Cheese Enchiladas

Cheese Enchiladas are so much easier to make than you may think! Corn tortillas are filled with gooey cheese and smothered with the very best homemade red enchilada sauce. 

Cheese Enchiladas

I crave cheese enchiladas more than any other Mexican restaurant staple! While I do love frequenting my local Mexican restaurant, I decided to take it easy on my bank account by making my own enchiladas at home… and wow. This recipe definitely hits the spot! There’s truly nothing better than pulling a casserole dish filled with warm, cheesy, bubbling enchiladas out of the oven. The smell alone gets my kids running to the kitchen! What really sends this recipe right over the top is the homemade enchilada sauce that makes each bite bold and flavorful. Serve these classic cheese enchiladas with some chips and guacamole for the best at-home restaurant experience! 

Craving more enchilada goodness? Make some black bean enchiladas or shredded beef enchiladas! 

How do I keep the tortillas from breaking?

It can be so annoying when your tortillas break! Before rolling up the enchiladas, dip each tortilla in the hot enchilada sauce. This makes them pliable and soft, so they’re much easier to work with. It also helps to work with gentle hands, and try not to rush if you can help it.

How to Make Cheese Enchiladas 

First, make the enchilada sauce:

• Heat the oil. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add corn starch, then chili powder and ground cumin.
• Make it fragrant. Stir the mixture until everything is combined. Continue stirring until the mixture is very fragrant.
• Whisk in the broth. Pour the broth into the spice mixture, stirring until no lumps remain. 
• Add tomato sauce. Stir tomato sauce in the pan until smooth, thickened, and brought to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Stir in oregano and a pinch of salt. 

Next, make the enchiladas. 

• Add sauce. Spread about ¼ cup of sauce all over the bottom of your casserole dish.
• Roll. Dip the corn tortillas into the hot enchilada sauce until soft and transfer to a plate. Top each dipped tortilla with about 1/4 cup of grated cheese. Roll them tightly.   
• Assemble and bake. Transfer each rolled tortilla from the plate into the baking dish.  Once they’re all in the dish, spread the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top and top with more cheese. Bake until bubbly and melted! 

Storing and Freezing

Once cooled to room temperature, you can store or freeze your enchiladas for later! Make sure that however you store them, they’re in an airtight container. In the refrigerator, they’ll stay fresh for about 3-4 days. In the freezer, they’ll keep for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to date and label! 

Ingredient Notes

• Canola Oil: This is for creating the base of the enchilada sauce. 
• Cornstarch: Don’t swap this with anything else! It’s used to thicken the red sauce to the best consistency. 
• Seasonings: For the sauce, you need chili powder and ground cumin for that signature enchilada flavor. I also like adding a pinch of dried oregano right at the end. 
• Chicken Broth: I like to use low-sodium broth to keep things on the less-salty side. If you’d like these to be strictly vegetarian, you can swap with vegetable broth. 
• Tomato Sauce: This is what gives the sauce the red color and classic flavor. Don’t swap it with anything else. 
• Corn Tortillas: You can use flour instead, if you want. Corn tortillas are more traditionally used for enchiladas, but feel free to use whatever you prefer! 
• Cheese: You’ll need a pretty hefty amount of grated cheese for this recipe! While you can really use whatever cheese you like, my favorites are Colby Jack and Queso Quesadilla. 

Enjoy!

~Nichole