Make air fryer cheese enchiladas in under 15 minutes with only five ingredients. These enchiladas are cheesy, satisfying, and quick to prepare—perfect for a busy weeknight. (Yields 4)
If you enjoy enchiladas but don’t want to heat the oven, the air fryer is an excellent alternative. The process is simple: soften the tortillas, fill them with cheese and a little onion, place them seam-side down in an ovenproof dish with sauce, top with extra sauce and cheese, then air fry until bubbly and golden.
Prepare the Corn Tortillas
Corn tortillas can crack when rolled, so briefly coating them with hot oil makes them pliable. Heat about 1½ tablespoons of vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Place a tortilla in the hot oil very briefly, flip it quickly, then transfer it to paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Repeat with remaining tortillas and pat them dry before filling.
Prepare the Baking Dish
Choose an ovenproof dish that fits inside your air fryer basket. Spread about 1/4 cup of red enchilada sauce across the bottom of the dish so the enchiladas won’t stick and will pick up flavor from below.
Fill the Tortillas
Work one tortilla at a time. Place about 1/4 of the grated cheddar down the center, sprinkle with a portion of chopped yellow onion, and add a thin line of enchilada sauce on top. Reserve a small amount of the cheese and onion to sprinkle on top of the rolled enchiladas before cooking.
Roll the tortilla fairly tightly and place it seam-side down in the prepared dish on top of the sauce. Repeat until all four tortillas are in the dish.
Top with Sauce, Onions and Cheese
Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas so they’re fully coated. Sprinkle the reserved chopped onion over the top, then evenly distribute the remaining grated cheddar.
Cook the Enchiladas in the Air Fryer
Set the air fryer to 350°F. If your model has a preheat function, preheat before inserting the dish. Air fry the enchiladas for 7–8 minutes, checking at 7 minutes. They are done when the sauce bubbles around the edges and the cheese is fully melted.
Carefully remove the hot dish from the air fryer using oven mitts and let the enchiladas rest for a minute to cool slightly before serving.
Garnish and Serve
Optional garnishes include fresh cilantro, dollops of sour cream, or guacamole. Use a spatula to lift each enchilada from the dish and plate. Leftovers keep well covered in the refrigerator and reheat nicely in the microwave.
These air fryer cheese enchiladas are easy to scale up if you need more servings. They’re a fast, comforting option that delivers the familiar flavors of traditional enchiladas without heating a large oven.
Recipe Card
Simple, cheesy enchiladas cooked in the air fryer for a quick, flavorful meal.
- 4 small corn tortillas
- 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil (for briefly coating tortillas)
- 1½ cups grated cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup chopped yellow onion (divided)
- 1 cup red enchilada sauce (divided)
- cilantro leaves, sour cream, guacamole
- Heat vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat until hot. Briefly coat each tortilla on both sides in the oil, then transfer to paper towels and pat dry. Do not deep fry—just soften them.
- Use an ovenproof dish that fits in your air fryer. Spread ¼ cup enchilada sauce over the bottom.
- Fill each tortilla with about ¼ of the grated cheese and ¼ of the chopped onion, plus a thin line of enchilada sauce. Reserve a small amount of cheese and onion for the top. Roll tortillas and place seam-side down in the dish.
- Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle with the reserved onion and cheese.
- Air fry at 350°F for 7–8 minutes, checking at 7 minutes. Cook until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted.
- Remove the hot dish carefully, let sit a minute, garnish if desired, and serve.
