Enchiladas are one of my favorite make-ahead dishes. They are a project, sure, but it’s just about as easy to make a big batch and freeze extras as it is to throw together a single dinner portion. Of course, since they require such a time commitment to make, proper enchiladas require planning and forethought — things that aren’t usually on the table for a last-minute weeknight dinner.
Enter: stacked enchiladas. While not as quick as say, throwing leftovers into a microwaved flour tortilla, the act of skipping the filling and the rolling steps cuts enchilada time down by at least half. Once you’ve got a saucy filling and cheese, the method is simple: layer, sauce and bake.
You can make stacked enchiladas using, well, just about anything. My recent go-to has been ground turkey, queso fresco and smoky chipotle salsa, but no matter what you prefer, the method is the same. (For this shortcut recipe, I prefer jarred salsa to prepared enchilada sauce because salsas typically have fewer thickening fillers and a fresher flavor.) I quickly brown the meat, add a jar of salsa, and let it heat through. Filling? Done in five minutes. The cheese is quick to crumble, and from there, all you need to do is assemble: Layer salsa, tortillas, meat and cheese, adding a drizzle of oil on top of each layer of tortillas to bring a bit more richness. A quick 10- to 15-minute stint in the oven will melt the cheese and turn the whole thing bubbly and delicious. A big handful of fresh cilantro sprinkled on top right before serving adds freshness and color.
And, by the way, don’t worry if the layering is haphazard; the beauty of making stacked enchiladas is that you’ll have to sloppily scoop out your servings anyway.
Credit: Chris Hunt
Credit: Chris Hunt
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