I call these my Best Cheese Enchiladas Ever, an old family favorite where corn tortillas are stuffed with cheese, smothered in a red tomato and chile puree seasoned with salt and garlic pepper, and finished with extra melting cheese that always sparks questions at the table.

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I always bristle when a dish is called the best until I make these restaurant style red cheese enchiladas and then I quietly admit they live up to the hype. This is an old family favorite, messy and unapologetically cheesy, made with simple corn tortillas and a melty shredded cheese Mexican blend that stretches and fuses into every bite.

Somehow the sauce keeps surprising me, like one more trick hiding in plain sight, and yeah I keep failing to keep it secret. If you want the Best Cheese Enchiladas Ever or a true Cheese Enchilada Recipe Corn Tortillas moment this will make you curious to taste why.

Ingredients

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Corn tortillas: mostly carbs, some fiber and protein, slightly sweet and chewy
Shredded cheese: high in protein and fat, gives gooey, salty, rich flavor
Tomato sauce: adds acidity, mild sweetness, vitamin C, and extra carbs
Red chile puree: smoky and spicy, low calories, some vitamins like A
Vegetable oil: mostly fat, boosts richness and helps tortillas soften in pan
Chicken broth or water: broth adds savory saltiness and minerals, water just thins sauce
Onion optional: gives crunch, fiber, slight sweetness when cooked, simple fresh bite
Cilantro optional: bright herb, tiny calories, citrusy note, lifts overall flavor

Ingredient Quantities

12 corn tortillas 6-inch

3 cups shredded cheese Mexican blend or a mix of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack

2 cups tomato sauce (canned)

3/4 cup red chile puree (rehydrated dried red chiles like New Mexico or guajillo, strained)

1/2 cup chicken broth or water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Optional 1/4 cup thinly sliced onion for serving

Optional 2 tbsp chopped cilantro for garnish

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 375 F and grab a 9×13 baking dish, spray or rub a little oil on the bottom so enchiladas wont stick.

2. Make the sauce: in a saucepan combine 2 cups tomato sauce, 3/4 cup red chile puree, 1/2 cup chicken broth or water, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp black pepper, bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes until slightly thickened, taste and adjust salt or chile if you want it hotter.

3. Heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, be careful its hot.

4. Working one at a time, fry each corn tortilla about 5 to 8 seconds per side just until pliable, dont let them crisp up, drain on paper towels and keep warm under a clean kitchen towel.

5. Pour a ladle of the warm sauce into a shallow bowl, quickly dip each fried tortilla in the sauce to coat both sides (this keeps them soft and flavorful).

6. Place about 1/4 cup shredded cheese in the center of each sauced tortilla (3 cups total makes roughly 1/4 cup per tortilla), roll up snugly and place seam side down in the prepared dish. dont overfill or theyll pop open.

7. When the pan is full pour the remaining sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top so everything gets melty.

8. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes, remove foil and bake another 5 to 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and a little browned on top.

9. Let rest 5 minutes, then serve topped with optional thinly sliced onion and chopped cilantro, if you like. Save any extra sauce for dipping, and remember dont let the oil smoke when frying the tortillas or they’ll taste burnt.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×13 baking dish (spray or rub a little oil so enchiladas wont stick)
2. Medium saucepan for the sauce
3. Large skillet or frying pan for heating/frying tortillas
4. Ladle and a shallow bowl for dipping the tortillas in sauce
5. Tongs or a spatula to flip and handle the tortillas
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
7. Paper towels and a clean kitchen towel to drain and keep tortillas warm
8. Aluminum foil to cover while baking and oven mitts to handle the hot dish
9. Cheese grater or a mixing bowl for the shredded cheese

FAQ

Q: Can I use flour tortillas instead of corn?
A: Yes you can. Flour tortillas will give a softer, heavier enchilada and will change the taste a bit. Warm them briefly so they roll without cracking and they work fine if you prefer them.

Q: How do I stop the tortillas from getting soggy?
A: Fry or heat each corn tortilla in the 1/3 cup oil for a few seconds per side to make them pliable and form a light seal. Shake off excess oil and dip quickly in the sauce just once before filling so they dont soak up too much liquid.

Q: Can I make these ahead or freeze them?
A: Totally. Assemble in a baking dish, cover tightly and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. For freezing, assemble, freeze flat, then bake from frozen adding about 20 to 30 minutes to the baking time and cover until hot all the way through.

Q: What can I use instead of red chile puree?
A: If you dont have rehydrated chiles use a milder canned enchilada sauce or mix tomato sauce with a tablespoon or two of chili powder to taste. It wont be exactly the same but still tasty.

Q: How do I get the cheese perfectly melty not greasy?
A: Use a blend like sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack or a Mexican blend, shred it yourself for best results, and bake covered for the first part so the cheese melts, then uncover for a few minutes to set but dont overbake or it gets oily.

Q: How long will leftovers keep and best way to reheat?
A: Store in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat covered in a 350 F oven until warmed through about 15 to 20 minutes, or microwave single portions but the oven gives better texture. Add fresh cilantro or sliced onion after reheating.

Cheese Enchiladas Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Tortillas: If you don’t have 6 inch corn, use soft flour tortillas (6 to 8 inch). They make the enchiladas milder and softer, heat them on a griddle or quickly fry in a little oil so they dont crack when rolling.
Shredded cheese: Swap the Mexican blend for equal parts sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack, or use shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella for extra melt. For a salty finish crumble queso fresco or cotija on top, or use a good melting vegan cheese if you need dairy free.
Red chile puree: Use canned red enchilada sauce, or blended guajillo/chipotle in adobo for a smokier hit. In a pinch mix 2 tbsp chili powder with the tomato sauce and a bit of water, taste and adjust salt and heat.
Vegetable oil: Use lard or butter to fry tortillas for more flavor and crisp edges, or use canola or light olive oil for a milder taste or lower saturated fat option.

Pro Tips

1) Keep the oil hot but not smoking, and test one tortilla first. If it bubbles and gets pliable in about 5 seconds per side youre at the right temp. If it crisps its too hot, if it soaks oil its too cool. Use tongs and work fast so the stack stays warm under a towel.

2) Taste and tweak the sauce while it simmers. Tomato and dried chile can be a little flat or too acidic, so a tiny pinch of sugar or a splash of vinegar will brighten it. Add chile puree slowly if you want it hotter, you can always add more.

3) Don’t overstuff the tortillas. About 1/4 cup cheese keeps them from popping open while baking. Also press the seam closed with your fingers so they sit seam-side down and wont unroll while the sauce soaks in.

4) For best melt and texture grate your own cheese, it melts way better than pre-shredded. Let the finished pan rest 5 minutes before serving so the sauce settles, cheese firms up a bit, and they slice without falling apart.

Cheese Enchiladas Recipe

Recipe by Bob Jones

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

577

kcal

Equipment: 1. 9×13 baking dish (spray or rub a little oil so enchiladas wont stick)
2. Medium saucepan for the sauce
3. Large skillet or frying pan for heating/frying tortillas
4. Ladle and a shallow bowl for dipping the tortillas in sauce
5. Tongs or a spatula to flip and handle the tortillas
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
7. Paper towels and a clean kitchen towel to drain and keep tortillas warm
8. Aluminum foil to cover while baking and oven mitts to handle the hot dish
9. Cheese grater or a mixing bowl for the shredded cheese

Ingredients

12 corn tortillas 6-inch
3 cups shredded cheese Mexican blend or a mix of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack
2 cups tomato sauce (canned)
3/4 cup red chile puree (rehydrated dried red chiles like New Mexico or guajillo, strained)
1/2 cup chicken broth or water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Optional 1/4 cup thinly sliced onion for serving
Optional 2 tbsp chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 F and grab a 9×13 baking dish, spray or rub a little oil on the bottom so enchiladas wont stick.
Make the sauce: in a saucepan combine 2 cups tomato sauce, 3/4 cup red chile puree, 1/2 cup chicken broth or water, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp black pepper, bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes until slightly thickened, taste and adjust salt or chile if you want it hotter.
Heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, be careful its hot.
Working one at a time, fry each corn tortilla about 5 to 8 seconds per side just until pliable, dont let them crisp up, drain on paper towels and keep warm under a clean kitchen towel.
Pour a ladle of the warm sauce into a shallow bowl, quickly dip each fried tortilla in the sauce to coat both sides (this keeps them soft and flavorful).
Place about 1/4 cup shredded cheese in the center of each sauced tortilla (3 cups total makes roughly 1/4 cup per tortilla), roll up snugly and place seam side down in the prepared dish. dont overfill or theyll pop open.
When the pan is full pour the remaining sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top so everything gets melty.
Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes, remove foil and bake another 5 to 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and a little browned on top.
Let rest 5 minutes, then serve topped with optional thinly sliced onion and chopped cilantro, if you like. Save any extra sauce for dipping, and remember dont let the oil smoke when frying the tortillas or they'll taste burnt.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.