Enchiladas with flour tortillas? Are we destined for failure?

We accidentally bought flour tortillas instead of corn for our enchiladas. Is dinner doomed? Should we switch routes? Will the enchiladas be soggy?

Sarah Jampel
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  • 15 Comments

15 Comments

Susan W.
Susan W. January 7, 2017
It will work. Just will be different. When I make enchiladas, I crisp up the corn tortillas first in pork lard and then dip them in the sauce. Don't do that with flour tortillas. Don't ask me how I know that. :-/
 
Smaug
Smaug January 8, 2017
It's actually traditional to dip them in the sauce and then fry them- tried it that way a few times, and it was as messy as it sounds. Currently I sauce one side (the inside) and put the other side on a hot comal for a half minute or so- it's just to soften the tortillas up enough to roll them without breakage;the outside can be sauced after they're rolled.
 
Susan W.
Susan W. January 8, 2017
Yes, I'm aware of that. I grew up in San Diego and have traveled extensively in Mexico. However, that method doesn't appeal to the neat freak in me. I tried the two methods side by side and there was only a tiny difference. My newest method is melt 1/4-1/2 inch pork lard in my cast iron skillet. When hot enough, place one tortilla in skillet. Flip, place a tortilla on that one as the bottom one crisps up, flip them both so top one becomes the bottom one. Repeat until all 12 are ready. I do remove them from the stack as they are ready. I find I use a lot less of my precious pork lard this way.

I'm intrigued about your method. I think I can incorporate it with mine. Maybe there's no need to crisp both sides. It's hard to find good handmade tortillas here in Portland without quite a bit of driving and I'm lazy, so my other trick is to lay them all out in a 250 degree f oven and let them dry for 10 minutes. They crisp up much better and faster.

A good enchilada is one of my favorite meals.
 
Smaug
Smaug January 9, 2017
We seem to be going in opposite directions, though- crisp is the opposite of what I'm going for- how do you roll a crisp tortilla?
 
Susan W.
Susan W. January 9, 2017
When I fry them, the tortillas become soft, but with the littlest bit of light crispness around the edges. You end up with enchiladas that are not soggy, but tender with that slight flavor of fried around the edges. I was being lazy and not describing them properly.
 
BerryBaby
BerryBaby January 7, 2017
I only use flour tortillas because to me the corn tortillas give an additional layer of flavor that I don't care for. I use them for rollups or open face with cheese under the broiler for a quick snack.
 
creamtea
creamtea January 4, 2017
You'll be fine. I use flour tortillas in enchiladas. Sue me.
 
Michael M.
Michael M. January 3, 2017
What everone is missing is the the fun part of cooking. Be adventurous. Use flour, tomato or spinach tortillas. Or maybe no tortillas. Try biscuit dough to make a sort of pot pie. Just don't be so rigid...there are no rules.
 
Smaug
Smaug January 3, 2017
Welllll- there's no enforcement, so I suppose you could say there are no rules- though without them you have no vocabulary. However, if you're seeking a specific result- as the OP apparently is- there are things that will get you there and things that won't. Throwing a bunch of stuff together and seeing what you get can be entertaining, but it's a bit harrowing for most of us to do it day to day.
 
stacy
stacy January 3, 2017
I... I've only made them with flour tortillas. Have I been doing them wrong all this time? Yes they get soggy. But they still taste good
 
Rachel
Rachel January 3, 2017
I have made enchiladas with flour tortillas (Tortillaland tortillas that you cook yourself are far superior to anything else I've found in the grocery store so far), and my husband, who is a Belgian/Mexican loves them. I don't put much sauce in the dish when I make them with flour tortillas though, and I certainly leave an edge of plain tortilla to allow for a crunchy bit when baked (not traditional but I like it). I also mix a little salsa verde with the chicken when I make them. On the other hand, my sister in law and his tías wouldn't dream of making them with anything but corn tortillas and homemade mole or salsa verde. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
 

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drbabs
drbabs January 2, 2017
I'll probably get thrown out of Texas for this, but I think you'll be fine. Not a disaster. They may taste a little different, they may be softer, I'm not sure. But IMHO, too it's no big deal. By the time you do the filling and the sauce and all the cheese, you might not even notice.
 
Michael M.
Michael M. January 2, 2017
Be creative. Top with a little less sauce, shredded lettuce, olives, whatever. Buck tradition, think outside the enchilada.
 
Smaug
Smaug January 2, 2017
Back to the store? Enchilada is actually a very broad category, but if you're planning American style enchiladas swimming in sauce they probably will be soggy, and the flavor of the corn tortillas will be greatly missed.
 
Greg
Greg July 14, 2021
I use homemade flour tortillas to make potato, cheddar cheese, purple onion, olive and diced dill pickle, yes pickles. I first dip tortilla in sauce and then lightly fry on both sides, the tortilla will absorb the sauce. Fill the tortilla, roll it up and bake. there is no need to pour any sauce on top. These will not be soggy and can actually be eaten warm or cold like a burrito. I use a thicker homemade sauce with California chili powder.
 
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