Cheese Enchiladas

Name: Cheese Enchiladas
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 8 serving
Ingredients: 10 dried guajillo chiles; 1 dried ancho chile; 2 to 3 dried chipotle or morita chile; 2 fresh garlic cloves; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon cumin; 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil or Butter; 1 tablespoon Knorr chicken bouillon; 2 to 3 teaspoons sugar; ½ teaspoon Kosher salt to taste; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 5 cups water; 2 teaspoons lemon juice distilled white vinegar; 8 (10-inch) flour tortillas; 10 ounces (283g) Mexican cheese blend; 10 ounces (283g) queso fresco; 1 sweet onion

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5.0

48 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Additional Time
10 mins
Total Time
1 hr 35 mins
Servings
8
Calories
149 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Mexican

Cheese Enchiladas

Deacon Moody

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These cheese enchiladas are bathed in a rich Salsa Roja made with Guajillo, Ancho, and Chipotle chiles, then filled with Queso Fresco and crisp onions. For a quicker approach, this recipe uses flour tortillas, which are more pliable straight out of the package—no frying needed.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the Salsa Roja:

10 dried guajillo chiles , stemmed, seeded, and wiped clean
1 dried ancho chile , stemmed, seeded, and wiped clean
2 to 3 dried chipotle or morita chile , stemmed, and wiped clean (adds smoky and spicy flavor; adjust to taste for spiciness level)
2 fresh garlic cloves , peeled and cut in half
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil or Butter
1 tablespoon Knorr chicken bouillon
2 to 3 teaspoons sugar (optional) but highly recommended to balance the flavor
½ teaspoon Kosher salt to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper
5 cups water
2 teaspoons lemon juice distilled white vinegar (optional)

Enchiladas:

8 (10-inch) flour tortillas
10 ounces (283g) Mexican cheese blend , Oaxaca, Monterey Jack cheese or Colby Jack shredded
10 ounces (283g) queso fresco , crumbled
1 sweet onion , chopped fine

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Instructions

For the Salsa Roja: Clean the chiles with a damp kitchen towel. Deseed the guajillo and ancho chiles, and cut the stems off the chipotle chiles.
In a medium saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, add all the chiles to the water. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let the chiles cook for 15 minutes or until they become soft and pliable. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the chiles to cool in the water for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the garlic to a blender along with ¼ cup of the cooking liquid, and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer the softened chiles along with the remaining cooking water to the blender with the garlic mixture.
Add 1 tablespoon of knorr chicken bouillon. Blend on high speed until very smooth, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender jar as needed. Strain the blended salsa through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, firmly pressing solids with a ladle to extract as much juice as possible; discard solids.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chile puree, salt, and black pepper, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Whisk in lemon juice or vinegar if using. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm.
For the Enchiladas: Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
Spread ¾ cup salsa roja in the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Combine cheeses in a bowl; set aside 1 cup cheese mixture for topping enchiladas.
Place ½ cup cheese mixture across the center of each tortilla, then sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon onion.
Tightly roll tortillas around the filling and place crosswise, seam side down, in the pan. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle with the reserved cheese mixture.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted about 15 minutes. Let enchiladas cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with remaining onion. Serve.

Notes

Storage, Make Ahead, & Freezing
Storage, Make Ahead, & Freezing
Storage: Store cooked cheese enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Storage: Store cooked cheese enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Make Ahead: Assemble cheese enchiladas up to 1 day in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Bake when ready to serve.
Make Ahead: Assemble cheese enchiladas up to 1 day in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Bake when ready to serve.
Freezing: Assemble cheese enchiladas without baking. Cover tightly with foil and plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.
Freezing: Assemble cheese enchiladas without baking. Cover tightly with foil and plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.