Introduction:
Starving for savory, Mexican-inspired, and super-fast? Well, here’s your solution: bold enchilada sauce, shrimp tenderly cooked, melted cheese, soft tortillas-all the goodness in a fraction of the time it takes to order takeout. Prep to finish this dish in less than 30 minutes.
Ideal for weeknights, this dish lets you quickly please your family when short on time. This simplicity of Shrimp Enchilada Bake brings all the comforting flavors of traditional enchiladas into a casserole format that cuts preparation time in half and cleanup time as well.
The magic in this dish lies in its layers: the soft corn or flour tortillas, the juicy shrimp marinating in enchilada sauce, the gooey cheese, and the unmistakable smoky flavor of the sauce itself.
All those ingredients combine and melt while it bakes, creating a creamy, spicy, savory meal that is at once satisfying and comforting. I think the best part of this dish is that it’s easily made adaptable to your family’s tastes or what you have on hand since you can use this recipe with your favorite toppings or ingredients.
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Enchilada Bake
Quick and Easy: With such minimal prep time, this dish can be assembled and baked in under 30 minutes for those busy nights.
One-Pan Meal: All the shrimp enchiladas can be baked at one time in this baking dish and hence save from the complexity of multiple pots and pans.
Delicious Mexican Flavors: Enchilada sauce, cheese, and shrimp just melt together into these old standby Mexican flavors, and they are served in a simple casserole.
Customizable: Pretty flexible when you add your favorite vegetables and substitute the shrimp with another protein or adjust the spice level to your heart’s desire.
Great for Leftovers: You will love how good it is the day after, so great to make for meal prep or finish off last night’s dinner.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Shrimp Enchilada Bake requires just a handful of ingredients, many of which you may already have in your pantry or fridge. The simplicity of the ingredients allows the rich enchilada sauce and shrimp to shine, creating a flavorful and satisfying meal.
For the Shrimp Enchilada Bake:
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 cups red or green enchilada sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 8 small corn or flour tortillas, cut into halves or quarters
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
- Sour cream, avocado, or jalapeños for topping (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat Oven
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish so the enchiladas won’t stick. You only need a light layer of olive oil or just a little non-stick spray.
2. Cook the Shrimp Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the chopped onions and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Season the shrimp with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add shrimp to the skillet. Cook shrimp 3-4 minutes, or until they are pink and opaque. Remove from heat and set aside.
Tip: Thaw frozen prawns carefully and drain pretty thoroughly before cooking. Replace in any protein: ground beef, shredded chicken, or a plant-based choice.
3. Get the enchilada bake assembled
Cover the bottom of the oiled baking dish equally with one-fourth cup of the enchilada sauce.
Layer half of the tortilla pieces overlapping them slightly. Add half of the cooked shrimp and onions over the tortillas and top with a generous layer of shredded cheese. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, shrimp, and cheese. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top so that it touches all surfaces of the entire dish.
Tip: To make it far creamier, sandwich layers of tortillas and prawns between sour cream or cream cheese.
4. Enchilada Casserole: Bake
In Step 17: Flat the spinach leaves then top with shredded cheese. Cover with aluminum foil; bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. After removing the aluminum foil, heat for another five minutes or until bubbling cheese results. Broil for roughly one to two minutes if you want the cheese to be somewhat crusty on top.
5. Garnish and Serve
Take out of the oven; allow the Shrimp Enchilada Bake to cool somewhat. Add fresh chopped cilantro; top with sliced avocado, sour cream, jalapeños, or chopped tomatoes according on your preference. Present hot beside some fresh salad, beans, or rice on a side dish.
Customization Ideas
This Shrimp Enchilada Bake has one of the best qualities: adaptability. It’s simple enough to rearrange things to suit you whether you wish to add more veggies, substitute another protein, or vary the spice level. These suggestions help you to personalize your enchilada bake:
Add Vegetables: Add bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach to increase the nutritional worth. Just sauté them with the onions then toss the shrimp in.
Swap the Protein: If you’re not a fan of shrimp, you could quickly substitute shredded chicken, cooked ground beef, or even a plant-based protein like tofu or black beans.
Change the Spice Level: Use mild enchilada sauce rather than chili powder to cut the spice level. For added spiciness, toss some diced jalapeño or cayenne pepper.
Cheese Choices: Variance of Cheese: Feel free to combine numerous kinds of cheeses any way you choose. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and queso fresco are used together to add layers of taste and texture to the recipe.
Make It Creamy: For a creamier enchilada bake, sandwich sour cream or softened cream cheese between the tortilla and prawn layers.
Nutritional Benefits
Lean and low in calories, shrimp is high in vital nutrients including omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and vitamin B12. These vitamins improve brain function, lower inflammation, and help heart health. Including shrimp in this enchilada bake gives your dinner a nutrient-dense component with significant health advantages.
Particularly if you choose a homemade or low-sodium variation, the enchilada sauce gives the meal taste and depth while keeping it somewhat light. Making it with whole-grain tortillas or corn tortillas rather than flour tortillas adds an extra serving of fiber, which assists with digestion and keeps one feeling fuller for longer.
This is a flexible dinner that can be adapted to meet any diet by using lower-fat cheese or some other dairy substitute. It still packs a lot of cheese, providing calcium and protein.
Conclusion:
With a straightforward one-pan technique, the Shrimp Enchilada Bake is a quick, simple, and delicious meal that delivers all the familiar tastes of enchiladas. Enjoyed any night of the week, this is a filling dinner combining juicy prawns, fiery enchilada sauce, melting cheese, and tortillas. This Shrimp Enchilada Bake will quickly become a family favorite whether you’re meal-prepping for the next week or cooking for your gathering.
The flexibility of this meal is its greatest feature. To fit your family’s tastes, add more vegetables for a nutritional boost, or change the spice level to make it as mild or as hot as you desire. And it’s a great way to enjoy the flavors of classic enchiladas without having to make a number of separate dishes or roll all the tortillas.
So the next time you’re in the mood for a quick tasty, Mexican-inspired dinner, give this Shrimp Enchilada Bake a try; it’s perfect for busy week evenings.