Tex-Mex Enchiladas with Chili Gravy are cheese enchiladas covered with a beef chili con carne gravy, or enchilada sauce, and lots and lots of gooey cheddar cheese!
I literally grew up eating Tex Mex enchiladas every week. Seriously, at school growing up in San Antonio, Texas, every Wednesday was “Enchilada Wednesday” and that was the day when most students wanted to eat the school lunch. It was because of their famous enchiladas. These enchiladas are one of my favorite Tex-Mex Recipes or if you prefer Mexican Recipes.
How famous were they? Famous enough that people all over the world, including in Sweden, have tried these enchiladas. You can read all about these NEISD famous enchiladas here, and read about how “Enchilada Wednesday” was started in San Antonio.
Now that I’m all grown up, I have my own recipe, similar but with a little more spice, less oil, and a streamlined topping that combines the enchilada sauce and enchilada chili, and of course, a smaller batch since I’m making the enchiladas for my family instead of a whole school full of students.[feast_advanced_jump_to]
Instead of making a separate enchilada sauce and separate chili gravy, I combine the two into one awesome chili con carne gravy, which is basically a beefy Tex-Mex enchilada sauce.
So if you want the best enchiladas in San Antonio, you’ll need to make this recipe! That is saying a lot because if you follow this blog, you know we love our enchiladas, like Enchiladas Suiza and Tomatillo Verde Enchiladas.
Ingredients for the gravy:1/4 cup lard or vegetable oil.1/4 cup all-purpose flour.2 tablespoons chili powder.1 teaspoons ground cumin.1 teaspoons garlic powder.1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
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1/4 cup lard or vegetable oil.
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1/4 cup all-purpose flour.
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2 tablespoons chili powder.
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1 teaspoons ground cumin.
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1 teaspoons garlic powder.
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1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
How To Make Tex-Mex Cheese Enchiladas With Chili Gravy
Below I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions in case you don’t have a specific ingredient on hand. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.
- Cheese – Use either cheddar or American cheese. My preference is to use cheddar because I like the flavor better than American. However, others like way American cheese, or Velveeta, because it melts smoothly.
- Ground Beef – I like to use 80/20 ground beef because you will need the fat from the ground beef to make the chili gravy. I don’t add a lot of oil or additional fat. I just use ground beef with more fat to provide that flavor for the gravy. If you want to use leaner ground beef or ground turkey or chicken, then you will need to add additional oil to make the enchilada sauce.
- Onion – I chop up a small onion and use part of it in the chili gravy, part of it in the cheese filling, and then I sprinkle a few on top of the enchiladas as a garnish.
- All-Purpose Flour – The flour is used to thicken the chili gravy. If you don’t want to use gravy then you could mix a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch with an equal amount of water to thicken the gravy. It may change the texture of the gravy slightly but would still be delicious.
- Chili Powder – You can use any chili powder, but for a more authentic Tex-Mex, I recommend using Gebhardt’s Chili Powder (You can use the link to purchase it on Amazon.com.) It includes not only chili powder but additional seasoning as well that provides delicious Tex-Mex flavor.
- Cumin – It is not Tex Mex or Mexican food if it doesn’t have cumin.
- Oregano – You will need oregano, preferably Mexican oregano, but if you don’t have that, feel free to use the oregano you have on hand.
- Garlic Powder – I use garlic powder in the seasoning. If you like you could use minced garlic and cook it with the ground beef after you add chopped onions.
- Salt and Pepper – I like to use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Cayenne Pepper – This is optional. You can add a little cayenne pepper if you want to increase the spicy heat.
- Chicken Broth – You can use water, chicken broth, or beef broth. I like the flavor the chicken broth adds. I find that the beef broth may be too much beef flavor. Chicken broth is what I like to use in the recipe.
- Corn Tortillas – If you can either buy or make homemade corn tortillas, then those are the best. However, you can use store-bought corn tortillas if you don’t have access to homemade tortillas.
- Oil – You will need a little oil to heat the corn tortillas.
What To Serve With Tex Mex Enchiladas
- Mexican Rice – Serve with a side of this Mexican Rice recipe.
- Pico De Gall0 Salsa – Use as a topping or as a side of fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, and jalapeños with lime juice.
- Guacamole – This avocado dip is made with fresh avocados, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and jalapeños is creamy, spicy, and perfect for a fiesta!
- Mexican Street Corn Salad – This recipe deconstructs the popular Mexican street food and serves it in a bowl, instead of as corn on the cob, and covers it with a fantastic chili lime cream sauce and cotija cheese.
- Change the filling to beef and make Tex Mex Beef Enchiladas. Use my Picadillo recipe without the “papas” or potatoes as the filling for the enchiladas. Otherwise, follow the instructions in this recipe to top with the same chili gravy and cheese.
- Buy the block of cheddar cheese and shred it yourself, (or get your significant other or kids to shred it), instead of buying pre-shredded cheese. It will melt much better and have better flavor.
How to Make Ten Minute Enchilada Sauce | Allrecipes.com
FAQ
What is enchilada sauce made from?
What is enchilada filling made of?
What is the closest thing to enchilada sauce?
What are Tex-Mex enchiladas with Chili Gravy?
Tex-Mex Enchiladas with Chili Gravy are cheese enchiladas covered with a beef chili con carne gravy, or enchilada sauce, and lots and lots of gooey cheddar cheese! Brown the 80/20 ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. When browned add chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes.
What are cheese enchiladas made of?
These authentic Cheese Enchiladas are made with corn tortillas stuffed with a flavorful blend of Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese. The enchiladas come smothered in a creamy, Tex-Mex enchilada gravy made extra savory thanks to beef broth and the perfect blend of Mexican spices!
What makes a good cheese enchilada?
For the best Cheese Enchiladas, it’s got to be smothered in none other than a Tex-Mex enchilada gravy. Tex-Mex gravy and Rojo Sauce are two very different things. Rojo enchilada sauce (a.k.a. red sauce) is made up of mostly tomatoes and often has sauteed onion, garlic, and spices added to taste.
How do you make Mexican enchiladas in a 913 Pan?
Ladle about a half cup of the chili gravy into the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Add about 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese on the lower third of the corn tortilla. Then tightly roll the corn tortilla and place seam down in the 9×13 baking dish. Repeat until you have rolled all enchiladas.