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Our easy Cheese Enchiladas recipe transforms corn tortillas, red enchilada sauce, and cheese into the most delicious 30 minute meal the whole family will love!
I could live off Cheese Enchiladas.
Sometimes the simplest recipes hit all the right notes, and nothing beats classic cheese enchiladas smothered in a homemade red enchilada sauce. The ingredients are simple and it all comes quickly, with no thawing or chopping. You can make them next-level by using our homemade enchilada sauce, or store-bought is great too, for a really quick and easy dinner.
I'm a Mexican food aficionado and have so many favorite Mexican-inspired recipes, like Chile Verde, Tamales, Tacos Al Pastor, Chilaquiles, Elotes or Pozole Verde.
How to make Cheese Enchiladas:
Assemble: Heat a dry skillet then warm both sides of the tortilla in pan, until softened and pliable. Or, use my easy recipe to make your own corn tortillas. Pour ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13″ dish. Fill each tortilla with a handful of cheese then roll tightly, placing it in the pan with the seam side down. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top then sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheese on top.
Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and top with shredded cabbage, cotija cheese, chopped tomatoes, and a drizzle of sour cream. Enjoy with a side of refried beans, Mexican Rice, and Horchata.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: You can prep homemade cheese enchiladas several days in advance if you'd like. I recommend arranging the enchiladas in the baking dish then covering well, and storing the sauce in a separate airtight container. Then pour on the sauce and cheese when ready to bake. If you want to assemble it with the sauce, you can a few hours before baking.
To Freeze: Follow the recipe instructions through assembling, but don't bake it. Cover the pan with plastic wrap then tinfoil and keep in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let it thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before uncovering and baking.
Recipe Variations:
- Bean and Cheese Enchiladas: Fill each tortilla with a scoop of homemade refried beans then sprinkle on the cheese and roll up.
- Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas: Fill each enchilada with cooked, shredded chicken and cheese, or check out my Loaded Chicken Enchiladas recipe.
- Cheese Enchiladas with Green Sauce: Use salsa verde or green enchilada sauce instead of the red.
Serve With:
- Authentic Mexican Rice
- Pico de Gallo
- Homemade Refried Beans
- Restaurant Style Salsa
- Horchata
- Tres Leches Cake
Cheese Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 12-14 white corn tortillas
- 5-6 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 20 ounces red enchilada sauce, , homemade recommended, or canned
- 1 cup cabbage, , thinly shredded
- 1 roma tomato, , diced
- 1/4 cup Cotija cheese, , crumbled, for topping (optional)
- sour cream, , for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Warm corn tortillas on a hot dry skillet for a few seconds on each side, until pliable. Remove to a plate as they're warm and cover with a kitchen towel.
- Assemble: Pour ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9×13'' pan. Fill each corn tortilla with a handful of cheese (reserving about ½ cup for sprinkling over the top, at the end). Roll tightly, and place seam side down in the pan. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Top with remaining ½ cup of cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and top with shredded cabbage, cotija cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream.
- Serve with a side of Refried Beans and Mexican Rice
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe August 2016. Updated September 2022 and December 2024.
Wow!! Wow!! WOW!!! Everything about this recipe: easy to out together, reminded me of my childhood and my mama’s home cooking!!! This is something she made frequently!!! So SO GOOD!!!
Wow! What a winning meal…made these enchiladas tonight with your homemade enchilada sauce and your Mexican rice recipe. Got rave reviews by both vegetarian daughter and meat-loving husband. Thank you!
Jane, the enchilada sauce is made of beef broth. What did you substitute for you vegetarian daughter. I also do not meat and would love to make this
Use vegetable broth instead!
soupsonline.com has beef broth that is vegan and actually has no beef. My son is vegan and he loves it 🙂
Simple, delicious and it looked pretty; who could ask for more?
I absolutely will make again.
My husband have this cheese enchilada recipe all the time. I am so glad I found it. It is absolutely delicious.
I find it very ironic and disappointing that on “Tastes Better from Scratch” you use a prepared enchilada sauce in your cheese enchilada recipe.
I absolutely do use homemade enchilada sauce (which I talk about in the post). The recipe ingredient “enchilada sauce” is a link that takes you to my recipe. https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/enchilada-sauce-from-scratch/
Rude
How could I add chicken? Same cook time?
I would add cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken would work great). Same cook time.
Making for dinner tonight, in the oven smelling delicious.
New to enchiladas…can I add black beans to the cheese for filling?
Of course! Enjoy!
Make this once a week!
Yum!
Absolutely delicious!
Made this for lunch today for no meat Good Friday. Their in the oven now. I know they will be delicious.