This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Restaurant-Style Red Cheese Enchiladas are an old family favorite recipe that is simply the best!! They are cheesy, saucy, and so yummy.
Serve these enchiladas with Pinto Beans, Spanish Rice, or maybe even some Beef Empanadas to make an entire tasty meal that is sure to be a family fav!!
The Best Cheese Enchiladas
We’ve made cheese enchiladas my decades, and they are INCREDIBLE!!
I am so grateful for my Hispanic heritage and am so happy to have been surrounded by amazing cooks my whole life. This recipe was first handed down from my great-grandma Bean Burro down to my grandma, then to my mom and now to me.
We love these cheese enchiladas for so many reasons:
- Simple. Even making a homemade enchilada sauce, this recipe comes together quick and is no-fail!
- Delicious. The flavors and spices and cheese make these enchiladas to die-for!
- Perfect for parties. Whether it’s for Christmas or fiesta, these enchiladas (along with our Chicken Enchiladas) are the star on the menu.
Ingredients
- vegetable oil
- all-purpose flour
- Gebhardt Chili Powder – our favorite chili powder!!
- garlic powder
- oregano
- salt
- cumin
- chicken broth
- Corn Tortillas
- Mexican Blend Cheese – “Mexican blend cheese”, is what is typically used in restaurant enchiladas. It is a blend of cheeses usually consisting of Monterrey Jack, Cheddar or Colby Jack, and cheeses that melt easily such as asadero and oaxaca (also known as quesadilla cheese).
How to Make Cheese Enchiladas
- BEGIN SAUCE. To make these enchiladas, you have to begin with the enchilada sauce. This is made by adding oil to the pot and heating on Medium heat. Pour in flour and create a roux by whisking together for 1-2 minutes.
- SPICES. Add chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano and mix until clumpy.
- BROTH. Pour in chicken broth, whisking the entire time and until there are no more clumps. Heat for about 15 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
- ASSEMBLE. Get your pan close to your sauce, along with a bowl of shredded cheese, and your tortillas. Dip each tortilla into the sauce until soft and put into the greased dish.
- FILL + ROLL. Add 1/4 cup cheese and roll up and push to the end of the pan.
- 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) at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
PRO TIP
Flash frying your tortillas in some oil for a few seconds on each side before dipping them or warming them in the microwave or in a pan for just a few seconds can also help them stay together better when you roll them up.
REcipe tips
A handful of toppings can really take this dish from great to AMAZING! Here are some of our favorite toppings to use:
- Fresh vegetables: sliced avocado, sliced black olives, diced tomatoes, diced green onions, diced jalapeno peppers
- Salsas: Pico de Gallo, Homemade Salsa
- Dairy and cheese: sour cream, cotija cheese, queso fresco
Can I add meat to cheese enchiladas? Yes, 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).
Storing
MAKE AHEAD OF TIME. These can made ahead of time, covered and refrigerated for 24 hours in advance.
STORE in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
FREEZE by making a disposable tray, covering tightly with foil and placing in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
For More Enchilada Recipes:
Cheese Enchilada
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp Gebhardt Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Corn Tortillas
- Mexican Blend Cheese
Instructions
- Add oil to pot and heat on Medium. Pour in flour and whisk together and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and oregano and mix until clumpy. Pour in chicken broth, whisking the entire time and until there are no more clumps. Heat for 15 minutes or until thickened.
- After you have made your sauce, you will want to dip your corn tortillas in the sauce until they are soft and immediately put it into a greased 11×7 pan.
- From there you will add cheese (I use the Mexican Blended Cheese), roll it up and push it to the end of the pan.
- 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. (You can also prepare this in advance and refrigerate until ready to cook).
- Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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.