. Can I use any chili power? Has anyone subbed this brand?
Absolutely! That’s just our favorite brand, but you can use any brand.
We don’t have Gebhardt in our stores either so I ordered it from Amazon. Right now (Feb 2025) it looks like you can buy one for $9.87 or 3 for $19.00. Walmart also sells it for $6.92 but it is not available in stores and shipping costs $3.99.
I’d be curious what other brands people have used.
Could I use flour tortillas instead of corn?
Yes!
My wife and I did a Mexican themed dinner for Christmas yesterday, and these enchiladas were the star! I should preface this by saying that cheese enchiladas have always been my wife’s favorite, but we’ve never been able to make them come out right until I found your recipe. They were perfect ~ just the way we remember them from when we were young! I should also note that I veganized them, using plant-based cheese and swapping the chicken broth with vegetable broth. We can’t wait to make these again.
I made these this past weekend and they were AMAZING! The recipe is a keeper!
I’m making this recipe for my adult kid to bring home after Christmas. They’ll be baked and frozen. Can someone explain the thawing and re-heating process in detail? I’d like to attach a note so she’ll know exactly what to do.
Normally you would thaw and bring them to room temperature before baking as directed.
You can actually freeze these from frozen. Heat the oven to the temperature listed in the recipe and bake. You may need to add a little extra baking time since they are frozen. 15-30 extra minutes or so.
Do you add enchilada sause
Yes, the recipe says when to add it. 🙂
Never knew you could fry a tortilla. Great tip! So delicious! Adding this to my weekly dinner meals.
Everyone can’t get enough of this cheese enchiladas! It is packed with flavors, filling and super satisfying! It was a hit!
This is my go-to enchilada recipe! We make these all the time! Thanks for the yummy recipe.
I just made this recipe. Amazing!! So worth the work!! My husband and I loved them. I couldnt find large size corn tortilla shells so i made mini size cheese enchiladas. I made seasoned ground beef and added a little of the sauce to it and spread the ground beef over the rolled enchiladas with more sauce and cheese.
I absolutely love this recipe and these are my go to enchiladas! I make them and freeze them. The tortillas don’t always hold up and sometimes it’s more of a casserole than traditional enchiladas but it is delicious none the less! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
Better than Amy’s Enchiladas! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Can you make the enchiladas with ground turkey?
You sure could!! I personally haven’t tried, but it would be a great option!
This is amazing! I can’t tolerate garlic powder, so I sauté fresh garlic and a jalapeño in the oil beforehand and then remove. Perfect spice level! If I was to put this sauce on a shoe, my husband would eat it! Lol
Haha! I love it! So glad you enjoyed the enchiladas!
This was delicious! I was surprised that I could make something that tasted so authentic, thank you, thank you! I added shredded chicken and doubled the sauce. Yum!
You’re welcome!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the enchiladas!
Amazing!
I made these for dinner tonight and they were so good! I hate the canned sauce– it tastes like tomato soup to me. I will never buy it again.
I did have the issue with the tortillas falling apart, but I’ll try frying them first next time to see if that works.
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!
You’re welcome!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the enchiladas!
Would vegetable broth work for this? I am vegetarian but love enchiladas, so I would love to make these work.
In her link to the “Homemade Enchilada Sauce”, it says you can substitue with vegetable broth.
Absolutely!! You can swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
I just made it it’s in the oven right now I haven’t tasted it yet but I’m sure It will be good it was the easiest thing I’ve Ever made. I made 16 Servings. When I go visit my big family in Oklahoma and everybody has to take a turn Cooking I’ll know exactly what I’m making thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome! Hope you enjoyed the enchiladas!
Your enchilada sauce is amazing!!!
Thank you!!
This is the only recipe I’ve tried, it’s DELICIOUS! It’s super easy and quick to make.
Can I make the enchiladas using the homemade version of Gebhardts chili powder?
https://www.food.com/recipe/gebhardts-chili-powder-copycat-397088
I’m sure you could!
My family loves this recipe. However, we now need to make it gluten-free (two with Celiac disease). Have any of you been able to make it gluten-free, not using the all-purpose flour for the roux? I have King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free flour and was going to try it out but wanted to see if anyone else has already (and the results). Or a different GF flour? Or cornstarch? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
This sauce is disgusting. Where are the tomatoes? I ended up throwing it out and using canned sauce.
Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the recipe. Thanks for giving it a try!
Just made these this afternoon. AMAZING!
Just made this and LOVE it!! I can’t wait for dinner to see everyone’s reactions.
About how many enchiladas do you get per pan?
How much cheese and how many tortillas do you use.?
I usually use 8-10 tortillas for each 11×7 pan. For the cheese, I honestly just grab a little handful for each enchilada. So it’s up to you how cheesy you want them. An 8 oz bag of shredded Mexican blend cheese would probably be enough for the recipe!
I’d say anywhere from 8-10.
These are so good! Made exactly as recipe written. Delicious, cheap and fast. Laurie
So glad you enjoyed the enchiladas!!
You know how to really make the real enchiladas!! Good job!! Best recipe, almost just like mine.
I just joined your site. Making this first!
Welcome! Happy to have you here! Hope you enjoy the enchiladas!
These are by far the best homemade enchiladas. Taste just like the ones at my favorite Mexican restaurant. Thanks for such a great recipe.
These are so good, my husband and I made them. They are now a weekly go to meal in our house.
Planning to make these next week. Any recommendations for a healthier oil?
My roux turned out too dry with 3 tablespoons of the spice mix with two tablespoons of oil. So I had to add oil slowly until I got a roux. I didn’t measure so I can’t say exactly how much I needed to add. The sauce turned out amazingly thick with only 2 cups for chicken broth. The video showed much more liquid volume in the pot than I had. But I did not change that part until it was too late. The sauce was thick and barely enough to dunk six enchiladas. There was no sauce left to pour over the enchiladas so I just topped it with cheese. It’s in the oven now and I still look forward to what it might taste like. Licking the sauce off my fingers tasted sooooo good. I hope it all works out and I’ll try to make adjustments next time because i think there’s some good thinking here. Cheers!
Thanks for giving the recipe a try! Hope it turned out delicious still!
Is there a gluten free exchange for the flour by using cornstarch? If so, how much cornstarch in place of flour?
You know, I haven’t ever swapped the flour for cornstarch. So I’m not totally sure!
I’ve been using this recipe for a few years and it is my #1 go to for cheese enchiladas.
Thanks for sharing.
Wow made these for tonight’s Sunday family dinner along with 2 dozen of your green chili chicken enchiladas and all but maybe 1 serving of the chicken ones were devoured! Big family, thank you so much for sharing your expertise. This is a keeper.
You’re welcome!! I’m so glad to hear that the recipes were enjoyed by your family!
Being from TX, this is my kind of recipe. It was loved by everyone. Will make it again!
Due to availability of the chilli powder I had to opt for a different kind and the dish came out yummy as ever. Well worth it.
I love this recipe!!!! It tastes just like my mom’s used to. When I’m looking for a recipe to make and it says “Lil Luna” I immediately get it! Your recipes have never failed me, I have so many!! Thank you so much for sharing, certainly makes my baking and cooking so much more fun!!
Awe, thank you so much!! That makes my day!
Truly fantastic!
My husband can be picky and he had seconds and declared it his favorite dish of all time. The recipe is flexible too although it didn’t really need any modifications. I’m definitely trying more recipes from this website 🙂
Yay! I’m so glad that the enchiladas were a hit! Thanks for sharing!
I usually don’t step outside my comfort zone but did when I saw this recipe for enchiladas. I usually tend to go with well known providers but this recipe drew my attention. I’ve never made enchilada sauce as I usually buy premade. This sauce was unbelievable!! It went so well with the enchiladas. My guest said dinner was exceptional and the best they ever had…and this was from foodies!! This will definitely be my go to recipe and have no fear making these again and again.I doubled the recipe too so people could have leftovers but there were no leftovers…everyone had seconds!
Oh that makes me so happy to hear!! I’m glad that you enjoyed the enchiladas. Way to go outside of your comfort zone too! 😉
I love this cheese enchilada recipe and make it fairly often. I always double the sauce, which after you taste it, will NEVER buy a can or jar of it again. I use a larger pan, and just increase the number of enchiladas. I am a mole junky, so along with sour cream, have that as a side.
Thanks for sharing the recipe. Our annual March Madness party has a Tex-Mex theme this year as the Final Four is in Houston. This recipe (along with your chicken enchiladas) is exactly what I was looking for.
Easy and they taste just like cheese enchiladas in a restaurant. I will definitely make these again. Followed the recipe exactly.
Oh my goodness, these enchiladas are the absolute best!! I made them with your Spanish rice and am so so soo delighted with how everything turned out! I will be bringing these little gems to a Super Bowl party next weekend. Thanks for the fabulous recipes! 🤩
Terrible, made this…it was terrible.
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the recipe. Thanks for the feedback and giving it a try.
I agree. Terrible.
Thanks for giving the recipe a try.
Wow how incredibly rude of you to say “terrible”. I’d you didn’t care for it just say that. It’s not hard to say I didn’t care for this specific sauce etc. but “terrible” sheesh!
Excellent red enchilada sauce so easy third time making it .
I feel like the ingredients are wrong. Did you mean 4 cups of chicken broth? 2 cups makes it way too thick
5/5 what I was hoping to find- grew up in a community 80% Hispanic and can confirm this tastes authentic to what I grew up with
I did a mix of queso blanco and Monterey Jack for the filling
Can you freeze these before cooking?
I love cheese enchiladas but I’ve always used canned enchilada sauce. I had no idea how simple it was to make. Cheese yes please❣️
So easy and super delicious! From start to finish, it took only minutes to make these delicious cheese enchiladas that left everyone begging for more. I usually make something non-traditional for Christmas Eve dinner, and I know these will be a big hit!
My children LOVED them. They keep asking for me to make them.
I made these a few weeks back for a Sunday lunch after church with friends and family. It’s always risky making something new for people, but OMGsh they were amazing. I tripled the sauce recipe and made over 30 enchiladas (half chicken and half cheese). There were ZERO left. My husband has just requested I make them again tonight. They were the absolutely the best. Thank you for this new family favorite!
Love this recipe! We also use that brand chili powder.. have you of your family ever made chicken mole with that powder? I have a family friend make it but have yet to find a recipe
What a disaster. Sauce got too thick and didn’t go very far. The tortillas broke – probably because the sauce was so thick it didn’t saturate. The mess was not worth the trouble.
Sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t a win for you. Thanks for giving it a try anyway!
I moved to Portugal and can’t find the chili powder you recommended here. Is there a generic type I can look for? In other words, what should my chili powder have in it so I know which kind to buy? Thank you!
I just wanted to say, I never purchase chili powder since it’s made up of spices I always have on hand. Just mix it up and store in a jar, and I usually double the recipe. Here is the mix I use, from the Food Network:
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons oregano (use Mexican if you have it)
1 1/4 teaspoons cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper (ground)
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
That’s chili beans seasoning— chili powder is different. It’s red and made of chili peppers. It’s mild tasting and not spicy depending which one you buy. It’s not the same stuff as your recipe there though.
I was intimidated to make my own sauce, but was surprised at how easy it was! I used half the chili powder because I was afraid it’d be too spicy for kids. They liked them and we’ll definitely make this again. I might try adding in shredded beef too next time.
These enchiladas were absolutely delicious. That sauce is way more than the sum of its parts! Thank you so much for an easy, more affordable way (than takeout) to enjoy one of our favorite meals!
This was the best the second time around I made it. I made double the sauce. So it tasted like I went to Carmelita’s Mexican restaurant where I live.
Oh I love that! Thanks for sharing. I’m so glad you enjoyed the enchiladas!
These just didn’t do it for us. Not sure if it was the sauce or the cheese, but not a hit for our first try. We made these with the Spanish Rice, and that was a keeper for sure! We continue to make that whenever we have Mexican meals.
Thanks for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
Great
These are so delicious!
The only thing I would change is instead of dipping the tortillas in the red sauce, dip them in hot oil for ten seconds and dry on a paper towel!!
So glad you enjoyed the enchiladas. Thanks for the feedback!
Easy to make and taste better than our favorite Mexican restaurant.
Thank you! I’m so glad you love the enchiladas!
First time making enchilada sauce from scratch. Delicious!!!!
I am late to the party here, but just wanted to say, THANK YOU for this recipe. As an American living abroad in Berlin, Germany (which is a Mexican food desert) this recipe – which doesn’t rely on canned sauce and uses ingredients I can actually easily find here – is a godsend. We sub out vegetable stock for chicken stock to keep it vegetarian. I also double the quantities for sauce usually, otherwise it’s too dry. This dish brings me back to my childhood and has become one of my and my partner’s absolute favorite dinners!
My enchiladas were soggy? Other recipes recommend frying them first
You can certainly fry them first! That probably would help prevent sogginess.
Way too thick, way too much flour.
This is a great recipe and I only use this one.
I love the simplicity of the recipe especially for a mom always on the go and with not alot of time on her hands.
My new favorite way to make enchiladas. So easy and so good. The red sauce is the best. This will definitely be on rotation each month.
Wheres the tomatoes?
No tomatoes in this recipe. 🙂
Simple and absolutely delicious! Any leftovers freeze well for this single person. I love the backstory for each recipe too.
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the enchiladas! Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
delicious……
My first tortilla fell apart, so I just warmed them on a griddle instead of dipping them into the sauce.The sauce is so good and so easy. No more canned enchilada sauce for me.
Love that you use two of my favorite items – Gebhardt’s in the sauce and Mexican Blend cheese. However, I added seasoned ground beef that was seasoned with McCormack Shilling Taco Seasoning. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I am highly allergic to MSG – but love enchiladas especially with everything made from scratch. Thanks so much for posting.
You’re welcome! I’m glad that you enjoyed the enchiladas!!
hey! you should fry the corn torts for 1 min in some veg oil to keep them from falling apart. Then dip them in the sauce, promise it’ll work!
Thanks for sharing!
I made these for the first time today and omg they are so freaking good!!
They will definitely be going on my routine of dinners from here on out!
Can’t wait to try all the other yummy recipes on the website!
Oh I’m so so happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing!!
want to try this recipe but i don’t eat chicken or meat. Can the red sauce be made with just water instead of chicken broth? Thanks for letting me know. Mary
Love these they taste like the ones in a Mexican restaurant. Super easy.
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoy them!
The best, the fam loves them!!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that!!
I have found that doing a quick fry of tortillas before dipping in sauce and rolling helps a great deal with preventing them from falling apart!
I have not found a recipe yet on your site that hasn’t been incredible. This one I’ve made quite a few times. I do have problems with the corn tortillas tearing as well, but I prefer using flour or even the tomato basil low carb wraps as I don’t like corn tortillas. However, it’s the sauce that knocks it out of the park. It is so delicious! It is also so easy to make.
Oh thank you! I’m so happy to hear that you love the enchilada sauce. Thanks for sharing!!
I like the simplicity of this recipe. I can’t wait to try it!
Hope you enjoy the enchiladas!
WOW – made this tonite – it turned out so good! Tasted better than I get at our local restaurant.
Awe, that makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad it tasted like restaurant quality. I love it! 🙂
Kristyn I made the enchiladas with you sauce last month and they were perfect! Today I made them again and the corn tortillas broke apart when I rolled them. I used the same technique. Any recommendations you can give me will be appreciated!
I have found that it depends on the type of corn tortillas you use. I like to use the Kroger brand because they don’t break apart so easily. Although I have found that the white corn tortillas of the Kroger brand tend to break apart more easily than the Kroger yellow corn tortillas. I wish I could say that all corn tortillas are the same but in my experience I have found that the quality varies greatly. The best thing I would suggest would be to try out different brands of corn tortillas to see which ones hold up the best. I wish I had an easier solution for you! Hope this helps!
I use different tortillas and found that you need to heat them up (either pan or microwave) before dipping them. Be cautioned that this means they are already soft so you just need a very quick dip into the sauce BUT they won’t fall apart when you roll them.
This is by far my favorite enchilada recipe, my family loved it, too!! Using Gebhardt chili powder makes it 💯. Thank you!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I agree Gebhardt is the best!
Ok this was the most frustrating recipe. First of all, no matter what I did I could not get the lumps out of the sauce. Second, while barely dipping to coat the tortillas, they fell apart all over the pan. Gonna have to make some modifications to this to convince me to make it again.
Thanks for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
Trudi,
When I made these for last week’s Super Bowl party, I had the same problem with the corn tortillas. As soon as I dipped them in the warm tortillas sauce, they fell apart. Thank goodness I had some flour tortillas on hand so I used them.
Great recipe in its simplicity. Given we live overseas, we always have New Mexico red chili powder in the pantry since it is difficult to find in Italy. The red sauce is just spicy enough to not offend anyone. We improved the recipe by adding a few chopped onions in the enchiladas and removing the foil during the final minutes of the baking to brown a bit.
Sounds tasty! Thanks for sharing what you do.
How many tortillas do you use and how much Mexican cheese? They feed 6 people, so is that 2 enchiladas per person? Thanks!
About! I honestly just eyeball the amount of cheese and I use however many tortillas it takes to fill my pan. There is usually always enough for each serving to include 2 enchiladas, sometimes more if I make them small.
What Mexican cheese ? What substitute would you recommend
They have Mexican Cheese blends at most local grocery stores. You could also use Monterrey Jack cheese, cheddar or Colby Jack or a combination of them.
Great enchilada sauce! Easy and makes great cheese enchiladas
Thank you!! So glad you enjoyed the sauce!
These are sooo good. Only sub made was using better than boullion no chicken base with water (instead of chicken broth) to make them vegetarian. They are now a favorite at our house and super easy to make!
Oh I’m so glad that you enjoyed the enchiladas!! Thanks for sharing!
I would love to try this recipe but I cannot eat corn tortillas. Is it possible to use flour tortillas instead or would that not work with this recipe? Thanks for the help!
Absolutely! You can for sure swap them to flour tortillas.
This recipe looks great! Tell me more about ‘Mexican Cheese’, what type of Mexican cheese or is this a cheese blend?
Yes, just the Mexican Cheese blend you can get from most grocery stores is what we’re referring to.
My favorite food is cheese enchiladas. Favorite like I would eat enchiladas everyday all day. This recipe is so good!!! One of the best I have tried.
Excellent and the Chili powder does make a difference.
Family favorite! Thanks for an amazing easy recipe.
LOVE these enchiladas and the sauce! They’re one of our favorites!
Me encanta!!!!!
Our favorite enchilada recipe!
Love making this recipe for Jacob and the kiddos❤
I made these for my family and they loved them. They tasted just like the ones my grandmother made.
Restaurant quality enchiladas! My family loves them. And don’t be scared to make the sauce – it is easier than you think. Perfection!
Great, authentic recipe! Easy to make, and the kids love it!
This is my new go to recipe. Everyone I’ve made it for loves it. So good!!
We have made this several times and the whole family loves it!!! It’s a staple at our house!
These Red Cheese Enchiladas are the real deal! Watched them being made in your instagram stories awhile back and gave them a try- oh my, they are amazing! I’ve ditched the McCormick packet (I’m embarrassed to even admit that I used them before) and this is my go-to now!
Oh that makes me so happy to hear! The sauce really is so easy to make huh? Glad you love the recipe! 🙂
We make these at least once a month! We absolutely love them! Family favorite!
I love all the enchiladas. Being born in Arizona and raised there and in New Mexico I crave real Mexican food. Yummy
This has quickly become a family favorite! Thank you for sharing recipes that family memories are made on!
This enchilada sauce is so delicious! Never use canned!
Super yummy and simple! Thank you!!
These red cheese enchiladas are to die for! They are the best!
Love all your Mexican recipes! The Red Cheese Enchilada is a favorite and easy to make, Thank You!!!
I love this recipe! When my favorite Mexican restaurant shut down, it was hard to find good cheese enchiladas. These have filled the void! Thank you!
Yum! My family love this one
These are delicious! I can’t use canned enchilada sauce anymore after making these! So simple and yummy!
These are so, so good and very easy as well. 😊
I made these last holiday season. They were great. I used a block of velveeta and grated it.
You state in your recipe “Mexican cheese”.
Exactly what is that? Does it melt like the processed velveeta???
This recipe was delicious as printed. Easy too! My only input would be to double the sauce recipe. I was feeding 5 adults and ran out of sauce, it was so easy though I just made more. Thank you, it was excellent!
Thanks for the suggestion! So glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!
My family loved it as written! I did warm tortillas prior to dipping; they held together beautifully. Yum!!
Yay!! So happy to hear your family enjoyed. Thanks so much for sharing!
Really was excited when I saw I could have a serving of Corn Tortilla Enchiladas, or even just one enchilada with only 4 carbs. I needed to double check the carb count so I looked up Kroger Corn Tortillas and they have 18 Net Carbs. I guess I need to wait for a cheat day to actually try this recipe. I hope it comes up to a 5.
Thanks
The pop up video is extremely annoying.
Ahh…I should have read the comments to see the trick about softening the tortillas in the microwave, first! I used Tom Thumb store brand. They broke when I tried to roll them. I tried leaving them in the sauce for a while, but then they broke apart when I tried to lift them out. I will try again with Kroger tortillas! I doubled the recipe and made one pan of (broken) rolled tortillas and one pan of stacked tortillas (tear apart tortillas into pieces and layer with sauce and cheese). I figured they would both taste the same. 🙂 The taste is great, family loved them, and we will make again!
Yes, different brands crumble and break more than others. Not sure why? Kroger brand is my favorite! But how clever to layer it like a casserole too. Glad to hear they tasted yummy and that your family enjoyed! Thanks for sharing!
Made this recipe exactly as stated tonight except added sliced black olives & scallions. It was sooo good! Sauce had great flavor, was plenty thick, and the enchiladas were so cheesy! Sounds like some folks had trouble rolling the tortillas without breaking them. I slathered a scoop of sauce in the bottom of my Pyrex pan and rolled the tortillas right in the pan. Reduces mess and the possibility of breakage. This recipe tastes 100% authentic & is definitely a keeper – Kristyn, thanks so much for sharing!
You’re welcome!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. The addition of olives and scallions sounds delicious! Thanks for your kind words and review. Happy to hear the recipe was a hit!
My family loved this recipe. I made a separate sauce for my mom with half the chili and it was still too spicy for her. So I added a small amount of tomato sauce which smoothed it out. But this recipe is awesome the way it is. Unless you’re my mom haha
Haha! I’m glad you all enjoyed the recipe and yes, certainly feel free to adjust the heat for those who like more mild flavors. 😉 Thanks for sharing!
What would I mark on your site for servings if I wanted 14 enchiladas?
I usually get about 7-8 enchiladas from one recipe, depending on how large you fill your enchiladas. So I’d suggest doubling the recipe (change to 12 servings).
I like this recipe. The tortillas, I heat in the microwave for a minute, and this keeps them from breaking. Also, I found it very difficult to dip these into the chili sauce, so i slather the sauce on the tortillas, add some diced onions, then put the cheese, roll up. After all are rolled up, I pour the remaining sauce on top, topped with onion and more cheese. Good recipe for the red sauce.
That totally works! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!! Thanks for sharing.
I don’t recommend this recipe to any enchilada lover considering that there is a lot of problems with this recipe. The first problem has to do with the roux. In her pictures, its obvious that she uses more flour and oil than she states in the ingredients. When making the roux, it clumps up very quickly (much quicker than the time she says to mix it for) and you are basically rushed into adding the rest of the ingredients. This red sauce does not take fifteen minutes to clunk up like the recipe states, at best five minutes.
Requesting people to dunk a tortilla raw into the sauce is just asking to get bad reviews, because they are very delicate and will break from the weight of the sauce. For people who want to follow this recipe, I recommend taking your corn tortillas and wrapping them in a damp paper towel before putting them in a ziplock and popping it into the microwave for a minute. You can stack them two at a time, and it preps them beautifully. Just be careful when taking them out because they get very hot this way. Next I recommend to be safe and not dunk them inside this sauce, but continue to the next step on the recipe. Stuff them in cheese and/or chicken/beef and roll them into the pan. (Make sure to spray it with cooking spray first). After your pan is stuffed and full, pour on your sauce that you have made and pop it into the oven at the time and temp it states.
Personally, I might follow this recipe again in my own way and after this I’ll probably stick to the can from the store when wanting red sauce or try my hand at a different recipe.
Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the recipe. Thanks for your feedback and for giving it a try.
Made this sauce yesterday, looked good , but too much chili powder! My mom also made a sauce but less chili powder, no cumin , and no oregano, which was much better taste. Just thought I’d try something different , but think I’ll stick to the one I have.
We already talked about the tortillas falling apart it’s taste was ok but it seemed to be missing something. I would try it again if the tortillas problem was solved
PS the tortillas were purchased today so a new package was opened
Thanks for letting me know how it went! I try to use the Kroger brand of yellow corn tortillas for this recipe because they seem sturdier and don’t fall apart as easily. They can be found at grocery stores such as Fry’s and Smith’s but I don’t know if those stores are found in your area. It’s hard to find a good sturdy tortilla that is also soft. I’m sorry it didn’t work out as well as you had hoped. Thanks so much for sharing!
I’ll give you five assuming that it taste good it’s still in the oven the tortillas completely fell apart when they were dipped into the red sauce within seconds, big mess I’ll get back to you after I’ve eaten them
Let me know how they turned out. I’d love to hear!
Your nutritional information does not include the tortillas or cheese. Very misleading!
I’m so sorry about that! I will definitely work on trying to rectify the nutritional information as soon as possible. Thanks so much for bringing it to my attention.
Made these and threw some al pastor pork in as well. Delicious. Whynis it so hard to find an enchilada recipe that uses corn tortillas? Isn’t that how they’re supposed to be made?
Adding pork to these sounds yummy! I think that lots of people like flour tortillas, so they switch it for flour. But any enchilada recipe that calls for flour tortillas can be substituted for corn tortillas if that’s your preference. We like both over here!
What kinda terrible recipe is telling you how to basically assemble stuff? No measurements, no ingredients. What a waste of time. These must all be fake reviews.
Hi Seth! It sounds like you may not have made it to the recipe card on this post. At the top of the page, you can click on “Jump to Recipe” and it will take you straight to all of the measurements, ingredients, etc. Or you can just scroll through the post and find it as well. It’s all there. 🙂
Best recipe ever! Best homemade enchilada sauce too! Boyfriend absolutely loves and asks for this often!! 😃😃😃. Thank you Thank you Thank you!!
Yay! You’re so very welcome. I’m glad that these are a hit!
Just want to say this is an outstanding recipe! Directions clear and easy. Sauce is perfect. Was a little concerned that it was going to be too spicy. I made it the night before and then heated and assembled the enchiladas the next morning. Sauce had mellowed overnight and does indeed taste like the ones I’ve had in Arizona and California. Having moved to the east coast I’ve had to make my own as I’m very partial to the Sonoran style of cooking and miss my Mexican food. Definitely get the chili powder that’s recommended. I had to buy it online. This recipe is a winner!
Thank you so much!! I’m so happy to hear that you loved the enchiladas!
I just made these today and my husband loved them. It is soo goood!!! 10/10
Yay!! So happy to hear it was a hit with your husband. Thanks for giving them a try!
Made two batches for a four family party we attended and the enchiladas were a real hit. I made two batches. One batch I made as written but added one tablespoon sugar. The second batch as written with the addition of two teaspoons of adobo chipoltle sauce and one tablespoon sugar. Both were delicious. I made the tortillas using the Maseca masa harina recipe, used the four “Mexican Cheese” blend, and added diced green chilies from a can. Also, sprinkled Fresco Crumbling Cheese over the enchiladas before serving. Anyway, thanks for the recipe, the best enchiladas this hombre has ever made.
All the additions sound delicious! 🙂 I’m so glad that these were a hit! Thanks for sharing!!
I made these! Everyone LOVED THEM!
Oh I’m so glad the enchiladas were a hit! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks you! This is such an easy recipe. I found heating the tortillas in a damp towel In the microwave keeps them from falling about. I love that I can make them ahead of time. We love them! I can’t believe I can make such good enchiladas.
Yes, the damp towel in the microwave is an awesome trick! I’m so glad to hear you enjoy the enchiladas!
Have you ever added sauted onions in the filling?
Recipe sounds great. Cheese are my favorite. The recipe says mexican cheese. There are so many different cheeses I don’t know which to use.
This has been my go-to recipe for enchiladas for the past year almost. They’re a hit every. single. time. Great and flavorful! Thank you!
I’m so glad it’s become a go-to recipe for you too!
I am on a low carb diet and saw your nutritional information says these only have 4 carbs. I would love to know what brand of corn tortillas you use that are so low in carbs. And the 64 calories. Is that correct?
Our favorite kind of tortillas to use are the Kroger yellow corn tortillas. The 64 calories are for one enchilada. Hope this helps!
This Is The Best Cheese Enchiladas We Have Eaten!! Authentic Home Made Enchilada Sauce!
Awe, thank you so much! It makes me so happy to hear you enjoyed them as much as we do! 🙂
I felt like there were too many
Options and I had a hard time following the recipe. I never saw a reference to the paste referred to so spent a lot of time
Trying to recreate the paste. I ended up with sauce that was too spicy and tried to double the roux which ended up as a mess I then tried to thin it down so ended up with a sauce similar to tomato soup.
The step by step instructions are located at the bottom of the page or you can watch the attached video.
I’m sorry the recipe didn’t turn out as you had hoped. In the Red Cheese Enchiladas post I have a link to the red cheese enchilada sauce that I use. Here is the link for you – Red Enchilada Sauce. Hope this helps! Thanks for trying it!
Best enchilada sauce!! I’ve made this several times, however, it’s never enough for my growing teenagers…lol! Can I double this recipe to make twice as much? Thank you!
You sure can double this recipe! I’m so glad you and your teenagers like it so much! Thanks for sharing!
I triple this recipe and it comes out perfect. NY kids and their friends tear in every time I make it. I even use it with chimichachangas with sprinkled cheese on top. Family loves it.
Would these be good with ground beef added?
I think ground beef would be an excellent addition! Let me know how they turn out!
I use some of the left over mix and add some lightly seasoned ground turkey. I pour it over the top. Delicious!
That sounds heavenly!
You certainly can. In New Mexico typically we fill with ground beef, roll, add extra sauce and top with tons of cheese. Bf likes them with cheese added inside too, but I find it too bothersome. NM style of chilie sauce is a bit different. I was looking for something more “kid friendly” and this seems like it could be a good starter.
Hello… I made this once and LOVED it however we didn’t have enough sauce at the end. I know it says serves 6 but does that mean 6 enchiladas? Or how many enchiladas approximately did you get out of this? Making again tonight but doubling the recipe.
I usually get about 8 enchiladas out of this recipe. Hope this helps! So glad you liked the recipe!
I just made these because I was craving my favorite Mexican restaurant’s cheese enchiladas, and they are SOOO GOOD. Super easy and surprisingly simple! I am a big fan of enchiladas but have never tackled on making them myself, and I’m so glad I did. Thank you for this recipe, I will easily be making it at least once every 2 weeks, maybe more. Thank you!!!!!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Making enchiladas can seem daunting at first but I’m glad you found these simple and easy! 🙂
Currently in the oven. It seems like I could only get 5 enchiladas out of the sauce. It seems a little dry but still haven’t tasted it yet.
Let me know how it tastes. I’d love to know how it turned out for you!
Literally my go-to for enchiladas! The best.
May I ask, dear hubs and I do not care for corn tortillas. Would flour tortillas be able to handle the filling without getting doughy? Thanks so much for a wonderful recipe. 🙂
Yes, some prefer to use flour. It might be a little soft, but should get a little crisp on top 🙂
I made this yesterday & it was delicious
Due to the bad storm I couldn’t get corn tortillas & had to use flour. I didn’t dip them but covered the bottom of the dish with sauce & added chicken This will now be on our menu Thank you
You are welcome! That works! Hope the weather is better where you are 🙂 Thank you!
Don’t know what I did wrong but all I got is a mess. The corn tortillas split and cracked when I tried dipping them in the sauce. I ended up filling and rolling them in the pan without dipping them first. I poured the sauce over the top, spread it around with a spoon and am praying it bakes up ok.
How did it bake up? I hope it was ok 🙂 I usually barely & quickly dip. They don’t have to be soaking in it. You could try heating them up a little bit too in the microwave.
Used this as a base recipe then added black beans, onions and sharp white cheddar cheese for the filling. Absolutely delicious I can’t wait to share this recipe with friends and make again.
I can’t wait for you to share it either! Thank you for saying that!
Flavor is very good. But, there is a lot left out about tortilla technique. I found that the tortillas have to be heated before using them, otherwise they all break apart. Technique in a recipe is just as important as taste! Thanks for sharing. *put tortillas in microwave for 20 seconds 2 at a time.
Thanks for sharing that!
Absolutely delicious. My whole family loved them. Thank you!
You are welcome! Happy your whole family liked them! Thank you!
Very nice recipe. On par with most of the ‘grubbier’ mom and pop type restaurants here in South Texas where I go for ‘authentic.’ Bolner’s ‘Fiesta’ brand chili powder and cumin are my go-tos.
Thank you for letting me know. Glad you liked it!
My gram made these with gebhardt for us, especially during lent. Lol, actually she still makes them. When I visit her this is in her rotation. We didn’t use oregano, and added chopped onions. She always made them on the stove, never in the oven. One of my favorite things to eat to this day!! Glad you’re sharing this so others can enjoy its deliciousness. ❤️
I’ll have to try on the stove! Thank you for sharing that! Happy to share 🙂
Wow! Who knew making your own enchilada sauce was so easy. I’ll never buy another canned sauce again. I added a little more chicken broth to thin out just a bit. I also used a blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar. For a little twist I added a half of a yellow onion and whole jalapeno finely chopped to the cheese filling. My family really loved these enchiladas! Thank you!
Right?! I didn’t either! Thank you for sharing that!
I use butter instead of oil, and double the sauce
Super easy and our family loves them!
Sounds perfect! Thank you for sharing that!
One corn tortilla is 13 carbs these can’t possibly be 4 carbs per serving misleading for diabetics
I’d been using Trader Joe’s Enchilada Sauce, better than the canned sauces, but this recipe was not only easy but much better than TJ’s sauce! Delicious! I’ll never buy TJ’s sauce again! I made these twice. Tweaked the recipe the 2nd time.
Question: the description on the recipe says the tortillas are “…filled with… garlic pepper…” but I don’t see garlic pepper in the recipe? Why the reference to garlic pepper?
First time I tried this sauce I used a Target brand chili pepper. The sauce was dark, taste was good but not great. Bought the Gebhardt chili powder on Amazon, I immediately noticed it was lighter in color and smelled much better (not as strong) than Target brand I used. The sauce tasted significantly better with Gebhardt.
I didn’t cover the enchiladas before putting in the oven first time I made these. Cheese was dried out. Though the recipe doesn’t say it, definitely recommend covering in foil!
Sauce was too salty the first time, so 2nd time I completely left out the 1/2 tsp salt. Sodium from chicken broth was plenty of salt. Sauce still tasted great!
Corn tortillas tore when rolling up like others have complained about. Second time, I wrapped tortillas in foil, put in oven on low temp just to warm while putting everything else together and not one of them tore.
I love garlic so pressed 3 garlic cloves through a garlic press into the sauce instead of the powder. Delicious! Like the suggestion of onion powder someone had. I’ll try that next time!
I made 8 enchiladas the first time then squeezed in 2 more the second time so was able to use all 10 from the package. Used 16 oz of cheese, 1/2 cheddar, 1/2 pepper jack. Yum! Used “super size” tortillas but they still aren’t as big as the ones you get in the restaurants!
Thank you for sharing what you do. That’s just in the description of what is inside. Garlic pepper isn’t on the list. I list adding a little though.
I have made these enchiladas at least 10 times now. I’m sorry it took so long to comment and rate! 🙂 These are absolutely delicious and the only thing I do different is – 1. I can’t ever seem to *not* tear my tortillas when dipping them in the sauce, so I just put a layer of sauce, layer of torn tortillas, cheese, sauce and then another layer of tortillas and sauce. Kind of like an enchilada lasagna! Tastes exactly the same and keeps me sane haha. And 2. We add onions because we’re onion fans in this family! Otherwise I make it as-is.
Thank you so much for such a great recipe! It’s a weekly dinner in our house now!
You are so welcome!! Thank you for sharing what you do 🙂
Very good cheese enchilada, just like restaurants ❤️
I am so glad you think so 🙂 Thank you for saying that!
When I see Gebhardt chili I know it’s the real deal. My nana would approve and so do I!
Yay!! Love hearing that! Thank you for letting me know!
I never realized how easy it is to make homemade enchilada sauce! I had always used it from a can and never really loved the flavor unless I mixed green with red and it still never tasted like all of the yummy enchiladas from our favorite restaurants. Then I found this recipe and I have never looked back! It is seriously so good and so easy. I make it so often that I have it memorized and it quickly has become a family favorite.
No more canned red sauce for us! This recipe is so easy to make, and I can increase the heat based on who is eating! My kids love these enchiladas. I usually make a smaller pan, since we have little eaters, but I always do the full sauce recipe because it’s so delicious and we want extra sauce!
We love Mexican food and enchiladas are always a hit. Kristen’s cheese enchiladas are tops! Easy weeknight meal that’s a crowd pleaser.
This is the recipe that got me hooked on Lil’ Luna. It is so easy and delicious. These are our new favorite enchiladas!
I love this recipe! I had been hesitant to make red sauce but this one is simple and so delicious. I always get rave reviews when I make it.
This is my all time favorite lil Luna recipe! So delicious and tastes better than a restaurant and makes a ton!
I made these for the first time a few years ago and this is the only red enchilada sauce I’ve used since. One of my favorite enchilada recipes.
Such delicious and easy cheese enchiladas!
Delicious and quick and easy. Live this recipe.
These are so delicious! The sauce is amazing! So hard to we’ve use enchilada sauce from a can now!
Classic.
Wow! This definitely is a family favorite. I usually make them on special occasions like anniversaries or birthdays.
I LOVE these cheesy enchiladas!!
This was really really good. I made them for my Mom’s birthday because she’s a cheese enchilada fan. They were delicious and very filling.
I love hearing that! Thank you for trying them & for letting me know!
I have been reading through the comments and I keep seeing people taking about using chili purée but I don’t see it in the recipe, am I missing something
Thanks
The sauce makes a chili puree & I had an old recipe that used one, but this is the updated recipe.
Wowee!! Easy to make and tasted phenomenal! Really fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing!! Big hit
You are so welcome!! Glad it was a hit! Thank you!
I looked around the recipe and the comments, but I’m not sure how many tortillas to buy and how much cheese goes in each enchilada.
I just have a bowl of cheese by me & a stack of tortillas. Just depends on how much cheese you’d like to add & the size of your pan, as for the amount of tortillas.
I made this (almost) as written and it was fabulous! The only thing I did differently was to add sliced black olives to the top right before baking. My family LOVED it! Even my 7 yo twins, who are INCREDIBLY picky, had seconds and said that it was a keep recipe. I anticipated having leftovers but there weren’t any. I appreciated that the flavor of the sauce was mild.
Yay!! SO happy to hear that! Thank you so much for sharing that!
Can I use flour tortillas?
You sure could!! Enjoy!!
Very Delicious! I only had one can of chicken broth but it worked fine, I just poured a can of hatch chili red enchilada sauce on top. Perfect!
Perfect!! Thanks for sharing what you did!
I made them and they were so good and really easy to make! I always have the ingredients in my house and can make these anytime.
Yay!! Glad you do! Thank you 🙂
I’m Concerned that the calorie information might me wrong? I’m hunting for healthy versions of my favorite recipes and I wanna try it but how did I calculate the caloric intake?
Sounds great. Will be making shortly. However is there A gf way to thicken the sauce ? Arrowroot maybe ? IDk….
I am not too familiar with trying ingredients to make gluten free, so I wish I knew for sure. I’m sorry!
So Delicious and eAsy to prepare. Authentic mexican taste. Highly recommend!
Awe, happy you said that 🙂 Thank you so much!
I have now cooked this twice and omg yum!!! Thank you for sharing!
You are so welcome! Thank you so much for letting me know!
Just tried this. it turned out great , except for one thing…the corn tortillas never softened and then fell apart. Ended up USING some flour tortillas I had. Still turned out GREAT imo.
Read somewhere that corn tortillas should be boiled first…?
I am sorry they did. I like to soften them in the microwave or I dip them in sauce for a second to soften them. Thanks for trying them!
I just made it. It was delicious! Thank you.
Thank you for trying it! Happy you think so 🙂
WOW! Eating this now and its so delicious! 3 tbsp of chili powder seemed like a bit much for me ( so i deducted 1 tsp and they came out amazing!
Glad you tried them! That’s what I love about cooking, you can adjust to your own liking! Thank you!
My son and I made these last night. The sauce was fantastic!! We used lots of cheese (cheddar and Mexican cheese). These were definitely authentic and as GOOD as, or better than, any restaurant cheese enchiladas! Thanks for the recipe!!
That makes my day! Thank you so much for saying that!
i made this dish love will make it again thank you
Yay!! Love to hear that! Thank you for trying it!
fast, easy, & delishso!
Glad you think so 🙂 Thank you!
kristyn, these were sooooo good! I make your green chile chicken enchiladas all the time but hesitated to make these because I wasn’t sure about making the red enchilada sauce. But it was easy! and These cheese enchiladas are exactly like the restaurant ones that I have been craving and have been recipe searching for forever! happy dance!!!
Awe, I am so glad!! I am glad you gave them a try! They are our favorite! Thank you!
The red sauce was delish on the enchiladas! my family loved the flavor of the cilantro lime ranch dressing!!! it was a great combo…def will be making this again!
Love hearing that!! Happy your family liked them both! Thank you!
This was so good! I was worried because the sauce had so many clumps. I could not get it smooth but once it was cooked you couldn’t tell and my family are it all!!!
Glad you stuck it out, because those clumps do go away 🙂 Happy your family liked it!
How many enchiladas does this make or how many ENCHILADAS are in a serving.
It makes around 1 1/2 dozen, maybe a little more. A serving would be 2 enchiladas.
This turned out AMAZINGly well and I had complimenTs all around thE table. My daughter suggested adding a pat of butter to the sauce. Not sure it made a meaningful difference, but this was a grand slam! Thank you, Lil’ Luna ?
You are so welcome! Thank you for trying it. Glad it was a hit with everyone!
Your red enchilada sAuce recipe used to Be made with a chili puree that was frozen and tomato sauce. Do you still have that recipe someWHERE?
This recipe makes the chili puree. I don’t have the other one anymore, but this one is our favorite!
This Enchilada sauce is Very over powering. My husband is a big fan of spicy and he could was having a hard time consuming these. I couldn’t taste any flavors because it was so spicy. The recipe says 3 TBSP of chili powder….are you meaning 3 TSP?
No, it’s 3 T. You can definitely add less. Thank you for trying them 🙂
easy and delicious
Happy you think so 🙂 Thank you!
You mention chili puree in the description near the title but chili puree doesn’t appear in the list of ingredients or the instructuons or the video. Are we supposed to add chili puree to this recipe?
This recipe makes a chile puree, so there isn’t a chile puree ingredient in the ingredient list. Hope you try them!
Good stuff.
Glad you like it! Thank you!
i used to go to an old mexican restaurant when i was a little girl. It has since closed down but i remember loving their cheese enchiladas. I have been craving their DELICIOUS ENCHILADAS for years and this recipe is the closest i have ever come to that same flavor. i was a worried because the sauce wasn’t thickening like the video, but everything still turned out amazing. even my boyfriend went back for seconds and thirds. thank you so much for this great recipe.
You are so welcome!! I am happy you found this recipe & tried it 🙂
your recipe for enchilada was very good. I had trouble with my corn tortillas cracking and breaking when I rolled the Enchiladas. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you so much FOR SHARING YOUR RECIPE
I am glad you liked them! Sometimes, they do, but you could flash fry them or even stick them in the microwave for a few seconds. Hope that helps!
How much cheese? Where do you indicate how much. CHicken Broth?
2 cups chicken broth & I don’t have an amount for the cheese. I probably use 1-2 cups total. Really, there is no wrong amount. If you like cheese, add what you like.
The prod caMe out fine, it’s the taste (maybe i’m used to the sto brand, Amy’s cheese enchilada). It was dry too. The corn tortillas Weren’t all that, but perhaps it was a brand thing. Wish I could po a picture, looks great!
Thank you for giving it a try 🙂
These came out great! Best enchiladas ever!
Glad you think so 🙂 Thank you!
My husband says that these enchiladas tastes like the ones his grandma makes! Finally a wonderful recipe!
Yay!! That makes me so happy! Please, tell him thank you!
I used tapioca flour instead of flour, which saved about 11 minutes off the time needed to thicken the sauce. Because it thickened so thoroughly, I will probably add a little more broth next time to have extra to pour.
This sauce….ohhhh this sauce!!! I’m going to think of a million and one ways to use this sauce ❤️
MY 7 year old daughter and I had a great time making this together
Awe, thank you so much for sharing that! Glad you liked it. There are so many recipes you can use this for 😉 Thanks for sharing what you did.
The whole family loved these enchiladas! I will be trying all of your recipes!
Awe, I hope you like all the ones you do try 🙂 Thank you so much!
Hello! My friends fav fooD is cheese enchIladas and with all restaurants closed im going to make them! Im confused after reading the comments. People are talking about tomato sauce and chili puree. I dont see these listed Under ingredients or in the directIons. Can you pleasee cLarify.
Thanks very excited
Nvm i was looking at oLd comments till i sent this comment then it bought me to new comments where i see the recipe changed! Thank you!
Very yummy sauce! I added a 1/2 tsp onion powder as well. thickened perfectly. this is a keeper!
Glad it’s a keeper 🙂 That sounds perfect! Thank you!
ABSOLUTELY
delicious and super easy!!!
So glad you think so 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
Your recipe is perfect. However i had trouble rolling the tortillas without breaking.
They didnt look pretty like yours. Have any hints?
I just dip them for a few seconds, so they don’t get too coated. Unfortunately, they do break sometimes. And, I don’t roll too tight. Hope those help!
I FEEL WEIRD ASKING THIS, BUT THE RECIPE MENTIONS CHILI PUREE AND SEVERAL COMMENTS MENTION TOMATO SAUCE. HOWEVER, ON THE RECIPE CARD, NEITHER THE INGREDIENT LIST OR INSTRUCTIONS MAKE ANY MENTION OF THIS. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT? IT SEEMS TO BE OBVIOUS TO OTHERS. HA!
The chile puree is what’s made from the ingredients & there is no tomato sauce in this recipe. It’s an updated recipe, so tomato sauce was once used, but not in this recipe. These are my favorite, I hope you give them a try & like them!
When i dipped the corn toRtillas in the sauce they fell a part. Should i haVe cooled the sauce first. It Was a mess.
Oh, no..I’m sorry. Don’t leave them long in the sauce, just enough to dip. Not saying you did that, but that’s my tip. I don’t let it really cool. It is still pretty warm when I do it.
Amazing!! We added sliced olives, cilantro, and green onion to the shredded cheese blend. This dish was So incredibly yummy!!
Great additions!! I am happy you liked it! Thank you for sharing what you did!
Would love to make this tonight – how much tomato sauce? I see it mentioned but dont see it listed in The ingredients… thanks!
Sorry to get back to you too late. There is no tomato sauce in this recipe. The chili powder gives it the red color 🙂
THese enchiladas were as good as my mom’s. ??
Oh, that makes me so happy to hear! Thank you so much for saying that!
These enchiladas are aMazing! My family loves them. I was asked to make them again before the leftovers were Even gone. Thank you, krIstyn!
I love hearing that! I am so glad they were a hit! Thank you for sharing that!
I admire you for your recipes which are more authentic than many on the internet. However, garlic is a new addition to Mexican food. It is now a cash crop in Mexico. Garlic is an Italian ingredient mostly. We are a old Mexican family and we never use garlic or tomato products in our food. The exception is salsa and pico de gallo and sometimes guacamole. YOur enchilada recipe is very good but different than ours. We use other ingredients not listed on your recipe but I applaud you for not using tomatoes which so many people new to Mexican food use. All in all your recipes are very good and I am sure they are and will be a success.
the … BEST BEST BEST … ever !!!!!!
I am so glad you think so!! It’s our favorite! Thank you for letting me know!
Seriously fantastic! I’ve been craving cheese enchiladas, and we have a mexican restaurant that we go to in town to get them. But after searching the web and running across this recipe, we decided to try them. Both my daughters decided to help make them. The recipe was not complicated, and They were delicious! The only comment I would make is that I didn’t have the recommended chili powder you use–instead I used McCormick’s. Is there a reason for the Gebhardt chili powder? Is it a milder brand?
Glad you found this recipe & tried them! Especially, that you liked them. No reason, we just like it 🙂
You have mentioned tomato cheese enchiladas . But i see no tomato sauce in it
No tomato sauce in this 🙂 This is an updated recipe, without it. Hope you try them!
Many years ago i leaRned how to make a meat stuffing from a wonderful mexican friend. I have lOst the recipe. With your background do you have a mexican meat stuffing recIpe? I would lOve to make it again.
Thank you.
I am so sorry, but I do not. Have you tried Pinterest?
Thank you so much for sharing this! It was seriously the easiest to make and even my pickiest eaters gobbled it up. The entire meaal was gone before I could even snap a picture and share on IG. This one will definitely be on repeat! ?
Yay!! I love hearing that!! Thank you for letting me know!
Easy and delicious! I just moved to georgia from texas and My family so needed this! Thank you!!!
These enchiladas are on regular roTation at my house! My kids are the pickiest eaters But they love these enchiladas! And i love making the homemade sauce…its simple Enough for me (someone who is terrible at cooking!) and is so much yummier than the stuff ib the can!
Yes, homemade is so much better! Glad your picky eaters like it! Thank you!
I made the (no tomato) recipe with the chili powder (even got Gebhardt that you recommended!) and my family loved it! We live in south Texas and this is spot on restaurant style cheese enchiladas with chili gravy. I had tortillas that were 1/2 corn and 1/2 flour and they were a little too soft for my liking, but my husband said he loved them kind of squishy. I would definitely stick to all corn tortillas next time if i’m cooking to my liking. Got the kids involved in making them-my 8 year old dipped the tortillas, my 5 year old did the cheese, and i did the rolling. Thanks for this recipe!
You are so welcome! I love that you got your kids involved. Yes, I prefer the corn too. Thank you so much!
Made these and could not get them out Of the pan In one piece. They all got mushie and fell apart. Will nOt make again. They looked like garbage on the plate. I could not Separate the enchiladas as the shells got so Soggy and fell apart. I Don’t know how you make aHead of time and keep them Whole as mine were extremely soggy when i made right away.
Thank you for trying them. I have not had that issue, so I am not sure what went wrong.
These were terrific and the Family loved them. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
You are so welcome! I am glad your family liked them! Thank you!
I’m always craving real enchiladas and that canned sauce just doesn’t taste good! These were so good and tasted just like my favorite Mexican restaurant!
I love hearing that!! Thank you for trying them!!
I was determined to recreate enchiladas like we had at a mexican RESTAURANT. These were very close and my kids loved them too. Not very often do i have Them ask to have a meal made again.
Thank you for sharing that! I love to hear when families, especially kids love the recipe!
Hi,
I JUST MADE THIS SAUCE, ENCHILADAS ARE IN THE OVEN. I COULDMT STOP LICKING THE SPOON OR SCRAPING THE SAUCE FROM THE PAN TO EAT IT! Tastes just like a good enchilada sauce in a mexican restaurant. Please don’t use tomato sauce, just follow the recipe it’s mucho delicioso, muy bien gracias Amiga POR salsa receipt! Besos sorry for cap lock, didn’t have the heart to redo when I noticed. Con permiso por favor.
Shellee
Awe, thank you so much for sharing that!! It’s our favorite!
This is the best enchilada recipe i have ever made!! Truly AUTHENTIC!! My damily abso lived them as well
Thank you for saying that! They are our go-to! I am so glad you liked them!
In description is says chile puree but recIpe says chili powder. Which is it?
Chili powder 🙂
Can you tripe this recipe? I want to make these for my daughters birthday for a crowd, what do you SUGGEST doing so i can make two 9×13 pans?
You sure could! Yes, I would just use more pans or even an 11×17 too 🙂 Hope they are a hit!
My husband is a huuuuge enchilada fan, so for his birthday I wanted to make homemade enchiladas for dinner. I found this recipe and it seemed pretty foolproof. he was so impressed!!! He said they even rivaled some of the restaurant enchiladas he’s had before. I don’t eat enchiladas much, but these tasted fantastic!
The only two things I will say about this recipe are that
1) the sauce came out Waaay thicker than pictured. I used the exact measurements outlined in the recipe, but it still came out so thick that I couldn’t really “dip” the tortillas in it. i guess i thought it would be the consistency of canned enchilada sauce, but it was almost the consistency of mole — I had to kinda press the tortillas into it and then flip it over and press it in again. I used an icing spatula to spread the sauce over the rolled tortillas at the end.
2) The recipe doesn’t include anything about heating up the tortillas prior to dipping them in the sauce. Mine immediately ripped apart as soon as I got them in the sauce. Maybe this was due to the thick consistency! After one or two failed tortilla attempts, I steamed a small stack in the microwave and they were much easier to dip and roll after that.
All that being said, we’ve made these three times in the last two weeks and we both are pleasantly surprised every time! So glad I found this recipe!
I am glad you found this recipe, too!! Thank you for sharing that! Tell your hubby I appreciate what he said!
This is an amazing recipe! Everyone loved them, the flavor was just perfect! I did add some shredded chicken moistened with extra sauce. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe-i will definitely be making these again soon!
Glad to hear that! Adding chicken is a great idea!! Thank you for letting me know!
These enchiladas were amazing! My kids thought they were a bit too sPicy but my husband and i loved them. this recipe is a keeper!
Glad to hear!! Thank you for trying them!!
Oh my goodness! This is by far the best sauce I have ever tasted or made! My husband and I agree that this recipe is DEFINITELY a keeper!
Yay!! I love hearing that!! Thank you for trying it & for letting me know!
Thank you for sharing!! This was easy and delicious!!! ❤
You are so welcome!! I am glad you liked them 🙂 Thank you!
This Was soooo good. I only had 2 tbsp of chili powder, I didn’t have garlic powder so I added sautéed onions and garlic and raw onions on top before I put it in the oven and also a little bit of beef bullion organic of course lol
Sounds great!! I am so glad you liked it!! Thank you 🙂
Hello, I made these last night and they were fabulous!! Would it be ok to share this on my website, with a link back to yours?
thank you so much for considering and for sharing this amazing recipe!! 🙂
Grace
Glad you liked it! Yes, as long as you leave the link. Thanks!
So so good and super easy, came together perfectly. Thanks kristyn! xo
First it says cool time is 40 min. Then in instructions it says 25 min???
Bake time is 20-25 minutes. Cool time is however long you’d like 🙂
I learned hoW to make these Cheese enchalidas (added onion also) from our mexican maid Lupe who came over to el paso from JuArez, Mexico daIly on a bUs To clean our house, back in the middle 60’s. Love these enchalidas.
That’s awesome! Glad you like them!
Loo delicious! CaN’t wait to try!
Sure hope you like them, as much as we do!
Added this recipe to our favorites book! So delicious!
So, this is just the recipe I was looking for. Making it, I understand more about what I love about enchilada “gravy” — its great chili powder and other good original stuff. I used smoked cumin and a local chili powder and it smelled so good the crew was circling the kitchen.
Tips: I made 4 times the recipe, use a deep pan so that you can wisk the sauce. Follow her advice to let the tortilla’s soften in the sauce. If you don’t, they are brittle and break. That said, you won’t care about any imperfections about the tortillas, because the whole thing bakes together so well.
for four times the recipe, i used one bag of corn tortillas and 64 OZ of shredded mex cheese.
Glad you found it! Thank you so much for sharing that!!
So delicious!! The sauce is amazing.
perfect sauce. I added a little water to thin mine out. I’m an enchilada snob and have been using a family recipe for years. hands down this recipe is the best one i’ve ever made and I am now using it exclusively.
That makes me so happy to hear!! Thank you so much for letting me know that 🙂
I am confused, the photo of the sauce looks like it surely has tomato sauce or paste of some kind. The recipe has none…is this correct?
the chili powder is what makes it look red…there is no tomato sauce or paste.
These ENCHILADAS WERE DELICIOUS! eVEN MY PICKY TWO YEAR OLD LOVED THEM! i DEFINITELY WILL BE KEEPING THIS RECIPE FOR THE FUTURE 🙂
Yay!! That is what I love to hear! Thank you so much 🙂
Hands down BEST ENCHILADAS i have ever had! Super easy recipe that pairs perfectly with the lil luna MeXican rice recipe. A family favorite in our house!
Awe, thank you for saying that!! I am so glad you think so 🙂
How do you make cheese enchiladas with no red sauce? My kids dont like it. Do I spray pan, I use flour tortillas and put cheese in middle and on top?
I have a couple, non red sauce ones you could try….https://lilluna.com/green-chili-enchiladas/ or https://lilluna.com/tutorial-tuesday-las-palmas-chicken-enchiladas/
We love any and all things Mexican. These enchiladas got two thumbs up around our dinner table!
my family loves mexican food too! these are a must to add to my recipes. So yummy!
this would be so perfect for dinner tonight! So cheesy and delicious!
Hands down this is my husband’s favorite recipe and is the gold standard for everything else i make!
These are my all time favorite! this is such a great recipe!
This was delicious but I wish the recipe had instructions on how many corn tortillas and how much cheese to USe. The sauce was pretty salty, we had to add a bunch of water.
obsessed with these delicious enchiladas!
These are so tasty!
These look like a delicious family friendly meal! Can’t wait to try it out on my kiddos
It really is! I hope they like it!
Love this for dinner. Simple and tasty!
This was a huge hit! Everyone in my family loves it!
This is the kind of dinner we absolutely love!
We love enchiladas at this house! These are great!
This has become a family go-to! They are incredibly easy to make & always a hit!
I love that you share so many of your family recipes, espEcially since so many Are mexican food dishes ? these enchiladas to take some extra effort, but its well worth it.
In the opening paragraph you mention using tomato sauce but it dOes not appear in the recipe.
The sauce also has the appearance of a tomato base. Just checking.
No tomato sauce in this recipe 🙂 The chili powder gives it the color.
Can I use this sauce for chicken enchiladas as well?
You sure could 🙂
Hi, Looks delicious, how many enchiladas does it make?
You could get a dozen 🙂
Red enchiladas are one of my favorite mexican dishes! There quick to make and I love having left over red chili. Such a great recipe.
Hi, i love your reciPes! Especially this red enchiladas! My husband favorite were your old recipe with the chili puree (which is Ea easily found at my grocery) as my husband birthday coming up and was wondering if i can have the old Recipe. Thank soo Much
Made this recipe last night And they were a big hit! Thank you for sharing 🙂
You are so welcome!! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
I am very confused! Is there supposed to be tomato sauce in this cheese enchilad recipe or not? If not, what makes the sauce red? Thanks in advance for your help!
No tomato sauce. The chili powder gives it the red color 🙂 They are delish!
What about the tomatoe sauce?
No, tomato sauce in this recipe 😉
i LOVED THIS RECIPE WITH THE CHILI PUREE AND i CANNOT SEE THAT ONE NOW. i DO NOT HAVE TROUBLE GETTING THE PUREE HERE. uNFORTUNATELY i CANNOT USE THE NEW RECIPE AS WE HAVE A CHICKEN PROTEIN ALLERGY AND i DID NOT LOVE IT WITH THE VEGETABLE BROTH. IS THERE A WAY YOU CAN SEND ME THE OLD RECIPE SO THAT I CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY THESE?
Sorry I could not tell my caps lock was on! I was not trying to yell lol!
Hi Kara, We love the chili purEe recipe. If you get the info can you pLease Email to me @ [email protected] Thank you
OK, Where’s the tomato sauce??
No tomato sauce in this recipe 🙂
Could i sub vegetable broth for chicken brOth?
I haven’t tried, but you sure could 🙂
We do like mexican food! Its tuff to say what our favorIte is but for me it would be red enchilAdas. Actually anything with red sauce. Its a great dish to make ahead and put in the oven whEn ready.
This looks insanely, incredibly good. Yummy!
They are our favorite!! Hope you try them! Thank you!
I used tomato paste on accident in the new recipe, and it was a hit. I tried it without the next time I made it, and my kids did not care for it. I am making it again tonight and will go with the tomato paste. My kids like spicy foods, but I think the tomato paste made it a little less hot and overall more familiar in taste.
Thanks for sharing that!! I am glad your kids like it 🙂 That makes me happy to hear!
This recipe was very close to authentic restaurant style cheese enchiladas; however the enchilada sauce was not red as the pictures indicate!
Do you have a good fajitas seasoning mix?
I do not have a homemade version. I have a taco seasoning though…https://lilluna.com/taco-seasoning/. I would look on Pinterest if you really want a homemade fajita seasoning.
I added chipotle chiles to my sauce. I also like to mix diced onion with the cheese that is rolled inside the tortillas. That is how they do it where I grew up in San Antonio. I now live in Utah and in answer to the question about the Mexican cheese. It is pretty much just colby jack or cheddar. Winco has a brand that has some authentic Mexican cheeses that I really like. One is called Oxaca. I can’t remember the name of the other one.
Thank you so much for sharing that!!
Hi there! Excited to try these! I don’t see the amount of cumin listed in the new recipe so wanted to check on that! Thanks!
I added it 😉 It is 1/2 tsp cumin. Thanks for catching that!
What happened to the tomato sauce in the new recipe?
I just don’t need it. All the ingredients together make a delicious new sauce 🙂
The new recipe for Red Cheese Enchiladas does not use tomato sauce in the sauce, but the original recipe does. Doesn’t the tomato sauce make a difference in the flavor? Just wondering.
A little. The new version makes the best sauce! I like it without, better 🙂
Hi,
I Am looking for a cheese enchilada recipe and your dish LOOKS amazing. However I don’t see how 2 c of thickened chicken stock produces the lovely red sauce shown in the picture . No tomato based product?
The new recipe seems quite different from the old.
It is different, but I promise it is so good!! All the spices combined give it its color 🙂 I hope you will try it!
Has anyone tried this with canned broth?
Yes, chicken broth 🙂
Cool, thank you.
I was just wondering if it tasted better with homemade chicken broth vs. canned.
This recipe looks amazing; will try it soon. Thank you.
You are so welcome!! Let me know what you think 🙂
how do you go about reheating these from frozen? I noticed in another enchilada post that you freeze them to give to new moms. I was thinking of making a triple or quadruple batch and freezing for easy summer dinners.
I would freeze them before baking it, then bake as follows. I hope that helps! 🙂
I am so excited to try this! Thank you so much for sharing!
You are welcome!! I hope you like them as much as we do!
Love this recipe but holy crap at the salt. I did exactly the recipe and the spice is great but it’s very salty and that’s even with me accidentally forgetting to add the salt to it lol
Could you use beef broth instead of chicken broth?
I’m sure you could. I haven’t tried that, but usually when one doesn’t have one, they use the other & it turns out 🙂
So glad I found this recipe! I’m not a fan of canned enchilada sauce so I thought I’d give this one a shot. It’s seriously the bomb! My husband loved it so much and requested that I make it again tonight. I had shredded chicken on hand so I added that to the inside with the cheese and it did not disappoint! Thanks for sharing! Saving this one forever.
That makes me so happy to hear!! Adding chicken is a great idea! Thank you so much for letting me know!
I made these for my family with the new recipe and everyone loved it! Will definitely be making them again. 🙂
So, glad to hear!! Thank you so much for trying them & letting me know 🙂
Looks and sounds wonderful. I love Mexican food. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! We do too!! Let me know what you think, if you try them!
Is it really correct that there isn’t any tomato sauce or tomato anythingin the new recipe?
That is correct 🙂 It really is the best sauce, I hope you will give it a try! I’d love to know what you think 🙂
When I make my red enchiladas I fry ground beef n onions n drain then I mix a LG can of tomato sauce n enchiladas pkg to gather with one can of hot water. I dip my corn tortillas In the sauce n roll with mixed cheese n beef mixture till all are rolled then I pour the rest of aside over n bake when done about 30 min I add shredded cheese n heat til melted. Yummy
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Could you use flour tortillas instead of corn? Would that change the flavor too much?
That would for sure change the flavor. I personally haven’t tried these with flour, but you could try? One way to find out 🙂
You are my hero! These were the best enchiladas ever! I made it just as your recipe indicated – the upper recipe without the chile purée. I also made your Mexican Rice, and it too was delicious – and so much better than out of a box. And no preservatives! I want to make again them tomorrow they were so good, but I’ll wait a week! It will take me a couple of times before they look as pretty as yours. I had a few tortillas that split and had to be very careful not to split the rest. But they did hold together, and the taste was fantastic. I’m looking forward to trying your other recipes!
Oh, that makes me so happy to hear!! Those with the rice are a favorite around here! Thanks so much for sharing!
Have you tried it with the new recipe? Is it as good as the recipe with chili purée? I plan to make this tonight unless it isn’t as good. thanks!
I made these tonight, and they are incredible! They taste better than anything I’ve ever had an a Mexican restaurant. They are phenomenal and my new favorite enchilada recipe. Thank you!
Awe! I am so happy to hear that!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
The updated recipe, is seriously so good! That’s what I use 🙂 Hope you liked it!
When I make cheese enchiladas I saute some chopped onions, cool them and add to the cheese
which I put in the enchiladas. Gives them more body and add the onion which is a good addition.
If I liked onions, it would be great 🙂 You could totally add them. I don’t mind the flavor so much, so I add onion powder to recipes.
The top recipe doesn’t have any tomato sauce or tomato component. I noticed at the last minute and added tomato paste because that’s all I had 🙁
Yes, that is an updated version. No tomato sauce in it. They should be ok. Let me know how they turn out 🙂
Exatly what is Chili Puree ? How can you make it yourself ?
It’s like a chili paste. I make it by doing steps 1 & 2 in the instructions for this recipe, but you can find a lot of recipes online. Hope that helps!
No tomato sauce in the new recipe?
Nope, it’s a homemade sauce 🙂
Can you add ground beef? At what point in recipe would I add?
I have never added beef. If you want to, I would add it as you are rolling them up. I would have it browned, ready to go. Hope that helps! Good luck!
My favorite food is Mexican. Do you have a recipe for the white cheese for dipping?
What exactly are you looking for? A dip or like queso? Or, something different?
My family browned the flour, used Eagle Brand Chili, and fresh garlic. But other than that your recipe is the closest I’ve seen to what we do. Of course, I have been trying to find the measurements since my family taught me to use a handful of this and a bit of that, until it tasted ‘right’. I appreciate your recipe. Thank you.
Thanks so much! I’ll have to try your way 🙂
thank you. I made these tonight. But i had trouble dipping the tortillas in the sauce; they fell apart. So I resorted to the microwave. Iguess they were too dry (i just bought them today) Anyway, i smeared the tortillas with the sauce, front and back, microwaved them for 25 sec each, and they were perfect to put the cheese on and roll up. Can’t wait for dinner. I’m also making the rice.
What a great idea about the microwave! Thanks for sharing that! I’m glad you like this recipe and with the rice, it’s perfect!! Thanks again!
Having grown up in California, these dishes are home cooking to me.
I try never to use anything prepared but from scratch. The first recipe for red sauce is terrific. Easy for new cooks but there aren’t many things easier than a rich tasty red sauce. When the recipe calls for garlic powder I prefer using minced garlic and saute to bring out the flair.
When my sauce has everything in it I use a stick blender to make it velvety smooth
Appearance is everything.
Thank you so much for sharing that!!! You’re right, appearance is everything!
Kristyn, I your red cheese enchiladas tonight along with your Mexican rice!!!! Omg it was so delish!! My family loved it! It was like eating at a restraunt but a lot cheaper! I love your food and I follo your boards! Thank you so much for helpingthis white girl cook so good!!!!!
Sorry about the typos! Lol I made these tonight!
LOL..you’re funny!! Thanks so much and thanks for letting me know!! Anyone make it 🙂
I think your food must be Tex-Mex because traditional Mexican food does not use tomato products the way you use them here. Must be U.S. influence. Canned enchilada sauce uses tomatoes. It was designed for people who are not Mexican.
I make Enchiladas (make my own sauce), Mexican rice (does not have tomato products), and hubby makes chile rellenos according to Mexican tradition handed down from his mother from Mexico.
I have been to Mexico many times and the food there is not made this way.
I don’t know any Mexican family who makes their food like this, nor have I been to any restaurant that makes food like yours except in Texas. Ours family doesn’t.
Sorry I cannot support your recipes. I feel bad for you but I am sure your family and friends like your cooking but please title it Tex-Mex.
Wow, seriously? Your comment was incredibly rude and incorrect.
My husband and his family immigrated here from Guadalajara. My father-in-law owned a restaraunt in Jalisco for many years before coming to the US. He still, at 84 years old, cooks daily. He uses tomato products in many of his dishes, including his rice, and it is by far the BEST rice, far superior to anything in a restaurant here.
So before spouting out your rude opinions, be sure you know what you are talking about first.
I don’t know anything about you or your family but I do know how ignorant you are about mexican food.There are many and different ways to cook food and Mexico has a great variety of ways depending on the region .There is no such thing as one certain way.Like I said you are either ignorant or limited in what you know.So, keep your comment to yourself.
Since my family is Mexican, I can speak with authority. I did not resort to name calling here and if opinions and comments are not wanted then the blog to should be closed to them.
I think there is no need for name calling. I did not call you ignorant. I am aware that there are different regions with different styles of cooking in Mexico. The traditional Mexican food I am aware of has been the only kind that I ever had in several various regions of Mexico and in California, in particular, and at home. Tex-Mex food uses tomatoes in their recipes. Sorry if you think my opinion is rude.
A lot of people think that about a differing opinion. Sorry, I really get tired of people mis labeling their recipes and therefore feel compelled to offer my opinion. If opinions are not welcome on this blog, then it should be closed to comments. If you like the recipes, it is fine with me. If people like Tex-Mex food that is o.k. too. Tex-Mex is not a dirty word it just is not traditional according to, in particular, Northern and mid Mexican and Californian cooking or cooking in our family which is very extensive. You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine. If you don’t agree, fine. Perhaps you and others might learn that not everyone has to agree with you or accept *your* opinion. Perhaps you should point the finger at yourself. And, since when are you appointed an authority.?
There are many different ways to cook Mexican food. My mom is Hispanic & her grandma came from Mexico & this is how they were taught, which is how I cook my Mexican recipes. I am sure they are all great recipes & none of them are the wrong way. That is what’s great about cooking, you can add, take out whatever you like & make them your own. 🙂
The comments are very rude. I am Mexican and Salvadorean (not from Texas), and both families use tomato products. “I am Mexican, so I can speak with authority”. Please, you act like you are running something…Is that your excuse for having no class or life, and trolling someone’s recipe website, that you claim you don’t need? If you know so much, then cook YOUR recipes, and leave this nice lady alone. It is HER site, so she speaks with authority. Imagine having nothing better to do with your life than tell people how to cook, and label their recipes on their website, that you claim you don’t need LOL, pathetic.
This looks great, but there are a few things that are a bit confusing, and or missing. You don’t say how many tortillas you’ll need, or how much queso. It’s good to know quantities before heading to the store. Also, you use the term “fry” the tortillas in the red sauce. When I think frying, higher heat and oil, and you mention turning down the heat on the sauce before you do this. Again, when I think frying, I think of a higher temp, and oil. I quess you mean “dip” the tortillas in the red sauce? Not picking on you, just want to get it right.
The amount of tortillas vary. I use a 9×13 pan and can fit 9-11 tortillas. It just depends on how tight you roll them up. As for the frying, it’s called flash frying, where you dip the tortillas in the sauce, before adding however much cheese you’d like. After you’ve rolled all your tortillas, you pour the excess sauce on top. There isn’t queso in this recipe. Hope this helps and hope you enjoy them!!
OK, so your response explains why I was confused. If you look up the definition of flash frying, you will see that it is the process of frying something at a very high temperature in oil, not dipping something in a sauce at at low temperature. That is not flash frying. The literal translation of queso is cheese, and does not necessarily mean queso fresco, which is what I believe you’re referring to when you said there isn’t queso in this recipe. All that said, your recipe still sounds great, I will try it this weekend, and I’m sure it’ll be delicious! Thanks.
Found your recipe on Pinterest. Looks good. Can’t wait to try it. On your site you said since moving to Texas you can’t find Bueno Chile Puree. I live near Fort Worth, and Albertsons is a major store in the DFW metroplex area. Bueno’s store locator website shows it to be sold at Albertsons and some Brookshires. Plug in your zip code and see if any is near you. Hope this helps.
https://buenofoods.com/store-locator/
Thanks Kathy!! I’m back in Arizona, so I can find it now 🙂 If you love enchiladas, you’ll love this recipe! Thanks so much for checking it out!
HEB has Bueno Red Chile and Green Chile in the freezer section. Not sure if you have an HEB nearby.
I do..I love HEB!!! Thanks for the heads up!!
Hi, this might be a silly question, but do you buy a certain kind of corn tortillas to keep your enchiladas from falling apart?! I feel like I’ve tried all kinds of methods of preparation – flash frying in oil, sauce, steaming, heating in a pan, etc – but my enchiladas never seem to hold up once they’ve been cooked. It’s always sooo annoying because I feel like I spend endless time rolling. I’ve even fried them so much that they are almost crispy (not to mention I have to roll while they are still scalding so that they are still bendable) and still no dice. I’d love any suggestions you have!
The only suggestion I can give is buy fresh corn tortillas. If they are older they are more likely to crack. I don’t flash fry mine in oil for any of my enchiladas. I just dip them in the sauce to make them soft and it works out great. 😉
When I make enchiladas I don’t roll them I layer them with like a Casserole It’s so much faster , I put just a little sauce them my corn tortillas layered in my baking dish . I use hamburger meat I mine but just cheese is fine . After my tortillas are on bottom I put my hamburger meat in sauce cheese and onions if you like then more tortillas and continue your layers till pan is full with tortillas on top then poor sauce over them and top with cheese . Then bake in oven till Bubbly and hot . I just buy can enchilada sauce and use lots of it the more sauce the better.
How Many Enchiladas Does This Make.
You can find Bueno Red & Green chile at Albertsons grocery stores!!! I’m from New Mexico but living in Dallas now and am so happy that I finally found my Bueno red chile!!! I LOVE your website Lil’ Luna!!!
I’ll have to look at Albertson’s!! Thanks! SO glad you like the site. ;D
I’m assuming it’s from too many ads but I’m unable to look at your site or read the recipe. It keeps freezing which is an unfortunate thing that happens w/ many otherwise good blogs due to excessive pop ups. So you are losing traffic even making this comment my computer keeps freezing so I just have to “X” out of your site.
OMG! I found this on pinterest and made it tonight and it got rave reviews! I never knew it was that easy to make a red enchilada sauce. I’m never buying cans of that stuff again! Thanks for the awesome recipes!
Can this meal be frozen?
Can you clarify what you mean by “flash fry in the sauce”? Are you ONLY dipping the tortilla into the sauce? Or are you flash frying it in oil, then dipping it into the sauce? Thank you! I am really excited to try this recipe. We moved from Tucson to up north in AZ, and have yet to find really good Mexican food. =( Probably what we miss most about Tucson.
DO YOU HAVE A FRIED BEAN RECIPE? I WOULD
LOVE IT? THEN I CAN MAKE A FULL MEXICAN DINNER.
I WILL TRY ALL YOUR RECIPES. SOUND SO GOOD.
I LOVE MEXICAN FOOD. COULD EAT IT EVERY DAY.
I AM MAKING YOUR RED CHILI ENCHILADAS & RICE FOR DINNER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
This made me smile. Your famly’s mexican food recipes are so similar to what my family makes. I was reading your reader’s comments and actually was thinking about this while I was reading your chile recipe. There are lots of places around the country that mexican food items are not available. My grandparents have lived back east and found it is even hard to find good tortillas in some places. Obviously, Arizona and Texas are no such places. If I might suggest to your readers who don’t have access to the chile puree’, they could sub a canned red chile enchilada sauce from the grocery store. I like Macayo’s and Las Palmas okay. It’s not as tasty as sauce from scratch but its an alternative. It is also an alternative if you want to speed up the process a bit. Just heat the canned sauce on low in a sauce pan and use the same process as you do of flash frying the tortilla then dipping it immediately in the chile and then to the baking pan. I personally spent too much time as a teen flash frying for enchiladas and frying taco’s and taco shells that I almost never make enchiladas. Too much time and energy for me, and my dang kids don’t even like them. Hah.
LOL! Too funny!! Using canned enchilada sauce is definitely easier but I have yet to find one I REALLY like. I have tried this recipe from Gimme Some Oven, and I think it’s pretty good if you can’t find the puree – http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/red-enchilada-sauce/ – Have you tried it before?
Hi Lil’ Luna,
I have personally made the recipe from Gimme Some Oven, but I found it was a little smokier than I would have wanted. It tasted like more of a New Mexico kind of thing than Tex-mex, if that makes any sense. Any tips for making it more savory and less smoky? Do you think adding some canned tomato sauce or tomato paste would help?
That is Definitely not true about Arizona, We are actually Very Very know for Mexican food here, Great authentic Mexican food, Just as New York is known for Italian food. I don’t know if you have food city in your town but that is where I find alot of my seasonings & sauces I need for Mine, even at walmart. But do agree with you if you can’t find the items you need for the sause I say Macayo’s red enchilada sauce is the best out of all of them, it doesn’t have that Very Dark Color & Very Strong over powerung kinda burn flavor that others do, like for instance the Las Palmas red enchilada sauce does. I will only use that one for my chilaquiles. Just because of the different flavor it needs to be. I am White but make all kinds of Mexican food was taught by first loves mom, & Most of my friends are Mexican & have tough me alot, others I just did on my own, Such as my awesome homemade “Very Soft” Tortillas , Homemade Green Chile for burritos, Red Chile Beef, Or Green Chile Chicken Enchaladas. Spanish rice. List can go on & on, On food I cook. But you can also look up recipes for some good ways to make red Enchalada sause. Like doing from scratch with blending red chile’s in blender, Good Luck & i hope you have fun in your kitchen learning these great Mexican food dishes. Have a Great Day!
I have made these three times and they are better than anything I have ever
Had/made. I use to use canned sauce and could never find one that seemed
To spicy to me. This recipe is just right and it is the only way I make them anymore.
LOVE hearing that, Kim. These enchiladas are my favorite!! Sounds like they’re a new favorite for you too. 🙂
Would the chili puree be anything like the chili brick that is sold in the deli section? That’s all I could find. Thank you. I can’t wait to try this recipe!!
I can’t wait to try all your recipes. They look so yummy and real Mexican food.
I have been looking everywhere for the Chili Puree! I cannot find it! I even asked the employees. I saw you mentioned walmart, but I was there today and had no luck. Any suggestions on a substitution?
Do you have any Hispanic Stores around where you are? If so, I would check there first. Wish I could be more help. 🙁
What can I substitute chile puree with because I can’t find it anywhere. I asked workers at the store and non of them have heard of it.
I’m more than happy to uncover this great site. I want to to thank you for ones time just for this fantastic read!! I definitely loved every bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new things on your blog.
This might be a dumb question, but what isle do you find Chile Puree? Is it something frozen? Canned? I have never heard of it. I didn’t know where to start looking. 🙂
Not a dumb question at all, but it’s in the freezer section… sometimes near the cool whip, but it’s never in the same spot at the grocery stores. :/
Where in the recipe does it call for Chile purée?
We have updated the recipe since this comment/response, so it no longer calls for chili puree. Just chili powder.
I have a question about the cheese you use for the red enchiladas. I look in the Mexican cheese section and there are so many different kinds. Do you use a Mexican brand for the cheese and if so, which one works best? If you use a regular brand is it like Kraft Mexican blend? The cheese is so important in making these taste really good. I have tried for many years and have not quite found the correct one. Please help. Thanks for sharing your recipes!!
Longhorn cheese is what most Mexican dishes use in San Antonio. I have tried others but they aren’t the same.
Every region of the country is different but I think our area has the most flavor.
Hmmm, don’t think I’ve tried that kind of cheese just yet.
The brand our family used is hard to find but a real close one is made by boars head in the Deli section. I used about 3/4 of a pound sliced. I sprayed the pan with Pam. Put a tortillla that was flashed in olive oil, ran out of corn oil. Split the slice in half and with diced onions and a chicken gebhart chili mix roll the tortilla. Makes about a dozen. I used the extra cheese to put on top with a few diced onions and sauce. Then bake. They were very good, and I’m not a enchilada fan. Don’t over bake or they get dry and hard.
You bake in oven to melt cheese , cook Onions in them
That is what I use making mexican food, either Longhorn or the mild cheddar cheese, or sometimes the Mexican blend with Cheddar & monterey jack.
I don’t see where the question about the mexican cheese was ever answered besides someone mentioning longhorn cheese. Kraft carries a mexican blend containing Monterey jack, cheddar, asadero and queso quesadillas cheese. is this the cheese recommended? heres a link to the product:
https://www.kraftrecipes.com/brands/kraftcheese/product/00021000053667/kraft-mexican-style-four-finely-shredded-natural-cheese-16-oz-pouch
thank you for any guidance
Yes or it could be a fiesta cheese. Really, you can’t go wrong with any cheddar blends for this recipe 🙂
What part of the country do you live in? I live in Utah and I have looked in every market within a 20 mile radius of my house and I can’t find chile puree. I have even went to Mexican markets. Any help to find it or an alternative suggestion would be great! thank you!!
Utah sucks.
So all my store carried today was ‘hot’. Is that going to make the enchiladas super spicy? I hate to go to all the work and then have them be so hot my family won’t eat them.
Maybe I’ll add a 14 oz. can of tomato sauce instead of an 8 oz. can to cut the heat a little?
Wish I had read the comments about adding tomato sauce cause it’s really spicy….but then again, I’m a wimp
What store did you find the chile puree?
I live join Cali and found it in frozen foods at Albertson’s.
You can find it at my stores, but we get it at Walmart or at Fry’s/Kroger Foods. 🙂
I searched my Wal-Mart in Utah and couldn’t find Chile Puree :(. Any tips as to where I can find it?
I’m licking the pan. This enchilada sauce is amazing. Im so thankful you shared!
LOL…glad you like it! Thank you so much!
Jody,
You can use tomato paste instead of Puree. Good Luck!
I think I could live on Mexican food. I’m totally making these!
Let me know how you like them, Dorothy!! They are the best!! 😀
Yummy!! I can’t wait to try these!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Hi !
Just tried to click onto your Spanish Rice and Las Palmas chicken enchilada Recipes – no luck.
So good! No wonder this is a family favorite. They really are that good. My kids even loved them!
I love hearing that! Thank you for sharing that. Thank you for trying them!
Can i use flour tortillas?
You bet!
Wow, I had no idea making that red sauce could be done so easily. I am definitely trying it out. Thanks!!
I dont see the recipe….
Just fixed it. Seems like when I prepare my posts in advance the recipe card disappears. :/
Is there supposed to be tomato sauce in the new recipe? The recipe card I went off of doesn’t show it, but I notice it is in the description. Made for some very strong chili powder sauce.
It’s not in the new one 🙂 Hope you can see the recipe now.
Really want to try the Red Cheese Enchiladas recipe but don’t see how much tomato sauce to add or when to add it. Can you advise?
There isn’t tomato sauce in this new, updated recipe 🙂 It’s our favorite!! Let me know what you think! Thanks!
You list a can of enchilada sauce in the description but not in the In ingredients. How much enchilada sauce is used?
No enchilada sauce used in this recipe. This recipe makes the enchilada sauce. I mention using some in the past & list the recipe for this sauce to use on other recipes.
My sauce was too thick and was brown. My corn tortillas fell apart when I dipped them into the sauce. Not much sauce left over to drizzle so I just blobbed on what was left. Followed directions to a “t” so not sure what happened. I did not use Genhardt chili powder but the brand I already had. Wonder if that was the issue. They tasted good though!!!
I wish I knew. The color could have been because of the powder. Did you add enough liquid? Did the roux form?
We followed the recipe to a t also and our sauce was brown as well. Pretty much nothing left to drizzle over the top either. Hope it tastes good. Cuz it sure doesn’t look good.
Hope it still tasted yummy! I haven’t had this happen so I’m not quite sure what went wrong?
I posted the old ingredients, which did have tomato sauce, but it has since been updated & no tomato sauce in the new recipe 🙂
It’s not the tomato sauce that jacks up the carbs… it’s the tortilla. Did anyone actually read my comment?
Yes, we did read it! I think it may have looked like the tomato sauce comment/response given by us was in response to your original comment, but it actually was posted back in 2017. 🙂
Sorry for any frustration. Thanks for your feedback and hopefully it’ll work out to give the recipe a try sometime.
Im diabetic and I just eat less? And so my insulin 20 minutes before eating. So 2 enchiladas hardly raises mine. But everyone’s different. And do not use flour tortilla. Or flour in this recipe. Corn starch is a slightly lower carb for thickener.Letting sauce simmer for a hour will thicken a sauce with smaller amount of cornstarch. Almond flour is a no carb option also for thickener.