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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.
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!