Green Chile Enchilada Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (2024)

By Maria Lichty

Updated on

196 CommentsView Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read mydisclosure policy.

Quick Summary

Creamy Spinach and Cheese Green Chile Enchiladas-we love these creamy and cheesy vegetarian enchiladas. They are simple to make and freeze beautifully!

Green Chile Enchilada Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (2)

Enchiladas are one of our favorite meals. We make our Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas, Chicken Enchiladas, and Beef Enchiladas all of the time. We also love these Creamy Spinach and Cheese Green Chile Enchiladas.They are easy, cheesy, and delicious!

The enchiladas make a great weeknight meal and are freezer friendly too! I also love taking these to family members and friends when they need a home cooked meal. Everyone loves this cheesy enchilada recipe!

Green Chile Enchilada Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (3)
Green Chile Enchilada Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (4)

The enchiladas are loaded with cheese! I add in spinach too make them somewhat healthy:) I mix the spinach mixture with sour cream or Greek yogurt to make the enchiladas extra creamy. The enchiladas also have green chiles and green chile enchilada sauce. I top the enchiladas with avocado and cilantro so these enchiladas are green all around and that makes me happy because we all know I LOVE green!

If you are looking fora tasty dinner idea, make our Creamy Spinach and Cheese Green Chile Enchiladas. And don’t forget that you can freeze these enchiladas. You will do a happy dance when you remember that you have enchiladas in the freezer.

Green Chile Enchilada Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (5)

Green Chile Enchilada Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (6)

Main Dishes

Creamy Spinach and Cheese Green Chile Enchiladas

Love these easy and cheesy vegetarian enchiladas! They freeze well too!

4.62 from 167 votes

Print

Save Recipe

Review

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 10 cups fresh spinach leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
  • 4.5 oz can green chiles
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground chili powder
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 20 oz mild green chile enchilada sauce
  • 8 flour tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
  • 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
  • Toppings: Green onions, chopped, Fresh cilantro, chopped, Diced avocado

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the spinach leaves and cook until they are wilted and shrinks down. Stir in the lime juice, cilantro, green chiles, cumin, and chile powder. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

  • To assemble, spread about ½ can of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Fill each tortilla with about ⅓ cup of the spinach mixture. In a medium bowl, combine both kinds of shredded cheese. Sprinkle cheese over spinach mixture, about 3 tablespoons per enchilada. Roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. When all enchiladas have been rolled and placed in the pan, top with the other ½ can of enchilada sauce and about ½ of the other can. We had some sauce leftover. Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese on top of enchiladas. Bake 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

  • Garnish enchiladas with green onion, cilantro, and avocado, if desired. Serve warm.

  • Note-these enchiladas freeze well. Cool completely, without toppings, and place in a tupperware container. Reheat individual servings in the microwave when ready to eat! You can also freeze an entire pan and reheat in the oven!

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.001g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 1289mg, Potassium: 358mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 4576IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 517mg, Iron: 3mg

Keywords enchiladas

Have you tried this recipe?

Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag @twopeasandpod and hashtag it with #twopeasandtheirpod

Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

Green Chile Enchilada Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (7)

Maria

I'm Maria and my husband is Josh. We share a love of cooking, baking, and entertaining. We enjoy creating recipes that are simple, fresh, and family friendly. We love sitting around the table with good food, good conversation, and good friends and family! Our kitchen is always open!
Read More

Vegetarian Winter Kid Friendly Main Dishes Cinco de Mayo

Other recipes you may like

Vegetarian

Green Chile Cheddar Cheese Cornbread

Vegetarian

Vegetarian

Green Chile Enchilada Quinoa Bake

Vegetarian

Three Cheese Grilled Cheese

Main Dishes

Beef Enchiladas

Sandwiches

Best Grilled Cheese

Leave a Reply

Comments

Leave a comment

  1. Green Chile Enchilada Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (14)
    This is a lovely dish. I did make it into a casserole and layered it with corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas. It was so delicious. Everyone loved it. I put the spinach mix in the bottom, green salsa next, torn corn tortillas next and then cheese. Did a second layer. Love it! Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Glad you loved the recipe!

See More Comments

Green Chile Enchilada Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between green enchilada sauce and salsa? ›

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.

How do you make canned green enchilada sauce taste better? ›

Improving upon canned enchilada sauce

If you're using fresh garlic, onion, or peppers, sauté those first in a bit of oil, then combine the butter, stock, and seasonings. Mix in the flour to thicken it, then pour in that canned enchilada sauce, and bring the mixture to a boil.

Which is hotter red or green enchiladas? ›

Red enchilada sauce tends to be spicier due to the use of dried red chili peppers, which have a higher Scoville heat rating compared to fresh green chili peppers. However, the spiciness can be adjusted to suit individual tastes by varying the quantity of chili peppers used in the sauce.

What can I use instead of canned green chiles? ›

If you want something more mild, use a green bell pepper. If you want more spice, use a jalapeño. This is up to you.

Can I use green enchilada sauce instead of salsa verde? ›

The main difference between green enchilada sauce (verde sauce) and salsa verde is that enchilada sauce is cooked, and salsa verde is raw. Enchilada sauce also requires liquid (either stock or water), but salsa verde ingredients are simply blended together and eaten as is.

How do you get the bitterness out of canned enchilada sauce? ›

Before you assemble your enchiladas, heat the sauce up and whisk in a little flour and sugar to taste. The flour will neutralize some of the bitterness and thicken the sauce a bit in the process. This can be a good thing, too, as canned enchilada sauce is usually a little thin in consistency.

How to thicken green enchilada sauce? ›

Oil and flour: These will form the roux to thicken the sauce. You're welcome to use any type of neutral-flavored oil (or butter) that you prefer.

How do I doctor up canned enchilada sauce? ›

- Add cumin, chili powder, and oregano: These spices will give the sauce a deep and rich flavor. - Add canned green chilies: This will give the sauce a bit of heat. - Add chocolate: This will give the sauce a smooth and rich flavor. - Add beer: This will give the sauce a deep and robust flavor.

Are enchiladas better with corn or flour? ›

While some recipes use flour tortillas, corn tortillas are traditional — and for good reason — are the better option for enchiladas. Corn tortillas have a distinct flavor that plays a key part of the enchilada experience, compared to flour tortillas, which are more like a blank slate.

Are yellow or white onions better for enchiladas? ›

white onions are more commonly used in Mexican cuisine but yellow onions are just as good in a pinch. What is this? White onions are sharper and more pungent than yellow onions. That scares some people but it works great for most Mexican dishes, so don't be afraid of them!

What can I add to green enchilada sauce to make it less spicy? ›

Most green enchilada sauce recipes will tell you to add a seeded serrano pepper. This chili packs a fiery punch between 10,000 to 23,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). So, instead of serrano, you can opt for a small jalapeño. Rated only between 2,000 to 8,000 SHU, this will reduce the spice down to only a gentle tingle.

Is canned green enchilada sauce spicy? ›

One common mistake people make is believing that a green sauce isn't spicy. Most green enchilada sauces use green chilis, which includes jalapenos and serrano, tipping off the spicy scale. As with any color chili, green sauces range from mild to hot.

Are white or yellow tortillas better for enchiladas? ›

Yellow corn tortillas have a stronger corn flavor, whereas white tortillas have an almost oaky, nutty flavor when toasted. I personally like white tortillas for tacos and enchiladas, and use yellow ones for fried tortillas and corn chips when I want that corn taste to really come through.

Can I substitute salsa for 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.

Does enchilada sauce taste like salsa? ›

Salsa verde, on the other hand, skips the liquid and consists only of vegetables and peppers blended together. When it comes to taste, salsa verde is fresher because of raw ingredients like herbs and spices while enchilada sauce is more savory.

Is green taco sauce the same as salsa verde? ›

Green taco sauce is not the same as salsa verde, as it typically also includes green tomatoes in its ingredients. Salsa verde is a great dip for tortilla chips, topping for tacos or burritos, or sauce for roasted pork.

Does green enchilada sauce taste the same as red? ›

Just like in their names, green chili sauce is made with green chiles, and red sauce is made with red chiles. These sauces also differ in flavor as the green sauce has a very fresh flavor, and the red sauce has a more earthy flavor. Both sauces range from mild to very hot, depending on which peppers are used.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Msgr. Benton Quitzon

Last Updated:

Views: 5521

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (43 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Msgr. Benton Quitzon

Birthday: 2001-08-13

Address: 96487 Kris Cliff, Teresiafurt, WI 95201

Phone: +9418513585781

Job: Senior Designer

Hobby: Calligraphy, Rowing, Vacation, Geocaching, Web surfing, Electronics, Electronics

Introduction: My name is Msgr. Benton Quitzon, I am a comfortable, charming, thankful, happy, adventurous, handsome, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.