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Posted April 2, 2015by Casey Cora
Here’s a sure-fire comfort food recipe to keep in your back pocket: Roasted Tomatillo Enchiladas.
It’s the perfect balance of flavor — corn tortillas and the fillings provide toothsome texture, tomatillo sauce brings the brightness, Mexican cheese supplies the savory and onions and cilantro furnish the freshness.
The best part? This dish comes together fairly quickly. Make it just once and you’ll soon be adding it to your arsenal of “go-to” weeknight meals.
These will taste good withone pound ofground beef, pork or turkey (browned in a little oil alongside chopped onion and seasoned with salt), but I like them better with coarsely shredded cooked chicken, pork, beef, fish, shredded melting cheese or even goat cheese.
Don’t forget: Snap pics of your finished dish and tag them #MoreBayless on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for a chance to win an autographed copy of my new cookbook, “More Mexican Everyday.”Details here.
Ingredients
- 1pound (about 8 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 1 or 2 fresh serrano chiles
- 1small white onion, sliced ½ inch thick plus A few slices for garnish (divided use)
- 2tablespoons vegetable oil, olive oil, bacon drippings or fresh-rendered pork lard
- 1 1/2cups chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
- 1/4cup chopped cilantro or parsley OR a large sprig of epazote
- 2 3/4cups (12 ounces) cooked, coarsely shredded, boneless chicken, pork or beef (this is a good place for rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted or braised meats) OR 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Mexican melting cheese (such as Chihuahua, quesadilla or asadero) or Monterey Jack, brick or mild cheddar OR 1 ½ cups (12 ounces) goat or dry-ish ricotta cheese
- 8 corn tortillas, preferably from a local tortillería
- Dollops of Mexican crema, sour cream, crème fraiche or Greek-style yogurt thinned with a little milk OR A few tablespoons grated Mexican queso añejo or other garnishing cheese such as Romano or Parmesan OR A handful of shredded Mexican melting cheese (such as Chihuahua, quesadilla or asadero) or Monterey Jack, brick or mild cheddar —you can sprinkle it over the enchiladas before they go into the oven
- A handful of cilantro leaves (if I have them)
Instructions
First make a roasted tomatillo base: On a rimmed baking sheet, spread out tomatillos, garlic, serrano, and the small white onion, sliced ½ inch thick. Slide the baking sheet as close up under a preheated broiler as possible. After 4 or 5 minutes, when everything is blotchy-black and softening, turn the vegetables and roast the other side until everything is cooked through (they should be soft), while taking on an attractive bit of rustic char. Once the vegetables are roasted, they go on the stove top to cool down a little.
When the vegetables have cooled down enough to handle, slip the skins off the garlic and pull the stem off the chiles. In a blender, combine the tomatillos (and any juice on the baking sheet), garlic, chiles, onion and a scant teaspoon salt, and blend everything to a coarse puree.
In a large (10-inch) skillet over medium-high heat measure the oil or lard. When it’s hot, add the roasted tomatillo sauce base. Let the sauce reduce and concentrate, stirring it frequently, for about 4 minutes. When it’s thicker than spaghetti sauce, stir in chicken broth and cilantro or parsley. Season the sauce with salt, turn the heat down to medium-low and let it simmer while you prepare the filling.
Measure out your choice of filling. Turn on the oven to 400 degrees. Spray or brush with oil on one side of the tortillas then stack them up, slip them into a plastic bag, fold it over and microwave them at 100% for 1 minute. Let them stand for a minute (to uniformly absorb the heat) while you stir a little sauce into the meat to moisten it (the cheese needs no sauce). Then lay out the tortillas on the counter, top them each with a portion cup of the meat or cheese, roll them up and fit them into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Spoon the hot sauce over them (covering the whole tortilla avoids dry ends), slide them into the oven and bake just until heated through—about 4 minutes. Longer in the oven means mushy enchiladas.
To serve the enchiladas, simply use a spatula to transfer them to dinner plates. Garnish the enchiladas with the topping(s) of your choice, crema, cheese, white onion, and or cilantro leaves.
Enchiladas, Entree, Cheese, Masa,
FAQs
Bake the enchiladas before adding sauce
Another thing you can try is baking your enchiladas after filling them until the tortillas are just be-ginning to get brown and starting to crisp. Then, add your cheese and sauce on top and bake them again until the cheese is melted.
What is the difference between tomatillo salsa and salsa verde? ›
While salsa is made from a tomato base, salsa verde is made from tomatillos, which provide the green color. They also change up the flavor, giving salsa verde a more tart, tangy flavor (like limes, but mellower).
What's the difference between salsa verde and green enchilada sauce? ›
There are two main differences between green enchilada sauce and salsa verde. Enchilada sauce is cooked, while salsa verde is raw. Enchilada sauce is thinned out with a liquid (usually stock or water), while salsa verde is simply chopped or puréed vegetables and peppers.
Why are my enchiladas gummy? ›
Treat Your Tortillas Right
The most important tip for avoiding soggy enchiladas is to briefly fry your tortillas in hot oil before you fill and roll. This creates a little bit of a barrier so that the tortillas don't soak up too much of the sauce and therefore start to break down.
Do you cover enchiladas while baking in the oven? ›
Arrange enchiladas, seam-side down, in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with taco sauce and remaining 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake in the preheated oven, uncovered, until cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Let cool briefly before serving.
How do you make enchiladas crispy? ›
To prevent your tortillas from tearing or becoming soggy, quickly fry each corn tortilla in any oil you like for about 10 seconds on each side, until it starts to get crispy but is still pliable. This will add a barrier that will keep the tortilla from absorbing too much sauce, and also adds a little extra flavor.
What is the closest tomato to a tomatillo? ›
Green tomatoes can take the place of tomatillos in guacamole, in a chile verde sauce for enchiladas, raw in salads, as a fresh topping for tacos, simmered in a vegetable soup or turned into a chicken posole stew.
Which is hotter, red or green enchilada sauce? ›
Red chilies make red enchiladas sweeter and milder than green sauce. However, you can adjust the spiciness. Additionally, you can prepare them with cooked peppers. On the other hand, enchiladas with green sauce are made with raw and fresh green ingredients, such as tomatillos or green chilies.
What is a Mexican tomatillo substitute? ›
For a tomatillo substitute, buy underripe tomatoes and add a squeeze of lime juice. You will often see tomatillos in Mexican dishes like salsas, tacos, soups, and enchiladas. This swap might work well in a recipe like Slow Cooker Chicken Verde, Ceviche Verde, White Chili with Avocado Cream or Baja Fish Tacos.
How to elevate enchiladas? ›
Whether you fry your corn tortillas or use a smidge of broth, there are plenty of simple additions out there to upgrade your enchiladas.
- Turkey. ...
- Cream cheese, sour cream, or yogurt. ...
- Toasted spices. ...
- Crispy corn tortillas. ...
- Marinated meat. ...
- Pickled vegetables. ...
- Salsa verde. ...
- Grilled or roasted vegetables.
Salsa Verde is a fantastic replacement for green enchilada sauce. Most salsa Verde is a little simpler than green enchilada sauce, often just a mix of tomatillos and jalapenos without other spices. Enchilada sauce is often a bit more complicated, including onions, garlic, spices, and other additions.
Can I use salsa instead of enchilada sauce? ›
Yes, salsa can be used as a substitute for enchilada sauce. It will add a similar tangy and spicy flavor to your dish. You can use it as is or blend it to achieve a smoother consistency before using it in your enchilada recipe.
Is it better to cook enchiladas covered or uncovered? ›
Assemble the remaining enchiladas. Then spread any remaining sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas, followed by any extra cheese. Bake. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until the enchiladas are cooked through and the tortillas are slightly crispy on the outside.
Are enchiladas better with corn or flour tortillas? ›
Corn tortillas go well with Mexican dishes like tacos, enchiladas, and tamales. They are also perfect for use in tostadas, sopes, and quesadillas. Flour tortillas are often used in burritos, fajitas, and chimichangas. They are also great for making quesadillas, sweet dishes like dessert tacos, and breakfast burritos.
How to stop enchiladas from going soggy? ›
Before you roll your enchiladas to bake in a baking dish, gently fry your tortillas in a little vegetable oil. Not too long though because you need to roll them. The oil will keep the corn tortillas from getting soggy.
How to keep enchiladas from getting hard on the bottom? ›
Some recipes suggest spreading a little sauce (½ cup for a 3-quart baking dish) on the bottom of the pan before adding enchiladas. This keeps the tortillas from sticking to the pan or getting tough on the bottom.
When making enchiladas do you fry the tortillas? ›
The corn tortillas must be softened before they are rolled and baked in the casserole. Frying them gently in a little oil both softens the tortillas and also greatly enhances their flavor.
