Family Recipe – Easy Tex-Mex Cheese Enchiladas

My Juelita was an amazing cook. I loved going to her house to help her make homemade tortillas.

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It always smelled incredible when she was in the kitchen and I miss her authentic Mexican cooking.

But, fortunately, she passed down a few recipes here and there. 

My mom learned her easy cheese enchiladas recipe and then passed it down to me… and it is still my favorite.

Tex-Mex Cheese Enchiladas

Whenever my mom wants to cook any of us a special meal, we almost always ask for her cheese enchiladas with chili con carne.

Even our family Christmas dinner every year consists of cheese and onion enchiladas after turkey burn-out at Thanksgiving. 

Therefore, since we make it so much, I decided to share our family recipe for easy Tex-Mex cheese enchiladas with chili con carne.

Oh yeah, sorry, no red sauce here. We smother our cheese and onion enchiladas with chili. I never eat red sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of cheese (we like the Fiesta blend already shredded)
• 1 large can of chili (with or without beans… we prefer without and use Wolf Brand Chili)
• 1 bag of corn tortillas (we have found Mission Corn Tortillas to be the best at not falling apart)
• Vegetable or Olive Oil
• Chili Powder
• Water
• Onion (optional)

How to make Tex-Mex Cheese Enchiladas

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Fill a medium-sized saucepan halfway with water, add Chili Powder to taste,  and place on the stove on medium heat
3. Pour oil into a non-stick skillet and place on the stove on medium heat
4. Place 3-4 corn tortillas in water mixture once warm to soak
5. Take 1 tortilla at a time from the water and place it into the heated oil (should be warm not bubbling hot). 
6. Place oil-dripped tortilla on a napkin and repeat until all corn tortillas are done
7. Grab a tortilla, place in a casserole pan, insert cheese and (optional) diced onions, and roll 
8. Repeat fill and roll until done with all cheese enchilada ingredients or out of room in your pan.
9. Layer chili con carne over the top of the rolled enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese (and optional onion). 
10. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Take out of the oven and serve your cheese enchiladas with a nice side of refried beans and Spanish rice. Guacamole always makes it even more yummy! Enjoy!

Tex-Mex Cheese Enchiladas FAQs

Different types of enchiladas (e.g., chicken, beef, cheese, vegetarian)

Enchiladas are a hearty dish that can be made in many different ways.

The most common type of enchilada is made with a corn tortilla and filled with meat, cheese, and beans.

Enchiladas can also be made with a flour tortilla or even a lettuce wrap. The filling for enchiladas can be anything from chicken to beef to veggies.

Enchiladas are typically served smothered in a traditional red or green sauce.

Tips for assembling and rolling enchiladas

In order to assemble and roll enchiladas, there are a few tips that can be followed.

First, it is important to warm the tortillas so that they are pliable and easy to work with. This can be done by placing them in a pan with a small amount of oil or water.

Second, the filling for the enchiladas should be placed in the center of the tortilla, and then it should be rolled up tightly.

Finally, the enchiladas should be placed in a baking dish seam side down to ensure that they stay together while baking.

Vegetarian or vegan enchilada options

There are many vegetarian and vegan enchilada options available.

Some popular options include black bean and mushroom enchiladas, spinach and cheese enchiladas, and potato and cheese enchiladas.

These can be made with either corn or flour tortillas, and are typically served with a red or green enchilada sauce.

Popular Tex-Mex sauces and salsas to accompany enchiladas

The most popular Tex-Mex sauces and salsas to accompany enchiladas are usually red or green enchilada sauce, salsa verde, salsa roja, and pico de gallo.

These sauces and salsas add flavor and spice to the enchiladas and can make them even more delicious.

Each of these sauces can add a different flavor to your dish, so be sure to try them all to find your favorite.