Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas brings together fresh shrimp, onions, red bell pepper, and garlic, all wrapped up in a creamy Monterrey Jack cheese sauce. Serve with a side of Mexican Rice and Black Beans. Elegant enough for company yet easy enough for a weeknight.
Why this recipe works
Not everyone is a shrimp lover, but for those of us who are, this is a must-try. These Easy Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas are a shrimp lover’s dream and really only require about 30 minutes, making them easy enough for a weeknight dinner. Onions, sweet red bell pepper, jalapeno (don’t panic, the amount can be adjusted), garlic, and shrimp are all sauteed in a large skillet with just a tad of seasoning.
This mixture is then rolled into flour tortillas. Meanwhile, you are going to make a creamy cheese sauce with just a few ingredients, including sour cream and Monterey Jack cheese. Then, pour the cheese sauce over the enchiladas and pop them in the oven for just a few minutes to brown off the cheese and reheat. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro and sliced jalapenos, and you are your loved ones are ready to chow.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- If available, use wild-caught shrimp. They are better for you and, in my opinion, taste better.
- Do not overcook the shrimp. Things move pretty darn fast.
- For optimal flavor, use good-quality flour tortillas. Check your local Mexican grocery store. They are worth the extra change.
- You can use corn tortillas for a more authentic enchilada. But heat them first so they do not crumble. Heating in a skillet over medium heat for just a few seconds or in the microwave wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel for about 20-30 seconds works well.
- For a spicier version, try Pepper Jack cheese or add a little cayenne pepper or green chilies to the cheese sauce.
- If you are in a super hurry, skip the oven step. Keep the shrimp mixture warm on a covered plate. Wrap the shrimp mixture in the warm tortillas and drizzle with the cheese sauce.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro, jalapeno slices, guacamole, or salsa verde.
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Easy Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas
Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas brings together fresh shrimp, onions, red bell pepper, and garlic, all wrapped up in a creamy Monterrey Jack cheese sauce.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Main Meal
- Method: Stovetop and Oven
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
- 1 red pepper bell pepper diced very small
- 1/2 jalapeno minced
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled, deveined, and cut in bite-size pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 6 (8 inch) flour tortillas or corn tortillas
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray the casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan or skillet. Add the onions, red pepper, and jalapeno. Cook for about 4 minutes; stir several times. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink and the centers of them are opaque; about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and the cumin and cook for about 1 minute.
- Divide the shrimp mixture evenly between the tortillas, roll them, and place seam-side down in the casserole dish.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and cook until slightly thickened; 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in Monterey Jack cheese until melted. Whisk in sour cream. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the shrimp enchiladas.
- Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
Notes
- If available, use wild-caught shrimp. They are better for you and, in my opinion, taste better.
- Do not overcook the shrimp. Things move pretty darn fast.
- For optimal flavor, use good-quality flour tortillas. Check your local Mexican grocery store. They are worth the extra change.
- You can use corn tortillas for a more authentic enchilada. But heat them first so they do not crumble. Heating in a skillet over medium heat for just a few seconds or in the microwave wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel for about 20-30 seconds works well.
- For a spicier version, try Pepper Jack cheese or add a little cayenne pepper or green chilies to the cheese sauce.
- If you are in a super hurry, skip the oven step. Keep the shrimp mixture warm on a covered plate. Wrap the shrimp mixture in the warm tortillas and drizzle with the cheese sauce.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro, jalapeno slices, guacamole, or salsa verde.
Keywords: quick and easy shrimp enchiladas, recipe shrimp enchiladas, enchiladas, how to make shrimp enchiladas
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Jack
This was an interesting, and new recipe to me. I LOVE trying new recipes and these shrimp enchiladas were so darn tasty. They were pretty easy to make too. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Monica
Your shrimp enchiladas recipe is a winner! We enjoyed every bite of this delicious recipe. This is now on our regular rotation. Thanks for sharing your culinary talents!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Monica! I am so glad that you like the shrimp enchiladas!
Clarice
Wow! This looks really delicious. This made me crave for some shrimp enchiladas. Will try to make this on Saturday. Thank you for sharing the recipe. Will try the spicier version with some pepper jack cheese.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Clarice! Enjoy, they are delicious!
Rich
I am definitely not a shrimp lover, but this looks delicious anyway. Thanks for the recipe.
Jack
I made these with corn tortillas and pepperjack cheese and they were delicious! The pepper jack cheese added a little kick that everyone loved.
Melanie
This was a great recipe. It is easy to make and so creamy! We will make it again.
★★★★★
Nicki
Oh my! This is making me crave it. It looks absolutely delicious and tasty. I will make it this weekend and let you know how it turned out.
Angelica
These are amazing shrimp enchiladas. Everyone loved them and I will make them again.
Marysa
I like the idea of a shrimp enchilada. Definitely more interesting and flavorful compared to the ones that I have made recently. Sounds so tasty!
Angela Campos
This was such an easy and delicious meal! My kids loved it and I can’t wait to make it again!!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Angela! So glad that you and the kids liked the shrimp ennchiladas!
Debbie
This was the perfect recipe for my husband and I for dinner. He loves enchiladas and I love shrimp. I loved how creamy, cheesy, and quick the recipe was. Thank you!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Debbie! I am so glad that you and your husband enjoyed the shrimp enchiladas.
Stephanie
This recipe for shrimp enchiladas is one I’ve made a few times. The family always looks forward to it!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Stephanie! So glad that they like the enchiladas!
Nancy
These are so yummy! I make them often. This is one of my favorite recipes.
Maureen
I love these shrimp enchiladas! They are so tasty and just one of the easiest meals to make. I am on kitchen duty this week and will definitely make these again.
Stephanie
These are delicious! Anything with shrimp and cheese together is a hit in my house. I can’t wait to make these again.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Stephanie! I am so glad that you enjoyed the shrimp enchiladas!
Lori McDaniel
I never leave comments, even when I love a recipe. Honestly I just forget. But this one deserved me remembering and letting you know how phenomenal they were! Both my husband and I said they were the best enchiladas we have ever had…EVER! That sauce is incredible! I only made two additions. I sautéed some angel hair cabbage (about 3 cups) in with the veggies and also added about 3 chopped Chipotles In Adobo Sauce for a little extra spice. There was enough filling for 10 enchiladas. Soooooo incredible and will definitely be a recipe we repeat often!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lori! I am so glad that you and your husband like the shrimp enchiladas! I love chipotle peppers! What a great addition.
Peggy
I am wondering if these can be frozen after cooking?
Beth Pierce
Yes you can for up to 2 months Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Bonnie Rhomberg
Made it for my family,they all loved it. Making again today for my husband’s birthday . This will be made often in our home
Ty for another amazing recipe.
Can you make ahead and refrigerate till ready to bake.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
I am so glad that you like the enchiladas, Bonnie. I don’t think that these would work well making ahread of time because the tortillas would not hold up well. Sorry about the delay. It is such a busy time of the year.
Carol Davis
My husband made these for dinner tonight and they were fabulous! So good
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Carol! So glad that you and your husband enjoyed the enchiladas!
Sara Welch
I love enchiladas and this recipe was no exception! I have never tried enchiladas with shrimp until now, and it has easily become a new favorite recipe! Delicious!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sara! So happy to hear they are your new favorite!
Kushigalu
These shrimp enchiladas were amazingly delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Michelle
This was amazing! So easy to make and everyone in our house asked when I’m gonna make it again! Thank you!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Michelle!
TAYLER ROSS
I made these shrimp enchiladas for dinner last night and it was so delicious! I can’t wait to make them again!
★★★★★
Jess
Creamy and delicious!
★★★★★
Laura
Made these last night for a girls murder mystery night. Only substitute was shredded cheddar since I didn’t have Jack. They were a huge hit! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Sounds like fun! I wish someone would ask me to a murder mystery night! So glad that everyone loved the enchilada!
john mc gee
LOVED IT!!!!! but i knocked out the jalopenos and cumin(can’t eat hott)
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Gotcha! So glad that you liked them!
Cyndi
Super good! I was out of sour cream so I had to use what I had so about a 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt and 1/4 cup of cream cheese. It turned out fantastic!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it! Thanks for the tip.
Mary Mooney
After reading the comments, I also used seafood stock and added some fresh spinach to the shrimp mixture. Will definitely make this again!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Mary! Glad that you liked it and thanks for the tips!!
Tracey
I added crabmeat to mine and ohhhh so yummy!!!! 😊
Beth Pierce
Sounds delicious!
Amanda
What kind of red pepper?
Beth Pierce
Red bell pepper
deanna pfleiderer
can you use chicken instead of shrimp my husband is allergic to seafood
Beth Pierce
Yes you most certainly can.
Jill
These shrimp enchiladas are definitely going on my menu plan for this week. Yum!
★★★★★
Jessica Formicola
I have some shrimp that needs to get used up tonight, so these enchiladas are on the menu! Thanks so much for sharing!
★★★★★
Sue
I love both shrimp and Monterey Jack cheese, so I knew I had to try this. It did not disappoint! Will definitely make it again!
★★★★★
Shashi
I so need this for dinner tonight – so easy and comforting – perfect for this rather cold day we are having!
Claudia Lamascolo
The sauce and using shrimp was a brilliant idea and we love this dish!
★★★★★
Jacqueline Meldrum
I always forget about enchiladas but I don’t know why. They are so good!
★★★★★
Kushigalu
Love enchiladas but never tried with shrimp. What a great variation. Yum
★★★★★
Biana
Yum! Looks like a simple and delicious dinner for the family.
★★★★★
Jason
Excellent, awesome recipe! A made a couple of audibles, but you still get all the credit! I used seafood stock instead of chicken broth, as well as a little cream. I also added baby spinach for a little bit more veggies. Absolutely highly recommend this recipe!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Jason! So glad that you liked it. Do you make your own seafood stock? If so please share your process.
Michelle G
I just found this recipe while looking for some low carb dinner ideas. I swapped low carb tortillas for the regular ones and used more cheese and a tiny bit of xantham gum to thicken the cheese sauce. Even with the changes, it was such a hit. My husband said he would pay for it at a restaurant! High praise
I had planned to have leftovers, but we ate it all. This will go on permanent rotation.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Michelle! So glad that you and the husband liked it. Those are some great low carb ideas that my readers will love!
Middy
These were so awesome! I am learning how to cook and my parents are my guinea pigs lol. I made them tonight and my mom said I could make them again any time! Only things I changed was using onion instead of shallots and I used a fiesta blend cheese as the nearby grocery store was all out of montery jack cheese. But they were still really good. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe and I am going to save your webpage for more awesome recipes!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
That is awesome. Cooking is so therapeutic. Glad that you and your parents enjoyed them!
Maya
This was fantastic! I highly recommend it. I used defrosted shrimp, regular tortilla’s from the grocery store (pointing out nothing fancy) and didn’t exactly measure anything and it was amazing. I added red pepper flakes at the end. Definitely easy and will be made again.
★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Maya! So glad that you liked them!!
Melony Reid
Delicious I made them Saturday night. However my tortillas was very doughy they tasted uncooked how can I make them crispier?
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Melony! So glad that you liked them. Place the tortillas in a dry (no oil) skillet over medium heat and cook them for about 30-60 seconds on each side.
Patricia
I’m pretty sure I can hear the ocean from here! This looks FABULOUS! I can’t wait to give it a try!
★★★★★
Catalina
I am drooling over these enchiladas! What a brilliant idea to use shrimp! Must try!
★★★★★
Sara Welch
Skipping taco Tuesday and making these instead! These look delicious and worthy of a restaurant, indeed!
★★★★★
Allyson Zea
This meal was a hit with my whole family! Thanks for the easy recipe!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
This Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas looks incredibly delicious!
Michael
Super delicious recipe. I only changed the recipe by using a whole jalapeño and de-vaining the jalapeño so a lot of the heat was removed. Also I added avocado and fresh tomato’s on top after plating. Everyone loved it!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Michael! So glad that everyone liked it! Avocado and fresh tomato are always delicious!
Wendy
We loved the shrimp enchiladas! Great recipe and easy to follow. Thanks!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Wendy! So glad that you enjoyed it.
Regina
Made this tonight and it was so good! Used regular onion and added salt + pepper. Also subbed the sour cream for plain greek yogurt and cheddar cheese instead of Monterey (just what we had on hand). So so good!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Regina! So glad that you liked it!! I need to make these again soon!!
Carol wetzel
Made these many times… family favorite. Has anyone every substituted chicken? Wondering how that would be
Bonnie
I’m sure that Pepper Jack cheese would be great also,
Beth Pierce
Yes I agree Bonnie!!
Sharin
Could you substitute Tilapia for the shrimp?
Beth Pierce
I have not tried although I do not see any problem with using tilapia.
Debbie
Has anyone tried this recipe using salad shrimp? If so.. How was it?
Terri
I have cooked frozen shrimp, not as good as fresh, of course, but can it be substituted?
Beth Pierce
Yes it can be.
Rebecca Humbracht Frye
I have lobster base. I am assuming that would work well in place of the chicken base, correct?
Beth Pierce
Yes that would be delicious! Yummy!
Richard
Will corn tortillas work with recipe instead of Flour?
Beth Pierce
Yes you most certainly can!
Jackie
Can you use milk instead of chicken broth?
Beth Pierce
Yes you most certainly can! Happy cooking!
Nancy Kelly
I used this recipe yet instead of shrimp i used crawfish instead. The absolute best. Unfortunately (for everyone else lol) i didn’t share and ate all of them myself. In my defense i only made a third of the record to make sure they came out.
Please keep posting these wonderful recipes
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much! You are giving me a good chuckle! Honestly it sounds like something that I would to!
Lindsay
Can I make these ahead of time then just warm in oven longer?
Beth Pierce
I have never tried with this recipe so I am not sure how it would turn out. My gut instinct says yes.
Tiffany
When do you use the cumin? And do you need to season the shrimp?
Beth Pierce
Hey Tiffany thanks for the heads up. Sorry about the delay. The garlic and the cumin are added the last 30-60 second of cooking the shrimp. I have updated the recipe to reflect that. You can salt and pepper the shrimp before cooking however they pick up a ton of flavor from the other ingredients in the pan.
Rose
Hi do have suggestions for a side dish? Going to make this over the weekend
Beth Pierce
A simple garden salad works well or a bowl of soup like hot and sour or Homemade Pork Stuffed Wonton Soup
Shane
Spanish rice goes very well with these delicious enchiladas.
Gigi Ann
Looks delicious. Making soon
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Gigi Ann! We think they are delicious!!
Chrissy
I made this recipe last night for my family and boy, we’re they ever a hit! Thanks for sharing this super yummy, super fast recipe!
Beth Pierce
You are so welcome. The pleasure was all mine. I am so glad that you and your family liked them. I wish I had one right now for my breakfast! LOL!!
Kassi
What size tortillas? 6 or 8 inch
Beth Pierce
8 inch tortillas. I will add that to the recipe.
Cheryll Tanner
Beth, just made these….absolutely fantastic, will definitely make them again. Living in South Carolina there is no shortage of wild shrimp! Thank you
Beth Pierce
That would be awesome. So glad that you liked them. The pleasure is all mine!