Description
Carnitas Enchiladas offer a delicious twist on a classic Mexican dish, combining tender shredded pork carnitas with a flavorful enchilada sauce, melted cheese, and aromatic spices. This baked casserole is perfect for a comforting main course, garnished with fresh cilantro and served with creamy avocado, sour cream, and lime wedges for extra zest.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 3 cups cooked pork carnitas (shredded)
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Sauce and Assembly
- 2 cups red enchilada sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 8 corn or flour tortillas
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 1 tablespoon oil (for softening tortillas)
Optional Garnishes
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the enchiladas.
- Mix Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded pork carnitas with ground cumin, garlic powder, diced onion, chopped fresh cilantro, and a few spoonfuls of the enchilada sauce. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is evenly coated and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare Tortillas: Lightly heat the tortillas to make them pliable, either by briefly warming them in a skillet with a bit of oil or microwaving them wrapped in a damp paper towel.
- Assemble Enchiladas: Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the carnitas mixture onto each tortilla, roll it up tightly, and place each seam-side down in the prepared dish.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas and sprinkle the shredded Mexican cheese blend generously on top.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes to heat through and melt the cheese.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish the enchiladas with additional chopped cilantro, and serve warm, accompanied by sour cream, sliced avocado, and lime wedges if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute green enchilada sauce for a tangier flavor.
- Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese can be used instead of the Mexican cheese blend.
- Leftover pulled pork is an excellent alternative to freshly cooked carnitas.
- For gluten-free servings, use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas.
