Enchiladas Rojas de Carnitas (Red Pork Enchiladas)
Corn tortillas dipped in smoky red chilli sauce, rolled around crisp pork carnitas and baked under melting cheese.
Made with Red enchilada sauce and Corn tortillas from masa harina and Carnitas (slow cooked pork). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time45 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £3.40 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 the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Use your ready made carnitas (see the base recipe) and shred the pork into small pieces. Mix it with half the chopped onion.
- 2
Warm your ready made red enchilada sauce (see the base recipe) in a wide shallow pan over a low heat until steaming. Spread 4 tbsp of sauce over the base of a large baking dish.
- 3
Heat the oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Fry each corn tortilla (see the base recipe) for 5 seconds a side, just to soften and seal it. Drain on kitchen paper.
1 min - 4
Dip each tortilla in the warm sauce, lay it flat, spoon in some pork and a little mozzarella, roll up and place seam side down in the dish.
- 5
Pour the rest of the sauce over the enchiladas and scatter with the remaining mozzarella and the queso fresco.
- 6
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the edges are crisp and the filling is steaming hot all the way through.
16 min 40 s - 7
Scatter with the remaining onion and the coriander and serve straight away.
Tips
- Frying the tortillas briefly in oil stops them going to mush in the sauce.
- Warm the sauce before dipping so the tortillas soften and bend without cracking.
- Roll tightly and place seam side down so they stay shut in the oven.
- Queso fresco is mild and crumbly, but feta is a good UK swap if you cannot find it.
Storing and freezing
Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. Cool within 1 to 2 hours, then reheat in a hot oven until steaming hot all the way through. Freeze before baking, wrapped well, for up to 2 months.
Questions
Can I use chicken or beef instead of pork?
Yes. Use shredded barbacoa beef or pollo deshebrado in the same quantity and cook for the same time.
Are these enchiladas gluten free?
Yes. Corn tortillas, red chilli sauce, pork and cheese contain no gluten or egg. Check the masa harina pack for a gluten free label if you cook for someone with coeliac disease. They are not dairy free because of the cheese.
Why do the tortillas break when I roll them?
They were not warm or oiled enough. A 5 second dip in hot oil, then a dip in warm sauce, makes them pliable.
More made with red enchilada sauce
Double 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.