Cheese Enchiladas are a fast, cheap, and filling meal to make on busy weeknights or to serve a crowd. Red enchilada sauce gives these cheesy enchiladas a spicy kick and browned onions add an extra crunch. This dish is kid-friendly and freezes beautifully, making it a go-to 30-minute meal!
Anytime I eat at a Mexican restaurant I can count on two things: 1. I’ll eat waaaay too many tortilla chips only to later regret it, and 2. I’ll be ordering enchiladas (which I definitely won’t regret! 😉 )
A little known fact about me is that I am in love with enchiladas. Grilled white onions encased in a warm tortilla, an ultra cheesy topping, and a flavorful red sauce? My JAM!
Super Easy Cheese Enchiladas
These cheese enchiladas are so flavorful and can’t get any simpler. They’re SO fast and only require a few main ingredients. It’s a great weeknight meal or recipe to make when feeding a crowd. It’s also a kid-friendly meal since it’s not too spicy, but can also be adjusted to fit your spice preference if needed.
The onions are totally optional in this recipe, but I think they add a nice grilled, crunchy factor in the final enchiladas. If your family doesn’t like onions or if making for small kids, feel free to leave them out.
Here’s what you will need to make these authentic red enchiladas…
Main Ingredients:
- Cheese: Use your favorite Mexican blend. My favorite is a blend of shredded Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Colby, and Asadero cheeses.
- Enchilada sauce: I use canned since it’s convenient, but you can also use a homemade sauce!
- Tortillas: I prefer to use corn tortillas since they’re thinner and softer, but I only had flour tortillas so that’s what I used for this recipe.
- Onions: Completely optional, but adds a grilled flavor.
How to make cheese enchiladas
Begin by, heating a pan with olive oil. Brown the onions for 2-3 minutes, and transfer to a bowl so they’re ready when you go to assemble the enchiladas.
Place a tortilla in the hot pan and fry each side for 20-30 seconds. You need the pan to be very hot for frying the tortillas since this is what will give the enchiladas maximum flavor. Just make sure you don’t fry them until they’re crisp and unable to be rolled.
Use a separate skillet or shallow-bottom pan for dipping the fried tortilla in enchilada sauce. Make sure both sides are well-coated.
Lay the tortilla flat and sprinkle with the Mexican cheese blend. Roll up reach tortilla and transfer to the casserole pan, making sure the closure is on the bottom so the tortillas don’t unravel.
Pour the remaining red sauce over the rolled tortillas.
Tip: try to tightly pack the enchiladas in the casserole dish so the cheese melts both through the sides and tops of the enchiladas.
Now, top them with cheese. Don’t be shy with spreading all that cheesy goodness… it’s what makes or breaks a cheesy enchilada!
Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
Can I freeze cheese enchiladas?
Yes! This recipe freezes beautifully. Just make them as per the instructions up until the baking step. Use a freezer-safe pan and cover with tin foil and store in the freezer for up to a month. Wen you’re ready to eat, they can go straight from the freezer to the oven, just add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time.
Recommended Toppings and Fillings:
- Lettuce
- Sour cream
- Refried beans
- Mexican Rice
- Guacamole
- Crushed tortilla chips
If you’re looking for more Mexican-inspired dinner ideas, try my Burrito Bowls or Black Bean Soup!
Cheese Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1/2 White Onion (Sliced)
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 6-8 Tortillas (corn or flour)
- 3 Cups Red Enchilada Sauce
- 5 Cups Shredded Mexican Cheese
Instructions
- Coat a 9×13 glass casserole pan with 1/4 cup of red enchilada sauce. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pour 1 cup of enchilada sauce in a heavy-bottomed pan for dipping after frying the tortillas. Set aside.
- Heat a skillet on medium-high. Add the olive oil and brown the sliced onions for 2-3 minutes. Remove onions from the pan and set aside in a bowl. Working with one tortilla at a time, use the same skillet and oil (you may need to add an extra tablespoon if your pan has dried out) to fry a tortilla for 20-30 seconds on each side.
- Dip the tortilla in the pan of enchilada sauce and transfer to a plate for assembling. Add the onions and a handful of cheese. Roll up the tortilla and place it seam side down in the pan. Repeat the frying, dipping, and assembling process until the casserole dish has been filled.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce on top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
Notes
- To make your own Mexican cheese blend, use a combination of shredded Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Colby, and Asadero cheeses.
- To freeze these enchiladas, make and assemble as per the instructions up until it’s time to bake in the oven. Place the enchiladas in a freezer-safe pan and cover with foil. When you’re ready to eat them, bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes.
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