What Kind of Cheese to Use
This recipe is super flexible, so it’s a great way to use up any odds and ends of cheese that you may have in your fridge. You’ll need about 12oz. (one and half 8oz. blocks) of cheese for this recipe and you can mix and match cheese types. So today, I used a whole block of cheddar and a leftover half-block of pepper jack that I had in my fridge. Here are some other types of cheese you could use:
Queso Blanco
Monterey Jack
Queso Asadero
Queso Fresca (use in smaller amounts in combination with a creamy-melty cheese)
Chihuahua Cheese
Colby Jack
Are Cheese Enchiladas Spicy?
These cheese enchiladas can be spicy, depending on the ingredients used. If you need to make sure your enchiladas are mild, pay attention to the canned green chiles and enchilada sauce. Canned green chiles can be either spicy or mild (usually indicated on the label) and the same is true for enchilada sauce. Check the label on the can or the ingredients used in the recipe, if you’re making homemade (cayenne pepper is spicy and chili powder can be either spicy or mild).
What to Serve with Cheese Enchiladas
I topped my enchiladas with a little more sour cream, guacamole, and green onion for extra color on the plate, but those toppings are totally optional. Since an all-cheese enchilada can be a little on the heavy side, I would definitely pair them with some fiber-filled side dishes, like Quick Seasoned Black Beans, Cucumber and Black Bean Salad, or Cowboy Caviar. A little zesty Cilantro Lime Rice on the side would also lighten up the flavors a bit!
Ingredients
12 small corn tortillas ($0.80)
12 oz. cheese, shredded ($3.44)
1 4oz. can diced green chiles (drained) ($0.89)
1/4 cup sour cream ($0.19)
1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
1/4 tsp ground cumin ($0.02)
1/8 tsp salt ($0.01)
1.5 cups enchilada sauce ($0.60)
Instructions
Toast the tortillas in a hot skillet, one at a time for a few seconds on each side, or just until lightly browned.
Add ¾ of the shredded cheese to a bowl (saving the remainder to top the enchiladas). Also add the drained green chiles, sour cream, garlic powder, cumin, and salt. Stir the ingredients to combine.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Add about ½ cup of enchilada sauce to the bottom of a large casserole dish and spread it around until it covers the surface.
Fill each tortilla with about 3 Tbsp of the cheese filling, then roll to close, and place them in the casserole dish. Continue until all of the tortillas have been filled, rolled, and placed in the dish.
Pour the remaining 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, then top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until they are heated through and melty. Do not overbake the enchiladas, as this can cause the filling to separate and curdle. Serve hot with your favorite toppings* and sides!
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