Spinach and Cheese Enchiladas

HopeJohnJP's Note:

From the accolades I got, I really should have spent hours in the kitchen, but this little recipe was embarrassingly easy. Use thawed frozen spinach in lieu of the fresh to save money and time and use whatever jarred salsa you happen to have. I used store brand roasted chipotle to great effect.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4-6

Yield: 10.0 enchila ...

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic cloves
• 1 (11 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves, fresh
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 16 ounces salsa (about 2 cups)
• salt and pepper
• 10 flour tortillas

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Spray an 11 x 13 covered casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wide, deep skillet and sauté the garlic until golden, about 1 minute. Add spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely wilted. Turn off heat.
3. Transfer cooked spinach to a colander and allow to drain, or, once slightly cooled, to a salad spinner. Discard liquid and return spinach to pan.
4. Add cheeses, stirring well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Using a spoon or your hands, shape about 1/4 - 1/2 cups of filling into the shape of a sausage and lay it across the midline of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla closed and place it seam side down into the casserole dish. Repeat with remaining filling and tortillas. May be made in advance and refrigerated, covered, until serving time.
6. Pour salsa over, and bake, covered, for 15 - 20 minutes (allow more if refrigerated) until hot through. Serve with a crisp salad and a cold beer.

Reviews

[Marg (CaymanDesigns)]

My 15-year-old daughter made this for dinner this evening. She had no problems preparing it. We all thought it was very tasty but felt there was a little room for improvement. I think it would be better with twice as much spinach. We also thought enchilada sauce would be an improvement over salsa. She served it with Basic Black Beans.

[Julie F]

I loved that this recipe is SO easy to put together. I used frozen spinach and light ricotta. If you want more flavor, you might want to add some Mexican seasoning to the cheese mixture, but it is great as is. I ran a little low on salsa, so used about 1 cup, which worked fine. I did have to heat it longer than 20 minutes as the center enchiladas were still cool. This will be a go-to recipe when I need a meal fast. I think adding shredded, cooked chicken or leftover beef would be good too.

[Burgundy Damsel]

These were super easy and a really filling, satisfying meal. Next time I'll throw some rice in there as well!