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Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage

By 15 Comments

This creamy Curried Butternut squash soup becomes even more decadent topped with beautiful little jewels of pomegranate seeds and crumbles of browned sausage. Beautifully spiced with cumin and cayenne pepper, you’ve got a comforting and luxurious bowl of soup. You’ll want to make this one over and over again.

Another creamy hearty soup you might enjoy is this one for Cream of Chicken Soup with Wild Rice.

Curried butternut squash soup topped with Jimmy Dean Sausage, pomegranate seeds and cotija cheese

This recipe was first published in February of 2017 and updated October 2024.

About This Recipe and Why It Works

Not high on my list of things to do is peeling a butternut squash. But once you’re done with the laborious task of peeling, seeding and hacking away at that uncooked gourd, this beautifully flavored soup is your reward.

Do you buy already prepped cubed butternut squash at the grocery store? Or are you a purist and risk losing an appendage to cut your own?

Let me say right up front, and even though I’m pretty good at wrestling that squash with my chef’s knife, I’m in full support of that prepped plastic wrapped butternut squash.

There are just too many great butternut squash recipes, that become easy butternut squash recipes, if you purchase it pre-cut and cubed.

Like this Curried Butternut Squash Sausage Soup. Not to mention, this is hands down the best butternut squash soup recipe that we've ever had. EVER.

And sprinkling on some shiny red pomegranate seeds = love.

This soup is full of flavor, savory and just a little bit sweet. The salty toppings chime in so that every bite is heaven.

What Goes Into This Soup – The Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make butternut squash soup with curry
  • Onions and Garlic, would soup be soup without onions and garlic? Use sweet or yellow onions for this recipe. And please chop the garlic with a knife for a more pure garlic flavor. Using a garlic press brings out the oil in garlic and makes it stronger in flavor.
  • Cubed Butternut Squash, If you can find peeled and cubed butternut squash soup at the market, go for it. It will save you time and angst.
  • Dairy, Sour cream and cream make this soup simply decadent.
  • Spices for butternut squash soup, Curry, cumin and cayenne are the backbone to the luscious flavor of this soup.
  • Honey, adds a touch of sweetness to the overall flavor.
  • Jimmy Dean Sausage, crumbled, browned and used as a topping. The perfect seasoned breakfast sausage adds a salty savory flavor to each bite.
  • Feta Cheese, a sprinkling on top of the soup brings even more personality to this recipe. Salty, tangy and somewhat lemony = perfect.
  • Pomegranate Seed, the deep beautiful red color of these crunchy seeds, adds a complimentary color, a bit of crunch and a sharp flavor.

Ingredient Swaps

  • Dairy, For a more tangy end flavor result, feel free to switch out the sour cream for Greek Yogurt. If you’re worried about fat content, swap out half and half for the cream.
  • Honey, Use agave syrup instead of honey. I always have some on hand. It’s thinner and easier to manage.
  • Sausage, We truly love the classic flavor of Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sausage for this recpe. Use whatever brand you prefer. Also, Italian Sausage would be a fun substitute.
  • Feta Cheese, I always have Cotija cheese on hand. It’s crumbly, salty and would work great for this soup. Grated Parmesan cheese would also be nice here.
  • Pomegranate Seeds, Substitute pepita seeds. They’re crunchy, salty and would make a festive fall topping for butternut squash soup.

Step by Step Instructions

sauteeing onions in butter to make soup
  1. Start by adding butter to a large (6-quart) Dutch oven.
  2. When the butter is melted and bubbly, add the onions and saute until tender. About 5 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute.
Cooking curried butternut squash soup stovetop
Using an immersion blender to puree curried butternut squash soup
  1. Add in the chicken broth, butternut squash cubes and seasonings.
  2. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes or until squash is tender.
  3. In the meantime, cook the sausage until browned.
  4. Stir in the cream, honey and sour cream. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth.
  5. Ladle soup into bowls and add toppings.

Expert Tips and FAQ’s

Can I Use Prepped Peeled and Cubed Butternut Squash From The Store

Absolutely yes! Peeling and cubing a butternut squash can be a big job. Purchasing prepped butternut squash from the produce section turns this into an easy butternut squash soup recipe.

Can I Use A Blender or Food Processor to Puree the Soup?

Yes. If you don’t own an immersion blender, just puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Be careful, the soup is hot. If using a blender, don’t secure the lid, as the heat of the soup may pop it off. Simply place the lid slightly ajar on top of the blender and hold it in place with your hand. Only fill the blender or food processor half full before running.

What Kind Of Curry Powder Should I use?

Just use that spice blend curry powder that you find on the spice shelf at the supermarket. If you want to play around with curry pastes, I suggest using Thai Yellow Curry as not to compromise the beautiful color of this soup.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage

Butternut squash soup topped with crumbled breakfast Breakfast sausage, pomegranate seeds and feta.

I hope you give this Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage a try. It’s truly one of our favorite soups to make when the weather gets cooler.

I consider soups my specialty, so don’t miss my category for Soup Recipes. You’ll find lots of great recipes including the most popular soup recipe on my site for Giada’s Ground Chicken Chili.

Similar Soup Recipes You Might Like

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Curried butternut squash soup topped with Jimmy Dean Sausage, pomegranate seeds and cotija cheese
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Curried Butternut Squash Sausage Soup

Creamy curried butternut squash soup topped with feta and sausage.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 346kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 pound butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1- pieces
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ cup cream Heavy whipping cream.
  • 2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • ½ pound Jimmy Dean Sausage cooked and crumbled
  • ½ cup Feta Cheese Crumbled
  • ¼ cup Pomegranate Seeds

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Stirring often. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute.
  • Add chicken broth, squash, curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper into onion mixture. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until squash is tender, about 15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat. Stir in cream, honey and sour cream into squash mixture.
  • Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Or pour squash mixture into a blender no more than half full. Cover and hold lid down. Pulse until smooth. Puree in batches until smooth.
  • Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with sausage and feta. Dot with pomegranate seeds (optional). Or pepita seeds work well as garnish.

Notes

If you don’t own an immersion blender, just puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Be careful, the soup is hot. If using a blender, don’t secure the lid. Simply place the lid slightly ajar on top of the blender before running. The heat of the soup may pop the lid off. Only fill the blender and food processor half full before running.

Nutrition

Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 1399mg | Potassium: 872mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 16436IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 192mg | Iron: 2mg

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage … It’s what’s for Dinner

Easy Gumbo Recipe With Shrimp And Sausage

By 38 Comments

This Easy Gumbo Recipe has the flavor of a gumbo that you’ve spent hours preparing. Ready in about 45 minutes, this is a straight forward, simple weeknight dinner recipe you’ll want to keep on your meal plan rotation. Bold with flavor this shrimp and sausage gumbo recipe will become one of your favorites.

A bowl of shrimp and sausage gumbo. An easy gumbo recipe.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

The weekend is over and lazy lingering meals will be replaced with quick work-week dinners. Cue this easy gumbo recipe.

The reason I like this gumbo recipe is because a true-blue gumbo is a process that can span over of a couple of days.

Someday when I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll take the time to do that. But in the meantime I wanted to challenge myself to come up with an easy gumbo recipe version that reminds me of the wonderful flavors we enjoyed on our trip to New Orleans.

Depending on how fast your can slice and dice, I’d say this is a 45 minute start to finish meal.

Okra, shrimp, red and green bell peppers swim in a broth colored with roux and flavored with onions, bay leaves, garlic and Cajun spice.

And with a side of steamed white rice, you’ll be digging out your Louie Armstrong CD’s.

Let’s take a look at this easy shrimp sausage gumbo.

The Key To This Recipe Is The Roux

A roux is made with two ingredients, flour and oil. The flour and oil are cooked together until the mix becomes a dark color. It provides the deep rich flavor to gumbo and thickens the broth. The darker the roux the richer the flavor.

What Goes Into This Recipe

Mise en place. Always gather ingredients before starting any recipe. It will save you time and organize your mind.

Ingredients to make shrimp and andouille sausage gumbo
  • Green Bell Peppers, Red Bell Peppers, Onions and Celery are key ingredients to any gumbo soup recipe. They create a “sofrito” style beginning for this soup.
  • Okra: Gumbo wouldn’t be gumbo without sliced okra.
  • Chicken broth, oil and flour to make that traditional gumbo roux.
  • Andouille Sausage. Please seek out a quality well flavored andouille sausage. It’s a French smoked sausage with a wonderfully spicy flavor.
  • Shrimp: Shelled, deveined and tails removed.
  • Red Chile Pepper: Cayenne would be traditional, or red pepper flakes would work well here.
  • Cajun or Creole Seasoning.

Ingredient Swaps

  • Don’t have shrimp on hand? Swap out shrimp for bite-sized chunks of chicken. Just add those uncooked chicken pieces to the gumbo at the same time as you add the sausage.
  • You can swap out Andouille Sausage for any smoked sausage. Kielbasa is a good choice here.

Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy

making a roux to make gumbo
  1. Sautee chopped vegetables in a fry pan until tender and set aside. In a large sauce pan, prepare the roux by combining flour and oil. cooking and stirring until roux becomes a beautiful dark red-ish brown. This will take about 30 minutes.
Stirring chopped vegetables into a roux to make shrimp and sausage gumbo
  1. Stir in cooked vegetables, red chile pepper, and Cajun seasoning.

Pro Tip Knife Skills: Always keep the hand that’s gripping the knife clean and dry. A wet hand could cause slips resulting in nicks or worse a nasty slice on your hand. 

Cooking okra to make gumbo
  1. Add chicken broth, sausage, okra and bay leaf.
  2. Bring to a good simmer and let cook 15 minutes.
  3. In the meantime, cook the rice.
  4. Drop in the shrimp and let them cook for two-three minutes.
  5. Remove bay leaves and serve over rice.

Common Questions About This Easy Gumbo Recipe

How Do You Know When the Roux is Done?

Once you start cooking the roux, stir it often. The flour and oil mixture will turn to a red brown color and will take on a nut-like odor.

Whats The Difference Between Gumbo and Jambalaya?

It all has to due with the roux and the role of the rice. Gumbo builds its flavor upon the roux, and the roux will thicken it to a stew like texture. Gumbo is served with rice on the side, while with jambalaya, the rice is simmered in the soup.

Can This Be Made Ahead?

The roux can be made 3 – 5 days in advance stored in an airtight contained.

Can I Use Different Seafood For This Recipe

Shrimp is a typical seafood ingredient in Gumbo. You can also use crab, white fish or crawfish.

What To Serve With Gumbo

Rice is a traditional partner for gumbo. Start with this beautiful New Orleans recipe for Louisiana Sunburst Salad. A popular recipe made famous by the Palace Cafe in New Orleans. You could also serve it with Cornbread or try this Herbed Tomato Bread. And why not make a Chile Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Bourbon Frosting for dessert.

Storage and Leftovers

With just the two of us, this easy gumbo recipe made plenty of welcome leftovers for next evening’s dinner.  

  • When storing leftovers in the refrigerator, place rice and soup in separate containers, reheat separately and then bring them back together in the soup bowl. The texture of the rice is much happier that way. And only a gentle reheat of the soup is needed, we don’t want rubbery shrimp.
  • Because this gumbo contains shrimp, we don’t recommend keeping in the refrigerator for over two days.
  • You can freeze gumbo for up to six months. I like to use a gallon zip lock back. Just fill the bag with the gumbo to about two inches to the top. Squeeze the air out and make sure the bag is sealed well. Lay flat in freezer for maximum storage.
  • To reheat, let the gumbo thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then gently reheat in a saucepan, over low heat.

Recipe for Easy Gumbo

easy gumbo recipe with shrimp and andouille sausage

I can’t claim this gumbo to be 100% authentic, there’s not even any file powder in it, but it’s delicious and easy to make with ingredients found at your local supermarket. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to gumbo, and as I learned during my visit to New Orleans, each restaurant has their own version.

The only necessity is to make a good roux (pronounced “roo”) which is the mixture of fat and flour cooked stovetop until it becomes a dark caramel color.

I hope you give this easy Louisiana gumbo recipe a try. This hearty gumbo is a true melting pot meal that will transport you to Louisiana in just one bite. A top notch flavorful creole stew with origins from West Africa, Germany, French and Choctaw and has become a staple of Southern cooking.

So whether you’re looking for a dish to celebrate Mardi Gras, or just a fun weekend meal, you and your family will find this easy gumbo recipe very satisfying.

More Super Easy Soup Recipes Ideas

If you like robust shrimp style recipes, don’t miss my recipe for Shrimp Stew.

And if you love soups as much as we do, you won’t want to miss my Soup Category. You’ll find tons of great soup recipes, including the most popular on my site for Anthony Bourdain’s New Mexico Style Chili.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Shrimp sausage gumbo with rice.
Print Recipe
5 from 9 votes

Easy Gumbo Recipe with Shrimp and Sausage

This Easy Gumbo Recipe Has the Flavor of a gumbo that you've spent hours preparing. Ready in about 45 minutes, this is a weeknight dinner recipe you'll want to keep on your meal plan rotation.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: Creole
Servings: 4
Calories: 954kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Neutral Oil canola or vegetable oil will work well here.
  • ½ cup sweet onion chopped
  • 1 cup celery chopped, about two good sized stalks.
  • 1 cup green bell pepper chopped, 1 medium pepper
  • 1 cup red bell pepper chopped, 1 medium pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup neutral oil vegetable or canola work well here.
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • ½ teaspoon ground red chile pepper Cayenne, or red chile pepper
  • ½ – 1 Tablespoon Creole Seasoning or Cajun seasoning. Start with ½ tablespoon, some brands can be quite spicy.
  • 1 ½ cups fresh okra sliced. Or one 10 ounce package frozen cut okra
  • 8 ounces andouille sausage fully cooked, sliced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ pound large shrimp shelled, deveined and tails removed
  • 3 cups hot cooked rice
  • Tabasco sauce

Instructions

  • In a skillet heat the two tablespoons oil. Add onion, celery and peppers. Cook, stirring until softened. About 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute. Remove from heat.
  • For roux, in a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven combine flour and oil, stir till smooth. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook and stir about 15 minutes or till roux is dark reddish brown and has a nutty aroma.
  • Gradually stir in chicken broth, stirring.
  • Add cooked vegetables, creole seasoning, bay leaf and ground red pepper, sausage and okra.
  • Bring to simmer. Cook covered for about 15 minutes or until okra is tender.
  • Stir in shrimp and cook until done, about 3 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Serve in bowls with rice. Finish with a few shakes of Tabasco Sauce.

Notes

How do I know when the roux is done? Once you start cooking the roux, stir it often. The flour and oil mixture will turn to a red brown color and will take on a nut-like odor.
Can I freeze this gumbo? Yes, simply place the soup (minus the rice) in an airtight container. The gumbo will keep in the freezer for 4 – 6 months. Gently reheat it on the stovetop in a saucepan when ready to eat. Freeze rice separately.
Ingredient Swaps: Switch out the shrimp with chicken. You’ll just have to add the chicken a little sooner, as it will take a bit longer to cook. Small chunks should take about 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 954kcal | Carbohydrates: 126g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 191mg | Sodium: 1606mg | Potassium: 708mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 4mg

Shrimp and Sausage Easy Gumbo Recipe …It’s What’s for Dinner.

Homemade Baked Italian Meatballs

By 5 Comments

Homemade Baked Italian Meatballs are so easy to make. Skip the messy frying process for this no-fuss, classic recipe.

And if you’re looking for more easy meatball recipes, take a look at my recipe for Ground Pork Meatballs. Seasoned with peaches, basil and lime, they’re a fresh take and a recipe for meatballs without sauce.

Baked Italian Meatballs in a Colorful pasta bowl with spaghetti and spaghetti sauce

This article was first published December, 2015 and updated October 13, 2020

What To Expect From This Recipe

This is a baked Italian Meatball recipe that produces juicy, tender, oven baked Italian Meatballs without red sauce. They’re so tender and juicy without sauce, you’ll want to eat them right off the pan.

The meatballs turn out so melt-in-your-mouth tender by mixing cream and buttermilk into the ground beef mixture.

And even though those bags of frozen Italian Meatballs can seem awfully tempting, making your own homemade meatballs is easier than you think.

The seasoning is simple using garlic and Italian Seasoning purchased from the spice aisle at the grocery store.

Quick prep, easy to bake and the texture and flavor superior. Making Italian meatballs without sauce, means that you have the option to use them for a variety of recipes like this recipe for Honey Sriracha Meatballs. Or use them to make a meatball sandwich.

However, once they’re cooked, a classic pairing like spaghetti and meatballs is truly a beautiful thing. This is a meatball recipe dense enough to hold up in a long simmer in your favorite Italian sauce.

Gather your loved ones around a big plate of meat, sauce and pasta and you’ve got the perfect family meal.

Let’s take a look.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Let’s take a look at the ingredients that go into homemade Italian Meatballs.

Ingredients for Italian Meatballs

Mise en place. Always gather ingredients before starting any recipe. It will save you time and organize your mind.

  • Ground Beef: The base for these easy homemade Italian meatballs is a lower fat ground beef. 85% lean and 15% fat works well here, and will produce a less greasy meatball and one that won’t fall apart while cooking. A combination with not enough fat, such as a 95% lean and 5% fat, will result in meatball that is too dry. And save that 20% fat ratio for burgers.
  • Onions: Sweet or yellow onion works well here.
  • Bread Crumbs: This recipe uses two types of crumbs. The crispy crunchy nature of Panko bread crumbs absorbs less moisture. I simply like using them for baked Italian meatballs. The finer and seasoned Italian Bread Crumbs will aid in the sturdiness of the meatballs. I simply like using both for baked meatballs.
  • Eggs: How to keep meatballs from falling apart? You simply can’t make meatballs without eggs. While they cook, the eggs bind all the ingredients together. For this recipe and the ratio of breadcrumbs, we’re using two large eggs.
  • Cream and Buttermilk: To finish the panade, I like using both cream and buttermilk. Cream for the obvious reason of its rich buttery flavor. And Buttermilk’s acidic nature adds lightness and tenderness.
  • Italian Seasoning Spice Blend: In a perfect world, we would always use fresh Italian herbs. But for ease, I keep a premium quality brand of dried Italian Herbs in my pantry. It contains the best of classic Italian herbs, thyme, oregano, basil, marjoram and rosemary. Easy and flavorful.
  • Parmesan Cheese: My secret ingredient. Adding grated parmesan cheese to the meatball mixture adds not only one more creamy component, it also brings that savory, nutty/fruity flavor to the overall flavor of those meatballs.

Ingredient Swaps

  • The Meat: You can use a 50/50 combination of ground beef and ground pork. Or you can use ground veal in the mixture. If using ground pork, remember it’s usually higher in fat and the overall experience may seem a little greasier, but totally delicious. I like sticking to a 100% ground beef meatball.
  • Dairy: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, use all cream. You can also use half and half. Just make sure you have ½ cup of thick rich milk product for this recipe. You can also use milk, but I would recommend using full fat milk. No reason to skimp on fat calories at the risk of flavor and texture.
  • Italian Seasonings: If you want to substitute fresh herbs for the dried mix, please know the ratio rule of thumb: One tablespoon fresh herbs to one teaspoon of dried herbs. This recipe calls for two tablespoons dried herbs. There are three teaspoons in a tablespoon, so you will use a total of 6 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs.

Tips For Succcess

This is a good time to practice those knife skill. Keeping the onion diced in small pieces is insurance that a meatball that won’t fall apart. Too large of chunks will compromise the stability of a meatball while it cooks. Cut the onion into a small dice, about ¼ inch. If you’re really serious about honing those knife skills, have some fun and order this handy tool, a Mercer Cherf Ruler. Culinary School provided me with one and I’m always surprised at the number of times I use it. I’ve provided an Amazon link for your convenience. I’m an Amazon Affiliate and if you purchase through this link, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

How To Cook Baked Italian Meatballs Without Sauce

Combing ingredients to make homemade meatballs in a large bowl.
  1. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs and milks to combine. Then simply place all ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together. The light touch of your hands is a perfect tool for this job. Using a spoon will crush ingredients together rather than combine, and you risk mashing the ingredients into a paste. Full pieces of ground meat should be visible for a perfectly textured meatball.
  3. Roll the meat into balls: Again, use your hands. Grab a chunk of the mixed meat mixture and using the palms of your hands roll into a golf ball sized meatball. About 15 gentle rolls will form a good solid meatball.
Homemade meatballs on a sheet pan ready to bake.
  1. Place the meatballs on a sheet pans.
Baked Italian Meatballs on a sheet pan.
  1. Bake the meatballs in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

FAQ’s, Baked Italian Meatballs

Can I Make These Meatballs Ahead of Time?

Absolutely yes. You can cook the meatballs a couple days in advance. Just cook and store them in an air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can also make the meatballs in advance and cook them later. Just place on a sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap and foil and store them flat in the refrigerator up to two days before baking.

Can I Freeze These Meatballs?

Yes, you can freeze meatballs either in their cooked or uncooked stages. Just place meatballs on a sheet pan so they’re not touching. Place the sheet pan in the freezer. Once the meatballs are frozen, transfer them to a gallon zip-lock bag for easier storage. They will keep in the freezer for 2 months. When ready to use, unthaw the meatballs in the refrigerator then bake, or if they’re baked they’re ready to cook in sauce.

Can I simmer these meatballs in sauce for a long period of time?

Yes, that’s the beauty of this meatball recipe. It’s designed to be sturdy enough to simmer in your favorite Italian Sauce even for hours.

Can I Use Pre-shredded Parmesan Cheese?

Don’t be tempted by the tasteless powdered Parmesan that comes in a green can. When a recipe calls for grated Parmesan cheese, purchase a block of Parmesan and grate it yourself. Use the finest setting on your grater, or even use a zester. Or purchase the grated parmesan that comes in plastic bags or deli containers in the specialty cheese section.

How To Use These Meatballs

Now that we’ve finished cooking our meatballs here are some ideas on how to use them for dinner.

  • Spaghetti and Meatballs. A perfect family meal.
  • Use these meatballs in your Sunday Gravy Italian Feast. Combine Italian Meatballs, Italian Sausage Links and Braciole in your favorite recipe for Italian Red Sauce. I follow the method I found years ago from this video called Sunday Gravy…That’s Right Its Called Gravy on YouTube courtesy of Diana DeLaFuente. Very Italian and very East Coast. Watching you’ll see why I trust hers to be a great version.
  • Homemade Italian Meatballs are perfect to make an Italian Sub Sandwich
  • Serve them at your next party as an appetizer. Just serve hot meatballs along side a dish of warm marinara sauce. Provide toothpicks for dipping.
  • Toss cooked meatballs in with your favorite mac and cheese recipe. Yum.
  • As you can see in the photo, I always make a couple of “giant” meatballs. Why? for an appetizer recipe. A tip from one of my favorite pizza restaurants in South Denver, who serves a single large meatball a fun appetizer, topped with tomato sauce.

Recipe For Baked Italian Meatballs

Homemade Italian Meatballs over spaghetti with red sauce, garnished with parmesan cheese and chives

I hope you give this baked Italian meatballs recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating and scroll down and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

And if you’re looking for more beef recipes, don’t miss my Beef Category. You’ll find lots of recipe ideas, including the most popular on my site for Beef Tagliata, Italian Steak.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Baked Italian Meatballs in a Colorful pasta bowl with spaghetti and spaghetti sauce
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Easy Baked Italian Meatballs Without Sauce

Perfect in Texture and Flavor. Easy Baked Italian Meatballs are perfect for your favorite spaghetti sauce.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course Beef
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 26 meatballs
Calories: 62kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and diced
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup cream
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • 1 pound lean ground beef 85% lean to 15% fat
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
  • ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
  • ½ cup Italian bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning or 6 Tablespoons fresh Italian herbs
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Peel and dice onion and garlic. In a medium bowl, slightly beat the eggs, milk and buttermilk together.
  • In a large bowl add all ingredients and mix well with your hands. Using the palms of your hands, form into golf ball sized balls. About 15 gentle rolls will form a meatball.
  • Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
  • This is a meatball recipe dense enough to hold up in a long simmer in your favorite Italian sauce. Simmer in sauce for at least 30 minutes and serve with spaghetti noodles.

Notes

  • Use your hands to mix the ingredients together. The light touch of your hands is a perfect tool for this job. Using a spoon will crush ingredients together rather than combine, and you risk mashing the ingredients into a paste. Full pieces of ground meat should be visible for a perfectly textured meatball.
  • Roll the meat into balls: Again, use your hands. Grab a chunk of the mixed meat mixture and using the palms of your hands roll into a golf ball sized meatball. About 15 gentle rolls will form a good solid meatball.
  • Italian Seasonings: If you want to substitute fresh herbs for the dried mix, please know the ratio rule of thumb: One tablespoon fresh herbs to one teaspoon of dried herbs. This recipe calls for two tablespoons dried herbs. There are three teaspoons in a tablespoon, so you will use a total of 6 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs.
Nutrition facts are for 1 meatball

Nutrition

Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 91mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 84IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

Baked Italian Meatballs without Sauce …It’s what’s for dinner.

Authentic New Mexico Carne Adovada

By 52 Comments

Once you try this recipe for Carne Adovada, you’ll understand why its one of New Mexico’s most celebrated dishes. If you love New Mexico cuisine, you must learn to make this at home. Amazing in flavor, and one of the easiest braised pork recipes you’ll find.

If you’re a fan of authentic New Mexico recipes, don’t miss this classic, for Stacked Enchiladas. Topped with a fried egg makes it true blue New Mexico cuisine.

Carne adovada served with rice and beans.

What Is Carne Adovada?

Carne Adovada is a traditional Southwestern and signature dish of meaty dish of New Mexico Pieces of pork roast are marinated for 24 hours in a rich red chile sauce, then slow-roasted in the oven. The result is tender and deep flavored shredded or cubed pork. And possibly the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten. It’s is traditionally served with beans and rice. The sauce is an earthy, spicier, sweeter red chile sauce, than my go-to New Mexico Red Chile Sauce that I use for tamales, enchiladas and burritos. This red chile pork is beautiful as a stand alone dish, and absolutely amazing when used in tacos, enchiladas or burritos. 

Why This Recipe Works

It happened sometime between the Cochinita Pibil Enchladas at Bella’s restaurant in Taos and the Carne Adovada Plate at The Shed in Santa Fe, that I knew I had fallen head over heels in love with New Mexico Red Chile Pork. Carne Adovada to be exact.

I’ve had this dish in New Mexico about a dozen times. It’s actually about the only thing I’ll order when traveling there.

  • Red Chile Powder: The #1 thing that makes this recipe work is the use of New Mexico Red Chile Powder. There’s nothing like it. A warming spice that’s “hot but it’s not”. It’s divine. And the secret to a good Carne Adovada is using New Mexico ground red chile powder. I find this easier and more flavorful than using dried red chile pods.
  • The Sauce: Carne Adovada marinade and sauce has a beautiful robust deeply flavored red gravy that melts around your tongue with an earthy definitive Southwestern blast. You simly can’t wait to take your next bite.
  • Inspiration: This recipe for Carne Adovada is modeled after The Shed’s Recipe, a very popular New Mexican restaurant just off the Plaza in Santa Fe. I’ve made Carne Adovada about ten times trying to get it just as I remember from my experiences in New Mexico. I’ve studied many recipes to come up with a final method and flavor result I found to be best. 

Carne Adovada vs. Carne Adobada

  • Carne Adovada is a dish specific to New Mexico. And should always be made using pork. It’s traditionally braised and simmered in a thick red chile sauce until the meat is fork tender.
  • Carne Adobada is a general term Mexican term for meat (pork, beef or chicken) and is commonly grilled or pan fried for tacos.

Ingredients You’ll Need

A variety of packets of New Mexico Red Chile Powders

I have an arsenal of different varities, and I’ve made this pork dish with most of them. But the king of chile powders is New Mexico Chimayo, made from red chiles from the village of Chimayo. This red chile powder is a single blend rather than chili seasoning which is a blend of seasonings used to make Tex-Mex style Chili Soup. To learn more take a look at my article Chili vs. Chili.

Ingredients to make carne adovada
  • Onions: Yellow or sweet onions for this recipe.
  • Molasses: Use regular molasses rather than black strap. Black strap molasses will impart a slightly stronger and bitter flavor to the sauce.
  • Chile Powder: New Mexico Chile Powder is a must to make this an authentic Carne Adovada recipe. The heat level is of that chile powder is up to you. I use a medium heat powder.
  • Coriander and Cumin: Go hand in hand in so many New Mexican, Southwestern Recipes.
  • Oregano: I highly recommend you use dried Mexican Oregano if you can find it. It carries a more pungent and citrus flavor than regular oregano.
  • Flour, Fat and Chicken Broth: to form that beautiful roux for the red chile gravy.
  • Pork Loin Roast: Using a pork loin roast, gives us a leaner option, one where the meat will stay in more of a chunk form, nice and tender as it soaks up all of the beautiful flavor from this rich red chile sauce.
  • Oil: Used to sear the pork cubes. Use a neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil.

Recipe Ingredient Swaps

  • This recipe calls for thick rich molasses. If you don’t have molasses on hand, use 1 Tablespoon brown sugar. Dark and light will work. Honey is also a good replacement for molasses.
  • What if I can’t find New Mexico Chile Powder? I prefer Chimayo Chile Powder. If you simply can’t get your hands on any type of New Mexico Chile Powder, I’d use a very good quality Ancho Chile Powder or dried ancho chiles.
  • If you don’t have Mexican Oregano, use marjoram.
  • If you don’t have cider vinegar, use sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar, white vinegar, or white wine vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is discouraged as it would change the flavor profile of Carne Adovada.
  • Oil: Use either a mild flavored olive oil.

Mexican Oregano is preferred for this recipe. It's peppery, grassy, earthy flavor is a good compliment for Mexican Food. If you don't have Mexican Oregano, substitute Marjoram. Known for its aroma and delicate flavor, its related to oregano and will bring a sweet undertone to any recipe.

Step by Step Instructions

Browned pork chunks for making carne adovada
New Mexico Red Chile Sauce cooking stovetop.
  1. Step 1: Cut the pork loin roast into bite sized pieces. Heat a skillet over medium high heat, add oil and brown pork in batches as to not overcrowd. Overcrowding the chunks of pork will steam them as opposed to searing them. Make sure to get a good sear on the outside without cooking through. That sear adds flavor. Remove to a plate and set aside.
  2. Step 2: In the meantime make the rich red chile sauce.

How To Make The Red Chile Sauce, New Mexico Style

sauteeing onions in butter to make soup
adding flour to onions to make a gravy for carne adovada
  1. Step 3: Heat a 3-6 quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and when melted, saute the onions until tender. This should take about 5 – 7 minutes.
  2. Step 4: Then add the flour and stir well. Cook for a couple of minutes until flour is just starting to toast.
Gravy for red chile braised pork.
Adding spices to gravy for carne adovada
  1. Step 5: Add the chicken broth and stir well. Cook for a few minutes to thicken the consistency of gravy.
  2. Step 6: Add the Chile Powder, cumin, coriander and oregano. Stir to blend spices.
Adding molasses to red chile gravy for carne adovada
red chile gravy for Carne Adovada
  1. Step 7 and 8: Stir to combine until blended.
Browned pork loin roast in New Mexico Red Chile Sauce
  1. Step 9: Add the seared pork back into the sauce.
  2. Step 10: Stir the sauce and pork together, cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight, or for a least 2 – 3 hours. 
Pork loin roast marinating in New Mexico Red Chile Sauce
  1. Step 11:Bake covered at 350 degrees for 2 – 3 hours, or until pork is tender. Don’t over cook, pork can become dry. Stir in vinegar and molasses, cover and let steep for about 15 minutes.

Questions You Might Have

Can I Use A Pork Shoulder Roast?

Some recipes call for the king of braised pork cuts, a pork shoulder roast. A more flavorful cut of meat, and perfect for shredded pork dishes, I found it to return a more “shredded” version than what I was looking for. And being a fattier cut, the sauce was greasier, which meant taking time to strain off the fat before serving. That’s a pain. I suggest a pork loin roast for this recipe.

Why Add Vinegar To This Recipe?

There's a splash of vinegar in this recipe, but why? Vinegar is magic. And in my kitchen, it's as important as salt and pepper. Plain and simple, a splash of vinegar can brighten, balance and sharpen your food.

Can You Freeze Carne Adovada?

Absolutely yes. Just place leftovers in an airtight container and freeze. Defrost at room temperature and re-heat stovetop.

What’s The Difference Between Carne Adovada and Carne Asada?

Carne Adovada is made with pork and simmered in a New Mexico Red Chile Sauce. Carne Asada is made with steak. Flank steak is commonly used, marinated, and then grilled and served with fresh vegetables such as jalapeno pepper, avocado and lime.

Tips For Success

  • Pat the pork dry before searing. To get a nice golden brown crust on the pork, the dryer the meat, the better the sear.
  • Don’t over crowd the pork while searing. Leave some space around each piece of pork to allow air to flow on all sided of the pieces. Over crowding the meat will cause it to steam and the texture will be compromised.
  • Spicy or Mild: New Mexico Chile Powder can be hot spicy. Chose a chile powder labeled mild.

Storage

Store any leftover Carne Adovada in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Gently reheat stove top.

How To Serve It

Many times I like to simply serve it with a warm flour tortilla, however, don’t hesitate to plate Carne Adovada with rice, beans, or a simple salad.

New Mexican Carne Adovada Recipe

Carne Adovada with Spanish Rice and Pinto Beans

I hope you give this recipe for Carne Adovada a try. It’s actually an easy fix for big return on flavor. The key to the unique balance end result flavor is adding vinegar and molasses at the end of the cooking time.

Explore More Southwestern New Mexico Recipes

And if you love Mexican food as much as we do, don’t miss my Mexican Food Category. You’ll find lots of exciting dishes including the most popular Southwestern on my site for Hatch Green Chile Colorado Style.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

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Carne Adovada with Spanish Rice and Pinto Beans
Print Recipe
4.77 from 21 votes

New Mexico Carne Adovada

Once you try this Carne Adovada Recipe, you’ll understand why this is one of New Mexico’s most celebrated dishes. This spicy and rich flavored chile-braised pork is perfect on its own, or a crazy good filling for tacos, burritos or enchiladas. 
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Course Pork
Cuisine: Southwestern
Servings: 10
Calories: 247kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ pounds Pork loin roast cubed
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 Tablespoons neutral oil canola or vegetable oil
  • For the gravy
  • 3 Tablespoons Butter
  • 3 Tablespoons Flour
  • 2 Tablespoons Chile Powder New Mexico Chimayo Red. Add more if you want more heat
  • 2 ½ cups Chicken Broth
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon coriander ground, dried
  • 1 teaspoon Oregano Preferably Mexican
  • 1 Tablespoons Molasses Not Blackstrap
  • 2 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar Sherry Vinegar is a good choice here.

Instructions

  • Cut pork loin roast into large bite sized pieces. Salt and pepper to taste.Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add pork pieces and brown on two sides. Cook in batches as not to crowd the pork. The pork will brown better.
  • Remove pork to a plate.
  • Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter. Once butter bubbles and bubbles start to subside, add onions. Cook onions, stirring, until just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. About 1 minute.
  • Add flour and cook, stirring constantly for two minutes. Add chile powder, chicken broth and cook stirring, until gravy starts to thicken. Add cumin, coriander and oregano. Cook for 1 minutes for flavors to blend. 
  • Remove from heat and add browned pork.
  • Stir well, cover and place in refrigerator to marinade overnight. Or for at least 2 – 3 hours before cooking.
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Cook 2 – 2 ½ hours or until pork is tender. 
  • Remove pork from oven and stir in molasses and vinegar.
  • Place the lid back on the pot and let it steep for about 15 minutes.
  • Serve with lime wedges. Serve with rice, hominy or beans, flour tortillas or all. You can also top with a dollop of Sour Cream and some fresh diced sweet onions.

Video

Notes

I prefer Chimayo Chile Powder. If you simply can’t get your hands on any type of New Mexico Chile Powder, I’d use a very good quality Ancho Chile Powder.
Brown pork in batches as to not overcrowd. Overcrowding the chunks of pork will steam them as opposed to searing them.
This dish reheats wonderfully and is always even better the next day.

Nutrition

Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 329mg | Potassium: 557mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 579IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

New Mexico Carne Adovada … It’s What’s for Dinner

Creamy Red Chile Sauce Chicken Enchiladas

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Creamy Red Chile Sauce Chicken Enchiladas are baked bubbly in a luscious tomato cream sauce topped with lots of cheese for a crowd pleasing hearty Classic Mexican and Southwestern dish. You’ll agree that these is the best creamy chicken enchilada recipe you’ll ever find.

Chicken enchilada casserole with tomato cream sauce

This recipe was first published October 2009 and has been updated in October 2020.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

This Southwestern-style Mexican dish is inspired by my recipe for my New Mexican Red Chile Sauce , a foundational recipe traditional in Southwestern cooking. However, this sauce is more tomato forward than a pure red chile sauce. And becomes irresistibly creamy by adding Mexican Crema.

I’ve always said, if someone makes enchiladas for you that means they love you. Enchiladas using rolled corn tortillas are always a labor of love. This is not a quick meal to prepare, but it’s an easy meal to prepare. Just allow some time.

Can you ever go wrong with Southwestern-Mexican Food? It’s perfect weather for a hearty Mexican casserole in the form of this baked creamy red sauce chicken enchiladas casserole. Your hungry family will love this creamy version of a classic.

This recipe comes with impressive credentials as it’s an adaptation of a Rick Bayless recipe. His expertise lies in the fact that he has spent a few years living in Mexico and brings us fresh, delicious creations inspired by authentic Mexican cuisine. 

Along with it’s pedigree, this recipe has everything you want in an enchilada casserole:

Table of contents

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients for baked chicken enchiladas with tomato cream sauce.
  • Roasted Chile Peppers Chile peppers are a staple in New Mexican Cuisine. And more than likely they’re roasted to bring a hint of smoky flavor and that “just right” spicy heat. Use any combination of chile peppers that you like. Jalapeno, Poblano, Anaheim, Hatch or Mirasol.
  • Mexican Crema A creamy tangy Mexican condiment that’s thicker and richer than American Sour Cream. It’s higher in fat so it doesn’t curdle as easy which makes it a perfect choice for stirring into hot soups and creamy sauces, like this tomato cream sauce for this recipe. It puts the “creamy” into this chicken enchilada recipe.
  • Fresh Tomatoes When in season, sweet juicy fresh tomatoes will take this recipe over the top.
  • Chicken Breast Roasted to perfection, juicy, tender and shredded, chicken breast makes this a healthier option when making enchiladas.
  • White Cheese Enchiladas would be enchiladas without that ooey-gooey melty cheese factor. For this recipe we’re using a white melting cheese.

Pro Tip: Purchase good quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese in bags includes additives to keep it from clumping, which will also compromise the melting factor. Grating cheese from a block of cheese will result in a creamier and more consistent melting experience. Plus, it’s less expensive.

Ingredient Swaps

  • Canned Tomatoes: If fresh tomatoes are not in season, please don’t turn to those sad hot-house tomatoes that we find in our markets during the winter. Canned tomatoes make a good choice. San Marzano tomatoes are an excellent choice. No need to drain them, and no need to roast them with the peppers.

Step by Step Instructions, Let’s Get Started

Shredded chicken and cheese to make enchiladas
  1. Step 1: Cook The Chicken Generously brush three boneless skinless chicken breast halves with olive oil and roast for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Once cooked, cool the chicken and using your hands or two forks to shred. Set aside.
  2. Step 2: This is also a good time to grate the cheese.
Roasted Tomatos and Peppers for Tomato Cream Sauce for Chicken Enchiladas.
Roasted chile peppers and tomatoes for Chicken Enchiladas with Tomato Cream Sauce
  1. Step 3: Make The Creamy Red Chile Sauce: Place about 15 medium sized tomatoes and 3-4 chile peppers on a baking sheet. Broil in oven about 5 inches from heat for five minutes. When you start to see charred spots, turn the tomatoes and peppers over and broil another 5 minutes. 
Using a food processor to make Tomato Cream Sauce for chicken enchiladas
  1. Step 4: Puree the Red Chile Sauce: Place tomatoes and peppers along with the juices from the baking sheet into a food processor and puree until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender.
Cooking onions for chicken enchiladas with tomato cream sauce
Making tomato cream sauce for chicken enchiladas
  1. Step 5: Cook the Onions: In a Dutch oven saute one chopped onion in olive oil until tender, about 7 minutes. 
  2. Step 6: Turn up heat to medium high and add pureed tomato/chili mixture to onion. Add chicken broth.  Partially cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  When done, the texture of the sauce should be soupy.  If the sauce is too thick add a little more broth.  Stir in ½ Cup of Mexican crema, set aside and keep warm. You’re ready to prep the corn tortillas to make this creamy chicken enchilada recipe.
How to heat corn tortillas in the oven.
  1. Step 7: Prepare the corn tortillas: An easy way to heat corn tortillas to make them pliable to roll, is to spray them with oil and bake them. The oil creates a slight barrier which will help them soak up a little bit of the sauce when you dip them. But not too much to make them soggy. On a baking sheet, place 12 oiled corn tortillas.  Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with a towel to keep warm.
Filling tortilla shells enchiladas
  1. Step 8: Roll the enchiladas: Spoon ½ of the tomato cream sauce into a casserole baking pan.  Working fast, so tortillas don’t cool, place shredded chicken inside a warm tortilla and roll.
How to roll tortillas for Chicken Enchiladas with Tomato Cream Sauce
How to spoon tomato cream sauce over chicken enchiladas
  1. Step 9 : Start placing enchiladas seam side down into the sauce. Use your imagination on spacing the enchiladas to fit. Spoon the remaining sauce over the chicken enchiladas.
Sprinkling cheese over Chicken Enchiladas with Tomato Cream Sauce
  1. Step 10 : Sprinkle with grated cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until bubbly and cheese just starts to brown.

Garnish Ideas for Chicken Enchiladas

  • Fresh onion, chopped or in rings is a customary topping for any authentic Mexican Enchilada.
  • Chopped cilantro.
  • We love and rings of sliced fresh jalapeno peppers, or try pickled jalapeno peppers.
  • Guacamole or chopped fresh avocados.

Tips For Making Red Sauce Chicken Enchiladas

  • Traditional Enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. You simply can’t take a corn tortilla out of the package and use it without first making it pliable. You can warm them by gently heating them in the microwave, or stovetop using a Comal. You can also use a sheet pan and heat them in the oven, as I’ve illustrated above.
  • This recipe is a great way to use leftover chicken or even turkey. You can even purchase a rotisserie chicken and shred the meat.
  • This creamy red sauce is also a great choice to use with shredded beef, like my recipe for Beef Machaca
  • Experiment with cheeses. Not all cheeses are good for melting. For this recipe choose Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Muenster. A good quality Mexican melting cheese is a great choice. Choose Chihuahua, Quesadilla, or Asadero. All can be found in well stocked produce section. Try my new favorite, Sargento Fiesta Pepper Jack. It’s got a nice heat to it.

Questions You May Have

Can I Substitute Flour Tortillas for Corn Tortillas?

Please Don’t. A flour tortilla rolled with any type of filling is a burrito not an enchilada. Flour tortillas are thicker and will soak up too much of the sauce called for in this recipe. You’ll be left with a very dry casserole.

How To Get The Skin Off Chile Peppers?

Once peppers are roasted, place them in a plastic bag. No need to seal the bag. Let them steam for about 5 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag and slide most of the skins off with your hands. DO NOT run chiles under water to remove skin. You’re washing away that smoky flavor. I like to leave some little patches of skin on for the flavor.

Can I Make Chicken Enchiladas Ahead?

I’m not a fan of make ahead chicken enchiladas. If you assemble and refrigerate the casserole the night before, the corn tortillas will become mushy. I advise to bake this very soon after preparing, as a mushy corn tortilla will break your heart.

Storage

  • Store any leftovers in the refrigerator covered with aluminum foil. Gently reheat in a 250 degree oven, or individual servings in the microwave. Enchiladas will keep in the refrigerator up to four days.
  • This chicken enchilada recipe will freeze well. Cover any leftovers first with plastic wrap and then top with aluminum foil. Three months is a good rule of thumb for freezing any casserole. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then gently reheat in a 250 degree oven.

Creamy Red Sauce Chicken Enchiladas

Creamy chicken enchiladas casserole baked in a pyrex baking dish.

I hope you give this Rick Bayless Chicken Enchiladas recipe a try, and if you do, please give the recipe a star rating and scroll down a leave a comment about your experience with the recipe. I love hearing from my readers.

Explore More Southwestern Enchilada Recipes

And if you love Mexican food, don’t miss my Mexican Southwest Category. It’s chock full of ole’ goodness. And if you enjoy New Mexico Red Chile flavors, you won’t want to miss this recipe for Carne Adovada, one of new Mexico’s most celebrated dishes.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Chicken enchiladas made with a creamy red sauce topped with jalapeno peppers and fresh onion.
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Creamy Red Chile Sauce Chicken Enchiladas

Hands down the best chicken enchiladas ever. And it's all due to a very special (and easy) homemade tomato cream sauce that will knock your socks off.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Course Chicken
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 8
Calories: 338kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 3-4 whole green chiles poblano, jalapenos, Hatch or Mirasol or a mixture.
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 2 cups chicken broth plus a little extra if needed
  • ½ cup Mexican Crema or creme fraiche or heavy whipping cream
  • 3 pounds fresh tomatoes or 2-28 ounce cans good quality whole tomatoes, drained
  • 1 ½ Tablespoon vegetable oil Or lard. Plus a little for brushing or spraying the tortillas
  • 2 cups coarsley shredded chicken breast grilled, roasted, or rotisserie
  • ⅔ cup Mexican Cheese Shredded. Monterey Jack, Chihuahua, quesadilla, asadero
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 6 slices yellow onion separated into rings for garnish
  • Fresh Cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 350°.
  • For fresh tomatoes: Roast the tomatoes and chiles in the oven on a baking sheet 4 inches below a hot broiler. Turning to roast all sides until they show dark spots. Remove from oven and cool.  Working over the same baking sheet, remove skins and cores from the tomatoes and remove skins from the peppers. 
  • Place roasted peppers and tomatoes in a food processor and blend to a smooth puree.
  • If using canned tomatoes: No need to roast canned tomatoes. Once the chiles are roasted, place canned tomatoes and roasted peppers into a food processor and blend to a smooth puree.
  • Cook The Onions: In a 4-5 quart Dutch oven, heat the oil (or lard, or bacon fat) over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until golden, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Make the Sauce: Raise the heat to medium-high, and stir in the tomato/pepper puree. Cook, stirring, until darker in color and thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 15 minutes.
  • Stir in the chicken broth, partially cover and simmer 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt, usually about ½ teaspoon. The sauce should be a slightly soupy consistency-not as thick as spaghetti sauce. If it is too thick, stir in a little additional broth. Stir the Mexican crema into the sauce. Keep warm over low heat.
  • Season the Chicken: Put the chicken in a bowl and stir ½ cup of the sauce mixture into it. Taste and season with additional salt if you think it needs it.
  • Soften the Corn Tortillas: Lay the tortillas out on a baking sheet (2 sheets if you have them, for more even heating), and lightly brush or spray both sides of the tortillas with oil. Bake just to warm through and soften, about 3 minutes. Stack the tortillas and cover with a towel to keep warm.
  • Build the Enchiladas: Smear about half of the sauce over the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking dish.
  • Working quickly so the tortillas stay hot and pliable, roll a portion of the chicken into each tortilla, (don't over-fill) then line them all up in the baking dishes. Douse evenly with the remaining sauce, then sprinkle with the cheese.
  • Bake until the enchiladas are hot through (the cheese will have begun to brown), about 15 minutes. 
  • Garnish with onion rings, slices of jalapeno pepper and cilantro sprigs. These are best served piping hot from the oven.

Notes

Can I substitute flour tortillas for corn tortillas? No. A flour tortilla rolled with any type of filling is a burrito not an enchilada. Flour tortillas are thicker and will soak up too much of the sauce called for in this recipe. You’ll be left with a very dry casserole.
How to remove the skins from chile peppers. Once peppers are roasted, place them in a plastic bag. No need to seal the bag. Let them steam for about 5 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag and slide most of the skins off with your hands. DO NOT run chiles under water to remove skin. You’re washing away that smoky flavor. I like to leave some little patches of skin on for the flavor.
Use a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish or a lasagna pan. If you use a 9 x 13, you’ll be able to line the enchiladas up for easy serving once they’re baked, but you’ll need an additional small casserole to hold all of the enchiladas. A 9 x 13 pan will hold 9 – 10 enchiladas. A lasagna pan will hold more but they’ll be facing different directions. 

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 550mg | Potassium: 940mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2075IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 193mg | Iron: 2mg

Creamy Red Sauce Chicken Enchilada Recipe … It’s Whats for Dinner