Red Enchiladas Recipe
Red Enchiladas is one of those dishes that are cooked differently in every home. Each cook has his/her own recipe, so this is my own version based on my mom’s way of cooking them.
In my hometown, it is common to have enchiladas for breakfast or brunch and served with a semi-dried salted meat known as “Cecina”. They are topped with crumbled fresh cheese and chopped white onion.
This plate served family style has a variety of enchiladas with green, red enchiladas, tomato, mole, bean, pipian enchiladas, and cream salsas. Served at the restaurant “El Huasteco”, in my hometown Tampico, Tamps.
Now, Red Enchiladas can be made using many different types of peppers, with spices or without spices. In México there are a handful of dishes known as ‘EnchiladasRojas’, like the famous ones from Zacatecas using only Ancho Pepper. My favorite is the ‘enchiladas placeras’ sold at the plaza in Morelia, Michoacán, with a side dish of cubed carrots and potatoes.
There’s also the spicier version of Red Enchiladas from the Huasteca region of San Luis Potosí, using dried árbol peppers. After asking several cooks about their preferences on peppers for the sauce, most of them use a combination of Ancho and Guajillo Peppers
. Some just fold the tortillas in half and others roll them up using shredded cooked chicken as a filling. 
How to make Red Enchiladas Recipe
DIRECTIONS:
- Let’s start first with the sauce. Slightly roast the peppers in a hot griddle. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Once roasted, place them in a saucepan with water and turn the heat to medium
- Remove saucepan from stove and let them cool, drain the peppers and place in the blender along with the garlic cloves. Add 1/2 cup of clean water and blend until you have a smooth sauce. Season with the oregano, salt, and pepper, and set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees to keep the enchiladas warm while you finish assembling them. Add the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Dip the tortilla into the sauce. Place it in the Frying Comal-pan or skillet and briefly fry a few seconds on both sides. Place fried tortillas in a dish.
- To assemble the red enchiladas, place the filling in the center of the tortilla and fold it. Sometimes I place a meat filling into the center of the tortilla and then roll it, like in the pictures above.
- Sprinkle the enchiladas with the cheese and onion.
- If you decide to add the potatoes and carrots as a garnish: Peel potatoes and carrots, cut into cubes and boil until almost tender but still firm. Then drain and cool.
- Use the same frying pan where you fried the enchiladas to lightly fry the potatoes, adding a little more oil. The potatoes and carrots will be coated with some of the sauce sticking to the frying pan. Season with salt and garnish your delicious red enchiladas with cheese.
If you enjoy this recipe for Red Enchiladas, please leave us a comment.
Red Enchiladas is one of those dishes that are cooked differently in every home. Each cook has his/her own recipe, so this is my own version based on my mom’s way of cooking them. In my hometown, it is common to have enchiladas for breakfast or brunch.
- 4 guajillo peppers seeds removed.
- 4 ancho peppers seeds removed.
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups of shredded beef pork or chicken (optional)
- 1 1/2 cup of fresh cheese crumble
- 1/2 cup of white onion finely chopped
- 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
- 2 cups of pre-cooked diced potatoes and 2 cups of pre-cook diced carrots.
- Finely shredded lettuce or cabbage and radishes
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Let's start first with the enchilada sauce. Slightly roast the peppers in a hot griddle, pressing them flat with the help of a spatula. Make sure NOT to burn them. This step takes a few seconds on each side of the peppers.
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Once roasted, place them in a saucepan with water and turn the heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes or when they look soft.
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Remove saucepan from stove and let them cool for another 10-15 minutes. The pepper skins should look soft.
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After the resting period, drain the peppers and place in the blender along with the garlic cloves. Add 1/2 cup of clean water and blend until you have a smooth sauce. If necessary, strain the sauce into a large bowl using a fine strainer. Season with the oregano, salt, and pepper, and set aside.
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, just to keep the red enchiladas warm while you finish assembling them. Add the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil little by little as needed. To much oil will get a soggy tortilla.
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Dip the tortilla into the enchilada sauce to lightly coat each side.
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Place it in the Frying Comal-pan or skillet and briefly fry a few seconds on both sides. Add more vegetable oil to the skillet as needed. Place fried tortillas in a dish while you make the rest of the tortillas to keep warm in the oven.
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To assemble the red enchiladas, first, place the filling in the center of the tortilla and fold it. Sometimes I place a meat filling into the center of the tortilla and then roll it, like in the pictures above.
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Sprinkle the enchiladas with the cheese and onion. Add the garnish of your choice and enjoy!
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If you decide to add the potatoes and carrots as a garnish: Peel potatoes and carrots, cut into cubes and boil until almost tender but still firm. Then drain and cool.
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Use the same frying pan where you fried the red enchiladas to lightly fry the potatoes, adding a little more oil. The potatoes and carrots will be coated with some of the sauce sticking to the frying pan. Season with salt and garnish with cheese.
*This is my mother’s recipe. You can play around with the number of peppers, using more ancho peppers than guajillo or even making the sauce using just one of the peppers in the recipe until you find the taste that you and your family enjoy better.
*My mom first dips the tortilla into the salsa and then fries them. It gets a little messy but the final result is worth the cleaning afterward.
* Crumbled Fresh cheese is one of the traditional fillings.
* The Sauce can be made one of two days ahead and also freezes well up to 2 months.
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
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Amigaaaaaaaa esas son deliciosas, me encanta, gracias por regalarnos tu receta, besitos lindo fin de semana.
I used to think enchiladas had quite a large amount of sauce:) you know like a lasagne
I could sure eat a plate of these for breakfast… or anytime. Delicious!
I had been looking for this recipe!! They are my favorite enchilladas! Thank you,
Hola Sra mely, que rica es su receta,,oiga dice que el restaurant "el huasteco" ,por donde esta ese,,yo vivo en tampico ,escasas 3 cuadras del centro..a la brevedad haré esas enchiladas,son muy sabrosas..saludos Sra mely =)
Hola Yolanda,
Presiona en el enlace donde dice "EL Huasteco" denajo de la foto y te lleva a la pagina de facebook del restaurant donde viene la direccion.
Saludos,
Mely
Oh Mely! I wish I was at your house tonight!
Mely, con esa cecina con cebolla y chilitos, qué antojo! Mándame una orden!
Besos
Hola Nora, Me creeras que he comido enchiladas 3 dias seguidos, me encantan.
Besos,
Mely
Mely que delicia, casi las puedo oler mil gracias por compartirnos la receta de tú mamy besitos linda semana.
Gracias por compartir esta maravillosa receta querida Mely,
todo se ve delicioso, debería animarme a hacerlas como tengo todo el necesario.
Un abrazo!
Tlaz
Gracias por la receta…anoche hice una dozena y casi me las acabo yo…jajaja…mi esposo tambien te agradece.
Gracias
Sonia Tamez
Hola Sonia,
Que bueno que te gustaron, asi me pasa a mi cuando las preparo, no puedo dejar de comerlas. Me encantan!
Saludos y gracias por el comentario,
Mely
These looks sooooooo good! I look forward to trying them using chicken.
delicioso como siempre, gracias por tan hermosas entradas y deliciosos platillos
These look delicious! I just made poblano & chihuahua enchiladas in red sauce; I haven't tried cecina in enchiladas but since I have some sauce leftover I will have to try it!
Hola Mely
Qué rico, gracias por compartir tan deliciosa receta!
Me salieron deliciosas gracias por la receta
Me salieron deliciosas gracias por la receta
Que ricas enchiladas!Me encantan las echiladas con chile colorado. Mi Ama tambien las hace con lechuga y pepino con limon.
Me interesa mucho el sarten u olla que utilizas en varias recetas. Donde podria conseguir una parecida?
The enchiladas recipe is amazing.
Hola Elena Fuentes,
Buscalo online como Comal de Pozo. Y dependiendo donde vivas lo venden el los mercados de pulgas de areas donde tienen una gran cantidad de Poblacion Latina.
Your recipe is the closest to my grandmothers I've found on the internet! I'm glad someone else still makes there sauce with real chiles and not just chilli powder! My family does all guajillo peppers and cumin instead of Mexican Oregono. This way is so much easier than the other ways I've seen, and so much more flavorful! Glad you posted it! I'll be sure to check out some of your other recipes too!
I hope you make them and come back to let me know if they resembles the enchiladas made by your grandma.
Happy cooking!
I got all the directions and ungrediants. But the one thing I can't find that I feel is very important is how long do you cook them in the oven. They look so good I can’t wait to make them.
Hello,
As Step 5 indicates, you place the enchiladas in the oven while you are finishing cooking all of them and to keep them warm. But as soon as you are done assembly your enchiladas, they are ready to eat.
Enjoy!
Hi,
I'm a beginner cook and I wanted to verify that you are roasting *fresh* peppers and not dried peppers? Your picture looks like it might be dried peppers but I've never worked with either! 🙂
Thank You,
Jessica Love enchiladas rojas and these look just like my mom’s!
Hello Jessica,
Yes those are dried peppers. To work with dried peppers, first clean them using a wet pepper towel. Then make and incision or slit using a knife to open flat. Remove seeds and any veins. Proceed according to recipe above. The roasting step is a quick one. It takes.
Please contact me if you have any further questions.
Mely
I like your blog, I make enchiladas often but have not made my own sauce. But now I will. I am thinking I might just make several pints at a time, Can them for use later, would save some time when making the enchiladas. Thanks for the recipes. Bill
Hello Chile Farmer,
Canning is a great idea. I usually freeze the sauce for later use. But would love to can it as well.
Thanks for the tip.
Mely
Cannot wait to try these…The recipe is very similar to my mom's, which I failed to learn before she passed away. We stuff them with queso anejo and avocados. Thanks for sharing this!
My family absolutely enjoyed this… They were raving over the sauce! Thank you.
Hi, just wondering if this sauce is spicy? I love enchiladas and want to introduce it to my in-laws who can't eat very spicy and also to my boys who are young (4 1/2 yrs, 3 yrs and 16 months). Thanks for your help in advance!!
Hello, Infinitereveries,
The sauce is not spicy, most guajillo peppers are very mild. Make sure that the ones you buy are darker in color, since I had found some peppers similar to New Mexico Peppers in a light color, and those are spicy.
Happy Cooking!
Thank you so much for your quick reply. I'm Chinese but grew up in Southern California in a city that's 75% Hispanic. I remember going to my friend's place for dinner and their mom's and grandma's making the BEST homemade Mexican good!! Fresh homemade tortillas are the best! Since moving to Vancouver, BC, Canada, I just can't find good Mexican food that's on par to what I grew up with…think I got spoiled! Anyways, can't wait to try your recipe as my husband and in-laws don't have much experience eating Mexican and Del Taco doesn't count. Thanks again!
We are making this tonight! Thank you for the recipe!
Hello Mely, I was wondering if you have the recipe for tres leche cake??
Yes, I do. Sorry for not answering before. I had been really busy lately.
Thank U same recipe my Aunt from Jalisco used Thank U
These look amazing, stupid question time tho: the dried peppers are the ones that are sold bagged, kind of looking like spicy potpourri, right?
Yes, those are the ones you need. Happy cooking!
Is there an easy way to get the skins off? My family loved the flavor but not the little bits of skin from the peppers (even in the finished dish). Maybe it would be better to roast fresh peppers (if I can find them) and remove the skins and seat then? Any ideas?
Yes, you can strain the sauce after blending the peppers.
Regards!
Hi, just wondering what kind of cheese you are referring to. You wrote "fresh crumbled cheese" but didn't specify the type. Can I use mozzarella or marble cheddar? And can I serve the enchiladas with sour cream? Thanks again!
Hello,
Look for Mexican type cheese at your local market the ranchero o fresco type, if non of those are available then use shredded parmesan cheese. And yes you can use sour cream.
Enjoy!
Hi, just wondering what kind of cheese you are referring to. You wrote "fresh crumbled cheese" but didn't specify the type. Can I use mozzarella or marble cheddar? And can I serve the enchiladas with sour cream? Thanks again!
Hello Infinitereveries,
Look for Mexican Cheese at your local supermarkets, like the ranchero o fresco type. Or fresh farmers cheese. And if non of those are available use grated romano o parmesano.
Do you season or marinate the chicken? Thanks! My sauce came out really well!
Hello Danielle,
When I used chicken as a filling for any type of enchilada the seasonings are minced onion, garlic, salt and pepper. You can use powder garlic and onion. But must of the time I fry the onion and garlic with the fresh onion and garlic, add the shredded chicken and then season with salt and pepper.
Thank you for your comment. I hope you make enough sauce to freeze. It does freeze really well.
Mely
Looks delicious! Do you have a recipe for Mole?
Hello Princessananka,
The recipe for Mole is in this link:https://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/2009/02/how-to-make-mole-poblano.html
Regards!
Is there a reason to not keep the seeping liquid and use it instead of the clean water? Does it have a bad flavor?
Hello Eden,
The liquid takes a little of a bitter flavor, although some cook don't mind and use the same water.
Regards!
I made this recipe tonight and it was excellent! Thank you for sharing it!
These are great! I've also tried your recipe for tamales de pollo. You're teaching me a lot, and my husband loves the food! He's from Mexico, and I'm trying my best to cook some dishes as close to those his mama makes as possible. Thank you for all the help through your blog! Saludos!
Hello Julie De León,
I ma so glad the recipes have been helpful for you!
Happy cooking!
I visited a brother in-law with my husband and we had the best enchiladas, these look very similar to the ones we had there. I am going to make these tonight. I have also never made my own sauce before and usually use the green sauce. If you have any recipes on green enchilada sauce that would be neat. Look forward to trying your recipe.
I appreciate your work & recipe. Sure, I will try it on this valentine day for someone
Un millon de gracias !!!!
Aver SI me salen asi
I made these for my husband for dinner and he absolutely loved them. He thinks I'm like a great cook. I can't thank yof enough. You are my little secret.
My mother would make them like your mom, first dip tortillas in sauce, then fry. Yes, messy, but, so good!
Hello, if i wanted to make a vegetarian version of this, what filling should I be using? Do you have a recipe for that?
Hello Chandana, if you don't eat cheese, you can fill them up with sauté mushrooms cooked with a little bit of oil, garlic and onion. Spinach or tofu also work fine here.
Happy cooking!
Thank you so much, I had been looking for an authentic Mexican recipe for red enchiladas! Found it!!!!
Muchas gracias por sus recetas! Acabo de encontrar su pagina y me fascina! Voy a preparar estas para mi novio, que es de Salamanca : ) Saludos desde los EE.UU.
Hello, this looks amazing, however i bought a huge bag of califormia chilis, can i substitute?
Hello Yvette,
Yes, you can use the California peppers instead of the guajillo. The flavor will be a slightly different but still good.
Hi Mely,ill be cooking those today for dinner but i have a question do i take the seeds out before i roast them? I've seen them just boil the peppers but i'll be making them your way they just look delicious oh are the peppers spicy all my family don't do hot only me.
Hello, Some people remove the seeds after roasting the peppers. That is a personal choice, I prefer to remove them before roasting. The guajillo are very mild peppers, almost no-spicy at all.
Hi Mely, next week i'll be cooking your enchiladas for a dinner-party and i'm still looking for side-dishes. I was wondering what dishes are on the second-last picture in your post. I see meat and greens, but what is it? And the other one, fruits or potatoes? 🙂 More tips for side-dishes are very welcome!
Hello,
This are usually served with pan-grilled meat in my hometown. A side of guacamole, others might add some grilled onions and jalapeño slices. The potatoes and carrots are a classic addition, the recipe is above. Happy cooking!
Thanks for a very traditional recipe, not the usual"enchilada casserole". I usually just soak the chiles in hot water until soft` before blending them. Perhaps boiling them as you suggest would help break down the tough thick skins on the guajillo chiles. I have changed from roasting them on the stove to roasting them in a 350F oven on a wire rack for 4 minutes which helps speed up the process and ensure that they are evenly roasted and not burnt (which turns them very bitter). I usually use mostly ancho since they are so sweet and easy to love but today tried an all guajillo version and really love the distinctive taste and bright red color of these traditional chiles, plus the local store had them for $2.49/lbs! Keep up the good traditional recipes
Is it possible to heat up tortilla in microwave or over stove or in a grill with no oil vs frying in oil? Thanks.
Hello,
Yes you can heat up the tortilla over the stove and avoid the oil. My mom does that, just warm the tortillas on a skillet.
One more question….do you put oil in pan to roast the peppers? Thanks.
Do not add oil to the pan. Just quickly toast the peppers. They tend to burn fast, avoid burning them. If you do, the sauce will taste bitter.
Thank you for the quick response. Can't wait to try! 🙂
I am from a small town in indiana that is very Hispanic. I grew up with this style of enchilada. I eat them in restaurants and cook them. It is a taste from el pairisio. Thanks for sharing
I think the canned sauces are fine…I experimented trying to avoid the messy part where you fry the sauced tortilla in oil trying to make them healthier and they dont taste the same..Im making them tonight and Im frying them in oil just like the mexican lady I know taught me to do. I mix queso fresco and sometimes add crumbled feta to it…Adds a little salt…Lots of chopped scallions and thats about it for ingredients. I like the salad stuff over the top and I use sour cream and parmesan cheese for toppers.
This is my 3rd time using this recipe for a Mexican Cuisine-themed dinner party. Always a hit. Thanks for sharing!
I've made this a few times, and I can't seem to get it to the color in your picture. Your sauce in the picture looks like a nice vibrant red. Why do you think mine is so much darker than yours?
Hi, I wanted to make the recipe version from San Luis Potosí, what changes in the chilies do I have to make?
I can'tell wait to spend a weekend day with my daughter making this! I hate canned sauce so this looks perfect!
I've read every word, now i'm ready to start cooking them, …right now.
I want to make these tonight using ground beef. How should I season the beef?
Hello Laymamn,
Sauteé in oil finely chopped onion and garlic, them add the ground beef. Season with salt and pepper.
Enjoy!
Happy cooking!
I just want to say, thank you, for not putting any tomato, tomato sauce, or tomato paste into your enchilada sauce! "Entomatadas(tomato sauce enchiladas)" are good, but I like to taste the chile's flavor. Your sauce is very similar to the one I make, and the only two differences in my red enchiladas and yours are that I first fry the tortilla in oil until it softens, and then I dip it into the chile, and second, I usually only put cheese in my red enchiladas unless I'm making a casserole and I then add ground beef. My sister-in-law makes hers like you do and even though she makes a big mess, they are so delicious! Thanks for your authentic recipe!
Hi, do you ever add chocolate to these?
Hello,
I know there are some versions of red enchiladas with chocolate, they must taste really good. I will try next time.
Can't wait to try your recipe and see if it taste like what Mom used to make. Will be adding the potatoes, chorizo, cheeses and sour cream on top. Thank you.
The only way to do it is to dip in sauce then fry! You can use either corn or flour but I prefer corn. Just not the same kind of flavor unless you dip then fry. Must be something to do with caramelizing the sauce and they don’t get soggy that way.
For convience’s sake, we always dipped our tortillas in hot oil first, then the chili. Less splatter😉 I look forward to making these; this is the type my family in Michoacan make.
However, my mom always made “enchiladas estilo Sonorense,” they look like patties made with masa harina, fried, then dipped in chili. Immediately covered in cheese, then shredded lettuce. I’m drooling just thinking of them!
Hello Esther,
Your mother “enchiladas” sounds indeed mouthwatering! Fried dough is delicious!
I’ve made this recipe many times and I feel like I’ve finally perfected it! My entire family from my dad to my little sister are all great cooks and I feel like I can finally cook meals just as good as them with your help. Thank you for your amazing recipes!
Hello Ruth,
Thank you for trying the recipe for Red Enchiladas, And for coming back to leave a comment.
Gracias por compartir está receta tal y como se deben de hacer las enchiladas! He ido a varios restaurantes donde michas veces con tristeza cambian la forma de hacerlas totalmente o usando comida enlatada. En fin, no hay como hacerlo en casa. También soy de tampico (Cd.Madero para ser más específico) y leyendo si receta es como si mi mamá las estuviera haciendo. Saludos y arriba las jaibas bravas 🙂
Hola Juan,
Saludos y gracias por visitar.
Greatrecipe, very traditional.