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.
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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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!