Enchilada Suprema...Yummm!

My niece is going to be a fabulous cook. She and I made enchiladas recently, and she proved to have just the right amount of instincts to make an incredible meal. She came in to help me, and though I doubt she thought she would, ended up completing the meal with me. It’s not that the typical enchilada dish is tricky, or demands extreme focus. It’s more that the meal was made with love and curiosity – emotions I feel get passed on in the food we make, then eat. This is why we need to step away from dinner preparation when we are overtired and angry. Who wants to eat angry food?? (If you haven’t yet, check out the film ‘Like Water for Chocolate’). 

The enchiladas were filled with broccoli, spinach, onions and cheese. It seems, you can’t go wrong with what savory ingredients you put inside. With the right seasonings, just about anything would be great. Try these and let me know what you think – remember several weeks ago, I wrote about imitating restaurant food at home? Well, consider this recipe the ‘north of the border’ equivalent of a Mexican classic. And the cost? Just mere pennies on the dollar for restaurant-quality food, with no hidden ingredients.

Enchilada Suprema

12 corn tortillas
Salsa for brushing
Oil or butter for pan

Broccoli, steamed and chopped
1 bag washed Spinach, or 1 fresh bunch washed well
1 Cup Onion, chopped
2 Cups Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
2 Cups Enchilada Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste



Heat small frying pan over low heat. Brush one tortilla with salsa, then heat in pan. Do not leave too long as it will begin to fall apart – just leave long enough to become pliable. Follow this direction for all 12 tortillas. Separately, sauté the onion in olive oil until translucent. Add spinach and continue sautéing until spinach is limp. Set aside. Mix spinach and onion mixture with broccoli. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper.

To Fill: Spread ½ Cup Enchilada Sauce in bottom of casserole dish. Lay out one warmed tortilla on your work surface. Spread ¼ Cup vegetable mixture down the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle a small handful of shredded cheese on top of the vegetables. Roll the tortilla up, from one end to the other, and place, seam down in a casserole dish. Continue with the remaining tortillas and filling. When complete, pour the remaining Enchilada Sauce over the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining Cheese on top of the Sauce.

Cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees F until warmed through, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven when bubbly and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with additional Enchilada Sauce, and Sour Cream, if desired.

Try other fillings:

Smoked mozzarella with black beans and apple
Butternut squash, roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and cinnamon
Potato, red bean and queso fresco (Mexican cheese)
Ricotta, pesto and mozzarella
Sweet potato, black bean and onion
Chicken, parsley, arugula and monterey jack
Pulled pork, onion and apple

With any of these fillings, you may have to adjust your Sauce choice accordingly. You may not want the tomato-y sauce for anything with apple, for example, but you may choose to make a white sauce or butter sauce instead. What other fillings can you come up with??