Cheese Enchilada
This vegetarian builds corn tortillas and grated cheddar cheese into a weeknight-friendly meal you can have ready in about 75 minutes. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 8 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for oven and frying pan / skillet. At medium difficulty across 8 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian β no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page β how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Make the sauce first: heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute until it smells toasty, then stir in the chili powder, cumin and garlic powder and cook for 30 seconds.
- Gradually whisk in the water, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, then season with salt and set aside.
- Finely chop the onion and set aside half of the grated cheddar for the topping; combine the rest of the cheese with about a third of the chopped onion in a bowl for the filling.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a small skillet and warm each tortilla for a few seconds per side until soft and pliable, or wrap the stack in a damp towel and microwave for 30 seconds so they roll without cracking.
- Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and spread a thin layer of the chili sauce across the bottom of a baking dish.
- Dip each tortilla in the warm sauce, fill with a spoonful of the cheese-and-onion mixture, roll it up and place seam-side down in the dish, packing the enchiladas snugly together.
- Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas, scatter the reserved cheddar and the rest of the raw onion on top.
- Bake uncovered for 18 to 20 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling at the edges, then let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
You'll use: Oven Β· Frying pan / skillet Β· Saucepan Β· Pan Β· Whisk
Tips & common questions
How long does Cheese Enchilada take to make?
About 75 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 8 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Cheese Enchilada vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe β rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Cheese Enchilada is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Cheese enchilada platter.jpg by StellarD, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure β how we source recipes.