If it’s healthy Mexican cuisine you’re after, try this easy entomatadas recipe. As delicious as enchiladas but in a tomato-based sauce instead of a chile-based sauce. This vegetarian dinner is naturally gluten free and can easily be dairy free by swapping out the cheese filling for chicken.
Have you ever had entomatadas? They are the same idea as enchiladas (corn tortilla soaked in sauce and filled) but instead of an enchilada sauce that is more of a chile sauce the tortillas are coated in a homemade tomato sauce.
It’s all in the name: En-chile-lada (in chile sauce) or En-tomato-ada (in tomato sauce).
Cheese entomatadas are vegetarian and filled with queso fresco which is as satisfying as it sounds. I also make some dairy-free ones filled with tender shredded chicken for Armando who is lactose intolerant.
Then it’s all about the toppings; ripe avocado, more queso fresco, tiny crumbles of Cotija, lots of Mexican crema and a good sprinkling of fresh cilantro that just kind of lifts everything up. I put a lot of emphasis on the garnishes here because the dish itself is pretty simple. ¡Buen provecho!
You’ll Love This Entomatadas Recipe Because:
- Quick & easy meal that is filling and fortifying
- Vegetarian, healthy, and gluten-free dinner
- Roasting the vegetables caramelizes them and brings out more sweet tomato flavor
- Easier than enchiladas and enchilada casserole… no rolling or baking!
- Tomatoes are the main ingredient—great for those who don’t love spice
- Swap the cheese for chicken to make this dish dairy free
Ingredient List
- Ripe roma tomatoes or other ripe fresh tomatoes
- White onion
- Jalapeño peppers or serrano peppers if you want a spicier sauce.
- Kosher salt
- Avocado oil or other neutral-tasting oil like vegetable oil or light olive oil
- Corn tortillas. I don’t recommend using flour tortillas they will get too soggy and fall apart.
- Queso fresco or shredded chicken for the filling
- Garlic
- Cotija
- Avocado
- Mexican crema
- Fresh cilantro
How To Make This Recipe
step one
Broil the vegetables. Heat the broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, and garlic on the baking sheet. Broil, turning frequently, until charred on all sides.
*CHEF’S TIP: Watch the garlic clove closely, it will brown faster than the other vegetables. Remove as soon as it is golden.
step two
Blend the sauce. Place all the vegetables in the blender. Add the salt and 1/2 cup of water (or chicken broth if you have it) and blend on high until smooth.
step three
Fry the sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sauce and simmer, stirring in the oil until fragrant. Reduce to medium-low heat.
step four
Fry the tortillas. Line a large plate with paper towels. Heat enough oil in a separate large skillet to come about an inch up the sides of the pan over medium-high heat. Place the tortillas one at a time in the hot oil and fry until soft and pliable but not crisp, about 10-15 seconds per side. Remove to the plate letting any excess oil drip back into the skillet.
step five
Coat in sauce and fill. Dip each fried corn tortilla in the warm tomato sauce, coating well on both sides. Place on a serving plate, add about 3 tablespoons of crumbled cheese and fold in half. Repeat, serving 2-3 entomatadas per person.
step six
Serve. Spoon a little bit of the entomatada sauce over the top then sprinkle them with more queso fresco, Cotija, a drizzle of crema, a few pieces of ripe avocado, and chopped cilantro and serve hot.
What To Serve With This Entomatadas Recipe
These entomatadas are delicious on their own as a complete meal or alongside refried beans and Mexican rice. I also love them served with pico de gallo and guacamole, or sprinkled with chopped cilantro, grated Cotija cheese, or a drizzle of crema and a lime wedge for squeezing.
If you’re planning to serve this entomatadas recipe as part of a bigger Mexican food meal like at a dinner party, they pair nicely with baby kale and avocado salad, arroz blanco, slow cooker borracho beans or carne picada, and simple black beans. (Well, I can make a case for my quick and easy black beans to go with pretty much anything.)
Top 5 Most Popular Vegetarian Recipes
- Vegan Pozole Verde
- Authentic Chile Relleno Recipe
- Sofrito Black Beans
- Vegetarian Black Bean and Cheese Tamales
- Mexican Sopa de Fideo
Ready To Try One Of My Favorite Dishes?
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Entomatadas Recipe
If it’s healthy Mexican cuisine you’re after, try this easy entomatadas recipe. As delicious as enchiladas but in a tomato-based sauce.
Ingredients
For the Tomato Sauce
- 6 ripe tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), cored
- 1/2 white onion, cut in half
- 1 small jalapeño, cored and seeds removed if you'd like it less spicy
- 1 clove garlic, unpeeled
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral-flavored oil
For the Entomadas
- 1/2 cup avocado oil or other neutral-flavored oil
- 12 (7-inch) corn tortillas
- 1 heaping cup crumbled queso fresco or 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
For the Toppings
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema
- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1/4 cup grated Cotija
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
Instructions
For the tomato sauce
- Broil vegetables. Heat broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and garlic on the baking sheet and place under the broiler. Broil until the vegetables are charred and blackened on all sides, about 10 minutes. Turn frequently, being careful not to burn the garlic, it will cook faster than the other vegetables.
- Blend. Remove the skin from the garlic and place in the blender along with the tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño. Add the 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 cup of water. Blend on high until smooth.
- Fry. Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add sauce and cook, stirring until the sauce is fragrant and slightly darkened in color, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking while you prepare the tortillas.
For the entomatadas
- Heat oil. Heat 1/2 cup of avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Test to see if oil is ready by dipping one side of a tortilla into the oil. If it is immediately covered in bubbles it is ready.
- Fry. Add tortillas one at a time to the hot oil and quickly fry until they are soft and pliable but not crisp, about 10-15 seconds per side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate letting any excess oil drip back into the skillet.
- Dip and fold. Dip each tortilla into the warm tomato sauce, coating both sides. Place on a plate and spoon a little extra sauce on top of the tortilla. Fill with about 3 tablespoons of crumbled queso fresco or shredded chicken, fold in half. Spread a little more sauce over the top. Repeat with remaining tortillas and cheese serving 2-3 entomatadas per person.
- Garnish and serve. Top with more crumbled queso fresco, grated Cotija, a drizzle of crema, chopped cilantro, and diced avocado. Serve immediatley.
Notes
- Make ahead/Storage Instructions: The enchiladas need to be eaten as soon as they are made but you can make the tomato sauce up to 3 days in advance and rewarm before serving. Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Chicken: If you'd like to use shredded chicken as a filling instead of the cheese, shred rotisserie chicken or simmer 2 chicken breasts in broth until tender and cooked through, then shred.
- Serving suggestions: You don't have to serve the entomatadas with all the garnishes listed but the more the better in my opinion. They all add more flavor and texture to the dish.
- Make it a meal: Favorite sides to serve with entomatadas are: Vegan refried beans, arroz blanco, borracho beans, or my best-ever canned black beans.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 533Total Fat: 54gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 38gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 294mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 12g
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Varnamala says
I grew up eating Entomatadas, they are delicious! And so easy to prepare. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Kate Ramos says
Thank you Varnamala! We love them too.