what is typically in an enchilada

This easy Mexican enchiladas recipe takes only 30 minutes to prepare for a filling family meal. They can be prepared simply with just cheese, or be spruced up by adding a little bit of beef or chicken to appeal to the omnivores in your household.

In their simplest form, enchiladas are simply corn tortillas dipped in a chile sauce and then eaten with a fork. They might or might not have a filling (but often do) and are sometimes topped with a sprinkling of grated cheese or a drizzle of cream. As enchiladas became popular across the Southwestern United States, they evolved into an oven-baked casserole-style dish that we now make today: filled, rolled tortillas topped with sauce and cheese and baked in the oven until its bubbling.

You can make your own sauce—theyre typically red or green—or buy a good jarred one. This recipe uses a jarred sauce, which makes for a relatively quick weeknight recipe. You also have the option to use corn or flour tortillas, too, depending on your preference. Corn is more traditional, but flour works, too.

It’s a mix of meat or beans, fresh vegetables, loads of cheese, an array of sauces, and tortillas large enough to roll and fill. Toppings like guacamole, sour cream, and coriander amplify the enjoyment. If you’re going to be an enchilada chef, your first ingredient would be soft tortillas.

Steps to Make It

• Gather the ingredients. The Spruce
• Heat oven to 400 F. Pour 1 cup of oil into a medium-sized saucepan and heat until its hot, but not sizzling. You want to warm the tortillas in the oil, not fry them.
• Using tongs, dip each tortilla, one at a time, into the hot oil until it is warmed through and pliable. Remove tortilla from oil and drain it briefly on a paper towel. The Spruce
• Pour just enough sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish to cover it. Pour the rest of the sauce into a large bowl. Dip a warm tortilla into the sauce and then place it in the bottom of the baking dish. The Spruce
• Place a little less than 1/4 cup of cheese down the center of the tortilla. If you are adding meat, use a little less cheese. Fold half of the tortilla over the cheese, then the other half, so that the tortilla is rolled around the cheese. Turn it over so it is seam-side down and the weight of the cheese will help keep it in place. The Spruce
• Repeat each of those steps for each of the tortillas making two layers of enchiladas in the dish, if necessary. Pour any remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle the cotija cheese over the enchiladas. The Spruce
• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until enchiladas are hot throughout and cheese is melted. The Spruce
• Serve your enchiladas with a spatula, four to a plate, and enjoy!

Why Are My Enchiladas Soggy?

You get all excited to make the crispy-cheesy enchiladas of your dreams, but only to have them turn out soggy. Soggy tortillas can be avoided by following this recipe carefully, as frying them briefly in oil ensures that theres a bit of a protective barrier between the tortilla and the sauce.

• If you want to keep this enchilada vegetarian, but are looking for a bit more of a heartier dish, try sautéing some chopped up bell peppers and onions and adding those to the enchilada when you add the cheese to the tortilla.
• Use shredded cooked chicken or cubed cooked steak and add it to the tortillas when you add the cheese.

Enchiladas are made differently down in Mexico | Enchiladas Rojas

FAQ

What does a enchilada have in it?

What is an authentic enchilada made of?

What is the secret to good enchiladas?

What is the most popular type of enchiladas?

What are enchiladas made of?

Enchiladas are a traditional Mexican dish made with tortillas that are lightly fried, filled, rolled up or stacked, and finally covered in a flavorful sauce. The filling can be anything from meats like chicken or beef, vegetarian options like beans or cheese, or even seafood like shrimp.

What are the different types of enchiladas?

Enchiladas potosinas: with cottage cheese and spicy mashed beans. Enchiladas de chilorio: these are prepared with pork. Bean enchiladas ( enfrijoladas ): they are covered with refried beans. Mexican enchiladas ( enchiladas mexicanas ): with green sauce, white cream and red sauce to represent the Mexican flag.

What is an authentic Mexican enchilada?

Wikipedia’s take is that an authentic enchilada is a “Mexican dish consisting of a corn tortilla rolled around a filling and covered with a savory sauce.” And while that is a good historical definition, it misses the complexity of how they are made today.

What are the different types of enchilada sauces?

Enchiladas can be filled with various ingredients, including meats, cheese, beans, potatoes, vegetables, or combinations. Enchilada sauces include chili -based sauces, such as salsa roja, various moles, tomatillo -based sauces, such as salsa verde, or cheese-based sauces, such as chile con queso .