We’ve teamed up with Wisconsin Cheese for an interview mini-series called Meet the Makers, featuring a sampling of the state’s finest cheesemakers and their award-winning creations.
If you grew up in the ‘90s like I did, chances are high that you al…
We've teamed up with Wisconsin Cheese for an interview mini-series called Meet the Makers, featuring a sampling of the state’s finest cheesemakers and their award-winning creations.
If you grew up in the ‘90s like I did, chances are high that you also watched the charmingly British series of short films featuring Wallace and his clever dog, Gromit. In an installment titled A Grand Day Out, Wallace and Gromit realize they’ve eaten through their cheese stores, so they embark on a quest to find more. Naturally, their journey takes them to the moon—that big, pale yellow orb in the sky with its Swiss cheese-like holes. Spoiler alert: Wallace and Gromit discover that the moon is not, in fact, made of cheese and return home without any additional curds in tow.
We’ve teamed up with Wisconsin Cheese for an interview mini-series called Meet the Makers, featuring a sampling of the state’s finest cheesemakers and their award-winning creations.
Cheese has been made in Wisconsin since before it was even a state….
We’ve teamed up with Wisconsin Cheese for an interview mini-series called Meet the Makers, featuring a sampling of the state’s finest cheesemakers and their award-winning creations.
Cheese has been made in Wisconsin since before it was even a state. In the 1830s and 40s, a wave of European immigrants planted roots in the region and started dairy farms, where they made homemade cheeses to get the most out of all that milk. It was a woman in fact, Anne Pickett, who started the first official cheesemaking business in the area, a whole seven years before Wisconsin joined the union in 1848. This time period also saw the creation of now-classic Wisconsin cheeses—namely Brick (we have the folks at Widmer’s Cheese Cellars to thank for this) and Colby. By 1910, the state surpassed New York in milk production, earning it the nickname, “America’s Dairyland.”
We’ve teamed up with Wisconsin Cheese for an interview mini-series called Meet the Makers, featuring a sampling of the state’s finest cheesemakers and their award-winning creations.
When you grow up in a family that owns a business, there are typica…
We’ve teamed up with Wisconsin Cheese for an interview mini-series called Meet the Makers, featuring a sampling of the state’s finest cheesemakers and their award-winning creations.
When you grow up in a family that owns a business, there are typically two outcomes when it comes to your future: you either run as far as you can in the other direction and never look back, or you fall in step with the generations that came before you and eventually take the reins. Of course, both paths have merit, especially when there’s delicious food involved.
We’ve teamed up with Wisconsin Cheese for an interview mini-series called Meet the Makers, featuring a sampling of the state’s finest cheesemakers and their award-winning creations.
In 2019 I was lucky enough to attend the annual American Cheese Soc…
We’ve teamed up with Wisconsin Cheese for an interview mini-series called Meet the Makers, featuring a sampling of the state’s finest cheesemakers and their award-winning creations.
In 2019 I was lucky enough to attend the annual American Cheese Society Awards, hosted that year in Richmond, Virginia. Of the many fond memories I have from that trip, there’s one in particular that tends to rise to the top of my mind whenever I’m reflecting on it: a massive sea of proud Wisconsin cheesemakers cheering each other on as the state took home win after win for its incredible cheeses. I lost count of the number of awards that the state’s cheesemakers took home for cheddars and cheese curds—I’d expected them to shine in those categories. What I wasn’t expecting was for a Wisconsin cheesemaker to take home not one, but two awards for Gouda, a cheese I’d long associated only with Europe.
Broccoli salad is a classic salad and a popular side dish for parties, potlucks, and cookouts. I mean, is it even a party if no one brings broccoli salad? And I know broccoli salad doesn’t sound that exciting, but I am telling you, this salad is …
Broccoli salad is a classic salad and a popular side dish for parties, potlucks, and cookouts. I mean, is it even a party if no one brings broccoli salad? And I know broccoli salad doesn’t sound that exciting, but I am telling you, this salad is always a crowd pleaser. So even if you don’t…
Enchiladas are one of our all-time favorite dinners. We love trying new enchilada recipes. A few favorites include White Chicken Enchiladas, Black Bean Enchiladas, Beef Enchiladas, and our Black Bean & Quinoa Enchilada Bake is a fun one! These Chic…
Enchiladas are one of our all-time favorite dinners. We love trying new enchilada recipes. A few favorites include White Chicken Enchiladas, Black Bean Enchiladas, Beef Enchiladas, and our Black Bean & Quinoa Enchilada Bake is a fun one! These Chicken Enchiladas are definitely a classic. They are one of the BEST dinner recipes out there.…
Mexican nights are always the best nights. We love making tacos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, taco salad, and more! Whenever I am in the mood for Mexican flavors, but need an EASY meal, I make this Cheesy Rice and Bean Skillet. It is made with ri…
Mexican nights are always the best nights. We love making tacos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, taco salad, and more! Whenever I am in the mood for Mexican flavors, but need an EASY meal, I make this Cheesy Rice and Bean Skillet. It is made with rice, beans, salsa verde, onion, cilantro, lime, and plenty of cheese!…
Chicken enchiladas with homemade red enchilada sauce are a classic Mexican dinner. We make them all of the time, but sometimes we like to mix things up and make White Chicken Enchiladas. The enchiladas are filled with shredded chicken, cheese, and a cr…
Chicken enchiladas with homemade red enchilada sauce are a classic Mexican dinner. We make them all of the time, but sometimes we like to mix things up and make White Chicken Enchiladas. The enchiladas are filled with shredded chicken, cheese, and a creamy white sauce that is made with a simple roux, chicken broth, green…
The last dinner my grandma made for me was in November 2017. I was in town for a book signing, and while she hadn’t felt energetic enough to attend the…
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The last dinner my grandma made for me was in November 2017. I was in town for a book signing, and while she hadn’t felt energetic enough to attend the...
Craving enchiladas without the fuss? This flavorful cheese enchiladas recipe is packed with melty cheese, warm tortillas, and a zingy enchilada sauce: an easy dinner idea for pleasing everyone!
Over here we adore enchiladas, but it always feels like it takes a teeny bit longer than we want before they’re ready to pull out of the oven. (Because when we need enchiladas, we need them now!) Introducing, our easy cheese enchiladasrecipe! This flavorful cheese enchiladas recipe is packed with melty cheese, warm tortillas, and a zingy enchilada sauce. Even better, you don’t need to cook anything for the filling: stuff it with cheese, green chiles and spices, and you’re ready to rock.
What you need for cheese enchiladas
Cheese enchiladas are a staple of Tex Mex cuisine, and they have a long tradition as a classic Mexican dish (the first reference to modern enchiladas was in 1885, though rolling tortillas around fillings had been a culinary practice in Mexico for centuries). The cheese enchiladas recipe below is Tex Mex in style, and we honor the great tradition of Mexican cooks and chefs who brought us the mighty enchilada.
There are a few major differences between Mexican enchiladas and Tex Mex style. Often Mexican enchiladas use corn tortillas and are fried, whereas Tex Mex enchiladas use flour tortillas and are baked. Cheese enchiladas are typical in both styles, and require no cooking of the fillings like in chicken enchiladas or sweet potato enchiladas, which is helpful for speedy prep. Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:
Red enchilada sauce: We recommend finding a purchased sauce you love, though you can also make homemade enchilada sauce.
Mild roasted green chiles: It’s easy to find this ingredient canned in the grocery store near the tortillas.
Cumin, garlic powder, and salt: This blend of spices makes for a well-seasoned filling.
Colby or Monterrey jack cheese: We like Colby jack for flavor, but you can also use Monterrey Jack or Mexican blend cheese.
Mild cheddar cheese: Using two types of cheese adds nuance to the flavor, and mild cheddar melts well.
Tortillas: We use flour tortillas for this Tex Mex variation, but you can use corn tortillas as well, which are more traditional in Mexican-style enchiladas and a gluten free option.
Use a great red enchilada sauce
Many people swear by homemade enchilada sauce: and we’ll admit, it tastes incredible! However, it takes quite a while and leaves a bit of a mess behind. For easy enchiladas, we like using a purchased brand. There are many great sauces out there that taste incredible (pretty much like homemade, in our opinion!).
Purchased red enchilada sauce: There are many enchilada sauce brands at the store, and many of them are minimally processed. Every brand is different, so experiment to find one you love. We like this Siete Foods enchilada sauce.
Homemade, made in advance: Make a batch of our Homemade Red Enchilada sauce in advance to ensure quick prep.
Flour tortillas vs corn tortillas
Corn tortillas are traditional in Mexican-style enchiladas, and flour tortillas are used in Tex Mex enchiladas. We prefer using flour tortillas for cheese enchiladas, since they’re easiest to roll and we crave that Tex Mex flavor. Here’s what to know about working with different types of tortillas:
Flour tortillas are our preference for enchiladas. They are easy to roll and more durable for holding up during the baking process. They also get nice and gooey from the enchilada sauce.
Corn tortillas are gluten-free, so they’re great if you’re looking for a gluten-free recipe. However, depending on the brand corn tortillas can tend to split when you roll them. To combat this, find the best quality corn tortilla brand you can. Then brush it with oil and cook it 15 seconds per side before assembling.
What about grain free tortillas? There are are other types of grain-free tortillas available at many grocery stores: almond flour, cassava flour, or chickpea flour (try Siete brand).
Want a cheesier top?
One thing to note about this cheese enchiladas recipe: we optimized the ingredients so that you don’t have to buy more than two 8-ounce bags of cheese. The cheese on top is minimal, but when covered by garnishes looks great.
If you prefer a more cheesy topping and don’t plan to add additional garnishes, use another ½ cup or more mild cheddar cheese for topping. If so, you’ll need to grab an extra bag of cheese at the store or load up on a large bag.
Load up on cheese enchilada toppings
The best part of this easy cheese enchiladas recipe? Loading them up with all the best toppings! For the garnishes, make sure they are crunchy and fresh to contrast the gooey cheese and tortillas. Since there’s not a lot of texture to the interior of a cheese enchilada, the topping is key. Here are a few cheese enchilada topping ideas:
This flavorful cheese enchiladas recipe is packed with melty cheese, warm tortillas, and a zingy enchilada sauce: an easy dinner idea for pleasing everyone!
For serving: shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, sliced red onion, guacamole, sour cream, feta or queso fresco crumbles, sliced jalapeno or fresno peppers, torn or chopped cilantro
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Spread 1 cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish.
If using corn tortillas (skip this step for flour tortillas), brush both sides of each tortilla lightly with olive oil. Heat a large griddle to medium-high heat. Cook the tortillas in batches for 15 seconds per side until lightly browned.
Reserve ½ cup of the jack cheese for topping, then mix the remaining jack and cheddar cheese together in a bowl with the green chilies, cumin, garlic powder, and kosher salt.
Fill each tortilla with ⅓ cup of the filling. Roll it up and place it in the baking dish seam side down. Once all 12 of the tortillas are in the dish, pour over the remaining 2 cups of enchilada sauce. Top with the reserved cheese.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is melted. Top with garnishes* and serve. (Leftovers keep well refrigerated.)
Notes
*The cheese on top is minimal but when covered by garnishes looks great. If you prefer a more cheesy topping and don’t plan to add additional garnishes, use another ½ cup or more mild cheddar cheese for topping. For the garnishes, make sure they are crunchy and fresh to contrast the gooey cheese and tortillas.