Easy Cheese Enchiladas are the perfect weeknight comfort meal! (original) (raw)

Overhead view of a casserole dish full of cheese enchiladas

Side view of cheese enchiladas being scooped out of the casserole dish.

Overhead view of a casserole dish full of cheese enchiladas with a spatula.

Cheese enchiladas are such a simple comfort food. They’re warm, creamy, cheesy, and just all-around amazing. Plus, the combination of tortillas and cheese is just something I never get tired of. 😏 To ramp up the flavor in this easy cheese enchiladas recipe, I added some mild green chiles, a few spices, and a little sour cream for extra creaminess, and then I drenched them in my homemade enchilada sauce. The result was seriously delicious for something so incredibly simple.

overhead view of a casserole dish full of cheese enchiladas with a spatula.

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Overhead view of a casserole dish full of cheese enchiladas

Side view of cheese enchiladas being scooped out of the casserole dish.

Overhead view of a casserole dish full of cheese enchiladas with a spatula.

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I enjoy cheese enchiladas but never knew how to make them. I tried this recipe last night and it was awesome! I paired it with refried beans, cilantro lime chicken, and cumin lime slaw. I made it as written but used a mix of cheddar, pepper jack, monterrey cheeses and sour cream / greek yogurt.

KIM V.

This recipe is super flexible, so it’s a great way to use up any odds and ends of cheese that you may have in your fridge. You’ll need about 12oz. (one and half 8oz. blocks) of cheese for this recipe and you can mix and match cheese types. So today, I used a whole block of cheddar and a leftover half-block of pepper jack that I had in my fridge. Here are some other types of cheese you could use:

Cost 5.97recipe/5.97 recipe / 5.97recipe/1.49 serving

This Easy Cheese Enchiladas recipe is a delicious comfort food that never disappoints with melty cheese, toasty corn tortillas, and a homemade red enchilada sauce.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Close up of enchiladas being scooped out of the casserole dish

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Detailed step-by-step instructions below the recipe card.

Enchiladas are traditionally made with corn tortillas, but if you prefer flour you can certainly use those as well. I find that corn tortillas hold up better in the sauce and give a delicious corn flavor to the dish.

Cheese is the bulk of the filling for the enchiladas and you can use just about any type of melting cheese, so raid your refrigerator for leftovers and make sure no cheese goes to waste! We used a combination of cheddar and pepper jack, but you can take a look at our list of good cheese options below for more ideas.

A can of diced green chiles adds a ton of flavor, texture, and color the cheese filling. You can use either spicy or mild diced green chiles.

Enchilada sauce drenches the enchiladas in flavor and saucy goodness. Red enchilada sauce is the best, but you can certainly try green enchilada sauce as well. We used our simple homemade red enchilada sauce for this recipe because it’s way more flavorful than canned sauce, but canned is an option as well.

*Optional toppings: green onion, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo.

Serving: 3enchiladasCalories: 589kcal (29%)Carbohydrates: 47g (16%)Protein: 26g (52%)Fat: 34g (52%)Sodium: 1562mg (68%)Fiber: 7g (29%)

The nutrition data is automatically calculated using all ingredients listed on the recipe card, including any listed as optional. Percentages are of daily value.

Side view of cheese enchiladas in the dish with a spatula scooping.

How to Make Cheese Enchiladas – Step by Step Photos

Corn tortillas being toasted in a skillet.

I highly suggest toasting your corn tortillas before you begin. This takes the flavor of the corn tortilla from bland and raw to deliciously toasty with a more pronounced corn flavor. I just do this in a hot, dry skillet. Once the skillet is nice and hot, it only takes about 15-30 seconds per side to get just a little color on the tortilla.

Cheese filling ingredients in a bowl.

Shred 12oz. cheese and then set aside about ¼ of it to use as a topping for the enchiladas. Combine the rest of the cheese in a bowl with ¼ cup sour cream, one 4oz. can of diced green chiles (drained), ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp cumin, and ⅛ tsp salt.

Cheese filling stirred together in the bowl.

Stir the filling ingredients together until well combined.

Enchilada sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Add ½ cup enchilada sauce to the bottom of a casserole dish and spread it around to cover the surface.

tortillas being rolled and filled.

Add about 3 Tbsp of the cheese filling to the center of each tortilla, then roll it closed and place it in the casserole dish. Continue until all of the tortillas are filled, rolled, and in the casserole dish.

Enchilada sauce being poured over enchiladas in the casserole dish.

Pour another one cup of enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. I like to leave some of the tortillas exposed to get extra toasty, but you can cover them completely, if you prefer.

Enchiladas topped with the remaining shredded cheese.

Add the remaining shredded cheese on top of the enchiladas.

Baked enchiladas in the casserole dish.

Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes, or just until heated through. Make sure not to overbake the enchiladas, as this can cause the filling to curdle.

finished cheese enchiladas in the casserole dish, topped with sour cream and guacamole.

Serve hot with your favorite toppings and side dishes (I topped them with green onion, sour cream, and guacamole)!

Are Cheese Enchiladas Spicy?

These cheese enchiladas can be spicy, depending on the ingredients used. If you need to make sure your enchiladas are mild, pay attention to the canned green chiles and enchilada sauce. Canned green chiles can be either spicy or mild (usually indicated on the label) and the same is true for enchilada sauce. Check the label on the can or the ingredients used in the recipe, if you’re making homemade (cayenne pepper is spicy and chili powder can be either spicy or mild).

Cheese enchiladas are a simple vegetarian meal, but they can also be a blank template for other ingredients to be added (vegetarian or not). Here are some other ingredients that you can toss into the cheese enchilada filling, if you want to try something new:

What to Serve with Cheese Enchiladas

I topped my enchiladas with a little more sour cream, guacamole, and green onion for extra color on the plate, but those toppings are totally optional. Since an all-cheese enchilada can be a little on the heavy side, I would definitely pair them with some fiber-filled side dishes, like Quick Seasoned Black Beans, Cucumber and Black Bean Salad, or Cowboy Caviar. A little zesty Cilantro Lime Rice on the side would also lighten up the flavors a bit!

Close up view of a casserole dish full of cheese enchiladas.

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Beth MoncelI’m a food lover, number cruncher, and meticulous budgeter. I love science and art, and the way they come together when I cook. I love to create, problem solve, and learn new things. Making great food is my passion, my purpose, and my favorite thing to share with others.More About Beth