Homemade Cheese Enchiladas are made with a homemade red enchilada sauce, corn tortillas and are stuffed with cheese! This recipe makes up to 20 cheesy homemade enchiladas. You can make less if needed.
Homemade Enchilada Sauce (you can also use canned enchilada sauce- use a 28 oz. Can)
1(14.5 oz.) canchicken broth
1(14.5 oz.) canbeef broth
5tbspoil (canola, vegetable or corn)
5 tbspflour
3 to 4tbspchili powder*start with 3 add more to your liking- the more you add the spicer your sauce will be - add more to taste after the sauce is made
3 1/4tspwhite sugar
2tspcumin
2tspgarlic powder
2tsponion powder
1tsppaprika
1/2tspground oregano
1/4tspsalt*or more to taste-add more to taste after sauce is made
1/4tspcocoa powder
pinch of cinnamon
Cheese Enchiladas
20corn tortillas *flour work too, see notes for more on the amount this recipe makes
4 to 6cupsshredded cheese, I prefer Mexican or Fiesta blend* see notes, make sure to leave some extra cheese to sprinkle on top for baking
oil for frying the corn tortillas until soft and pliable *optional - see notes
Instructions
Enchilada Sauce
Measure all of your spices/seasonings together and set aside.
In a large saucepan/skillet add your oil and flour. Heat it over medium heat, whisking it together. It may be a bit thick at first. As it heats it should thin out but it is ok if it doesn’t.
Let the oil and flour cook for about 2 minutes. Then add in your seasonings and whisk them together with the oil and flour. Let is cook until the seasonings are fragrant. It will be thick like a paste. (See photos above)
Add in your can of chicken broth and beef broth. Whisk the broth into the seasonings. Keep whisking as it heats.
Let the sauce simmer and thicken. Take it off the burner once it is thickened. Adjust the chili powder and salt to your liking. Set aside.
Tortillas
If using corn tortillas they will tear when you roll them unless you warm them or fry them. This is optional - you can just roll them straight out of of package if you are ok with them cracking and tearing.Frying: Heat some oil (canola, vegetable or corn oil) in a skillet. Your oil will be hot enough when you splash some water in the oil and it sizzles and pops. You need about a half inch or a bit more in a skillet. Fry your corn tortillas for a few seconds on each side. They should soften to where they won’t tear but should still be soft and able to roll. If they are crunchy or stiff you fried them for too long. Fry each tortilla and set it on paper towels to cool.Warming: Place up to 5 corn tortillas in a wet paper towel. Heat on high in the microwave for 30 seconds. They still may crack a bit when rolling.
Making the Cheese Enchiladas
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
Pour half of the enchilada sauce into a greased 9x13 baking dish.
Take a bit of cheese and place it in the center of a corn tortilla. Roll it up then place it seam side down in the enchilada sauce in the pan. Repeat until all of your tortillas are rolled up with cheese. I rolled up all 20 tortillas and they fit (tightly) in my 9x13 pan with 2 rows of 10. See blog list above for a photo.*Make sure to leave enough cheese to sprinkle on top of the enchiladas before baking.
After the enchiladas are rolled up and placed in the pan, pour the rest of your enchilada sauce on top, spreading it out on top of all of the enchiladas. Take a spoon and gently run the spoon in between the enchialdas and along the sides of the pan. This is to make sure enchilada sauce is in between all of the tortillas and along the outside edges of the pan.
Cover the enchiladas with shredded cheese.
Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes until the cheese is melty and the sauce is bubbly. (Bake longer if needed)
Take the enchiladas out of the oven and serve. Some sour cream, green onions, lettuce and tomatoes are always delicious on top of these cheese enchiladas. You can serve them with rice, beans or your favorite sides.
Store any leftovers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Notes
This recipe as written will make 20 corn tortilla cheese enchiladas. They fit tightly in a 9x13 baking dish. You can make more or less. I place them in my pan in 2 rows of 10. See blog post above.I buy 2 bags of cheese (4 cups each) for this recipe but I don’t use it all. 4 cups is barely enough by the time you roll the enchiladas with cheese and put some on top. So I buy 2 bags and have leftovers. You can use any kind of cheese you like, cheddar or a Mexican Blend work best.You can use flour tortillas.I fry my corn tortillas for the added flavor and so they are easier to roll without tearing. This is optional. You can also warm them in wet paper towels like the recipe states above. Or roll them up and don’t worry about them tearing and cracking when rolling them.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.