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Mamá Maggie's Kitchen

Authentic Mexican Food Recipes

Enchiladas Rojas (or Red Enchiladas)

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These Enchiladas Rojas (or Red Enchiladas) are stuffed with cheese and loaded with FLAVOR! Fried tortillas smothered in a rich and delicious chile sauce that you just can’t get from a packet.
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Enchiladas Rojas on a decorative Mexican plate topped with cilantro, crumbled cheese, and diced onion.

Serve me a plate of Enchiladas Rojas, or Red Enchiladas, and I’m one happy gal!

This is how my mom, my grandma, and everyone I know in my family makes them.

Fried corn tortillas, then dipped in a tasty and rich chile sauce, stuffed with cheese…. Mmm! Deliciousness in every bite!

More Recipes You’ll Love:


Chicken Mole Enchiladas
Enchiladas Suizas
Enchiladas Dulces
Entomatadas

The ingredients needed to make Enchiladas Rojas labeled and on a wooden surface.

Ingredients

Making enchilada sauce from scratch is easier than you think!

Above are the ingredients you need to make this recipe.

Missing ingredient: WATER! You’ll need water to rehydrate the chiles and to blend the chile.

A collage showing how to devein and remove the seeds from guajillo chile.

How to Rehydrate Dried Chiles

  • Cut off the stem.
  • Cut lengthwise.
  • Remove seeds and veins.
  • Repeat with all the chiles.
  • Place in a stockpot.

From here, cover with water. Bring to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat, but leave the chiles covered for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, the chiles will be pliable.

If they are not, leave them in the hot water for another 5 minutes. Sometimes older chiles take longer to rehydrate.

A blender with hydrated chile, onion, garlic, and the rest of the ingredients to make the red sauce.

How to Make The Sauce

  • Add all the rehydrated chiles and sauce ingredients into a blender.
  • Add water and blend until smooth.

Look for a thick, red sauce. Some people will use chicken bouillon instead of salt, or chicken broth instead of water. Either of these substitutions will help enhance the flavor of the sauce.

Pro Tip


Make this sauce ahead of time. It lasts in the fridge for up to 7 days and up to 6 months in the freezer.

For a runnier sauce: Add a splash of water or ¼ cup tomato sauce until you reach the desired consistency.

Red sauce strained through a strainer over a metal stock pot.

  • Heat oil in a stock pot.
  • Place the strainer over the stock pot.
  • Strain the sauce.

Using a cooking spoon, push the sauce into the pot. Discard any bits that remain in the strainer.

Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

A tortilla frying in a metal skillet.

  • Fry the tortillas. 1-2 minutes on each side.
  • Place on paper towels to drain any excess oil.

Cover with aluminum foil so they can stay warm.

Stiff tortillas do not fold easily. If they get cold, put them in the microwave for 30 seconds.

FYI: Authentic enchiladas are made with corn tortillas not flour tortillas.

Tongs dipped a tortilla into the red sauce.

  • Dip the fried tortilla into the sauce.
  • Place on a plate.

The oil from the frying helps the sauce stick to the tortilla.

Even if the tortillas are cold, as long as the sauce is hot, the enchiladas will be warm.

Should enchiladas be crispy?
Enchiladas made with flour tortillas are soggy. With corn tortillas, though, frying the tortillas will make them crispier. Once they are smothered in the sauce, they will lose some of the texture. The frying is not to make them crispy. It’s for them to pick up oil which will help the sauce stay on the tortilla.

A tortilla that is covered with red sauce and crumbled cheese in the center.

  • Add the cheese to the center of the tortilla.
  • You can also add chicken and diced onion.

There’s no way around it. Making enchiladas is messy.

Great Idea!

Have one plate that is just for assembling, and a second plate for serving. That way it won’t look so messy.

A collage showing how to assemble and fold an enchilada.

  • Fold the tortilla in on one side.
  • Fold the other side of the tortilla in.
  • Repeat until done.

How to Keep Them Warm

  • Cover them with aluminum foil while assembling.
  • Or, place them on a sheet pan. Put in the oven 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Enchiladas Rojas on a decorative Mexican plate topped with cilantro, crumbled cheese, and diced onion.

How Long Do They Last?

In the fridge, Enchiladas Rojas last up to 5 days. In the freezer, they last up to 5 months in an airtight container.

What to serve with it?


Refried Beans
Mexican Rice
Pickled Jalapenos
Ensalada de Nopales

Every tortilla dreams of being Enchiladas Rojas. Simply delicious and simply irresistible.

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Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!

Enchiladas Rojas on a decorative Mexican plate topped with cilantro, crumbled cheese, and diced onion.

Enchiladas Rojas

These Enchiladas Rojas (or Red Enchiladas) are stuffed with cheese and loaded with FLAVOR! Fried tortillas smothered in a rich and delicious chile sauce that you just can’t get from a packet.
5 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 268kcal
Author: Maggie Unzueta

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Remove all the stems, seeds, and veins from the dried chiles.
  • Add the dried chiles to a stock pot and cover them with 4 cups water.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Cover with a lid and turn off heat.
  • Let sit in the hot water for 5-7 minutes, or until fully pliable
  • Discard the water.
  • Add the rehydrated chiles, onion, garlic, cumin, and salt to a blender.
  • Add the remaining 2 cups water to the blender.
  • Blender until smooth.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a stock pot.
  • Place strainer over the pot.
  • Strain the sauce into the pot. Stirring occasionally.
  • If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water.
  • Set aside until ready to use.
  • In a large skillet, heat the remaining oil.
  • Fry the tortillas. 1-2 minutes on each side.
  • Place tortillas on a paper towel.
  • Drain any excess oil.
  • Dip the tortilla into the red chile sauce.
  • Place the tortilla on a plate.
  • Stuff with 1 tablespoon queso fresco.
  • Fold one side of the tortilla over.
  • Fold the other side of the tortilla in, creating the shape of a flute.
  • Set aside.
  • Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
  • Repeat until there are no more tortillas.
  • Sprinkle with more queso fresco, diced onion, avocado, and crema mexicana.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

If the chiles are not pliable, leave them in the hot water for another 5 minutes. Sometimes older chiles take longer to rehydrate.
For a runnier sauce: Add a splash of water or ¼ cup tomato sauce until you reach the desired consistency.
HOW TO KEEP ENCHILADAS WARM
  • Cover them with aluminum foil while assembling.
  • Or, place them on a sheet pan. Put in the oven 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 338mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2450IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @MamaMaggiesKitchen or tag #MamaMaggiesKitchen!

About Maggie Unzueta

Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.

Comments

  8. Debra says

    5 stars
    We love enchiladas. This is a fresh new way to make them. I’m putting these on the rotation this week…they look amazing. Can’t wait.

    Reply

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