The Scoop
This Coastal Enchilada Bake blends shrimp, corn, and cheese with speed, making it perfect for a quick yet comforting meal.
The first time I made Coastal Enchilada Bake, I was knee-deep in unpacking boxes after a cross-country move. My new kitchen felt more like a cardboard jungle than a place for culinary adventures. Exhausted but fueled by determination, I wanted to create a dish that would make this new, strange place feel like home. A peek into the fridge revealed some familiar faces: shrimp, a staple from the coast I'd just left, and fresh corn that seemed to whisper summer memories. With a jar of mild green salsa I'd snagged on a grocery run and an armful of cilantro that begged not to be forgotten in the crisper, inspiration sparked.
Diving in, I quickly learned that blending the salsa and cilantro into a smooth, vibrant concoction would bring a touch of the ocean to my landlocked new life. Tossing zucchini alongside the shrimp in olive oil with a hint of coriander felt like painting a picture, each ingredient adding its own shade of flavor. A chef-y tip I discovered during the chaos: gently toss the shrimp with the corn and cheese off the heat, letting them mingle without rushing. The tortillas, wrapped in damp paper towels to soften, revealed themselves like treasures, ready to be dipped and rolled.
As the enchiladas baked, the Monterey Jack cheese blanketed them like a comforting hug. It only took about ten minutes, giving me just enough time to clear a few boxes and set a makeshift table. The first bite was a revelation, each ingredient harmonizing in perfect balance. This dish, born out of chaos and an eagerness to find comfort in my new surroundings, became my culinary anchor, weaving together flavors that felt both familiar and new.
Ingredients
For the enchiladas:
- 1 (15-ounce) jar mild green salsa
- 2 cups fresh cilantro, including stems
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 small zucchinis, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- kosher salt, to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels or frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 1/4 cup cotija cheese, grated
- 8 small yellow corn tortillas
- 2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated
Optional toppings:
- red onion, to taste, chopped
- radishes, to taste, sliced
- jalapeños, to taste, sliced
- scallions, to taste, chopped
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- In a food processor, purée the salsa and the cilantro until smooth.
- Add the sour cream to the salsa mixture and pulse to combine.
- Spread 1 cup of the salsa mixture in a 7x11-inch baking dish.
- Transfer the remaining salsa mixture to a medium bowl.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.
- Add the zucchinis to the oil and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
- Add the shrimp, the coriander, the chili powder, and the salt to the zucchinis and cook, while tossing, until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the garlic to the shrimp mixture and cook, while tossing, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Transfer the shrimp mixture from the heat and toss it with the corn and the cotija cheese. The shrimp should not be fully cooked yet.
- Wrap the tortillas in a double layer of damp paper towels and microwave until they are soft, about 1 minute. Be careful of the steam when transferring them from the microwave.
- Working one tortilla at a time, dip them in the reserved salsa mixture, shaking off any excess.
- Place the dipped tortillas on a cutting board.
- Top each dipped tortilla with a heaping 1/4 cup of the shrimp mixture.
- Roll up the tortillas and place them seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
- Once all of the tortillas are filled, rolled, and placed in the baking dish, spoon the remaining salsa mixture on top.
- Sprinkle the tortillas with the Monterey Jack cheese.
- Bake until the cheese starts to brown and the shrimp is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
- Serve the enchiladas with the red onion, the radishes, the jalapeños, and the scallions.
×