Go Back
–+ servings
Close up of enchiladas being scooped out of the casserole dish
Print Recipe Add to Collection
4.93 from 13 votes

Cheese Enchiladas

This Easy Cheese Enchiladas recipe is a delicious comfort food that never disappoints with melty cheese, toasty corn tortillas, and a homemade red enchilada sauce.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican, Southwest, texmex
Total Cost: $5.97 recipe / $1.49 serving
Servings: 4 3 enchiladas each
Calories: 589kcal
Author: Beth Moncel

Ingredients

  • 12 small corn tortillas $0.80
  • 12 oz. cheese, shredded $3.44
  • 1 4oz. can diced green chiles (drained) $0.89
  • 1/4 cup sour cream $0.19
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder $0.02
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin $0.02
  • 1/8 tsp salt $0.01
  • 1.5 cups enchilada sauce $0.60

Instructions

  • Toast the tortillas in a hot skillet, one at a time for a few seconds on each side, or just until lightly browned.
  • Add ¾ of the shredded cheese to a bowl (saving the remainder to top the enchiladas). Also add the drained green chiles, sour cream, garlic powder, cumin, and salt. Stir the ingredients to combine.
  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Add about ½ cup of enchilada sauce to the bottom of a large casserole dish and spread it around until it covers the surface.
  • Fill each tortilla with about 3 Tbsp of the cheese filling, then roll to close, and place them in the casserole dish. Continue until all of the tortillas have been filled, rolled, and placed in the dish.
  • Pour the remaining 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, then top with the remaining shredded cheese.
  • Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until they are heated through and melty. Do not overbake the enchiladas, as this can cause the filling to separate and curdle. Serve hot with your favorite toppings* and sides!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Video

Notes

Detailed step-by-step instructions below the recipe card.
Enchiladas are traditionally made with corn tortillas, but if you prefer flour you can certainly use those as well. I find that corn tortillas hold up better in the sauce and give a delicious corn flavor to the dish.
Cheese is the bulk of the filling for the enchiladas and you can use just about any type of melting cheese, so raid your refrigerator for leftovers and make sure no cheese goes to waste! We used a combination of cheddar and pepper jack, but you can take a look at our list of good cheese options below for more ideas.
A can of diced green chiles adds a ton of flavor, texture, and color the cheese filling. You can use either spicy or mild diced green chiles.
Enchilada sauce drenches the enchiladas in flavor and saucy goodness. Red enchilada sauce is the best, but you can certainly try green enchilada sauce as well. We used our simple homemade red enchilada sauce for this recipe because it’s way more flavorful than canned sauce, but canned is an option as well.
*Optional toppings: green onion, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo.

Nutrition

Serving: 3enchiladas | Calories: 589kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 34g | Sodium: 1562mg | Fiber: 7g