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.
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! 🙂