I know what you’re saying. “Authentic Mexican enchiladas with potatoes, carrots and cabbage?!” I had never heard of it before either, but this is how enchiladas are made in the area near Salvatierra, Guanajuato where my in-laws live. (Food varies widely in Mexico depending on the region!) This enchiladas recipe is also the tastiest food to ever come out of Mexico!! I remember the first time my husband made them for me when we were dating. He asked if I’d like enchiladas for dinner, and I said “Sure!” Then he stopped and asked me, totally dead-pan, “Great! Do you know how to make them?” Which completely flustered me, of course, and then he started laughing and said he was just kidding, he knew how to make them! We’ve been laughing ever since. 😀
So, here’s their authentic Mexican enchiladas recipe:
(which, in fact, I am making right now!)
Hot Salsa Ingredients
- 7-10 dried chile de arbol
- 5 medium tomatillos
- 2 jalapeños
- marble-sized piece of garlic
- grape-sized piece of onion
- pinch of oregano
- handful of cilantro
- salt to taste
Tortilla-Dipping Salsa Ingredients
- 6 chiles guajillos (also called new mexico red chiles)
- 2 chile de arbol (optional for extra spice)
- marble-sized piece of garlic
- grape-sized piece of onion
- pinch of oregano
- salt to taste
The Rest of The Ingredients 😀
- corn tortillas (3-4 per person)
- potatoes (~1 per person)
- carrots (~1 per person)
- shredded cabbage
- queso fresco (you can substitute cooked, shredded pork for the cheese)
- sour cream
- lots of oil to fry it all up with (we use peanut)
Things You Can Do Ahead of Time
- Put potatoes and carrots on to boil. (I usually peel the carrots and wait to peel potatoes until they are cooked) When potatoes and carrots are cooked, pour out the water and leave to cool, peel potatoes. Then dice the potatoes and carrots. Refrigerate if it’ll be a while until you eat.,
- Make salsa for dipping the tortillas in: Remove stems from chiles guajillos and 2 chile de arbol, boil chiles until soft (5 minutes?), blend with only a little water and the garlic, onion, oregano and salt. Pour through strainer into a shallow bowl. Set aside.
- Make hot salsa for on top: remove stems from chiles de arbol and jalapeños. Boil chiles, tomatillos, and jalapeños about 5 min, then blend with the garlic, onion, oregano, cilantro and salt. Pour into a little serving bowl without straining. Set aside.
- Finely shred the cabbage. Place the cabbage in a bowl with water, a dash of vinegar and a dash of salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat.
Things You Should Do 20 Minutes Before Eating
- Fry the potatoes and carrots in a little oil with salt to taste (in a non-stick or cast-iron pan) until nice and hot-looking.
- Heat the corn tortillas on a hot, dry griddle, flipping frequently until soft and pliable.
- Now it’s time to make the enchiladas! (See photos at left!) Heat oil in a non-stick pan (just enough to cover the bottom, add more when necessary.) One at a time: dip tortillas in the guajillo salsa and fry for a short time on each side in the hot oil. Remove to a plate. If you have a helper, have them crumble some cheese (or place shredded pork) onto each tortilla and roll them up as you make them, so they don’t get too soft and fall apart which would taste just as good anyway. (If you don’t have a helper, stop frying and roll them up after every three or four) Note: You can also make this recipe with bread instead of tortillas, you just dip the bolillo (mexican roll) in the guajillo chile and fry in the oil on all sides and fill with the enchilada ingredients. It makes for a very messy sandwich!
- To serve, layer on top of each plate of enchiladas: shredded cabbage, potatoes and carrots, sour cream and hot salsa on top (in that order because Raul says it looks prettier that way).
Jamsine says
They looks so delicious Jenny! They are also called “Enchiladas Queretanas” (because of the carrots and potatoes). It was interesting to see that what I had always just known as enchiladas growing up in La Luz, actually wasn’t the norm in other Mexican states. I kept telling everyone, there is nothing special to enchiladas queretanas, they are simply enchiladas. They didn’t get it.
jennyhoo says
Oh, cool, I hadn’t ever heard them called Queretanas before 😀 As in Queretero style?
Andrea says
Thanks for the recipe in English! We are living in Mexico and I have been attempting to make these enchiladas – we had them in Queretaro and they were called Enchildadas Queretanas here as well.
Jenny Hoople says
Cool! Where are you living??