This homemade stacked enchiladas recipe makes a quick and easy meal that’s great for families! You’ll also find a yummy Grandma’s Banana Dessert recipe!
Stacked Enchiladas Recipe and Easy Dinner Menu
Tips:
- Do you often go to a large activity where everyone has a bottle of water or pop and they all look alike? Do you have a drawer of scrunchies or cloth pony tail holders that seem to keep multiplying? Then kill two birds with one stone and slip a scrunchy or pony tail holder on to the bottle or can so you can easily identify yours. Give every member of the family his or her own color. The guys probably would prefer a black or brown one instead of hot pink and if they really aren’t in touch with their feminine sides, use a large colored rubber band instead.
- For easy snow cones, freeze orange juice (or any other juice in ice cube trays. Store frozen cubes in a plastic bag. When you are ready for a snow cone, place 5-6 cubes in the blender and blend until they have the consistency of shaved ice.
Menu
Stacked Enchiladas*
Tortilla Chips
Grandma’s Banana Dessert*
Recipes:
This homemade stacked enchiladas recipe makes a quick and easy meal that’s great for families! Our entire family just loves it!
Stacked Enchiladas Recipe
1 lb. hamburger, fried, drained and seasoned with salt,
pepper, and onion and garlic powder (Optional: If you don’t want to use meat, use extra cheese)
1/2 head of lettuce, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
Corn tortillas, 1-2 per person
1 can enchilada sauce
Cooking oil
Brown hamburger, chop lettuce and tomato and grate cheese. Add enchilada sauce to hamburger and keep warm. Pour cooking oil about 1/2 inch deep in medium pan and heat.
For the next step, you will be layering things quickly so make sure your plates and ingredients are all lined up and ready to go before you start. The oil is ready when a tortilla touched to the oil sizzles.
Quickly dip each tortilla into oil for 2-3 seconds (just long enough to make the tortilla very soft and pliable). This happens very fast, so be quick and watch it.
Lay tortilla on a plate and layer with 2-3 tablespoons of hamburger mix, cheese, lettuce and tomato.
Add a second or third layer of everything for men and teens or anyone with a hearty appetite.
Serves about 4-6 depending on how much you put on each layer.
If I know I’m going to have a busy day I will fry the hamburger in the morning or the day before and add the enchilada sauce to it. I store it in a microwave container so I can quickly warm it when I need it. I buy grated cheese and bag lettuce then I can have dinner ready in about 10 minutes. Even if I have to start from scratch with everything it only takes me 20 minutes to make this stacked enchiladas recipe.
Grandma’s Banana Dessert
This very simple dessert was always served at my husband’s family’s get togethers. Young and old alike loved this old fashion favorite.
2 small pkg. banana pudding
4 cups milk
2-3 bananas
Vanilla wafer cookies
1 small container whipped topping
Nuts, chopped, optional
Prepare pudding according to package directions and set aside. Cover bottom of 9×13 pan with vanilla wafers. Place a layer of sliced bananas on top of vanilla wafers then spread with pudding. Top it all with whipped topping and sprinkle with nuts. Chill. Best served the same day.
For lots more quick and easy home cooked recipes like this stacked enchiladas recipe, check out our Dining On A Dime Cookbook.
Beverly Penney says
October 14, 2010 at 10:38 amFantastic newsletter, as usual!!! The enchilada recipe sounds wonderful…I don’t think I can get enchilada sauce here in Australia so I’ll figure something else out, maybe I can, they have taco dinner boxes, perhaps, I hope. I love Mexican food more than anything but my Aussie husband doesn’t so I think I can cut it down to just enough for me for 2 days:0 I could eat it every day I think. Thanks for a stupendous recipe for something I love and it’s so easy. You two are absolutely fantastic! Tawra – I hope everything goes well for you in Colorado. Let us know the outcome. Will be praying for you – Beverly
Jill says
October 14, 2010 at 10:56 amBeverly, I am by myself and it is really easy to cut this recipe down. When you fry up hamburger just set aside a bit to use for this recipe. It usually takes about 2-3 Tbsp. for each tortilla. I then just chop a little lettuce, tomato and grate some cheese on top. You could add black olives and sour cream but I love them without too.
grandma says
October 14, 2010 at 11:35 amwas curious what enhillada sauce was. Not much mexican fare up here.
sure sounds easy and all the ingredients are available.
emiril legasse sounds the easiest.
may try this some night when Don is at work and I am home all alone.
I do like taco salads but mine are probably not authentic but what the heck they taste good.
Tawra says
October 14, 2010 at 11:54 amIt’s just tomato sauce with seasonings like cumin, onion, garlic etc.
dale says
May 14, 2015 at 5:40 pmAll grocery stores usually have a section for Mexican food – tacos, tortillos, etc. That’s where you find enchilato sauce in a can. Kroger, Publix carry it.
grandma says
October 14, 2010 at 12:02 pmWell Tawra you certainly took all the romance out of the recipe I found. Enchilada sauce does sound more interesting but you are right.
Sometimes the name does the selling of a recipe.
Once went home as a kid clutching the recipe card for Matrimonial Bars.
was I upset when mom read it and said oh yes. Date Squares.
Melanie says
October 14, 2010 at 12:10 pmI’ve been looking for this recipe! So glad you posted it. My Grandmother and in later years my Mom used to make this with butterscotch pudding every year for Thanksgiving! I’m in the process of making a Family Cookbook/Scrapbook and now I’ll be able to include this recipe. =)
Barbara says
October 14, 2010 at 1:50 pmI Love your news letter. It is so full of great information and wonderful tips on saving money. Keep up the good work.
Kathy says
October 14, 2010 at 2:25 pmYou can reduce the fat calories on enchiladas, by just microwaving the tortillas till they are soft and hot, rather than frying them. It will only take a few seconds per tortilla, maybe 30-40 seconds for a stack of a dozen or so.
Jill says
October 14, 2010 at 2:52 pmAlso if you are worried about fat you can heat the enchilada sauce in a small frying pan and just dip the tortillas in that until they are pliable.
Ann says
October 14, 2010 at 3:41 pmI love the recipe. An even faster “cheat” is to put Frito’s–,ade by Frito-Lay (you can even use lightly crushed tortilla chips–not quite as good) on a plate, pour the enchilada sauce and cheese over the top, pop in the microwave for one minute and then garnish with lettuce and/or tomatoes. Yum, yum!
Elaine says
October 15, 2010 at 2:16 pmJust wanted to let you know that you don’t have to fry the tortillas to get them soft. I get a kitchen towel and put some water on it until it is damp. I put the tortillas inside the towel and wrap it around them. I put them into the microwave for 30 seconds or more, if needed,. The tortillas are warm and soft and can easily be used for stacked enchiladas or an enchilada casserole. I definitely want to try the stacked enchiladas Great idea!
Marianne says
October 17, 2010 at 4:54 pmMy family has a similar recipe, but we use fried saltine crackers instead of corn tortillas. Just fry lightly in oil, flipping after a few seconds. Instead of enchilada sauce, I’ll use leftover chili, or make some and put in some taco seasoning. Then layer it up the same way. The fried crackers sound odd, but they are so good!
Jean says
October 20, 2010 at 11:51 amI use vanilla pudding with the bananas. I found that the banana pudding makes it too much banana taste. Mine has a much lighter banana flavor and tastes so good!!!
mildred lane says
March 29, 2014 at 10:57 pmI use the sugar free instant puddings and use dried out bread to mk bread puddings like my mom made. It is easy,quick,cheap, low calorie and does satisfy the sweet taste need.
Cheryl says
October 20, 2010 at 7:31 pmJust found this site and love it. About this recipe, looks like it has the components of something I’ve made for years that I call my lazy day enchilada casserole. I brown 1 lb ground beef, then put half aside for another meal. To the other half I add either some cooked rice, or refried beans, or both to stretch the main filler. I’ve even just added a can of pintos that arent refried. To that mix, I stir in some enchilada sauce till it has a chili consistency, kinda soupy. Then, I spray a casserole ( use a round one) with no stick spray, put a little meat sauce in the bottom, and a corn tortilla, meat sauce and some shredded cheddar, keep layering corn tortillas, meat sauce and cheese. I dont pre soften the tortillas, they get soft in the oven. I bake it at 350 covered till it smells done (sorry, I just made this up one day and dont have an exact time), then uncover to get the cheese golden, or just serve it like that. I’ve also done this with shredded pork and canned green sauce (verde) and also used flour tortillas if thats what I had on hand. With pork, I dont use beans, I just use pork and rice for the “meat” filler. Hope this makes sense. I’ve made this for years and we get teh same enchilada taste without me having to stand and roll enchiladas (back problems). Hope someone can use this. I never thought I could learn more about saving money but I’m learning a lot here. Love this site!
Margaret says
October 1, 2013 at 10:19 amI do this similarly as well. I use the tortillas straight out of the package and layer with the meat sauce, tortilla, more sauce, grated cheese, tortilla, meat sauce, cheese until I run out, ending with cheese. I heat this in the microwave until all is hot and melted and serve with sour cream. I usually make my own enchilada sauce with a can of tomato sauce, pressed fresh garlic, chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper. I got this out of Quick Cooking magazine years ago.
Jill says
October 1, 2013 at 11:04 amThanks Margaret for the reminder.For those of you who need it we have the recipe in Dining on a Dime and here is the link on the website for it – Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Kathy says
August 13, 2018 at 4:24 pmThis is called New Mexican Enchiladas. My mom was born in New Mexico and was making these for us as far back as I can remember, like 60 years ago. Her side of the family brought the recipe when they came to California. An option is to put a fried egg on top after you assemble it. Love it that way now, but when we were kids just the adults ate it that way, we just liked sauce and cheese on ours 🙂
Cheryl P says
February 5, 2011 at 3:03 pmWe have a meal that we call stacked enchiladas. Instead of usung enchilada sauce you use cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup. I live in New Mexico so we always use green chilis or red chilis for alot of our meals. Here is the recipe.
One can each of cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup
Diced onion to taste
1 small can or 1/4C diced green chili
1 lb hamburger
1can of milk
season as you would your hamburger I use garlic salt and pepper.
Add a little oil to skillet and add onion and green chili, when onion is almost done add hamburger and cook till done. Drain off fat and season to taste. Add both cans of soup and one soup can of milk. Cook till hot and then turn down to simmer while you fry your corn tortillas.
Cook corn tortillas in oil till just soft but no so soft they will fall apart when you try to pick them up.
To make the stacked enchiladas you will take a plate and put one corn tortilla top with approximately 1/4c of meat/soup mixture and then cheese. Repeat till you have as many enchiladas as you will eat. On the last layer add lettuce and whatever else you may want to put on top of your enchiladas. Here in New Mexico they will actually cook an egg and place on top but I do not like it that way so I actually will eat mine with tortilla chips or saltine crackers. To save on fat content you can use fat free soups and fat free milk and instaed of frying your tortillas you can just warm them and do everything you did in satcking them up and you can cook the onions and chilis in olive oil or non stick spray. I hope you all enjoy.