If you ever get craving Mexican food at home then air fryer enchiladas are the quick and easy fix for that as they are filled with flavorful ground beef and topped with lots of cheese, later cooked in an air fryer until they are bubbly.
Air fryer enchiladas are easy to make dinner recipe that is packed with flavors as you are already aware that air fryer cooks food in less oil which makes enchiladas a bit healthier than the traditional fried version.
If you have never made enchiladas in an air fryer, then don’t worry about it, this recipe is very easy to follow and doesn’t take too long to cook.
So, let’s get straight to tasty air fryer enchiladas.
Ingredients
The ingredients of air fryer enchiladas are very easy to find in any local store and would make you fall in love with this recipe as soon as you start making it.
- Red Enchiladas Sauce (canned or homemade)
- Taco Meat (seasoned with taco sauce)
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Corn Tortillas (yellow or white)
- Chives (for garnishing)
Substitutes
- Meat – You can also use ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef.
- Enchiladas sauce – For Verde sauce, you can use the red enchiladas sauce.
Instructions
- Step 1- In enchiladas sauce, mix 1 cup of meat
- Step 2- Make sure to use pour enough sauce into the bottom of the pan in which you would be cooking.
- Step 3- For 15 seconds, warm up the tortillas in the microwave to make them soft.
- Step 4- Now add 1-2 tablespoons of meat to the tortillas with some cheese on top and roll them close.
- Step 5- Then place the rolled enchiladas in a pan and top them with sauce.
- Step 6- Once your pan is filled with enchiladas, spread generously with sauce and cheese. Make sure all the enchiladas are evenly distributed with sauce.
- Step 7- Now place the pan in the air fryer basket and let it cook for 7-8 minutes at 375° F until the tortillas are crispy and the cheese is melted.
- Step 8- Serve hot and enjoy!
However, there are many other ways that you can change the recipe as per your desire, such as:
- You can add some green onions and peppers to the meat mixture.
- For some extra heat, you can also add some jalapeño pepper to the meat mixture.
Tips To Make The Best Air Fryer Enchiladas
- The tortillas will start to crack up in rolling if they are too dry. So, it’s better to dampen them with a slightly wet paper towel before filling and folding them.
- The 1-2 tablespoon of the meat mixture is the perfect amount to put in the tortillas, you don’t need to overfill them.
- You have to be very careful while pouring the sauce into the saucepan, don’t add too much, or else you will be left with soggy enchiladas.
- You can add your favorite toppings to the enchiladas once they are cooked, it can be diced tomatoes, sour cream, and green onions.
Nutritional Information
| Calories | 319kcal |
| Fat | 21g |
| Carbohydrates | 16g |
| Proteins | 18g |
| Cholesterol | 66 mg |
| Sodium | 547 mg |
You can also check out the following video to learn how to make enchiladas in the air fryer.
How Can You Store Leftover Enchiladas?
All you have to do is let them cool down for a bit and store them in an airtight container and to reheat them, just put them in the microwave for some minutes, and tada! Enchiladas are ready to eat again.
But, I have to tell you this, once the enchiladas are reheated in the microwave, their crispiness will be gone like the one you get with an air fryer. Though, taste-wise, they would still be delicious as now it all comes down to personal preferences.
Can You Make Air Fryer Enchiladas Ahead Of Time?
Yes, you can make air fryer enchiladas ahead of time, just prepare the meat mixture and keep it refrigerated, it can stay there for 48 hours till you roll them into tortillas and cook them into enchiladas.
Just make sure to roll the enchiladas right before cooking to prevent them from breaking due to excess moisture.
What Can Be Served With Air Fryer Enchiladas?
Air Fryer enchiladas are a fast and quick recipe to make the Mexican night at home amazing!
Rice and Beans are the standard sides of enchiladas but, my personal favorite is to mix up enchiladas with tomatoes and black beans.
However, some other suggestions are
- Mexican Rice
- Mexican Tomato Soup
- Green Salad
- Avocado Slices
- Lime Wedges
How Can You Make Enchiladas Crispy?
To prevent tortillas from tearing and sagging pliable, just slightly fry them in any oil you prefer for 10 seconds on each side until their texture is crispy but pliable.
By this method, a barrier is created for tortillas to prevent them from absorbing too much sauce.
What Is The Best Way To Heat Tortillas For Enchiladas?
There are two ways to heat the enchiladas tortillas, from which you can decide your favorite way.
You can heat tortillas in a cast iron skillet on medium to high heat for 15 to 20 seconds on each side which would allow them to absorb all the fat, if they’re getting toasty with darkened and brown spots from the edges it means that they are doing the job well.
The second way is to heat tortillas in a dry skillet for 1 minute on medium heat per side while flipping them for once only, you must allow them to cook until you get a toasty scent.
Variations
If you want to switch up the tastes of these delectable enchiladas, replace the chicken with ground beef in the air fryer.
I alternate between beef and chicken because I’ll buy whatever is the cheapest at the grocery. I can also confirm that the air fryer cheesy beef enchiladas are delicious!
If you want, you may add some Mexican rice to the combination or serve it as a separate side dish. Minute white or brown rice is quick and versatile.
If you want to make this low-carb, substitute zucchini strips for the tortillas! This is quite adaptable and simple to update.
What Kinds Of Toppings Can You Put On These Enchiladas?
I’m all about the garnishes! When it’s time to serve, I like to add some spice by sprinkling on some chili powder or red pepper flakes.
You can also include fresh jalapenos, cilantro, and chopped green onions.
If you’re looking for a great sauce to add, use anything you like! If you only want to top it with salsa, go ahead. A great guacamole mixture would also taste delicious on top, in my opinion. Because the flavor is “taco,” whatever you’d normally put on tacos would go well with these enchiladas.
Conclusion
In summary, I’d say
- Air fryer enchiladas are a quick and easy fix for a Mexican craving and get ready to eat within 10 minutes.
- To avoid tortillas from breaking, you should damp them in a wet paper towel before filling and rolling them.
- You must not overfill the tortillas with meat mixture as it would break them. Make sure to just add 1-2 tablespoons of it.
- The cooking time of enchiladas may vary according to the size and model of your air fryer, and you should also put enchiladas in the air fryer in a single layer.