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Cheese Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce

Cheese Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce reads allium 4.1, salinity 4.1 and umami 3.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mexican main, about 52 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 1.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.8 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 3.8 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Allium 4.1 · Salinity 4.1 · Umami 3.9 · Richness 3.6 · Heat 3.5 · Herbaceous 3.0 · Sourness 2.8 · Earthy 2.5 · Funk & Ferment 2.4 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Sweetness 1.9 · Bitterness 1.3 · Smoke 1.1 · Nutty 0.8 · Floral 0.7

What's in it (14)

• dried arbol chiles — 20 g
• ancho chiles — 10 g
• vegetable broth — 592 g
• vegetable oil — 41 g
• white onion — 55 g
• garlic — 9 g
• cumin — 5 g
• dried leaf oregano — 1 g
• salt — 5 g
• corn tortillas — 1200 g
• shredded monterey jack cheese — 454 g
• white onion — 79 g
• sour cream — 59 g
• cilantro leaves — 7 g

Time & effort: about 52 min (32 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 270.1 kcal, 8.9 g protein, 10.3 g fat, 37.2 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat, pressing flat with a spatula, until fragrant and pliable, about 30 seconds per side; transfer to a heatproof bowl.
2. Pour 2 cups of the vegetable broth over the toasted chiles and let soak until completely softened, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook the chopped onion and garlic, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes.
4. Transfer the softened chiles with their soaking broth to a blender along with the cooked onion and garlic, cumin, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt; blend until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Carefully add the chile puree (it will spatter) and fry, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly and thickens, about 3 minutes.
6. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup broth, bring to a bare simmer over low heat, and cook until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes; season with more salt to taste.
7. Preheat the oven to 400 F and spread 1/2 cup of the chile sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
8. Stack the tortillas on a plate, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave in 30-second bursts until warm and pliable, about 1 minute total.
9. Working one at a time, dip a warm tortilla in the chile sauce to coat both sides, sprinkle with about 3 tablespoons of the cheese and a pinch of the diced onion, then roll into a tight cylinder and place seam-side down in the baking dish; repeat with the remaining tortillas.
10. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas and scatter the remaining cheese on top.
11. Bake until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling at the edges, 15 to 18 minutes; let rest 5 minutes, then top with the diced onion, sour cream, and cilantro before serving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Crispy Cauliflower Tikka Over Rice — Indian
• Crispy Chicken 65 — Indian
• Classic Home-Style Chicken Curry — Indian
• Paneer Tikka Masala — Indian
• Curried Egg Masala — Indian

Keep reading: what allium, salinity, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.