Sour cream enchiladas? That’s right! This particular enchilada sauce includes sour cream. The base starts out as if you are preparing a chicken gravy and then the plot thickens! The key is to not mix in the sour cream until the base of the sauce has cooled. This will yield the most incredible smooth and creamy enchilada sauce. It just happens to be that I need a meatless dish to share during lent. Why not these extra cheesy enchiladas? Definitely trying them with chicken next time!
The Whole Enchilada!
There are so many variations of preparing enchiladas it’s mind boggling! It could be as simple as a lightly fried corn tortilla filled with crumbled queso fresco with diced onion, rolled tight and topped with fresh garnish and a spicy cooked salsa. A dipped corn tortilla in a red sauce and then fried to sear that sauce in filled with a variety of fillings. You will see them rolled or simply folded over like a taco piled high with garnish! In Hidalgo, Mexico they serve enchiladas open faced with salsa, onions and crumbled cheese. That’s it. The tortillas are not crunchy like tostadas, just semi soft. Then there is the loaded cheesy, melted oven enchiladas that are great for feeding a family.
VIDEO LINK
https://animoto.com/play/SD0ox1F5W1gWOfz0mGEnng
Which is my favorite enchilada?
I am all about the flavors of the corn tortilla (homemade) and the enchilada sauce. Sometimes I do not fuss with searing the salsa on the tortillas. Must have the fried potatoes too! That was my favorite when mom prepared enchiladas! Just give me some crumbled queso fresco, thin sliced onions, fried potatoes and a spicy salsa on the side. Making myself very hungry right about now!
Which brands to choose when planning meals!
It can be a jungle out there when deciding which brands to purchase. The only way to know what brand will work best is to try a few different brands. Many of us are on a budget and opt for the more reasonable when it comes to cost. There is nothing wrong with that. Being an active food content creator, I have been fortunate to try many different brands over the past twelve years. Currently I have been collaborating with the brand you see pictured below. Excellent Oaxaca melting cheese, perfectly crumbled queso fresco and the sour cream was delicious in the sauce. I would definitely use them again.
This is what I want to see when crumbling queso fresco!
Tortillas! Tortillas! Tortillas!
So many brands out there! Which ones should I buy? None! Lol! Just kidding. Most of you know I prefer preparing my own tortillas for my daily meals or recipes, but sometimes we need an emergency stash for getting dinner on the table or quick quesadillas. If you are fortunate to live in cities that include those large Mexican markets, look for the fresh made tortillas that they are selling there. If that is not an option, look for the packages with the least amount of ingredients listed or organic corn tortillas. My favorite is the yellow corn but was excited to find the green nopal (cactus) tortillas! I found these at Cardenas Market near San Francisco. They have stores throughout Southern California as well. Look for Northgate and Vallarta markets in California too! The best places to shop!
Cactus Corn Tortillas! They are on my “to make” list soon!
When you have good quality tortillas, you can prep ahead without fear of the tortillas falling apart!
The most incredibly creamy sour cream sauce!
Mom always added fried potatoes and a simple salad on the side!
Cheese lovers!
That first bite was amazing!
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tbsps. unsalted butter
- 2 ½ tbsps. ap flour
- 2 cups warm chicken broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ tsps. cumin
- 2 ½ c sour cream
- 1/3 c chopped pickled jalapeño
- Oil for frying
- 10 oz fresh cheese crumbled
- 12 oz Oaxaca cheese shredded
- ½ c white onion finely diced
- 12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
- 1 ½ tbsps. cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
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In a saucepan at medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour. Continue whisking for 1-2 minutes to cook the flour and make sure it doesn’t burn. Gradually whisk in the warm chicken broth. Season, to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the cumin. Continue cooking, whisking as needed until the sauce resembles a chicken gravy. It won’t thicken up until it comes up to a simmer. When ready remove it from the heat. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and let it cool. If you mix the sour cream in too soon, it will curdle.
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Once cool, whisk in gradually, the sour cream until it looks smooth. Mix in the pickled jalapeños. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use for enchiladas.
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Mix the crumbled queso fresco with the diced onion and 6 oz of Oaxaca cheese. Cover and chill.
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In 1 ½ cups of preheated vegetable oil, fry the tortillas one at a time for 15 seconds per side. You want them to soften only but not get crispy. Stack them in between foil paper or in a plastic tortilla warmer lined with a paper towel. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
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To the bottom of your baking dish, add a light layer of sour cream sauce. Spread into an even layer. Fill and roll tight the softened tortillas with the cheese and onion mix. Place them in the prepared baking dish. Once you have all of them in the dish, pour over enough of the remaining sour cream sauce to cover the enchiladas generously. Sprinkle on the remaining queso Oaxaca evenly over the top. Bake uncovered for 18 minutes on the middle rack or until the cheese melts nicely.
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Turn the broiler on and continue broiling with the baking dish in that position until the cheese starts to brown lightly. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve right away. I enjoy serving my enchiladas with a simple iceberg, tomato, avocado and onion salad and fried potatoes just like mom did.
Notes
Take a short cut by purchasing 16 oz. of chicken gravy and then whisking in the sour cream and jalapeños. It’s that easy! Because basically you are preparing a light chicken gravy in that first step.
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