Cheesy Enchilada Rice
Decadent Cheesy Enchilada Rice is a flavorful and comforting dish that combines the rich, tangy taste of enchilada sauce with creamy melted cheese and tender rice! This one-pot meal is a delicious way to enjoy the classic flavors of enchiladas in a quick and easy recipe.
Why We Love This Cheesy Enchilada Rice Recipe
Stumped by side dishes?
It’s often easy to decide on a main dish for dinner, but less straightforward to determine what goes with it. Have you noticed that?
Well say hello to a rich and zesty side dish you are going to want to pair with all your main dishes, Cheesy Enchilada Rice.
This silky rice recipe is a cross between Spanish Rice and creamy risotto, and seems to go with everything!
Throw some grilled shrimp on top, or pair it with pork loin. Serve with grilled chicken or steak. You can even roast vegetables to top this Cheesy Enchilada Rice for a complete vegetarian meal.
Ingredients You Need
Made with pantry staples, this 6-ingredient wonder combines robust flavor and cheesy goodness. Using long grain rice (instead of arborio rice for risotto) gives it a hearty, yet luxurious, texture.
- Butter – To sauté the onion!
- Onion – Diced
- Long Grain Rice – I like to use a long grain white rice here, for maximum creaminess. I wouldn’t use brown rice, since it won’t produce the same texture.
- Canned Green Chiles – For a bit of smoky spice!
- Red Enchilada Sauce – Adds all the flavor of enchiladas in one can.
- Cheese – I like to use monterey jack or pepper jack cheese!
- Water – To cook the rice.
- Scallions – As garnish.
Old El Paso Green Chiles and Old El Paso Red Enchilada Sauce create depth and subtle heat as the Cheesy Enchilada Rice simmers. There is no need for canned tomatoes and a long list of spices; it’s all in the Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce!
How to Make Easy Cheesy Enchilada Rice
Place butter in a sauté pan and set over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice, green chiles, enchilada sauce, and 3 cups of water.
Stir and cover the pan. Bring to a boil. Set the heat to low and simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Keep covered in between stirs.
Once the rice is cooked through, add one more cup of water and the shredded cheese. Stir and cook another 2-3 minutes until the rice is tender. Garnish with fresh cilantro or scallions and serve warm. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Add some veggies! The good news about cheesy Mexican-style rice is that it is super versatile. For some added texture and nutrients, you can throw in some veggies while the rice is cooking! Try adding bell pepper, corn, or canned beans!
- Use whatever cheese you have on hand! Something like cheddar cheese, colby jack, monterey jack, or pepper jack is best!
- Serve this creamy rice with a side of fresh avocado!
Serving Suggestions
Serve you enchilada rice skillet with a protein on the side to create a whole meal! It also goes great with some extra side dishes to create a well rounded, family-favorite meal. Here are some of my favorites to pair with it:
Frequently Asked Questions
This rice skillet is only slightly spicy! The red enchilada sauce is mild, and you can adjust the heat depending on the kind of green chiles you add here. If you are serving this rice to kids, it is best to keep everything relatively mild!
You can store leftovers of this rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days! This is a great rice to make ahead and warm up as you need it throughout the week.
Looking for More Easy Side Dish Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Old El Paso. All opinions are my own.
Cheesy Enchilada Rice
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 2 cups long grain rice
- 4.5 ounces Old El Paso Chopped Green Chiles (1 can)
- 19 ounces Old El Paso Red Enchilada Sauce (1 can)
- 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese or pepper jack cheese (8 ounces)
- 4 cups water
- Scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Place butter in a 5-qt. saute pan and set over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice, Old El Paso Green Chiles, Old El Paso Red Enchilada Sauce, and 3 cups of water.
- Stir and cover the pan. Bring to a boil. Set the heat to low and simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Keep covered in between stirs.
- Once the rice is cooked through, add one more cup of water and the shredded cheese. Stir and cook another 2-3 minutes until the rice is tender. Garnish with cilantro or scallions and serve warm.
I made this and absolutely loved it. But I am confused, why do you keep one cup of water until the end and add it, then cook for another 2-3 minutes? Why not put it in at the beginning? Interested to know the reason.
Hi Jody,
No problem! If you add too much liquid to rice as it’s cooking, it will not develop the proper light fluffy texture we all love. Rice generally needs a 1:2 ratio of grain to liquid. Since we are adding enchilada sauce and green chiles with the water, we are already exceeding the liquid a smidge.
Adding and extra water at the end with the cheese, helps create a smooth cheesy sauce without disturbing the rice texture too much. Hope this helps!
This was SO delicious! I am obsessed with it. I made it for dinner last night and have already eaten some leftovers this morning, and I want more. Thanks for a scrumptious recipe!
I made this but in a slightly different way… instead of serving it as a side dish for the chicken, I cut back on some of the cheese or used low fat cheese and cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and added it to the rice
This was very delicious and easy to make. I added some chorizo to make it a little heartier, but it would even be good without. Also, it sure makes a lot of rice! It’s a great way to feed a lot of people for not a lot of money. I love that.
Another hit Sommer!
Sometimes I add rotisserie chicken and serve with salad!
Has anyone ever made this in a crock pot?
How big is a serving?
I made this tonight to serve alongside steamed tamales. This rice stole the show! Delicious!
I love your recipes but each time I print one out, part of the instructions are missing and I have to fill in the blanks so to speak. Can you fix that?
Hi Bonnie! I just tested printing here at home and the recipes come off the printer complete.
What exactly is missing? Is it the same section on every recipe? Any chance it’s a setting on your printer?
Thank you for this idea ! Perhaps some lettuce aside could make this a main for a week night dinner. Will be back for more !
Oh. my. That looks amazing! On my list for this week!