Ready for a made-from-scratch dinnertime triumph you can be seriously proud of? These authentic, restaurant-quality Shrimp Enchiladas are the perfect choice. You are about to enjoy the best enchiladas of your life and you made them yourself, in your very own kitchen. Let's get started!
Our enchilada sauce was tailor-made to compliment the flavor of the shrimp (which, by the way only takes 2 minutes to cook to juicy perfection!). It's rich, creamy, and savory, with just the right amount of heat. Paired with shrimp, corn tortillas, and melty cheese, these things are seriously addictive!
All of the flavors come together effortlessly, yet feel so gourmet, making this the perfect dish for entertaining at home. And while you're at it, why not whip up an easy margarita to serve alongside your meal? Alright, my work here is done, you are officially the hostess with the mostest, so go get'em!
Already planning your next gathering? Why not keep with the Tex-Mex theme and try our tacos de camaron, shrimp quesadillas, or ceviche de camaron?
HOW TO MAKE SHRIMP ENCHILADAS
There are a few prep items you want to get underway before you begin making your creamy jalapeño sauce for your Shrimp Enchiladas. The first item to check off the list is preheating the oven. Get your oven preheating to 350°F.
Next, prepare a 9 x 13" greased casserole dish. Last, on the prep list, grab a large pot of water and place it over high heat.
It's best to get your water boiling ahead of time; that way, once your jalapeno cream sauce is finished, you can start cooking your shrimp!
To make a sauce, you'll need to cook the onions and the jalapeños.
To do this, add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat and allow it to come to temperature. We prefer flavorless oil like canola or avocado oil over olive oil for this Shrimp Enchilada recipe.
Then add the chopped jalapeños and onions and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Once the onions and jalapeños are soft, you can add in the garlic and cook for about one minute more.
Transfer the peppers, onions, and garlic to a food processor fitted with a blade attachment or a blender. Add cilantro, secure the lid, and remove the feed tube.
Removing the feed tube or blender cap will allow for steam to release and prevent any pressure build-ups within your blending vessel. Cover the opening with a kitchen towel and blend until puréed and smooth.
Set the veggie mix aside and return your pan to the stovetop. This time, you'll need to have the pan going over medium-high heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of oil to the pan and allow it to come to temperature. Sprinkle in a couple of tablespoons of all-purpose flour and whisk for about two minutes. This oil and flour mixture will serve as the thickener for your creamy jalapeño enchilada sauce.
After about two minutes of whisking, begin adding in your half and half one big splash at a time, whisking after each addition. Once your sauce is looking perfectly smooth, add in the kosher salt and smoked paprika and stir once more. Allow this mixture to come to a simmer, and then reduce to maintain a simmer. It's almost time to start assembling your Shrimp Enchiladas!
I allow your sauce to simmer for about five minutes, stirring often, just until it has slightly thickened. Once the five minutes is up, you will stir in the puréed peppers and onions and remove the sauce from the heat.
By the time your sauce has finished on the stovetop, the water for your shrimp should have reached a roaring boil. Carefully add your peeled and deveined shrimp to the boiling water and allow it to cook for about two minutes.
Your shrimp is cooked through once it takes on a pink color and is completely opaque. Remove the shrimp from the boiling water using a slotted spoon and transfer it to a work surface.
As soon as your shrimp is cool enough to handle, grab a knife and give it a rough chop. You want your shrimp to be in small, bite-size pieces.
To ready the shrimp enchilada filling, add the chopped shrimp to a small mixing bowl, along with freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese and about ¾ cup of your creamy jalapeño enchilada sauce. Mix these ingredients together with a fork and set the bowl aside.
Now that you have your sauce and your shrimp filling ready to go, you'll need to ready your tortillas.
To make your corn tortillas pliable for rolling your shrimp enchiladas, you'll need to get them warm. The easiest way to do this is to wrap a stack of 3 to 4 tortillas in the center of a damp paper towel and microwave for about 45 seconds to one minute.
Add a little spoonful of enchilada sauce to the bottom of the prepared casserole dish and begin rolling your enchiladas.
Rolling enchiladas is super easy. No need to be intimated here!
To roll your enchiladas like a pro, you'll add about 2 to 3 tablespoons worth of shrimp filling to each corn tortilla and roll tightly.
Place the enchiladas seam side down in the casserole dish, pour over the remaining sauce, and top with the remaining cheese.
Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, just until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese looks perfectly melty. Allow to cool slightly, then serve and enjoy!
6 MORE ENCHILADA RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Green Chili Enchiladas
- Cheese Enchiladas
- Enfrijoladas
- Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas
- Sour Cream Enchiladas
- Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas
Green Enchiladas
Cheese Enchiladas
Enfrijoladas
Crock-Pot Chicken Enchiladas
Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas | Recipe
These authentic Shrimp Enchiladas are restaurant quality but surprisingly easy to make. Perfect for at-home entertaining!
- 4 tablespoons avocado or canola oil, separated
- 10 jalapenos, seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 white onion, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic.
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails removed)
- 2 ½ cups freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 12 corn tortillas
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Preheat the oven to 350°, and prepare a 9x13" greased casserole dish.
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To make the sauce, bring 2 tablespoons of oil to temperature in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the jalapenos and onions and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
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Transfer the peppers, onion, and garlic to a food processor fitted with a blade attachment or a blender. Add the cilantro, secure the lid, and remove the feed tube. Cover the opening with a dish towel and blend until smooth and pureed. Set aside and return the pan to medium-high heat.
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Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, allow to heat through, and sprinkle with flour. Whisk the flour into the oil for about 2 minutes.
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Begin adding the half and half in one big splash at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the Kosher salt and smoked paprika, and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and allow the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes, just until slightly thickened, stirring often.
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Stir in the pureed peppers and onions and remove from the heat. Set aside while you cook the shrimp.
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To cook the shrimp, ready a large pot of water over high heat. Bring to a boil and add the shrimp. Allow the shrimp to boil for about 2 minutes. As soon as the shrimp are cooked through, quickly use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp and transfer to a work surface.
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Once the shrimp are cool enough to handle, cut them into small, bite-sized pieces.
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Transfer the chopped shrimp to a small mixing bowl, along with about ¾ cup of the sauce and 1 ½ cup of shredded cheese. Mix with a fork to combine.
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To warm the tortillas for rolling, stack 4 tortillas in the center of a damp paper towel, and microwave for 1 minute. Repeat until all of the tortillas are warm and pliable.
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Add a ladleful of sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish and begin rolling your enchiladas.
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Add about 2-3 tablespoons worth of filling to each tortilla and roll tightly. Place seam-side down across the casserole dish. Pour over the remaining sauce, and top with the remaining cheese.
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Bake 25-30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy.
