Restaurant Style Cheese Enchiladas

Restaurant Style Cheese Enchiladas – Freshly fried corn tortillas loaded with melted Mexican cheeses and homemade enchilada sauce. Make restaurant quality cheese enchiladas at home with this easy homemade enchilada sauce. You won’t go back to canned enchilada sauce.

Restaurant Style Cheese Enchiladas

Freshly fried corn tortillas loaded with melted cheese and homemade enchilada sauce. These cheese enchiladas are adapted from my popular Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas and Ground Beef Enchiladas recipes. The homemade sauce is so delicious and you can really taste the difference between canned enchilada sauce and homemade.

How to Make Cheese Enchiladas

1. Start by making homemade red enchilada sauce. Sauté onions and jalapeño in vegetable oil until soft but not browned. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Next, add chicken broth, tomato sauce, sugar, spices, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half.
2. While homemade red sauce is simmering, lightly fry corn tortillas in very hot oil. You don’t want the tortillas to be crispy, just very lightly fried so they don’t get soggy during baking.
3. Strain enchilada sauce and separate onion mixture.
4. Assemble enchiladas by adding onion mixture, sauce, and cheese to each tortilla. Roll and place in baking dish seam side down.
5. Top with remaining sauce and cheese and bake covered with foil until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

What Kind of Cheese For Enchiladas

Use a shredded Mexican cheese blend for the best melting and flavor. A rustic cut blend of 4 cheese is the best all-around cheese for enchiladas. Look for one that includes Montery Jack, Cheddar, Asadero and Queso Quesadilla Cheese. Avoid using all cheddar as it can be too oily. Colby-Jack cheese is a good substitution as well.

What to Serve With Cheese Enchiladas

• Authentic Mexican Rice Recipe 
• Instant Pot Mexican Rice 
• Slow Cooker Refried Beans 
• Black Bean and Corn Salad 
• Frozen Margarita Recipe 

If you make these enchiladas, I’d love for you to tag me on Instagram at @no2pencilblog 

5 from 9 votes

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Homemade Cheese Enchiladas

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Cheese Enchilada Recipe, Cheese Enchiladas

Servings: 6

Calories: 438 kcal

Author: Melissa

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil Plus more for frying
• 1/2 cup onion finely minced
• 1 jalapeno finely minced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
• 12 corn tortillas lightly fried
• 3 cups cheese shredded

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, sauté onions and jalapeño in vegetable oil over medium low heat until onions start to soften and turn translucent, 5-10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, paprika, sugar, cumin, salt and pepper to pan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then let simmer over medium low heat for 15 minutes or until sauce has reduced by half. Once enchilada sauce has reduced, stir in cilantro.

2. Meanwhile in a second smaller skillet, lightly fry corn tortillas in hot vegetable oil. Tortillas should still be pliable for rolling and not crispy. Set tortillas aside with paper towels between each layer.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray.

4. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain enchilada sauce to separate onion mixture and enchilada sauce.

5. To assemble enchiladas, start by adding 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in bottom of baking pan. Assemble enchiladas by dividing onion mixture, 2 cups cheese and 1 tablespoon of sauce in each tortilla. Roll filled tortillas and place seam side down in baking dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over rolled enchiladas and top with remaining cup of cheese.

6. Cover dish with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until heated through and hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with additional fresh cilantro and serve with sour cream.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Cheese Enchiladas

Amount Per Serving

Calories 438 Calories from Fat 234

% Daily Value*

Fat 26g40%

Saturated Fat 16g100%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 59mg20%

Sodium 1202mg52%

Potassium 556mg16%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 20g40%

Vitamin A 1869IU37%

Vitamin C 9mg11%

Calcium 483mg48%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.