Enchiladas de Atún (Tuna Enchiladas)
A thrifty home cooking classic: tinned tuna with onion and chilli rolled in soft tortillas and baked under red sauce.
Made with Red enchilada sauce and Flour tortillas. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.20 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat 200°C (180°C fan). Warm your ready made red enchilada sauce (see the base recipe) in a pan over a low heat.
- 2
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion and jalapeño for 5 minutes until soft. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
7 min - 3
Stir in the drained tuna, half the coriander and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 minutes just to heat through, breaking up large flakes.
2 min - 4
Warm your flour tortillas (see the base recipe) briefly in a dry pan so they bend without cracking, then dip each in the warm sauce.
- 5
Fill each with tuna mixture, roll and lay seam side down in a baking dish. Pour over the remaining sauce and scatter with the cheese.
- 6
Bake for 12 minutes until the cheese melts and the sauce bubbles. Scatter with the remaining coriander.
12 min
Tips
- Drain the tuna very well, otherwise the filling is wet and the tortillas split.
- Tuna in spring water works best. Oil packed tuna makes the filling greasy.
- Use corn tortillas instead of flour for a gluten free version, and check the label.
- A squeeze of lime over each plate lifts the whole dish.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 hour and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through. Not ideal for freezing because the tortillas go soft.
Questions
Can I use fresh tuna?
You can, but tinned is the traditional choice for this home style dish. If using fresh, cook 350 g and flake it before mixing.
Can I use salmon instead?
Yes. Use tinned pink salmon, drained, with any skin removed and soft bones mashed in, or flake cooked fresh salmon.
Is it very spicy?
It is mild to medium. Leave out the jalapeño if you cook for children.
Can I make it ahead?
Assemble up to 6 hours ahead and keep covered in the fridge, then bake for 15 minutes until steaming hot.
More made with red enchilada sauce
Quesadillas de Jaiba con Salsa Roja (Crab Quesadillas)
EFNFEnchiladas Placeras (Plaza Style Enchiladas with Potato and Carrot)
GFEFNFAlbóndigas en Chile Rojo con Arroz Rojo (Meatballs in Red Chilli Sauce)
GFNFPescado a la Talla (Guerrero Style Grilled Fish)
DFEFNFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.