Enchiladas are a popular Mexican dish that typically consist of corn tortillas stuffed with meat, cheese, beans, or other fillings, then rolled up and covered in a flavorful chili pepper sauce. While you can make enchilada sauce from scratch, many home cooks opt for the convenience of using a store-bought enchilada sauce like Las Palmas. Las Palmas offers a variety of flavorful enchilada sauces to choose from. But how exactly do you use enchilada sauce to make delicious enchiladas at home? Here is a complete guide to using Las Palmas enchilada sauce.
Selecting the Right Las Palmas Enchilada Sauce
The first step in using Las Palmas enchilada sauce is selecting the right variety. Las Palmas offers both red and green enchilada sauces in mild, medium, and hot spice levels. Consider the following when choosing an enchilada sauce:
- Red vs. green: Red sauce has a rich, tomato-based flavor. Green sauce is tangy and herbaceous. Choose based on personal preference.
- Spice level: Mild has just a hint of heat, medium has a bit more kick, and hot is quite spicy. Choose according to your spice tolerance.
- Specific recipes: Some enchilada recipes may specify red or green sauce.
- Fillings: Green sauce pairs well with chicken, seafood, or vegetable fillings. Red sauce complements beef, bean, or cheese fillings.
If you can’t decide between red or green, some recipes call for both sauces layered on top of the enchiladas!
Preparing the Enchilada Filling
While the enchilada sauce provides the primary flavor, the filling is also important. Here are some common enchilada fillings to consider:
- Ground beef or shredded beef: Season ground beef with taco seasoning or chili powder, cumin, garlic, and onion powder. Simmer shredded beef in enchilada sauce.
- Shredded chicken: Poach or bake chicken breasts, shred the meat, then simmer in enchilada sauce until coated.
- Beans: Pinto, black, or refried beans work well. Season with onion, garlic, cumin, and chili powder.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar, Monterey jack, queso fresco, or Mexican-style blends.
- Veggies: Spinach, zucchini, peppers, corn, etc. Lightly cook before using.
Season the fillings well and make sure any liquid is drained prior to assembling the enchiladas.
Assembling the Enchiladas
Once you have your desired fillings prepared, you are ready to assemble the enchiladas:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish with oil or cooking spray.
- Warm corn tortillas in the microwave for 20 seconds to make them pliable.
- Place about 1/4 cup filling in center of each tortilla then roll up.
- Arrange rolled enchiladas seam side down in prepared baking dish.
- Cover completely with enchilada sauce.
- Top with any additional fillings, sauce, and garnishes.
- Bake for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
This basic method allows the tortillas to soften and fillings to heat through so the flavors merge together.
Heating and Using the Enchilada Sauce
Whether you use Las Palmas red or green, the enchilada sauce requires just simple heating before using:
- Pour desired amount of sauce into a saucepan (use about 1 cup per 8 enchiladas).
- Heat sauce over medium heat, stirring frequently, until hot and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
- For a smoother consistency, blend the heated sauce briefly with an immersion blender.
- Pour a thin layer of sauce to cover the bottom of prepared baking dish.
- Top assembled enchiladas with remaining sauce, spreading to coat completely.
- Add extra sauce to serve over individual portions after baking.
The heated sauce softens the tortillas and brings all the flavors together as the enchiladas bake.
Choosing Garnishes and Toppings
Consider garnishing your finished enchiladas with any of the following:
- Shredded cheese like cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mexican blends
- Sliced scallions
- Chopped cilantro
- Diced onion
- Sour cream or Mexican crema
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Lime wedges
- Hot sauce like Tapatio or Cholula
The garnishes add extra flavor, texture, and visual appeal. Let assembled enchiladas cool for 5 minutes before topping to allow sauce to set.
Serving Suggestions
Enchiladas make a complete meal, but can also be served with sides like:
- Spanish rice
- Refried or black beans
- Corn on the cob
- Chopped lettuce salad
- Queso fresco
- Tortilla chips
- Guacamole
- Salsa
Sides help complement the flavors of the enchiladas for a more filling meal.
Vegetarian and Vegan Enchiladas
For vegetarian or vegan enchiladas, use any of the following fillings:
- Refried, black, or pinto beans
- Roasted vegetables like zucchini, peppers, mushrooms
- Sauteed greens like spinach or chard
- Corn
- Cheese such as queso fresco or vegan cheese
- Chopped vegetables like onions, tomatoes, olives
- Tofu, tempeh, or seitan
Season the fillings well with spices like chili powder, cumin, garlic, and onion powder. Top with Las Palmas sauce for extra flavor.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
To store leftover enchiladas:
- Allow enchiladas to cool completely, then cover dish tightly.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To reheat, cover dish with foil and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until hot.
- Add extra sauce as needed before reheating to prevent dryness.
- Leftovers can also be reheated in the microwave on High in 1-2 minute intervals, adding sauce as needed.
With proper storage, leftover enchiladas retain their flavor for quick weeknight meals!
Freezing Enchiladas
To freeze unbaked enchiladas:
- Assemble enchiladas in a foil pan coated in cooking spray.
- Do not top with sauce or garnishes.
- Cover pan tightly with heavy duty foil.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- When ready to bake, thaw overnight in fridge.
- Add sauce and bake as directed.
Frozen pre-assembled enchiladas make preparing this dish even easier!
Troubleshooting Enchiladas
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Soggy enchiladas | Drain fillings well and don’t overfill tortillas. Use less sauce. |
| Dry, bland enchiladas | Add more sauce. Ensure fillings are well seasoned. |
| Filling falls out | Don’t overstuff. Roll tortillas tighter. |
| Bland flavor | Add more spices to fillings. Use spicier sauce variety. |
| Overly greasy | Blot excess grease from fillings. Omit extra cheese. |
FAQs
Can I make my own enchilada sauce from scratch?
Yes, you can make homemade enchilada sauce using dried chilies, tomato sauce or paste, garlic, cumin, and seasonings. However, store-bought sauces like Las Palmas offer convenience and consistent flavor.
Should the tortillas be heated before filling?
Yes, warm the tortillas in the microwave for 20 seconds before filling and rolling to make them pliable and prevent cracking.
What is the best cheese for enchiladas?
Good melty Mexican-style cheeses include Monterey jack, queso quesadilla, asadero, or Mexican-blend shredded cheese. Cheddar also works well.
Can I make enchiladas ahead of time?
Yes, enchiladas can be assembled up to 2 days ahead then refrigerated until ready to bake. You can also freeze unbaked enchiladas up to 3 months in advance.
How do I prevent enchilada sauce from making the tortillas soggy?
Use a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan, drain fillings well, don’t overfill tortillas, and avoid using too much sauce when topping. Baked immediately after assembly.
Conclusion
Using Las Palmas enchilada sauce is an easy shortcut to flavorful enchiladas. With a little preparation of the filling, assembly of the enchiladas, and heating of the sauce, you can quickly make tasty enchiladas for any occassion. Following this guide will help you become an enchilada pro in no time using delicious Las Palmas sauce!