Air Fryer Enchiladas: The Best Way to Make Enchiladas

Faster Enchiladas in the Air Fryer

When my older kids were younger I tried being super mom by making really fancy meals like enchiladas. It would take forever to prepare and cook, then my kids would only take one bite and say it was too soggy. Needless to say, we hardly ever ate enchiladas again.

It wasn’t until I tried making enchiladas in the air fryer a couple weeks ago that everything changed. Not only is the recipe extremely easy and 100% homemade, but it only takes minutes to whip up in the air fryer! And, bonus, they aren’t soggy! You are going to love this recipe as much as we did!

How to Make Enchiladas in the Air Fryer: Two Ways

This recipe is super adaptable. I will first share with you a little more hands on version with making a homemade enchilada sauce. This recipe is broken down into three sections.

Then, I will mention a few substitutions you can make so that this recipe is even quicker. Whichever version you choose to make, it will be so tasty and delicious!

Homemade Spice Mix for Air Fryer Enchiladas

This recipe is so tasty and flavorful because of these spices and seasonings. It’s super easy to throw together. In a bowl, simply mix together: 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon cumin powder, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, spiciness).

Quicker Option: These seasonings are basically a taco seasoning mix. Use your favorite mix instead of stirring these ingredients together. However, it’s so simple that I recommend these spices. Plus, you could double or triple the recipe so that you have more for another time.

Incredibly Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Enchiladas scared me because of the enchilada sauce. However, I have since discovered that making homemade enchilada sauce is super easy when you keep the ingredients simple! For this incredible and delicious enchilada sauce, you need:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken stock or broth
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

How to Make Homemade Enchilada Sauce

It only takes 4 steps to whip together this tasty enchilada sauce.

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and mix to combine into a paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
2. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, whisk straight away then it will turn into a thick smooth paste quite quickly.
3. Add remaining chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the Spice Mix. Whisk together.
4. Increase heat to medium high. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking regularly, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of thick syrup. Remove from heat.

Quicker Option: Instead of making enchilada sauce, you can also use premade enchilada sauce from the store!

How to Prepare Beef Enchilada Filling

The filling for your enchiladas is pretty simple. You don’t need to overcomplicate this one! You will need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 14 ounce can refried beans
• 14 ounce can black beans, drained

To make the filling, heat the oil, add the garlic and onion and let it sizzle for a minute or so. Add the ground beef and add the remaining Spice Mix. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until completely brown.

Next, add refried beans, black beans, about ¼-½ cup of Enchilada Sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix and cook for 2 minutes then remove from the stove.

How to Cook Enchiladas in the Air Fryer

At this point, everything is ready to be assembled and cooked together! You will be amazed with how easy this is!

To assemble this quickly, you will want to make a few different stations. First, 8-12 tortillas (this will depend on the size of your tortillas how many you are able to cook in the air fryer)

Next station, the filling.

Third station, the air fryer basket. To avoid leakage, make a foil sling by getting a piece of foil slightly larger than the air fryer basket. Fold the foil so that it will fit the air fryer basket by making two of the sides slightly taller to look like handles. This will make it easier to remove the enchiladas when they have finished cooking.

Air Fryer Enchiladas

Place filling on the lower third of a tortilla. Roll up then place in the air fryer basket, seam side down. Repeat with remaining Filling & Tortillas. (The amount of enchiladas that you will be able to put in your air fryer basket will depend on its size. You may have to cook in batches, or freeze some for later!)

Pour sauce over the enchiladas, top with cheese, bake for 4 minutes at 350°F/175°C, or until the cheese is melted.

Carefully remove from the air fryer basket and enjoy as is or with your favorite enchiladas toppings!

Yes, it is EASY to make enchiladas in the air fryer.

Substitutions

It’s okay if you don’t have everything for this recipe. Instead of making homemade enchilada sauce, use your favorite sauce from the store. Likewise for the spice mix. The spice mix makes about 1 ounce/29 grams of mix. So you can thus substitute likewise with your own taco seasoning or enchilada seasoning mix.

Finally, if you don’t have black beans on hand you could use refried beans or visa versa. You may just not have as much filling, and won’t be able to make as many enchiladas.

Final Thoughts

This recipe is so wonderful because of how quick it is in the air fryer! Can you believe that you can eat delicious enchiladas in only 4 minutes! Amazing, I know! You can adapt this recipe with your personal favorite enchilada recipe and still the cooking instructions would be the same. Air fryer enchiladas is the only way to eat them now!

Have leftover enchiladas?

Freeze any extra enchilada filling mix. Either you can freeze the mix in a freezer bag or assemble a few more enchiladas, wrap them in tin foil, then freeze them for later. When cooking, let them defrost slightly. Then cook in the air fryer as written. You may need to add a couple extra minutes so that it is thoroughly warmed and cooked through!

You can also do a quick defrost in the microwave for a couples minutes, then cook them in the air fryer. Use an instant read thermometer to gauge how hot the inside of the enchilada is, then pull it out when it’s hot!

More tasty air fryer recipes:

• Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
• Air Fryer Beef Jerky
• Lemon Berry Baked Oatmeal in the Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Cheeseburger Egg Rolls
• Air Fryer Juicy Steak and Mushrooms Bites

A few good things to know about your air fryer before you start using it

• Air Fryer 101
• Common Air Fryer Mistakes!
• The Best and Worst Air Fryer Accessories
• How to Clean Your Air Fryer
• How to Cook Any Recipe in the Air Fryer

Air Fryer Enchiladas: The Best Way to Make Enchiladas

Want to make tasty enchiladas in minutes? You got to try this easy and simple air fryer enchilada recipe!

4.70 / 5 ( 13 Reviews )

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 minutes minutes

Serves: 8

Adjust Servings: 8

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

Spice Mix (makes 1 ounce/29 grams of mix) (see recipe notes)

• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, spiciness

Enchilada Sauce (see recipe notes)

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken stock or broth
• 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Beef (see recipe notes)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 onion finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 14 ounce can refried beans
• 14 ounce can black beans drained

Enchiladas

• 8-12 tortillas this will depend on the size of tortillas you use, I used medium sized and was able to get 12 enchiladas
• 1 ½ cups grated melting cheese Fiesta blend, Monterey Jack, cheddar cheese, you can choose any cheese you love!
• Cilantro for garnish
• 1/4-1/2 cup enchilada sauce

Instructions

Spice Mix (see recipe notes)

• Mix together Spice Mix ingredients. Set aside.

Enchilada Sauce (see recipe notes)

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and mix to combine into a paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, whisk straight away then it will turn into a thick smooth paste quite quickly.
• Add remaining chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the Spice Mix. Whisk together.
• Increase heat to medium high. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking regularly, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of thick syrup. Remove from heat.

Beef Filling (see recipe notes)

• Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes.
• Add beef and cook for 2 minutes, breaking it up as you go. Add remaining Spice Mix. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until completely brown.
• Add refried beans, black beans, about ¼-½ cup of Enchilada Sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix and cook for 2 minutes then remove from the stove.

Enchiladas in the Air Fryer

• Make a tinfoil sling that fits your air fryer basket. Be sure to leave enough room for air flow.
• Place filling on the lower third of a tortilla. Roll up then place in the air fryer basket, seam side down. Repeat with remaining Filling & Tortillas. (The amount of enchiladas that you will be able to put in your air fryer basket will depend on its size. You may have to cook in batches, or freeze some for later!)
• Pour sauce over the enchiladas, top with cheese, bake for 4 minutes at 350°F/175°C, or until the cheese is melted.
• Carefully remove from the air fryer basket and enjoy as is or with your favorite enchiladas toppings!

Recipe Notes

1. Can substitute homemade spice mix ingredients with a prepackaged taco or enchilada seasoning mix.
2. Can substitute the homemade enchilada sauce with a premade canned enchilada sauce. But, if you have the time and ingredients, I recommend this recipe- its so good!
3. Ground beef in the air fryer option. Instead of cooking the ground beef on the stove top, cook the ground beef in the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/204°C for 5 minutes. Place the beef in the air fryer and break it up. Cook in the air fryer at 380°F/193°C for 4 minutes. Stir beef and break apart if necessary. Add the garlic and onion. Then cook for another 3 minutes, or until done.
4. I used medium sized tortillas and had enough to fill 12 tortillas. You may fill more or less tortillas depending on the size you get.

Nutrition

Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 27g | Sodium: 1161mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g

Recipe Adapted From: Recipe Tin Eats