Description
These Carnitas Enchiladas are a delicious Mexican main course featuring tender shredded pork, warm tortillas, and a rich red enchilada sauce topped with melted cheese. Perfect for a comforting dinner, this baked dish offers layers of savory flavors enhanced by spices and optional fresh garnishes like cilantro, sour cream, and lime wedges.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked carnitas (shredded)
- 8 small flour or corn tortillas
- 2 cups red enchilada sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican blend cheese
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Garnishes
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Sour cream
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare dish. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Sauté onions and warm carnitas. In a skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the diced onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the shredded carnitas along with ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is heated through and fragrant.
- Prepare the baking dish. Spread about 1/3 cup of enchilada sauce evenly over the bottom of the greased baking dish to prevent the enchiladas from sticking and to add flavor.
- Warm tortillas and fill. Warm the tortillas slightly to make them pliable and easier to roll. Spoon a generous amount of the carnitas mixture onto each tortilla, then sprinkle with shredded cheese.
- Roll enchiladas. Roll each tortilla tightly around the filling and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish, arranging them snugly side by side.
- Add remaining sauce and cheese. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas, then sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top to create a cheesy crust.
- Bake covered. Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt and the flavors to meld.
- Finish baking uncovered. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown on top.
- Rest and garnish. Let the enchiladas rest for 5 minutes after removing from the oven. Garnish with optional chopped fresh cilantro, dollops of sour cream, and lime wedges for serving if desired.
Notes
- Use leftover pork carnitas for a quick and flavorful meal.
- You can assemble ahead of time and refrigerate before baking; just add 10 extra minutes to the baking time if baking from cold.
- For a spicier kick, use hot enchilada sauce or add diced jalapeños to the filling.
- To keep it gluten-free, use corn tortillas and verify that the enchilada sauce is gluten-free.
