Tex Mex Cheese Enchiladas

The quintessential Tex Mex recipe, these Tex Mex Cheese Enchiladas are the definition of Tex Mex. Warm corn tortillas filled with creamy, melty cheese and smothered in a homemade mild, chili gravy enchilada sauce. 

All about these Tex Mex Cheese Enchiladas

These Tex Mex Cheese Enchiladas are pure, classic, comforting Tex Mex. Soft corn tortillas filled with melty cheese, topped with homemade Chili Gravy. The essence of Tex Mex food itself. While many consider fajitas to be the classic Tex Mex meal, these enchiladas are it for me and many others. There are so many reasons to love these cheese enchiladas:

• Classic Flavoring
• Extra melty cheese
• Great prep ahead meal
• Perfect for gifting to others

Ingredients

• Corn Tortillas: the best option for making enchiladas, ensure they are fresh tortillas to help prevent breaking and splitting.
• Butter: the fat used to make the roux for the chili gravy. Butter adds more flavoring than using oil.
• Flour: thickens the sauce.
• Beef Broth: gives a bold flavoring to the sauce, it’s highly recommended to use beef flavored broth in this recipe.
• Salt & Pepper: kosher or sea salt and fine ground black pepper.
• Chili Powder: all of our recipes are made and tested with Gebhardt’s Chili Powder, it’s a mild chili powder that’s used in most Tex Mex cooking.
• Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: aromatic flavoring.
• Cumin: ground cumin gives an earthy flavor to the sauce.
• Oregano: use Mexican Oregano if you are able to.

How to Make

1. Prepare the enchilada sauce. Classic Tex Mex enchiladas use Texas Chili Gravy. It’s quick and easy to put together, and has a classic authentic Tex Mex flavor. Bold, authentic, and perfect! 
2. Cook the tortillas. Fry the tortillas in some hot oil in a skillet on the stovetop just briefly enough to warm and not to crisp them.
3. Dip the tortillas into enchilada sauce. I actually find it easier to use a brush and paint the sauce on the tortillas on my cutting board. Either way, you will get sauce all over your hands and your work space so be prepared.
4. Fill with cheese and roll. My cheese of preference is Monterey Jack cheese. Pour a small amount of sauce into the bottom of the baking dish, then lay the enchiladas side by side into the dish.
5. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top.
6. Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with additional shredded cheese and continue baking until the cheese is completely melted. 

What is the Difference Between Tex Mex Enchilada Sauce and Mexican Red Enchilada Sauce?

Traditional Mexican enchilada sauce is made by blending dried and toasted Chile peppers, onions, garlic, and tomatoes with broth.

Tex Mex enchilada sauce is referred to as Chili Gravy, it is a combination of traditional Mexican enchilada sauce and gravy. Made with a roux and seasoned with chili powder. It is the flavor of true Tex Mex. This is the sauce that you will get on your enchiladas at most Mexican restaurants in Texas. And it’s rare to come across it outside of the state.

What kind of cheese is used in Enchiladas? 

Monterey Jack is a nice melting cheese for Tex Mex Enchiladas. If you’re looking for a more authentic Mexican style enchilada you could use a manchengo cheese, which grates and melts nicely for enchiladas.

Serving Ideas

• Toppings: top with some Mexican sour cream and pico de Gallo. 
• Combination Plate: just like at the restaurants, serve with a side of Mexican rice and refried beans topped with extra melted cheese. 
• Drinks: pair with a cold, refreshing classic margarita, or a frosty frozen margarita. For non-alcoholic options try our Agua Frescas, this Agua de Jamaica, or some Homemade Horchata.
• Dessert: end the meal with light and fluffy Sopapillas, or a slice of cold, creamy Tres Leches cake.

FAQs

Storage & Reheating Information

• Make Ahead Instructions: prepare the enchiladas ahead of time following directions up to baking. Instead of baking, cover with foil and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Increase baking time as needed to ensure cheese is fully melted.
• Storing Leftovers: store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 
• Freezing: Wrap dish with two layers of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight by removing from the freezer and placing in the refrigerator. Be sure to remove the plastic wrappings before baking.
• Reheating: cover the dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until warmed through completely.

More Tex Mex recipes to Try

• Chicken Fajitas
• Steak Fajitas
• Elotes Corn Salad
• Ground Beef Tacos

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Tex Mex Cheese Enchiladas

4.94 from 15 votes

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 16

Author: Serene

The quintessential Tex Mex recipe, these Tex Mex Cheese Enchiladas are the definition of Tex Mex. Warm corn tortillas filled with creamy, melty cheese and smothered in a homemade mild, chili gravy enchilada sauce. 

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

Enchilada Sauce

• ▢ ¼ cup oil or butter
• ▢ ¼ cup all purpose flour
• ▢ ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ▢ ¾ tsp salt
• ▢ 1 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1 tsp onion powder
• ▢ 2 tsp ground cumin
• ▢ ½ tsp dried oregano
• ▢ 1 tbsp chili powder
• ▢ 2 cups beef broth can sub with another type use a LOW or NO SODIUM
• ▢ 1 tbsp tomato paste

Enchiladas

• ▢ ¼ cup avocado oil
• ▢ 15-20 white corn tortillas (6 inch)
• ▢ 2 cups monterey jack cheese shredded
• ▢ ½ cup onion diced, (optional)

Toppings

• ▢ Tomato diced
• ▢ Cilantro diced
• ▢ Sour Cream
• ▢ Avocado sliced
• ▢ shredded lettuce

Instructions 

Enchilada Sauce

• Heat the oil or butter in a medium size skillet over medium heat.
• Add in the flour and stir to mix. Will be a thick mixture. Allow this to cook for just 1-2 minutes.
• Add in the spices. Stir to form a thick paste.
• Stir in the broth and tomato paste. Stir until smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Stir occasionally. Cook about 5 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened.

Enchiladas

• Preheat oven to 350℉.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tortillas one at a time carefully to the oil to cook. Cook for about 30 seconds on each side, just to soften the tortillas, don’t cook until crisp. Then remove from the oil and place on a plate, cover with a paper towel or a clean towel to retain the heat.
• Pour a small amount of the enchilada sauce into a casserole dish, spread around so the bottom of the dish is covered in sauce.
• One by one dip each tortilla into the enchilada sauce, or brush the enchilada sauce onto each tortilla, then sprinkle a small handful of monterey jack cheese onto a tortilla, sprinkle with diced onion if desired, roll it up and place in casserole dish with the seam side down. Continue until the casserole dish is full.
• Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas.
• Bake in the oven at 350℉ degrees for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted. Sprinkle with additional cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
• Serve enchiladas topped with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, cilantro, and a drizzle of sour cream.

Notes

• Make Ahead Instructions: prepare the enchiladas ahead of time following directions up to baking. Instead of baking, cover with foil and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Increase baking time as needed to ensure cheese is fully melted.
• Storing Leftovers: store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 
• Freezing: Wrap dish with two layers of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight by removing from the freezer and placing in the refrigerator. Be sure to remove the plastic wrappings before baking.
• Reheating: cover the dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until warmed through completely.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 226mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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