This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Red Cheese Enchiladas are an old family favorite recipe that is authentic and simply delicious!! They are cheesy, saucy, and loved by all.
The Best Cheese Enchiladas
We’ve made cheese enchiladas for decades, and they are INCREDIBLE!!
With our Hispanic heritage we have been surrounded by amazing cooks our whole lives. This recipe was first handed down from our great-grandma Bean Burro down to my grandma, then to my mom and now to us.
Minor tweaks have been made over the years, but we are confident they are even better than the restaurants and are perfect served with Pinto Beans, Spanish Rice, or maybe even some Beef Empanadas.
Why we love them:
- 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 and perfect for any Mexican meal.
- 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 (but any brand works)
- 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: Easy Rolling
Our favorite way to make sure tortillas roll up easily is by wrapping the corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwaving for about 30 seconds. You can also flash fry them in oil for a few seconds on each side before dipping them in the sauce. Either method makes for easy rolling.
Cheese Enchiladas
Restaurant-Style Red Cheese Enchiladas are an old family favorite recipe that is simply the best!! They are cheesy, saucy, and so yummy.
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
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 64kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Fat: 4g, Sodium: 480mg, Potassium: 62mg, Vitamin C: 5.4mg, Calcium: 5mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
What are the best toppings for cheese enchiladas?
- Fresh vegetables: sliced avocado, sliced black olives, diced tomatoes, diced green onions, diced jalapeno peppers
- Salsas: Pico de Gallo, Homemade Salsa, Guacamole, Avocado Cream Sauce
- Dairy and cheese: sour cream, cotija cheese, queso fresco
Can I add meat to these 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).
Can cheese enchiladas be made ahead of time?
- These can made ahead of time, covered and refrigerated for 24 hours in advance.
How to store cheese enchiladas?
- 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.
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! 🙂