Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas combines fresh shrimp, onions, red bell pepper, and garlic in a creamy Monterey Jack cheese sauce. Elegant enough for company yet easy enough for a weeknight, these enchiladas are a great choice.
Impress your dinner guests with this delicious and easy-to-make Mexican Shrimp Enchiladas recipe. Made with succulent shrimp and flavorful spices, these enchiladas will surely be a hit! These enchiladas are a shrimp lover’s dream, and they are on the table in about thirty minutes, making them easy enough for a weeknight dinner. If you liked this enchilada recipe, try green chile chicken enchiladas, enchilada soup, or chicken enchilada casserole.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Olive oil: extra virgin olive oil
- Vegetables: onions, any color bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic
- Shrimp: preferably wild-caught
- Seasonings: cumin and cilantro
- Tortillas: flour or corn
- Butter: salted or unsalted
- Chicken broth: preferably low-sodium
- Sour cream: full-fat
- Cheese: Monterey Jack cheese or Pepper Jack cheese for a little kick
How to Make Shrimp Enchiladas
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
Heat a little olive over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onions, red pepper, and jalapeno. Cook for about 4 minutes, then add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp until the shrimp are cooked through. Reduce the heat and cook the garlic and cumin for about a minute while stirring.
Divide the shrimp mixture evenly between the tortillas. Roll the tortillas and place them seam-side down in a baking dish sprayed with nonstick baking spray.
Melt the butter in the same skillet. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and cook until slightly thickened. Whisk in the shredded cheese and warmed sour cream. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Spread the cheese sauce over the enchiladas, cover, and bake until the dish is heated.
Preparation Tips
- If available, use wild-caught shrimp. They are better for you and, in my opinion, taste better.
- Warm the sour cream in the microwave for 15-second intervals until it is at room temperature. This will assist with the blending.
- Do not overcook the shrimp. Things move pretty darn fast.
- For a spicier version, try Pepper Jack cheese or add a little cayenne pepper or green chilies to the cheese sauce.
- 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 a few seconds or in the microwave wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel for about 20-30 seconds works well.
Servings Suggestions
I love serving fresh salads, such as black bean and corn salad, Mexican coleslaw, corn salad, or avocado salad. Great side dishes are Cuban black beans and cilantro lime rice. For appetizers, enjoy queso fundido and 7-layer dip.
Store and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power or in the oven at 300 degrees just until warm.
Easy Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped onions
- 1 red pepper bell pepper diced very small
- ½ jalapeno minced
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled deveined, and cut in bite-size pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 6 (8-inch) flour tortillas or corn tortillas
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup sour cream warmed to room temperature
- 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 a 9×9-inch baking 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.
- Warm the sour cream in the microwave for 15-second intervals until it is at room temperature. This will assist with the blending.
- Do not overcook the shrimp. Things move pretty darn fast.
- For a spicier version, try Pepper Jack cheese or add a little cayenne pepper or green chilies to the cheese sauce.
- 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 a few seconds or in the microwave wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel for about 20-30 seconds works well.
Nutrition
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Tara
Wow, I really love these delicious enchiladas. They were a fun change from the usual. Thanks, Beth!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Tara!
Kristy
YUM! These shrimp enchiladas were amazing. Easy to make and so dang tasty. They will be on rotation at our house. Thanks for the recipe.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Kristy!
Lisa
Oooooh wee, now these were my kind of enchiladas, these creamy shrimp enchiladas were so delicious. If I catch shrimp on sale again soon, I am going to make them again.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Lisa! I am so glad that you enjoyed them!
Jill
This looks delicious, but I think I would turn it into a lasagna recipe versus using flour tortillas. 😜
Beth Pierce
You could easily do that,too!
Mia Juanita Sattlefield
What kind onion?
Beth Pierce
Yellow onion
Scaye
Do you think frozen cooked shrimp would work in the recipe … I have one bag of medium and a bag of salad size in the freezer and need to use it soon. Would appreciate your input and thank you!!
Beth Pierce
Yes I do think they would work but thaw them first.
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.