Rolled Cheese and Onion Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce Recipe
Rolled Cheese and Onion Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce is a flavorful Mexican-inspired dish featuring tender corn tortillas filled with a blend of Monterrey jack and sharp cheddar cheeses, accented by diced red onions. The enchiladas are bathed in a rich, aromatic homemade red chile sauce made with red chile paste, garlic, cumin, coriander, and oregano, then baked to bubbly perfection. Served with a fresh shredded lettuce and diced tomato salad, this recipe yields 12 hearty servings with a perfect balance of spicy, cheesy, and fresh flavors.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
Red Chile Sauce
- 1 cup red chile paste
- 2½ to 3 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
- ⅓ white Spanish onion, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 Tbsp salt
Enchiladas
- 24 white corn tortillas
- ¼ cup olive oil or lard, for frying
- ½ lb Monterrey jack cheese, grated
- ½ lb sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- ⅔ cup red onion, diced
To Serve
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Make the Red Chile Sauce: In a blender, combine the red chile paste, chicken broth, garlic, chopped white onion, oregano, cumin, coriander, and salt. Blend until smooth. Pour the sauce into a 4-quart Dutch oven and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Once it reaches a boil, remove from heat and set aside to keep warm.
- Prep the Tortillas: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil or lard in a skillet over medium heat. Lightly fry each tortilla for just a few seconds per side—just enough to soften without crisping. As you finish frying each tortilla, stack them on a plate. Add more oil to the skillet as necessary to soften all tortillas evenly.
- Fill and Roll: Dip each softened tortilla into the warm red chile sauce to coat thoroughly. Lay the coated tortilla flat in a baking dish. Sprinkle a spoonful of diced red onion and a generous amount of the cheese mixture (half Monterrey jack and half sharp cheddar) on top. Roll the tortilla into a cylinder and place it seam-side down in the dish. Repeat this process until all tortillas are filled and rolled. Use two baking dishes if needed to accommodate all the enchiladas.
- Assemble and Bake: Once the baking dishes are filled with rolled enchiladas, spoon any remaining red chile sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining diced red onion and the rest of the cheese mixture. Place the baking dishes in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the enchiladas are bubbling hot.
- Serve: Remove the enchiladas from the oven and allow them to cool slightly for a few minutes. Serve warm with a fresh salad of shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes to provide a cool, crisp contrast to the rich, cheesy, and spicy enchiladas.
Notes
- For best flavor, use homemade chicken broth in the red chile sauce.
- Do not over-fry the tortillas; they should be soft and pliable, not crispy.
- Adjust the amount of salt in the sauce to taste, especially if your broth is salted.
- Feel free to substitute lard with olive oil to keep the recipe more heart-healthy.
- This recipe serves 12, making it great for gatherings or meal prep.
Keywords: enchiladas, red chile sauce, Mexican cuisine, cheesy enchiladas, baked enchiladas, corn tortillas, Monterrey jack cheese, sharp cheddar cheese
