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Tex-Mex cheese enchiladas with chili gravy
Corn tortillas rolled round cheese and onion, baked in red chili gravy
Cheese enchiladas in chili gravy are the heart of the Tex-Mex combination plate, served in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio cafés since the early 1900s with rice and refried beans. Unlike Mexican enchiladas in fresh chile sauce, the Texas version uses a roux-thickened 'chili gravy' spiced with chili powder and cumin, and lots of melted yellow cheese with raw onion inside. Traditional cheddar is often made with animal rennet; choose a vegetarian cheese. Chef's tip: dip each tortilla in hot oil for a few seconds first, so it rolls without cracking and doesn't go soggy.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chili gravy
For the enchiladas
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, whisk in the 2 tbsp plain flour and cook 2 minutes until light brown. Add the 3 tbsp mild chili powder blend, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano and ½ tsp garlic powder for 30 seconds.
3 minStep 2: Whisk in the 2 cups vegetable stock and ½ tsp salt and simmer 10 minutes until it coats a spoon like gravy.
10 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Spread a ladle of gravy in a 23 × 33 cm dish.
2 minStep 4: Heat the 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a small frying pan and dip each 12 corn tortillas for 3–4 seconds a side until soft and pliable. Drain on paper.
6 minStep 5: Fill each tortilla with a tablespoon of 10 ½ oz grated vegetarian cheddar and a pinch of 1 white onion, roll up and lay seam-side down in the dish. Pour over the remaining gravy and cover with the rest of the cheese and onion.
8 minStep 6: Bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling at the edges. A common mistake is skimping on gravy, which leaves the ends dry.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tex-Mex cheese enchiladas with chili gravy take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of ground cumin?
- Cumin seeds, toasted and ground.
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