Crab Enchiladas with Creamy White Sauce

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How to make the best crab enchiladas with a creamy sour cream white sauce, all made from scratch. Easy recipe perfect for seafood lovers!

Anytime Tex-Mex is on the menu, I especially look forward to dinner. But I have to admit, when I first started thinking about seafood enchiladas, I wasn't so sure about the concept of seafood and Tex-Mex. I'm just not a big fish person.

But let me tell you, after making this crab enchilada recipe, I am a believer in seafood and Tex-Mex. It wasn't at all how I thought it would be.

First of all, I get my crab meat from a can. Yes, it's real crab. And yes, it's super easy.

Now the sauce… I make my favorite creamy white sauce that I make with sour cream and cream cheese. I've made this sauce before with my creamy chicken enchiladas.

When you put crab enchiladas with sour cream sauce, you get a dinner the whole family will enjoy. And it changes things up from the usual chicken or beef or cheese; it widens your dinner horizons!

WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

If you’d rather skip all of my recipe tips, important info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the actual recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.

If you're as into Tex-Mex recipes as I am, you'll love these recipes too:

INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED:

  • Salted butter
  • Medium yellow onion
  • Cream cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Heavy whipping cream
  • Diced green chiles
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh Roma tomatoes, diced – These are optional, but they add a fresh, delicious flavor to your sauce.
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic clove
  • Red bell pepper
  • Lemon juice
  • Seasoning – I use Badia Complete Seasoning, which is relatively inexpensive and fairly easy to find in grocery stores.
  • White crab meat – You can find canned crab meat with the tuna and other canned fish at your grocery store.
  • Cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese
  • Corn tortillas
  • Green onions

Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

blue baking dish with baked sour cream crab enchiladas, sprinkled with green onions

KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU'LL NEED:

Ninja Food Chopper Express or Cutting Board and Chef’s Knife

Medium Saucepan – for making the sauce.

Large Skillet and Wooden Spatula – We use our cast iron skillets for pretty much everything.

Large Mixing Bowl

9″x13″ Baking Dish

HOW TO MAKE SOUR CREAM WHITE SAUCE

Before you assemble your enchiladas, you need to make the sauce.

  1. Melt the butter in the saucepan on medium heat.
  2. Sauté the onion in the butter for about 5 minutes, or until the onion turns a light golden color.
  3. Add the cream cheese in with the onion, stirring 'til it melts.
  4. Then add the sour cream, heavy whipping cream, green chiles, salt, pepper, shredded cheddar, and shredded Monterey Jack to the mixture.
  5. Let the sauce simmer, constantly stirring, 'til it begins to thicken. It'll probably take about 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. Then if you want to add tomatoes to your sauce, you can stir them in. At this point, you'll want to turn the heat to low and just keep your sauce warm while you make the enchiladas.
how to make a sour cream white sauce for enchiladas, by melting butter in saucepan, sautéing onion, adding cream cheese and other ingredients, along with fresh tomatoes

Tip: If you add tomatoes, try to avoid using canned tomatoes. They don't have the same flavor as fresh tomatoes.

HOW TO MAKE AND ASSEMBLE CRAB ENCHILADAS

Now you can get everything ready and assemble the enchiladas.

  1. Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a skillet. Then sauté the minced garlic, onion, and red pepper in the oil, about 5 minutes, 'til it's softened.
  2. Then in a large bowl, add the crab meat, the cooked veggies, lemon juice, seasoning, salt and pepper, 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese, and 1/2 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese.
  3. Mix everything together really well.
  4. Warm the tortillas in the microwave by placing between a couple of damp paper towels and heating 'til warmed.
  5. Spread about a cup of the white sauce into the bottom of your greased baking dish.
  6. Add a heaping tablespoon of the crab meat mixture to each corn tortilla, loosely wrapping each one.
  7. Place each enchilada, seam side down, in the baking dish on top of the sauce.
  8. Spread the remaining sauce over the finished enchiladas, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
how to make and assemble crab enchiladas with white sauce in baking dish

Then just bake according to the instructions in the recipe card below, until the cheese melts and the enchiladas are cooked thru.

baked white sauce crab enchiladas in blue and white baking dish, surrounded by sour cream, tomatoes, green onions, and a wooden spoon

When they're finished, you can garnish them with green onions, fresh tomatoes, avocado, fresh basil salsa, and sour cream.

wooden spoonful of sour cream crab enchiladas sprinkled with green onions

CAN YOU FREEZE SEAFOOD ENCHILADAS?

Yes, you can freeze this meal. Just be sure to cover it tightly with plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil; or store the enchiladas in an airtight container for freezing.

Then when you're ready to serve them for dinner, allow plenty of time for thawing and re-heating.

To re-heat them, you'll need to cover them with foil (in a baking dish) and bake for about 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

seafood enchiladas made with white crab meat served on white plate with sour cream and green onions

WHAT CAN YOU EAT WITH ENCHILADAS?

Oh gosh, there are so many things you can serve with enchiladas, whether they be chicken or crab. Here are a few ideas:

GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

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crab enchilada recipe

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Crab Enchiladas with Creamy White Sauce

How to make the best crab enchiladas with a creamy sour cream white sauce, all made from scratch. Easy recipe perfect for seafood lovers!
4.88 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner Ideas
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 600kcal
Author: Mel Lockcuff

Equipment

  • Ninja Food Chopper Express Chop with 200-Watt, 16-Ounce Bowl for Mincing, Chopping, Grinding, Blending and Meal Prep
  • Gorilla Grip Original Oversized Cutting Board, 3 Piece, BPA Free, Dishwasher Safe, Juice Grooves, Larger Thicker Boards, Easy Grip Handle, Non Porous, Extra Large, Kitchen, Set of 3, Black
  • Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3-Piece)
  • Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel 3-Quart Saucepan with Cover
  • Krokori Rectangular Ceramic Baking Pan Lasagna Pans for Cooking, Kitchen, Cake Dinner, Banquet and Daily Use, 13 x 9 Inches
  • Lodge Cast Iron Skillet and Ready for Stove Top or Oven Use, 10.25″, Black

Ingredients

Sour Cream White Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion minced
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 4 ounces diced green chiles
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
  • 1 cup fresh Roma tomatoes* diced, optional

Crab Enchiladas:

Instructions

  • To make the sauce, melt the butter in the saucepan on medium heat.
  • Sauté the minced onion in the butter, about 5 minutes or until the onion turns a light golden color.
  • Add the cream cheese in with the onion, stirring 'til it melts.
  • Then add the sour cream, heavy whipping cream, green chiles, salt, pepper, shredded cheddar, and shredded Monterey Jack to the mixture.
  • Let the sauce simmer, constantly stirring, 'til it begins to thicken. It'll probably take about 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Then if you want to add tomatoes to your sauce, you can stir them in. At this point, you'll want to turn the heat to low and just keep your sauce warm while you make and assemble the crab enchiladas.
  • Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease a 9"x13" baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a skillet.
  • Then sauté the minced garlic, onion, and red pepper in the oil, about 5 minutes, or 'til it's softened.
  • Then in a large bowl, add the crab meat, the cooked veggies, lemon juice, seasoning, salt and pepper, 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese, and 1/2 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese.
  • Mix everything together really well.
  • Warm the tortillas in the microwave by placing between a couple of damp paper towels and heating 'til warmed.
  • Spread about a cup of the white sauce into the bottom of your greased baking dish.
  • Add a heaping tablespoon of the crab meat mixture to each corn tortilla, loosely wrapping each one.
  • Place each crab enchilada, seam side down, in the baking dish on top of the sauce.
  • Spread the remaining sauce over the finished crab enchiladas, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
  • Bake your sour cream white sauce crab enchiladas at 350° F for about 40-45 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the enchiladas are cooked thru. Garnish with green onions, and serve with fresh tomatoes, avocado, salsa, and sour cream.

Video

Notes

*If you decide to add tomatoes to your sauce, only use fresh tomatoes. Canned tomatoes will throw off the flavor of your enchiladas, whereas fresh will add a really delicious, fresh flavor.
*If you do not have Badia Complete Seasoning, you can use the appropriate seasoning of your choice.
To Freeze and Re-Heat Crab Enchiladas with White Sauce:
Cover the enchiladas tightly with plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil; or store the enchiladas in an airtight container for freezing. Then to re-heat, cover them with foil (in a baking dish) and bake for about 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
What to Serve with Seafood Enchiladas:
There are so many things you can serve with enchiladas, whether they be chicken or crab. Here are a few ideas:

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 600kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 180mg | Sodium: 1633mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g
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6 thoughts on “Crab Enchiladas with Creamy White Sauce”

  1. 4 stars
    Really nice recipe. I stuck pretty closely to the recipe, but made a TexMex adjustment. I lightly fried each corn tortilla in olive oil or canola oil just prior to filling and rolling them. Use enough oil to cover the tortilla. I fry until the tortilla just starts to bubble, about 10 seconds. It keeps the tortillas from falling apart or getting soggy. *If you accidentally fry the corn tortillas too long they will become crunchy tortilla chips. You can salt them and serve them with salsa.

    Reply

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