Some of the best side dishes for enchiladas come straight out of a Mexican cookbook. But the great thing about Mexican meals is that they are flexible, versatile, and don’t always have to be spicy foods.
Chicken enchiladas go so well with a perfect side dish like corn salad, chili peppers, or refried beans.
I’ve never wondered what to eat with enchiladas because it was always just about the enchiladas.
And the best sides might add some sweetness, acid, or freshness to what is generally a heavy comfort food.
The perfect enchiladas comprise a delicious filling of meat, beans, and vegetables wrapped in soft and chewy tortillas and enveloped in a thick and heavenly sauce. (Which may not necessarily be super spicy.)
It’s easy enough to buy the packets of enchilada sauce mix instead of making homemade enchilada sauce with chili powder and garlic powder.
You can buy the tortillas at the store. (Traditionally corn tortillas, but I personally prefer them with flour tortillas. Maybe I’m breaking a Mexican recipes tradition there.)
These saucy little Mexican yummies can be made to be very spicy, or just feature a hearty tomato-y tang, with fresh ingredients: combination of meat like chicken or ground beef, avocado, veggies, or pork inside, covered in melted cheese and a variety of more sauces.
With tortilla chips?
Yes, please.
Enchilada recipes deserve chopped bell peppers, sour cream, green onions, and red onions as toppings for your main dish.
Enchiladas are already so filling, but I admit, sometimes they really need something to cut all that richness.
Cilantro and fresh lime juice do a pretty good job of adding a fresh flair on top of enchiladas,
but sometimes it’s not enough.
Though enchiladas taste absolutely wonderful on their own, your lunch or dinner can be taken to the next level by adding your favorite side with it.
What’s for your main course: Brisket Enchiladas and Mexican Street Corn
For that reason, I have compiled a list of the best side dishes for enchiladas.
Let me know which ones you try.
Thumbs up?
Thumbs down?
Let me know.
The Mexican Coleslaw is slightly different from American coleslaw; the Mexican version has a tangy flavor, very refreshing, and has more of an acidic kick from the apple cider vinegar.
For that reason, it works great with hearty and cheesy enchiladas.
2. Black Beans and Rice
Black beans mixed with rice, cilantro, and lime also make for a quite refreshing side dish for enchiladas.
Latin-styled rice is layered with flavor and pairs well with sour cream and cheesy enchiladas.
3. Tex-Mex Quinoa Salad
Is it your first time working with quinoa? (Pronounced KEEN-WAH.)
It may seem like an intimidating grain, but it really cooks up a lot like oatmeal. It doesn’t take as long as rice to cook and is pretty forgiving.
Try this Quinoa Salad we made up to go with tons of tex-mex dishes, and let us know what you think.
4. Guacamole
A side of simple guacamole, which is made by mashing perfectly ripe avocados with lime, seasoning and pico de gallo, will take the taste of enchiladas to the next level.
5. Salsa
Who doesn’t love salsa? Whether it’s medium heat Old El Paso brand, something fresh made from the farmer’s market, or your own recipe, salsa and chips is a time-honored tradition of kicking off Cince de Mayo!
Serve a side of tomato salsa with tortilla chips, and the fam may finish those before any other dish on your dinner table.
Your guests might also top the enchiladas with salsa verde to make it more delicious!
6. Grilled Avocado
If you’re serving up enchiladas at a BBQ, then consider grilling avocados and serve them as an enchilada side.
This list of tips and a recipe from Thrillist looks like a winner.
This is simple and quick to do, and the smoky flavor complements the cheesy and meaty flavors of the enchiladas well.
7. Spicy Corn Salad
Since enchiladas are a savory dish, making a salad out of sweet corn and serving that as an enchilada side will really make your meal perfect.
This snappy dish from Amanda’s Cookin’ is already delicious on its own and makes a heavenly combination with enchiladas.
8. Corn Pudding
This is also a side dish that’s leaning toward rich and decadent, but the sweetness has a delightful way of cutting the heat in Mexican dishes.
You may be familiar with this one during the holidays since it also complements turkey and ham like a champ.
9. Chipotle Corn Salsa
If you’ve been to Chipotle, the nationwide chain of fast tex-mex, you are probably familiar with their Corn Salsa, a perfectly seasoned, not-too-spicy condiment that you can request on your burrito, bowl or tacos.
Here’s our CookingChew copycat recipe for Chipotle Corn Salsa. Let us know if we’ve mastered it!
10. Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
If you are still wondering what goes with enchiladas, then try this Mexican cornbread in an iron skillet!
Dip the cornbread in the enchilada sauce to enjoy the ultimate comfort meal.
Even your kids will enjoy this scrumptious combination.
11. Refried Beans
Unlike most dips, which are cheesy and heavy, refried beans are a robust alternative that goes wonderfully well with enchiladas.
Made with pinto beans, which are cooked down, then turned into a paste with a food processor, are best when mixed with a hot sauce, topped with a cup cheese and green chiles.
Contrary to what the name suggests, making refried beans does not require frying at all!
12. Cauliflower Rice
If you’re watching carbs, “riced” cauliflower is basically a head of cauliflower chopped very fine and then steamed or roasted.
It does taste a lot like rice without the massive carb count, and it takes on a lot of the flavors that you choose.
13. Cilantro Lime Sauce
As a topping, salad dressing, dip or spooned over your baked enchiladas, this cilantro lime sauce recipe will knock your socks off with flavor.
14. Mexican Rice
A simple yet effective enchilada side dish for those who don’t want anything fancy and would prefer something comforting is definitely Mexican rice.
Here in Texas the ubiquitous “rice and beans” is a constant and unrelenting side to eating enchiladas out at a restaurant.
It would be simple to add these to do those you make at home, but this is the time to make something you normally wouldn’t have.
If you’ve added extra spices to your enchiladas, the rice will help even out the meal’s overall spiciness.
15. Sweet Potato Salad
If you want something slightly sweet to complement your savory enchiladas, then a sweet potato salad might be something you’re looking for.
This combination is sure to leave your guests’ tummies full and satisfied.
16. Mexican Corn
Consider making juicy and sweet Mexican sweet corn, also known as elote, as it complements Mexican dishes really well.
To make elote, simply grill corn and top them with sour cream and cilantro.
Or grill the corn and remove the kernels first so it’s easier to eat.
17. Green Salad
For those who prefer something on the super light side, you might enjoy a green salad with your enchiladas.
You cannot go wrong with a simple bowl of leafy greens like arugula, fresh vegetables and vinaigrette with lime.
18. Sautéed Zucchini
Another side for enchiladas is simple Sautéed Zucchini.
They are easy to make and help balance out the cheesiness and sauciness of the enchiladas.
To prepare this side, just sauté cleaned and sliced zucchini alone or with other vegetables of your preference in olive oil and toss in some black pepper and salt.
Cook til fork tender, but not too soft.
19. Gazpacho
A tangy gazpacho helps to balance the heavy flavors of an enchilada.
Sidecar your enchiladas with gazpacho, and VIOLAY, you will witness a match made in heaven!
20. Pineapple Avocado Salsa
Fruity, zesty, with a bite of both acid and sweet, this salsa cuts the richness of the tomato-based enchilada sauce and sour cream.
Our pineapple avocado salsa recipe comes together quickly, just make sure your avocados are ripe before cutting in.
21. Cilantro Lime Rice
This fresh tasting, easy cilantro lime rice is such a flavor boost to every Mexican dish I can think of, but especially for enchiladas.
Fresh cilantro and fresh lime are best, but if you only have dried cilantro and bottled lime juice, you can make it work.
22. Baked Avocado Fries
This adds richness on top of richness, but wow, what a decadent spread this will add to your table.
Baked Avocado Fries are so unique, and our recipe takes the fat level down a notch so you get the crisp-tender slices from the oven, instead of the deep fryer.
23. Black Bean Lettuce Wraps
Light on the outside with a flavorful black bean filling, these lettuce wraps are a great lunch next to a small plate of enchiladas.
The lettuce “taco” shell keeps things on the lighter side, but the black bean mix is packed with red pepper, cumin, cayenne, oregano and more!
Our recipe includes the how-to for making your own easy guacamole too.
The bottom line
These were all our recommendations for best recipes that go with beloved homemade enchiladas.
Have you considered the glorious tomatillo sauce that goes on your favorite enchiladas? Read more about the tomatillo here.
If you have time, consider making a few of these easy recipes as what to eat with your enchiladas for the perfect delicious meal with Mexican dishes.
I assure you that with these sides, your enchiladas will definitely become the star of the night!
If you’re really doing it up for your next Mexican food feast at home, check out these 19 Sides For Tamales too!
23 Sides For Enchiladas
There are 23 ideas and links to recipes from our site and around the web in our scrumptious list! Choose one or two to make with your next enchilada dinner!
Ingredients
- Mexican Coleslaw
- Black Beans and Rice
- Tex-Mex Quinoa Salad
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Grilled Avocado
- Spicy Corn Salad
- Corn Pudding
- Chipotle Corn Salsa
- Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
- Refried Beans
- Cauliflower Rice
- Cilantro Lime Sauce
- Mexican Rice
- Sweet Potato Salad
- Mexican Corn
- Green Salad
- Sautéed Zucchini
- Gazpacho
- Pineapple Avocado Salsa
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Baked Avocado Fries
- Black Bean Lettuce Wraps
Instructions
- Pick a couple of these sides to serve with enchiladas.
- Create and serve with flair!