The Ultimate Enchilada Guide: Sauces, Fillings and Techniques

What Makes a Great Enchilada

Enchiladas are one of Mexico's most ancient dishes - the concept of wrapping tortillas around a filling and bathing them in chilli sauce predates the Spanish conquest by centuries. The word 'enchilada' literally means 'chillied' - en-chilada - and at its core, this is a dish about the marriage of tortilla and sauce.

Despite their apparent simplicity, enchiladas are one of the most commonly botched Mexican dishes in British kitchens. The tortillas crack or turn to mush. The sauce is too thin or too thick. The whole thing emerges from the oven as a soggy, formless mass rather than the neatly rolled, sauce-glazed, individually defined tubes you see in good Mexican restaurants.

This guide will fix all of that. We will cover the three most important enchilada sauces, the correct way to treat tortillas so they roll without cracking, six filling options, and the assembly technique that produces restaurant-quality results every time.

The Three Essential Enchilada Sauces

Salsa Roja (Red Enchilada Sauce)

This is the classic - a deep, brick-red sauce made from dried guajillo and ancho chillies. It is the sauce most people picture when they think of enchiladas, and it is magnificently simple to make from scratch.

Ingredients (Makes enough for 12-16 enchiladas)

• 6 guajillo chillies, stemmed and deseeded
• 3 ancho chillies, stemmed and deseeded
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• ½ onion
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 500ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Toast the dried chillies in a dry pan for 1-2 minutes per side until fragrant. Soak in hot water for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, char the garlic (unpeeled), onion and tomatoes under a hot grill for 10-12 minutes, turning once.
3. Blend the drained chillies with the charred vegetables (peel the garlic first), cumin, oregano and stock until very smooth. Strain through a sieve for a silky result.
4. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Pour in the sauce (it will splutter). Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened and darkened. Season with salt.

This sauce keeps for a week in the fridge and freezes beautifully for 3 months. It is worth making a double batch.

Salsa Verde (Green Enchilada Sauce)

Bright, tangy and slightly lighter than the red version, green enchilada sauce is based on tomatillos - small, husked green fruits with a distinctive tart flavour.

Ingredients

• 500g tomatillos (tinned are fine - drain them) or green tomatoes
• 2 jalapeños
• 1 onion, halved
• 3 garlic cloves
• Large bunch of coriander
• 300ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Salt and sugar to taste

Method

1. If using fresh tomatillos or green tomatoes: char them with the jalapeños, onion and garlic under the grill for 10 minutes.
2. Blend everything with the coriander and stock until smooth.
3. Fry in oil for 5-6 minutes, stirring. Season with salt and a pinch of sugar if too tart.

Salsa Suiza (Swiss-Style Cream Sauce)

Despite its name, this sauce is entirely Mexican - created in the 1940s at a Mexico City restaurant called Sanborns, it was named 'Swiss' because of its use of cream and cheese, reminiscent of Swiss fondue. It is a green tomatillo sauce enriched with cream, creating something like a Mexican béchamel with chilli kick.

Make the salsa verde as above, then stir in 150ml double cream or soured cream and 50g grated cheese. The result is rich, creamy and absolutely irresistible.

The Tortilla: The Critical Step Most People Get Wrong

Here is the secret that changes everything: you must briefly fry corn tortillas in oil before rolling them. This step - taking only 10 seconds per side in 1cm of hot oil - softens the tortillas, makes them pliable enough to roll without cracking, and creates a slight barrier that prevents them from dissolving into mush when sauced.

The sequence is: heat oil, dip tortilla for 5-10 seconds per side (it should soften but not crisp), drain briefly on kitchen paper, then immediately dip in the warm enchilada sauce and roll around the filling.

If you skip this step and try to roll raw corn tortillas, they will crack. If you try to soften them by microwaving or steaming, they will turn to paste when sauced. The quick fry is the only method that produces tortillas with the right combination of pliability and structural integrity.

Using flour tortillas? You can skip the frying step - flour tortillas are naturally pliable. But corn tortillas produce a more authentic, more flavourful result.

Six Filling Ideas

1. Chicken (Classic)

Poach 4 chicken thighs in salted water for 20 minutes. Shred. This is the most traditional filling and works with all three sauces. For extra flavour, poach the chicken with onion, garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves.

2. Cheese and Onion

Grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack with sliced onions that have been softened in oil. Simple, vegetarian, and the melted cheese creates a gorgeous interior. Works best with salsa roja.

3. Bean and Cheese

Refried black or pinto beans (mash tinned beans with cumin and oil) with grated cheese. Hearty, satisfying and vegan-adaptable (skip the cheese or use vegan alternatives).

4. Pulled Pork

Leftover carnitas or any slow-cooked pulled pork. Shred and use as filling. Extraordinary with salsa verde.

5. Sweet Potato and Black Bean (Vegan)

Roast cubed sweet potato at 200°C for 25 minutes. Mix with drained black beans, cumin, smoked paprika and lime juice. Filling, nutritious and genuinely delicious.

6. Seafood

Sautéed prawns or crab meat with a squeeze of lime and a touch of chipotle. Works beautifully with salsa suiza. More luxurious than traditional fillings, but exceptional for a dinner party.

Assembly: The Professional Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Warm your sauce in a wide, shallow bowl.
2. Heat 2cm of vegetable oil in a frying pan to medium-high.
3. Working one at a time: dip a tortilla in the hot oil for 5 seconds per side. Transfer to the warm sauce and coat both sides.
4. Place filling in a line down the centre. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in a greased baking dish.
5. Repeat until the dish is full, packing enchiladas snugly together (this helps them hold their shape).
6. Pour remaining sauce over the top. Scatter generously with grated cheese.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
8. Top with soured cream, sliced spring onions, coriander and pickled jalapeños.

Common Mistakes and Solutions

• Tortillas cracking: You did not fry them first. The quick oil dip is essential for corn tortillas.
• Enchiladas falling apart: The sauce is too thin, or you used too much sauce. The sauce should coat the tortillas, not drown them. Reduce it further if needed.
• Soggy bottom: Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish before arranging the enchiladas. This prevents sticking and adds flavour without excess moisture.
• Bland flavour: Your sauce needs more salt, or you did not fry the sauce after blending (the refrying step concentrates flavour enormously).

Side Dishes to Complete Your Enchilada Meal

Enchiladas are rarely served alone in Mexico - they are part of a composed plate that typically includes rice, beans and a simple salad. Here is how to round out your enchilada dinner:

Mexican red rice (arroz rojo): The classic companion. Cook rice in a tomato and chilli broth for a flavourful side that soaks up any extra sauce. Use long grain white rice, toast it in oil first, then simmer in blended tomato and stock. The technique is straightforward and the result is immeasurably better than plain boiled rice.

Refried beans (frijoles refritos): Mash a tin of pinto or black beans in a frying pan with cumin, garlic and a tablespoon of oil. Cook, stirring, until thick and creamy. Top with a crumble of feta or queso fresco. These take five minutes and add protein and substance to the meal.

Simple green salad: Shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced radishes, cucumber and avocado, dressed with lime juice, olive oil and salt. The freshness cuts through the richness of the enchiladas beautifully and provides textural contrast.

Making Enchiladas Ahead of Time

Enchiladas are excellent make-ahead food, which makes them brilliant for dinner parties and busy weeknight meals. You can prepare them fully assembled and unbaked - arrange in the baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes, adding 5-10 minutes to account for the cold start. The sauce and cheese will brown beautifully.

Alternatively, prepare the components separately: make the sauce up to a week ahead (refrigerate) or three months ahead (freeze). Cook and shred the filling protein up to two days ahead. Assemble and bake just before serving. This approach gives you the freshest result and is ideal when you want maximum flavour with minimum day-of effort.

Leftover enchiladas reheat well in the microwave (cover to prevent drying out) or in the oven at 160°C for 15 minutes. They are excellent packed as lunch the next day - the sauce keeps the tortillas moist and the flavours develop further overnight.

For more Mexican recipe ideas and techniques, browse our complete collection. For dried chillies, corn tortillas and other specialist ingredients, visit our UK Mexican shops directory. And for enchiladas made by experts, explore our restaurant guide.