Easy Cheese Enchiladas with Homemade Red Sauce: Your New Family Favorite

These easy Cheese Enchiladas are guaranteed to become a beloved family favorite! Featuring tender corn tortillas generously filled with melted Monterey Jack cheese and smothered in a rich, flavorful homemade red enchilada sauce, this recipe offers comfort and authentic taste in every bite.

There’s nothing quite like a comforting plate of warm, cheesy enchiladas, especially when they’re made from scratch with love. Today, I’m thrilled to share my go-to recipe for **Easy Cheese Enchiladas**, a dish that consistently earns rave reviews and disappears quickly from the dinner table. What makes these red enchiladas truly special isn’t just the gooey, melty cheese filling, but the incredible homemade red enchilada sauce that elevates every flavor. Forget store-bought sauces; once you taste this vibrant, rich, and perfectly spiced sauce, you’ll be a convert!

This recipe focuses on using traditional corn tortillas, providing that authentic texture and flavor that’s essential for great enchiladas. While making enchiladas might sound daunting, I promise you it’s much simpler than you think. With just a few minutes of active prep time and a quick 20-minute bake, you’ll have a hearty, delicious, and deeply satisfying meal that’s perfect for any weeknight or casual gathering.

If you’re looking for other incredibly easy and flavorful weeknight meal ideas that hit all the right notes, you might also enjoy these family-friendly recipes: Homemade Ground Beef Taco Meat for quick tacos and burritos, a nostalgic and comforting Homemade Hamburger Helper, or the classic crowd-pleaser, Homemade Sloppy Joes. Each of these recipes is designed for maximum flavor with minimal effort, just like these amazing cheese enchiladas.

Why You’ll Absolutely Love These Easy Cheese Enchiladas

These aren’t just any cheese enchiladas; they are designed to be simple, satisfying, and utterly delicious. Here’s why they’ll quickly become a staple in your meal rotation:

• Unbeatable Homemade Red Sauce: The heart of any great enchilada is its sauce, and ours is truly outstanding. Made from scratch, this rich, earthy, and perfectly spiced sauce transforms simple cheese enchiladas into a culinary experience. It’s far superior to anything you’ll find in a can, and surprisingly easy to prepare! We’ll show you how to make it, or you can check out my dedicated red enchilada sauce recipe for more details.
• Simple, Wholesome Ingredients: You won’t find a long list of obscure ingredients here. This recipe relies on readily available items from your pantry and local grocery store, making it accessible for everyone.
• Guaranteed Family Favorite: This dish has a universal appeal. The combination of warm tortillas, gooey cheese, and a mild yet flavorful sauce makes it a hit with both adults and children, even picky eaters.
• Kid-Friendly & Customizable: Thanks to the mild, savory flavor profile of the cheese and sauce, kids adore these enchiladas. Plus, they’re a blank canvas for customization. Everyone can add their favorite toppings to make it their own!
• Vegetarian Delight: Perfect for meatless Mondays or for anyone seeking a delicious vegetarian Mexican dish, these cheese enchiladas prove that you don’t need meat to create a filling and flavorful meal.

Essential Cheesy Enchiladas Ingredients

Gathering your ingredients is the first step to creating these delectable cheese enchiladas. Here’s what you’ll need, with a few notes on why each component is important:

• Butter: Forms the base of our roux for the sauce, providing richness and helping to thicken.
• All-Purpose Flour: Essential for creating the roux, which is the thickening agent for our robust red enchilada sauce.
• Spices: This carefully crafted blend is the secret to our outstanding sauce. We use:
  • Chili Powder: Use a good quality chili powder for the best flavor (avoid generic store brands if possible for a richer, more authentic taste). This is the backbone of the red sauce.
  • Onion Powder & Garlic Powder: These provide a foundational aromatic depth without the need to sauté fresh onions and garlic, keeping the process simple.
  • Cumin: Adds a warm, earthy, and slightly smoky flavor that is quintessential to Mexican cuisine.
  • Dried Oregano: Contributes a fragrant, herbaceous note that perfectly complements the other spices.
• Sugar: Just a touch of sugar helps to balance the acidity of the tomato sauce and enhance the overall flavor profile, adding a subtle sweetness that rounds out the spice.
• Vegetable Broth (or Chicken Broth): The liquid base for our sauce. Vegetable broth keeps the dish vegetarian, but chicken broth can be used for added savory depth if preferred.
• Tomato Sauce: Provides the deep red color and a tangy, rich tomato base for the enchilada sauce.
• Corn Tortillas: The traditional choice for authentic enchiladas. Their slightly coarse texture holds up well to the sauce and cheese.
• Monterey Jack Cheese: Known for its excellent melting properties and mild, creamy flavor, it’s perfect for a gooey, satisfying cheese filling. Freshly shredded cheese melts better than pre-shredded.
• Toppings of Your Choice: The fun part! Get creative with your favorite fresh garnishes (suggestions provided later).

How to Make Delicious Cheese Enchiladas from Scratch

Creating these easy cheese enchiladas is a straightforward process, broken down into two main parts: making the glorious red sauce and assembling the enchiladas. Follow these steps for a perfect dish every time:

1. Master the Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

The sauce is the soul of these enchiladas, and making it from scratch is surprisingly simple and incredibly rewarding. Start by melting 3 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. While the butter is melting, whisk together 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with your chosen blend of spices: 2-3 tablespoons of good chili powder, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of cumin, ¼ teaspoon of dried oregano, and ¼ teaspoon of sugar. Once the butter is melted, add the spice and flour mixture to the saucepan. Whisk continuously for 1-2 minutes, allowing the flour to cook and the spices to become wonderfully fragrant. This step, known as making a roux, is crucial for both flavor and thickening. Next, gradually whisk in 1½ cups (355ml) of vegetable or chicken broth and 1 (8oz/227g) can of tomato sauce. Continue to whisk and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Assemble Your Cheesy Enchiladas

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly coat the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish with a thin layer of your freshly made red enchilada sauce. This prevents sticking and infuses flavor from the bottom up. Next, take a corn tortilla and dip it briefly into the remaining enchilada sauce, ensuring it’s lightly coated but not fully saturated (this helps prevent them from drying out or becoming too soggy). Place the sauced tortilla in your prepared baking dish. Spoon about ¼ cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese onto the center of the tortilla, then carefully roll it up. Place the rolled enchilada seam-side down at one end of the baking dish. Repeat this process with the remaining tortillas and cheese, arranging them snugly in a single layer until your baking dish is full.

3. Bake to Golden Perfection

Once all your enchiladas are neatly arranged, pour the rest of the rich red enchilada sauce evenly over the top, ensuring every roll is generously covered. Then, sprinkle any remaining shredded cheese over the sauce. Transfer the baking dish to your preheated oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the cheese is beautifully melted, bubbly, and the edges of the enchiladas are slightly golden. The aroma filling your kitchen will be irresistible!

Serve immediately and get ready to enjoy a fantastic, homemade Mexican meal!

Pro Tips for Perfect Red Enchiladas

Even though these cheese enchiladas are easy to make, a few simple tips can elevate your dish from great to extraordinary:

• Prevent Soggy Tortillas (and make them pliable!): To ensure your corn tortillas don’t break when rolled and don’t become overly soggy during baking, a quick fry is key. Heat a small amount of oil (vegetable or canola works well) in a skillet over medium heat. Fry each corn tortilla for just a few seconds per side – just enough to soften them and make them pliable, but not crispy. Don’t overcook them, or they’ll become stiff and hard to roll. Drain them briefly on a paper towel before dipping in sauce and filling. Alternatively, you can lightly warm them in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 20-30 seconds, or steam them briefly.
• Always Place Seam-Side Down: When you roll your cheese-filled tortillas, make sure to place them seam-side down in the baking dish. This helps them stay rolled during baking and keeps your presentation neat.
• Cheese Swaps for Variety: While Monterey Jack is fantastic for its melt and mild flavor, feel free to experiment with other cheeses. Good melting cheeses like mild or sharp cheddar, a Mexican blend, or even a blend of Monterey Jack and Colby work wonderfully. The key is to choose a cheese that melts smoothly and has a flavor profile you enjoy.
• Freshly Shredded is Best: Pre-shredded cheeses often contain anti-caking agents that can affect how smoothly they melt. For the ultimate gooey texture, I highly recommend buying a block of Monterey Jack (or your preferred cheese) and shredding it yourself.
• Don’t Skimp on Chili Powder Quality: As mentioned in the ingredients, the chili powder is a star in the sauce. A high-quality chili powder (not a generic store brand if you can help it) will provide a much deeper, more complex, and authentic flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cheese Enchiladas

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