Cheese Enchiladas: Recipe and the Best Cheese to Use

Two jobs are involved. A young, moist melting cheese goes inside, and a crumbly fresh cheese goes on top. Add a sauce thick enough to cling and tortillas that are fried first, and the dish stays together instead of turning to mush.

Cheese enchiladas at a glance

This cheese enchiladas table gives the numbers for a 9 by 13 inch dish.

How to make cheese enchiladas

Cheese enchiladas come together in three moves: a quick sauce, tortillas softened in hot oil, and a roll and bake.

Ingredients for cheese enchiladas

These ingredients for cheese enchiladas make a mild red sauce and a two-cheese filling.

• Sauce: 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• Sauce: 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16 g)
• Sauce: 2 tablespoons chili powder
• Sauce: 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Sauce: 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Sauce: 2 cups (475 ml) chicken or vegetable broth
• Sauce: 1/2 cup (120 g) tomato sauce
• Sauce: 1 teaspoon white vinegar and salt to taste
• Filling: 8 oz (225 g) Monterey Jack or Chihuahua cheese, coarsely grated
• Filling: 4 oz (115 g) Oaxaca cheese, torn, optional
• Filling: 1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
• 12 corn tortillas, 6 inches (15 cm)
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) neutral oil for frying
• Topping: 3 oz (85 g) queso fresco, crumbled
• Topping: chopped cilantro and sliced onion

Steps for making cheese enchiladas

These steps for making cheese enchiladas keep the sauce thick and the tortillas intact.

1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9 by 13 inch (23 by 33 cm) baking dish.
2. Warm 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, chili powder, cumin and garlic powder, and cook 1 minute until it smells toasty.
3. Whisk in the broth and tomato sauce, simmer 8 to 10 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon, then stir in the vinegar and salt.
4. Mix the grated Jack, the Oaxaca and the chopped onion in a bowl.
5. Heat 1/3 cup oil in a small skillet over medium heat and fry each tortilla 5 to 8 seconds per side until pliable but not crisp, then drain on paper towels.
6. Dip each tortilla in the warm sauce, lay it flat, add about 1/3 cup of the cheese mix and roll tightly.
7. Place the rolls seam side down in the dish, pour the remaining sauce over them and scatter the last of the cheese mix on top.
8. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the cheese is melted and lightly spotted.
9. Rest 5 minutes, then top with the queso fresco, cilantro and onion.

The best cheese for cheese enchiladas

The best cheese for cheese enchiladas is a young, moist melting cheese, because it flows into the tortilla and holds the filling together. Monterey Jack is the practical choice: the federal standard lets it hold up to 44 percent moisture, so it melts quickly and smoothly. Chihuahua cheese, a mild cheddar-style Mexican cheese at 41 to 45 percent moisture, is the traditional alternative and tastes slightly more buttery.

Oaxaca cheese adds long strings when the enchiladas are pulled apart. It is a stretched-curd cheese, so a third Oaxaca to two thirds Jack gives the stretch without losing flavor. Mild cheddar can be part of the blend, though alone it can leave a film of oil on the sauce. For more choices, see the best melting cheeses.

The topping is a different job. Queso fresco is set with rennet and stays at a pH of 6.1 or higher, so it softens in heat but does not melt, which is why it makes a clean, salty finish after baking. Cotija is drier and saltier, so use less.

Cheese enchiladas mistakes and fixes

Soggy enchiladas are the usual complaint, and the cause is almost always the tortilla rather than the cheese.

• Skipping the oil. Corn tortillas dipped straight into sauce absorb it and fall apart. A few seconds in hot oil creates a thin barrier.
• Thin sauce. It soaks in and leaves the cheese floating in liquid. Simmer until it coats a spoon.
• Stale tortillas. Cold, dry tortillas crack. Warm and fry them just before rolling.
• Pre-shredded cheese. The anti-caking starch makes the filling pasty. Grate from a block.
• Overbaking. Past 30 minutes the cheese separates and tightens. Pull the dish when the edges bubble.

Cheese enchiladas variations, storage and reheating

Cheese enchiladas variations are easy: use green tomatillo sauce for a tangier version, add beans, spinach or sauteed mushrooms to the filling, or switch to flour tortillas for a softer, casserole-like texture.

To make them ahead, assemble the dish, cover and refrigerate up to a day, then bake 10 minutes longer. Leftovers should be refrigerated within 2 hours and eaten within 3 to 4 days, and USDA FSIS says to reheat them to 165°F (74°C). Warm covered in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 15 minutes.

Questions about cheese enchiladas

These cheese enchiladas questions cover the cheese, the sauce and storage.

What cheese do you use for cheese enchiladas?

For cheese enchiladas, use Monterey Jack or Chihuahua cheese inside, optionally with some Oaxaca, and crumble queso fresco over the top.

Can you use cheddar for cheese enchiladas?

Cheddar for cheese enchiladas works when it is mild and blended with Monterey Jack, but a sharp, aged cheddar can turn greasy as it bakes.

How do you keep cheese enchiladas from getting soggy?

To keep cheese enchiladas from getting soggy, fry the tortillas briefly in oil, simmer the sauce thick and bake just until bubbling.

Can you freeze cheese enchiladas?

Cheese enchiladas freeze well: assemble without baking, wrap tightly, freeze up to 2 months and bake from thawed, adding time until the center is hot.

Are corn or flour tortillas better for cheese enchiladas?

Corn tortillas are traditional for cheese enchiladas and give a firmer bite, while flour tortillas are softer and easier to roll without frying.

Making cheese enchiladas well

Making cheese enchiladas well comes down to two cheeses and one pan of hot oil: a melter inside, a crumble on top, and tortillas fried just long enough to stay whole. If the filling is the part you want to perfect, start with a block of Jack and see how it compares with a stretchier cheese in the same dish.