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
- Vegetable oil (2 tablespoons): Fat for the roux that becomes your silky enchilada sauce. Canola oil also works.
- All-purpose flour (¼ cup): Thickens the chili gravy so it coats tortillas beautifully.
- Gebhardt chili powder (2-3 tablespoons): Signature Tex-Mex flavor and deep red color for classic sauce.
- Garlic powder (½ teaspoon): Savory backbone in the sauce.
- Garlic salt with parsley flakes, or salt (½ teaspoon): Fast, even seasoning that brightens every bite.
- Dried oregano (¼ teaspoon): Earthy, herbal note that rounds out the chili spice.
- Ground cumin (½ teaspoon): Warm depth that makes the sauce taste restaurant worthy.
- Full-sodium chicken broth (2 cups): Savory liquid that loosens the roux into a smooth, pourable sauce.
- Corn tortillas, 6 inch (9): Classic texture and flavor that soak up sauce and stay tender. We usually roll about between 9-12 enchiladas.
- Mexican blend cheese, divided (4 cups): Melts creamy inside the rolls and finishes bubbly on top. 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.
- ROUX. Cook the roux 1 to 2 minutes before adding spices so the sauce tastes toasty, not floury.
- SAUCE. Whisk broth in gradually and simmer low until lightly thick, this gives a glossy, clingy sauce.
- TORTILLA TIP. Dip each tortilla in hot sauce right before filling so it rolls soft without cracking.
Cheese Enchiladas Recipe
Video
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.
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
Easy Flan Recipe
9 hrs 10 mins
Cheesecake Chimichanga
30 mins
Carmelitas
45 mins
More Enchilada Recipes
Collections
This recipe was first shared February 2013.
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.