Enchiladas are one of the most universally enjoyed and cheapest Mexican meals to make. It is easy to forget how filling these deliciously saucy wraps are when you prepare them with their wonderfully spicy aroma filling your kitchen.
The next time you find yourself making a few too many enchiladas, why not try freezing them instead?
To freeze enchiladas, decide whether you want to freeze them cooked or uncooked then wrap them tightly, bag them up, and place them in the freezer.
How to Freeze Enchiladas
How you freeze enchiladas will change slightly depending on if you have already cooked the enchiladas. The 2 freezing methods below do not vary massively and are very simple to follow but make sure to follow them closely:
How to Freeze Cooked Enchiladas
When you have found yourself with a few too many cooked enchiladas that you do not plan to eat within a few days, freeze them for a quick, instant dinner:
- Leave To Cool
Freezing enchiladas as soon as they have finished cooking will turn the enchilada into a soggy, wet mess. You will need to let the enchiladas cool to at least room temperature before preparing them to freeze. - Portion And Wrap
To individually wrap your enchiladas, separate each portion and cover each enchilada with plastic wrap. Alternatively, you can remove excess sauce from the tray you have cooked your enchiladas in and tightly wrap the whole tray for bulk storage. - Transfer To Container (Or Bag)
Depending on how much room you have in your freezer, you can either keep your individually wrapped enchiladas in an airtight container or plastic bag with all of the air squeezed out of it. Likewise, you can wrap your baking tray in a plastic bag to offer better protection. - Label And Freeze
Cooked enchiladas will last in your freezer for roughly 3 months, so make this clear when you label them using masking tape and a permanent marker. Then all that’s left to do is store your cooked enchiladas conveniently in your freezer.
All you need to do to defrost cooked enchiladas is place them on a baking tray and heat them in the oven for around 20 minutes on a medium heat. Or unwrap the frozen baking tray and place that directly into the oven.
How to Freeze Uncooked Enchiladas
You can easily freeze pre-prepared, uncooked enchiladas to pop into your oven when you need a quick go-to meal without the hustle and bustle of making the enchiladas from scratch. Just follow the steps below:
- Clear Some Room In Your Freezer
The easiest way to freeze raw enchiladas is to freeze them directly in the baking tray you intend to cook them in. However, storing the baking tray will require enough space in your freezer so make some room. - Remove Extra Sauce
When preparing your enchiladas, they will be covered in a lot of sauce. Drain as much sauce as possible from the baking tray before freezing. Otherwise, your enchiladas absorb the sauce and become gooey once defrosted. You can freeze the sauce in a separate container. - Tightly Wrap
The tighter you can cover your enchiladas, the less likely they will develop freezer burn as they will not be directly exposed to the cold freezer air. You can use tin foil to wrap the tray if you wish, but plastic wrap will allow for a tighter wrapping. - Cover In A Plastic Bag
Covering your tightly wrapped enchiladas in a plastic or paper bag will further limit how exposed the enchiladas are to the freezer, helping to prevent extra ice crystals from forming and making the enchiladas soggy. - Label And Freeze
Once ready, clearly label your enchiladas before putting them in the freezer. You will want to clarify on your label that the enchiladas are raw and give them a use-by date of up to 3 months.
Take the frozen, drained enchilada sauce out of the freeze and leave it to thaw in the fridge a few hours before you are ready to defrost your enchiladas. Then pour the sauce over your frozen raw enchiladas and cook in the oven for around 45 minutes.
How to Freeze Enchiladas Successfully
Nothing will ever beat a fresh enchilada, but frozen enchiladas almost perfectly preserve that spicey, crunchy, melty goodness… almost. Here are a few tips on how to make the most of your frozen enchiladas:
- Use Fresh Cheese – Enchiladas are known for their satisfying cheese pull, which is hard to achieve once the enchiladas have been frozen. When you are ready to reheat your enchiladas, grate a heap of extra cheese on top of them before putting them in the oven.
- Do Not Freeze Longer Than 3 Months – Regardless of how well you prepare your enchiladas to be frozen, they will turn soggy and unpleasant if left in our freezer for more than 3 months because of how much sauce is required to make the enchiladas.
Do Enchiladas Freeze Well?
Both raw and cooked enchiladas freeze fairly well. The main issue with freezing enchiladas is the extra sauce, which can make the tortillas soggy if there is too much.
This can be solved by removing as much of the sauce as possible before freezing.
Freezing Enchiladas FAQs
Do you still have a query or two about freezing enchiladas? Then these FAQs might help you out:
Uncooked enchiladas will freeze better than cooked enchiladas as they tend to retain their texture and not become soggy. There is also less risk of overbaking them if you freeze them uncooked.
Unfortunately, enchiladas do not keep long in the fridge. They will only last 2 to 3 days before they begin to go bad. This is why freezing them is such a good idea.
Acacia may be a freelance writer by day, but they are a food fanatic by night. They are always trying out new recipes or finding different ways to elevate classical dishes. But their biggest culinary aim is to educate others on the basics of the kitchen so that they too can enjoy delicious food.
