Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas with White Sauce in One Baking Dish Tips, FAQ & printable recipe

Tips for success

The single best upgrade for this recipe is temperature control on the shrimp. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out: pull the pan-seared shrimp early, and trust the oven to bring them to 145°F (63°C) surrounded by sauce.

If shrimp vary in size, sort them so the largest go in the center rolls, where the heat is gentlest. Patting them dry before the sear matters more than most cooks expect — surface water dilutes the seasoning and prevents browning.

Treat the sauce with the same care. Whisk the flour into the butter for the full two minutes even if it looks combined sooner; that is what removes the floury taste.

Warm the broth before adding it if the kitchen is cold — a warm liquid incorporates faster and with fewer lumps. And when the baked dish comes out, rewarm the reserved sauce gently rather than microwaving it hard, so it stays glossy when spooned over the portions.

Variations

• Chicken enchiladas: Replace the shrimp with 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken. Stir it into a little of the sauce before filling, and reduce the searing step; the rolls bake the same way and the timing stays identical.
• Spicier version: Add a minced chipotle in adobo to the sauce with the spices, or stir a pinch of cayenne into the shrimp seasoning. The cream softens the heat, so taste the sauce before assembling and adjust.
• Extra cheesy top: Increase the cheese to 3 cups and reserve a full cup for the last 5 minutes of baking. Adding it late keeps a layer of fresh, fully melted cheese on top of the browned first layer.
• Smaller dish: Halve every ingredient and roll four enchiladas in an 8x8-inch baking dish. Bake for the same time; the smaller dish bubbles at the edges just as readily and serves three.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

Cover tightly and refrigerate within 2 hours of baking; keeps up to 3 days.

Freezer

Freeze the baked dish, well wrapped, for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat

Cover with foil and reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or microwave individual portions covered until heated through.

Cool the baking dish for no more than 2 hours at room temperature, then cover leftovers tightly and refrigerate. They keep well for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions covered in the microwave, or the whole dish, covered with foil, in a 350°F (175°C) oven until heated through.

The cream sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead; refrigerate it in a covered container and rewarm it gently over low heat, whisking in a splash of broth to loosen. The shrimp can be seasoned and dried a few hours ahead in the refrigerator.

Assemble the full dish up to the baking point, cover, and refrigerate for no more than a few hours, then bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes since the dish starts cold.

Serving ideas

Serve the enchiladas straight from the baking dish while the cheese still pulls. A metal spatula lifts each portion cleanly after the five-minute rest, and spooning the reserved warm cream sauce over the top brings back the glossy, just-baked look.

Plain white plates show the dish off well: the golden cheese, the ivory sauce and the pink shrimp need no decoration.

Round out the plate with something fresh and simple — a crisp green salad, quick pickled onions or a handful of crushed tortilla chips for contrast. Rice works if the appetite is big. Serve one roll per person for a lighter plate, two for a full dinner. Bring the whole dish to the table and let everyone see the steam rise before portions are lifted out.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas with White Sauce in One Baking Dish

Prep 25 minCook 35 minRest 5 minTotal 1 h 5 minServes 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 8 flour tortillas (8-inch)
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells faintly nutty and turns a pale blond. This short cook keeps the flour raw taste out of the sauce without darkening it.
2. Whisk in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds so the spices bloom in the butter. Pour in the broth slowly, whisking as it goes, and bring the sauce to a steady simmer. It should thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the sour cream and heavy cream until the sauce is completely smooth and glossy. Taste and adjust the salt. Reserve about 1 cup of sauce for spooning over the baked enchiladas, and keep the rest for assembling.
4. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook for about 1 minute per side, just until the shells turn opaque at the edges; they will finish in the oven.
5. Warm the tortillas briefly in a dry skillet or wrapped in a damp towel in the microwave, about 20 seconds, until pliable. Lightly coat the bottom of the baking dish with a thin layer of the cream sauce so nothing sticks.
6. Spoon a little sauce down the center of each tortilla, add a few shrimp and a generous pinch of cheese, then roll each one snugly and place it seam-side down in the dish. Pack them side by side so they hold their shape while baking.
7. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas so every surface is covered, then scatter the rest of the cheese over the top. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) while the dish sits at room temperature for no more than 30 minutes.
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges of the dish and the cheese on top is fully melted and golden in spots. The shrimp inside must reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C); check the thickest piece with an instant-read thermometer.
9. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes so the sauce settles and the rolls hold together when cut. Rewarm the reserved cup of sauce gently if it has thickened, spoon it over each portion, and lift one out with a metal spatula to serve while the cheese still pulls.

Contains: crustaceans, milk, gluten

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

560

Protein

32 g

Carbohydrates

34 g

Fat

30 g

Fiber

2 g

Sugar

4 g

Sodium

980 mg

Automatic estimate from the ingredient list, not laboratory-verified.