Easy Cheesy Cheese Enchiladas
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Restaurant style enchiladas — at home! My favorite are the very simple, yet sublime cheese enchiladas! These enchilada’s use your favorite red or green enchilada sauce. Soft corn tortillas filled with shredded cheese, diced onions, finished with more sauce and more Mexican cheeses, 30 minute meal and naturally gluten free.
This recipe is easy and the best as it’s so quick and simple, because (shocker) you can use your favorite store bought sauce, how very un-blogger like of me.
To complete this delicious dish, try either our Easy Spanish Rice or our Copycat Chipotle Lime Rice, both excellent!
I know, I know the internet is filled with recipes that claim “never make your own enchilada sauce again” and “10 minute enchilada sauce” which at some point I might try, I’ve tried a few but have yet to find one that I love.
Until then, I’m making them like my mom used to make with a store bought sauce and I have found a delicious, all natural jarred sauce that is made and jarred right here in Colorado.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Enchilada sauce =>> this is my favorite! Nanita’s Finest found in our local grocery store. I mix the mild with the medium green chile sauce and it’s perfect!
- White or Yellow Corn Tortillas | I typically use organic white, this keeps it gluten free and authentic
- Oil | a non-flavored oil here, I typically use Avocado or Grapeseed oil both great at high heat
- Cheese | Off the block shredded cheese is the best, as it doesn’t container stabilizers or any fillers, but I’ll be honest I usually use the pre-shredded Mexican blend cheese from Costco. Colby Jack, Jack, Pepper Jack, Cotijo and other Mexican cheese are all fabulous!
- Onion | I like sweet yellow onion for this, the one place I don’t mind the onions being a bit crunchy
- Other Mix-Ins | I realize I might be kinda boring in that I really like my enchiladas pure, just cheese and onions, but my family loves it when I mix in this healthy crack chicken or barbacoa beef!
If you cannot find Nanita’s try looking for another natural enchilada sauce, a decent brand is Hatch; if you cannot find a natural one.
Try mixing two types; a red and a green chile sauce then use half and freeze the other half for another time.
How to make the best enchiladas
Preheat oven to 350° and prep baking dish, I typically use an 8×8 or 9×9 square* pan, sprayed with some oil and a few tablespoons of your sauce spread over the bottom.
FEEDING MORE? | *You may also make this is a larger casserole dish if desired or even a cast-iron skillet; simply increase all ingredients to meet your needs.
- Pour sauce into a medium saucepan and warm; in a small fry pan, heat a couple tablespoons of oil over medium heat.
- Using tongs carefully place one corn tortilla at a time in the hot oil and fry for 15-20 seconds.
- Flip and fry for 10 more seconds, this will help the tortillas to keep from breaking when rolling, remove from oil, allowing to drip for a moment, then quickly dip in the warm sauce to coat.
- Lay prepped tortilla in your baking dish and place a handful of cheese and a few diced onions in the center of the tortilla and roll carefully, placing enchilada seam side down.
- Continue rolling until all tortillas are filled and tucked in next to one another.
Gluten free enchilada recipe
YES, just remember to use corn tortillas (100% corn, some are combined with flour, so watch it) and make sure your sauce and shredded cheese is clean, this is a naturally GLUTEN FREE recipe!
In fact, you should probably shred your own cheese, it’s cheesier and meltier anyway!
Chicken, Beef or Pork Enchilada variations
- If desired, add shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works great for this), leftover shredded pork or barbacoa beef, all delicious! Or try my Crack Chicken! It’s amazing!
- Pour the rest of the sauce over the rolled enchiladas and sprinkle with a little more (or a lotta) cheese.
- Bake in 350° oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. Serve immediately.
Delicious served with Spanish-Mexican Rice (linked at the top of the recipe), organic refried beans and crisp tortilla chips.
Suggested Toppings
- chopped fresh tomatoes
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- sour cream
- guacamole
- salsa
- sliced olives
- minced onion
And there you have it, another delicious meal ready in a little over 30 minutes!
Recommended Tools
- Your favorite casserole dish | Use the size that will work best for you, I love this Staub 2 pack, one small for two servings and the other slightly larger for our family of four.
- Tongs | alligator tongs don’t tend to tear as much as a pair of regular tongs when handling the hot tortillas.
- Large Spatula | Using a wide spatulas make it much easier for serving, or try a bench scraper too!
Don’t forget to sip something delicious with these cheesy enchiladas! 4 Ingredient Margarita’s, Hibiscus Mojito or this delicious Hibiscus Margarita, or try this festive and bright Passion Tea Lemonade (non-alcoholic).
More Mexican favorites!
- Cinco de Mayo Recipe Collection
- Chicken Quesadillas with Caramelized Peppers & Onions
- Black Bean and Sausage Soup (Vegetarian Option)
- Copycat Chipotle Chicken
- Blender Salsa and my easy peasy 5 minute Guacamole!
- Creamy White Queso — all natural!
- Don’t forget DESSERT! Try this easy Healthier Fried Ice Cream Cake!
Like this recipe?
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Cheese Enchiladas (The Cheesiest)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1- 16 oz jar favorite enchilada sauce, try Nanita’s Finest
- 6-8 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese, I like Horizon’s organic
- 2-4 tablespoons of oil, for softening try Avocado oil
- 1/4 yellow onion, diced (optional)
- *add shredded chicken, beef or pork for a heartier enchilada (optional)
Optional Toppings
- Additional Cheese
- Fresh diced tomatoes
- Sliced black olives
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 ° and spray a 9×9 square pan* with oil.
- Spread a couple tablespoons of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan. Pour your enchilada sauce into a medium saucepan and warm over low heat.
- Heat oil in a small fry pan over medium heat, until oil is hot. Carefully, using tongs, place a tortilla in the hot oil for 15-20 seconds, turn and fry for another 10 seconds. Carefully remove from oil, allowing excess to drip back into pan, then dip quickly in warm sauce and place flat in prepared pan or on a cutting board.
- Grab a handful of cheese and spread in middle of tortilla, sprinkling a few diced onions on top and carefully roll the tortilla around the cheese, placing seam side down in pan.
- Repeat with the rest of the tortillas and cheese and onions until all are used. Snuggle them in tight in the pan together. Pour rest of sauce over the top of the enchiladas, sprinkle with additional cheese and bake 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
- Garnish with desired toppings, serving immediately.
- Serve with my Spanish-Mexican Rice, organic refried beans and some crisp tortilla chips and maybe even this quick and easy margarita .
- Enjoy!
✱ Kathleen’s Tips
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Fresh Cooky is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Kathleen Pope
Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer
Hi, I’m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen. Read more about Kathleen here.
Omgosh your site is just what im looking for❤️
So glad to hear!
Thank you for sharing, looks delicious and easy to make
I will surely given them a try
Thank you Lucy, hope you love them!
I made enchiladas a couple of days ago for a get-together. The host bought the ingredients and I made them. He had bought some soft corn tortillas, but I was prepared to do the usual prep, but didn’t have to. It made it sooo much easier. No frying or dipping. The sauce went in the bottom and on top, along with all that cheese. Delish.
Sounds yummy Teri, did you make them more casserole style that way? I have never had good luck without dipping mine, which was the way I learned from our dear Mexican friends!