Breakfast Enchiladas With Eggs and Salsa

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 8 servings, about 10 enchiladas
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, including 10 minutes resting

Quick Ingredients

• 10 large eggs
• 1/4 cup whole milk or half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces breakfast sausage, chorizo, or vegetarian sausage, crumbled
• 1 cup diced bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced, optional
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 2 cups fire-roasted salsa roja or salsa verde
• 1 cup red or green enchilada sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 10 soft 8-inch flour tortillas
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Mexican-blend cheese, divided
• Optional toppings: chopped cilantro, sliced scallions, diced avocado, crema or sour cream, lime wedges, cotija

Do This

• 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• 2. Stir together salsa, enchilada sauce, cumin, and lime juice. Spread 1 cup in the dish.
• 3. Cook sausage, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeño in olive oil until browned and tender.
• 4. Soft-scramble eggs with milk, salt, and pepper in butter; remove while still glossy.
• 5. Combine eggs, sausage mixture, beans, corn, 1/2 cup sauce, and 1 cup cheese.
• 6. Fill tortillas with the egg mixture, roll, and place seam-side down in the dish.
• 7. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake covered 20 minutes, uncovered 10 minutes, rest 10 minutes, then garnish.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Big breakfast flavor in casserole form: Fluffy eggs, melty cheese, sausage, beans, vegetables, and salsa bake together into a cozy, sliceable morning meal.
• Easy to customize: Use red salsa, green salsa, bacon, chorizo, potatoes, extra vegetables, or a vegetarian filling.
• Great for brunch: It feeds a crowd and can be assembled ahead, making it perfect for weekends, holidays, or meal prep.
• Bold but approachable: The salsa and enchilada sauce add color, tang, and gentle heat without requiring a complicated homemade sauce.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 medium bell pepper, 1 small yellow onion, 1 jalapeño, 1 lime, fresh cilantro, scallions, 1 avocado, optional lime wedges for serving.
• Dairy & Refrigerated: 10 large eggs, whole milk or half-and-half, unsalted butter, shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Mexican-blend cheese, optional crema or sour cream, optional cotija or queso fresco.
• Meat & Protein: 8 ounces breakfast sausage, chorizo, or vegetarian sausage; 1 can black beans.
• Pantry: Olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, fire-roasted salsa roja or salsa verde, red or green enchilada sauce, 10 soft 8-inch flour tortillas.
• Frozen: Frozen corn kernels.

Full Ingredients

For the Salsa Enchilada Sauce

• 2 cups fire-roasted salsa roja or salsa verde, mild or medium
• 1 cup red or green enchilada sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

For the Egg and Breakfast Filling

• 10 large eggs
• 1/4 cup whole milk or half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces breakfast sausage, Mexican chorizo, or vegetarian sausage, casing removed if needed and crumbled
• 1 cup finely diced bell pepper, from about 1 medium pepper
• 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion, from about 1/2 small onion
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced, optional
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed, from about 1/2 of a 15-ounce can
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Mexican-blend cheese, from the total amount below

For Assembly

• 10 soft 8-inch flour tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Mexican-blend cheese, for topping
• Cooking spray or 1 teaspoon neutral oil, for greasing the baking dish

Optional Toppings

• 1/4 cup crumbled cotija or queso fresco
• 1 avocado, diced or thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
• Lime wedges, for serving
• Hot sauce, for serving

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven and mix the salsa sauce

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or 1 teaspoon neutral oil. In a medium bowl, stir together the salsa, enchilada sauce, ground cumin, and lime juice. Spread 1 cup of this sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Set the remaining sauce aside for filling and topping.

Step 2: Cook the sausage and vegetables

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crumbled sausage and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Add the diced bell pepper, onion, and optional jalapeño. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.

If there is a lot of fat in the skillet, carefully spoon off the excess, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan for flavor. Transfer the sausage and vegetable mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Step 3: Soft-scramble the eggs

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, kosher salt, and black pepper until the yolks and whites are fully blended. Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low and add the butter. Once melted, pour in the eggs. Cook gently for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring with a spatula, until the eggs are softly set but still a little glossy.

Remove the eggs from the heat before they look fully dry. They will continue cooking in the oven, and slightly undercooking them now keeps the enchiladas tender instead of rubbery.

Step 4: Combine the breakfast filling

Add the soft-scrambled eggs to the bowl with the sausage and vegetables. Fold in the black beans, thawed corn, chopped cilantro, 1 cup shredded cheese, and 1/2 cup of the salsa sauce. Stir gently so the eggs stay fluffy while everything is evenly coated.

Step 5: Warm, fill, and roll the tortillas

Wrap the tortillas in a barely damp clean kitchen towel or paper towel and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, just until soft and flexible. Working with one tortilla at a time, spoon about a heaping 1/2 cup of the egg filling down the center. Roll the tortilla snugly around the filling, then place it seam-side down in the sauced baking dish.

Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling. The enchiladas should fit in one snug layer. If needed, tuck the last one along the side of the pan.

Step 6: Sauce, cheese, and bake

Spoon the remaining salsa sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas, making sure the edges get a little sauce so they soften as they bake. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes more, until the cheese is melted, the sauce is bubbling around the edges, and the center is hot. For food safety, the middle of the casserole should reach 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Step 7: Rest, garnish, and serve

Let the breakfast enchiladas rest for 10 minutes before serving. This helps the filling settle and makes the enchiladas easier to lift from the pan. Garnish with cilantro, scallions, diced avocado, cotija, and a drizzle of crema or sour cream. Serve warm with lime wedges and hot sauce on the side.

Pro Tips

• Keep the eggs soft: Stop cooking the eggs while they still look slightly glossy. They finish in the oven and stay much fluffier this way.
• Use a salsa you love: The salsa is a major flavor builder here. Choose one with a heat level and texture you enjoy. Fire-roasted salsa adds extra depth.
• Warm the tortillas: Soft, warm tortillas roll more easily and are less likely to crack. This is especially important if using corn tortillas.
• Do not overfill: A heaping 1/2 cup filling per 8-inch tortilla is plenty. Overfilled enchiladas can split and are harder to arrange in the dish.
• Let it rest: Ten minutes of resting time helps the sauce thicken slightly and keeps the filling from spilling out when served.

Variations

• Green chile bacon breakfast enchiladas: Replace the sausage with 8 slices cooked, chopped bacon. Use salsa verde, green enchilada sauce, and add 1/2 cup chopped roasted green chiles to the filling.
• Vegetarian potato and black bean enchiladas: Skip the sausage and add 1 1/2 cups cooked diced breakfast potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes. Use 1 1/2 cups black beans total for extra protein.
• Spicy chorizo version: Use Mexican chorizo, pepper Jack cheese, medium or hot salsa roja, and a pinch of cayenne in the eggs for a bolder brunch casserole.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate leftovers: Cover the cooled baking dish tightly or transfer portions to airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, or reheat the covered baking dish in a 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until hot.

Make ahead: Assemble the enchiladas up to 24 hours in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate. For best texture, reserve about 1/2 cup of the sauce and 1/2 cup of the topping cheese to add just before baking. Bake straight from the refrigerator at 375°F, covered for 25 minutes, then uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until bubbling and hot in the center.

Freeze: For the best results, freeze the baked and cooled enchiladas in individual portions. Wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat covered at 350°F until warmed through. The tortillas will be softer after freezing, but the flavor will still be delicious.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 8 servings: 510 calories, 28 grams protein, 38 grams carbohydrates, 29 grams fat, 11 grams saturated fat, 300 milligrams cholesterol, 5 grams fiber, 6 grams sugar, and 960 milligrams sodium. Nutrition will vary depending on the sausage, tortillas, salsa, enchilada sauce, and toppings used.