I have very few memories of my dad cooking dinner for our family when I was young (in his defense, my mother loves to cook), but there is one meal that’s always been the exception: enchiladas. As far as I can recall, anytime my mom was out for the evening that is what dad made us for dinner. Not sure how this became his meal of choice, but he was steadfast in his devotion to the dish. Luckily for us, he made some pretty tasty enchiladas.
Now, the enchiladas my dad made were typically ground beef or chicken, but these days I’m always on the hunt for more tasty meatless recipes. The idea of spinach and cheese enchiladas immediately piqued my interest as that combo is typically a total home run (creamy spinach dip, anyone?). And let me tell you… they did not disappoint! This recipe makes a hefty portion of food and we still polished off the entire dish in two days time.
The filling here is pretty straightforward, but definitely not lacking in flavor. Plenty of onions, garlic, cilantro, and lime ensure that all the Mexican flavors you know and love are well represented. Serve them up with avocado and your favorite hot sauce and they’re downright irresistible. Not to mention, they freeze well and reheat beautifully. All in all, it’s easy to see why dad was such a fan of this dish. Dinner made easy!
Spinach and Cheese Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 cups fresh spinach
- juice of half a lime
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 4.5 oz canned chopped green chiles
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 8oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 28 oz can green enchilada sauce
- 8 burrito size flour tortillas
- 4 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese, divided
- Optional toppings: additional cilantro, green onions, olives, avocado
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic to skillet and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add spinach and cook down until wilted. Add the lime juice, cilantro, chiles, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Remove skillet from heat and mix in the cream cheese, sour cream, 2 cups of the cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour about ⅓ of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- Spoon about ⅓ cup of spinach filling into a tortilla, roll tightly, and place in the baking dish seam side down. Repeat until dish is full.
- Top the rolled enchiladas with the remaining sauce (you may have sauce leftover) and sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of cheese on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and the sauce begins to bubble.
- Serve warm and top with desired garnishes.
Recipe adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com