Tex-Mex Cheese and Onion Monterrey Enchiladas Recipe
Looking for meatless Monday dinner inspiration? This skillet Tex-Mex Cheese and Onion Monterrey Enchiladas for two recipe features gooey melted cheese and a rich, smoky, but mellow enchilada sauce – it’s sure to convince the most die-hard meat-lovers to try meatless.
Servings: 6 enchiladas
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth I use Better than Bullion brand roasted chicken flavor. Mix 1 teaspoon of Better than Bullion with 1 cup water to make 1 cup of broth.
For the enchiladas
- 6 6-inch corn tortillas. or use a corn and flour blend
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded (8 ounces), divided
- 1 cup canned black beans, rinse and draine
- ½ cup feta cheese
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 garlic clove
- 4 ounces green chilies
- pickled jalapenos optional
- cilantro optional
- lime wedges optional
- chopped onion optional
Instructions
For the sauce
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. In an oven safe, 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Now bloom the spices, by adding chili powder, garlic, oregano and tomato paste with flour and pepper in the skillet with the softened onion. Stir frequently for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the broth to brighten the savory flavors while balancing the heat. Heat the sauce until it begins to thicken, about 4 minutes. Remove one cup of sauce and set aside, leaving the remaining sauce in the skillet.
For the enchiladas
- Microwave the tortillas for 30 seconds by stacking and wrapping them in a damp dish towel. This will make the tortillas pliable and easier to roll.
- Meanwhile, combine 1-½ cups Monterey Jack, feta, green chilis, jalapenos, if using, garlic, cumin, and black beans in a medium bowl. Evenly distribute the cheese mixture across the center of each tortilla. Tightly roll each tortilla around cheese, place seam side down in the sauce in the skillet. Arrange enchiladas side by side in a single row.
- Pour the reserved sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the cheese is melty, about 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake, once the sauce is bubbling around the edges, remove from the oven. Sprinkle with onion, jalapenos, cilantro and squeeze some lime juice over the top.
Video
Notes
Make ahead tips:
1. Freeze the sauce and tortillas separately. Preventing soggy tortillas means leaving them completely un-sauced. Wrap the filled enchiladas in one bundle with plastic wrap and foil and freeze the sauce separately. Store the ½ cup of Monterey jack cheese for the topping in the refrigerator until ready to bake the enchiladas.
2. Bake the enchiladas straight from the freezer: Don’t thaw the enchiladas before baking. Thawing allows the enchiladas to absorb moisture as they defrost. Putting the enchiladas into the oven frozen prevents a this.
DO thaw the sauce in the refrigerator the night before. You will want to pour enough sauce into your skillet to lightly cover the bottom. Keeping back about 1 cup of sauce.