These Slow Cooker Lazy Enchiladas are made with just three primary ingredients: frozen taquitos, enchilada sauce, and shredded cheese. If you’re looking for an incredibly easy meal the whole family will enjoy, it doesn’t get much easier and better than this!
Want to try another recipe with the yummy enchilada sauce flavors? Have a go at making my Slow Cooker Beef Enchilada Chili!
Can enchiladas be made out of frozen taquitos?
The word enchilada itself means a rolled tortilla with a filling typically of meat and served with a chili sauce. You’re already a step ahead on the enchilada aspect by using frozen taquitos. So, yes. Taquito enchiladas are totally a thing and this lazy enchiladas recipe makes for an easy dinner that can feed a few or a lot.
Recipe Ingredients
- Frozen Taquitos: I used frozen beef taquitos for this recipe.
- Red Enchilada Sauce: A canned enchilada sauce that is a combination of tomato sauce and chili powder. If you’d like a little spice, consider using hot enchilada sauce.
- Shredded Cheese: I used a fiesta blend that includes all the classic Tex-Mex cheeses (medium cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, queso quesadilla, and asadero cheese).
- Toppings for Garnish: Olives and cilantro add the perfect touch of garnish flavor.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Place frozen taquitos into a slow cooker that has been prepared with cooking spray.
Step Two – Top the taquitos with the enchilada sauce—cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, or HIGH for 2.5 hours.
Step Three – Sprinkle the taquitos with shredded cheese. Re-cover and allow the cheese to melt.
Step Four – Garnish the finished taquitos with chopped cilantro and black olives.
Variations
- Change the Taquito Type: Although I used beef taquitos for this recipe, you can use another type. There are beef and cheese taquitos and chicken taquitos, with cheese or without.
- Different Cheese Topping: You can’t go wrong with using a fiesta blend; however, you can also use a Mexican blend, Pepper Jack, or Monterey Jack.
- Serve with a Variety of Toppings: Sour cream, chopped green onions, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and sliced avocado make for some great topping choices.
- Foods to Serve on the Side: A dollop of guacamole, a nice helping of Mexican rice, black beans, and refried beans compliment this casserole dish wonderfully.
Recipe FAQs
You can use red sauce. However, green enchilada sauce typically compliments chicken better.
Add any remaining leftovers to an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven in a baking dish.
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Slow Cooker Lazy Enchiladas
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 23 oz. box beef taquitos
- 19 oz can red enchilada sauce
- 1 cup shredded fiesta blend cheese
- 2.25 ounce sliced black olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Instructions:
- Prepare 3 to 4 quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the frozen taquitos into the slow cooker. Top the taquitos with the enchilada sauce.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours, or high for 2.5 hours.
- Remove the lid and top the taquitos with the cheese. Re-cover and allow the cheese to melt.
- Garnish the lazy enchiladas with sliced black olives and chopped cilantro.
Recipe Notes:
- The taquitos will swell and flatten as they cook to resemble enchiladas. This recipe could easily be doubled to feed more people.
- Green sauce can be used but goes better with chicken taquitos.
- Add any remaining leftovers to an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven in a baking dish.
- Sour cream, chopped green onions, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and sliced avocado make for some great topping choices.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
How long to cook if I double the amount?
It will most likely be the same amount of time for this.
Huge fan of this one! …Thanks Sarah. Been making variations of it for the last 3 months…
Super simple yet tastes great.
I have been using El Monterey taquitos , burritos , last time a combo of both, loved the result.
(if using burritos cover bottom layer with sauce before adding a second layer).
Beef, chicken, a combo of both works great. Plan on buying Chimichangas next time cause the ”extra crispy” taquitos held up better in the slow cooker.
Personal choice, I add a small diced onion between layers, totally optional. Plan on trying Rotel with chilies next time. 🙂
Now, 2 serious pieces of advice.
#1
USE A SLOW COOKER LINER AND SPRAY IT WITH A COOKING SPRAY!
If ya don’t , the food will tear apart while trying to get it out!
And forgot the liner once….Scrubbing that crock/cheese out sucked….With the liner , just a quick rinse.
#2
Spray yer spatula with that cooking spray before ya use it to take that food out.
Just,trust me on those 2 steps.
Still blows me away that stuff made be microwaved…meh…..can be turned into a really tasty slow cooker meal. 🙂
Side note to above post.
” I add a small diced onion between layers”
One half of that onion on the first layer ,second half on the top layer…. NOT all in the middle.
Made this tonight. I only had a 10 Oz. can of enchilada sauce so I added a small can of original Rotel and crossed my fingers. My husband loved it. Served on a bed of taco rice with a side of refried beans. Thank you for the recipie.
Very tasty, but I couldn’t get them out of the cooker in one piece like your picture, just had to spoon it out. How did you get them out of the cooker in one piece?
The recipe was so easy but next time I will use more sauce. My dish was rather dry.
This is so yummy and easy, thank you so much so shared ❤
I haven’t made it yet but it looks wonderful! I was thinking about using the frozen beef burrito’s too!
I wish you had a video for this recipe!
Perfect! Happened to buy a box of these today!!! Can’t wait to make this recipe, although I prefer using my own enchilada sauce.
Wow wow !!! Simple and amazing. This is my kind of lazy dish right here! Thank you. Been following for years.