Easy Beef Enchiladas Recipe

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Easy Beef Enchiladas with tender ground meat, cheesy goodness, and a quick enchilada sauce is your recipe. Do you want a fun, and festive Mexican dinner that everyone will love? A meal that after one bite, your family will ask to add this meal in as a favorite. 

A family-friendly recipe that is not too spicy and gives the option to kick up the spices for anyone who prefers more heat.

Easy Beef Enchiladas 

Besides being super tasty, this beef casserole is freezer friendly. So make a double batch and freeze one for another busy day.

When planning ahead, it’s a great idea to prep everything the evening before or even in the morning. After work or running the kids to after school activities, just pop the pan in the oven. In 20 minutes, dinner is ready.

We use a homemade enchilada sauce in this delightful Mexican casserole. Don’t feel pressure to make your own sauce because a store-bought sauce produces amazing results.

Make a double batch of sauce and make a big pot of Chicken Enchilada Soup.

Beef Enchiladas Ingredients:

• ground beef – The recipe uses 80% lean ground beef. You can also use 85 or 90% lean beef. Instructions include the option of using shredded beef.
• onion – adds a nice flavor to the beef.
• fresh garlic – everything tastes better with garlic.
• diced green chiles – another layer of flavor and a kick to enhance the beef.
• black beans – additional protein is always a plus.
• fire-roasted diced tomatoes – adds moisture to the beef filling. Fire-roasted has a smokiness that adds great flavor but regular diced tomatoes can be used.
• red enchilada sauce – use either homemade enchilada sauce or store-bought, always great results.
• flour tortillas – use burrito size tortillas to get a nice amount of filling in each one.
• Mexican shredded cheese – balances the beef and enchilada sauce.

Easy Beef Enchilada step by step recipe instructions:

1. Brown beef, onions, and garlic. Drain excess fat. Add in tomatoes, beans, and chiles.
2. Place the filling down the center of a tortilla.  Roll up tortilla.
3. Pour some enchilada sauce in the bottom of casserole dish.
4. Place rolled up tortilla in prepared casserole dish.
5. Cover tortillas with enchilada sauce and shredded cheese.
6. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes.
7. Serve with favorite toppings.

Can I use corn tortillas?

Absolutely, traditional enchiladas use corn tortillas. We use flour tortillas because they are easier to work with and my family loves the flavor.

Do I have to fry the tortillas before adding the filling?

Another reason to use flour tortillas is that they need no frying. Corn tortillas need to be fried to soften them before filling.

How far ahead can I make beef enchiladas?

You can assemble the casserole the evening before cooking. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and keep in the fridge until ready to bake.

How do I store leftovers?

Keep leftovers in the refrigerator well covered for 1-2 days well covered. Reheat in a 325F degree oven until heated through.

Can I freeze enchiladas?

Sure, make a batch and place them in a freezer-safe baking tray. Aluminum foil trays are great. Wrap well with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. For detailed information on food storage, refer to USDA Food Safety Page.

Expert Tips, Tricks and Ingredient Variations

• Use Shredded Mexican Beef in lieu of ground beef for amazing enchiladas
• 1 cup of frozen corn
• Swap 3 green onions, chopped instead of diced onions
• Use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef
• For a spicy recipe use 1 teaspoon chili powder

Some other recipes to enjoy, Tequilla Lime Steak, a flavor-packed marinade on steaks and beef. Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Mango Salsa,  one of my favorites. Another favorite is Ground Beef Stuffed Pasilla Peppers from Sandi at Fearless Dining.

Sides to go with enchiladas:

• Guacamole
• Pico de Gallo
• Black bean salad
• Cilantro rice
• Sour cream

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Easy Cheesy Beef Enchiladas

Enjoy beef enchiladas loaded with a flavor-packed bean and beef filling. Topped with homemade enchilada sauce and Mexican blended cheese.

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: beef enchilada casserole, beef enchilada recipe, Cinco De Mayo

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 8 enchiladas

Calories: 536kcal

Author: Eileen Kellly

Equipment Needed:

• Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• non-stick cooking spray
• 1 1/2 pounds 80% lean ground beef Note 1
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 14 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained Note 2
• 14 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 ounce can green chiles
• 28 ounces homemade enchilada sauce or store-bought Note 3
• 3 cups shredded cheddar and Colby Jack Cheese 1 1/2 cup of each cheese

Garnish

• guacamole
• pico de gallo
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• sour cream
• chopped cilantro

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray non-stick spray in bottom of 9x13 casserole.
• In a large saute pan, over medium heat add ground beef, onion, and garlic saute for 4-5 minutes to brown meat, there will be no pink in the meat. Crumble the meat as you brown it. Drain excess fat from pan and discard.
• Season meat mixture with cumin, salt, and black pepper.
• Stir in diced tomatoes, black beans, and green chiles. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• In a 9x13 casserole, spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce to cover bottom of pan.
• Lay a tortilla flat, place 1/8 of the meat and bean mixture in the center of each tortilla. Then place a generous helping of shredded cheese, about 2 Tablespoons on the meat mixture. Roll the tortilla up and place seam side down in the casserole dish.
• Repeat this process with remaining 7 tortillas.
• Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the filled tortillas. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the sauce.
• Bake for 20 minutes, uncovered. The cheese will melt and sauce bubbling.
• Remove from oven. Let rest 5 minutes. Serve with any garnishes above.

Notes

Note 1: We use 80% lean ground beef which is included in the nutritional facts. You can use 85% lean as well.  Also called hamburger meat or chop meat.

Note 2: Fire-roasted tomatoes add an extra level of flavor. regular diced tomatoes can be used in the recipe. 

Note 3: A double batch of homemade enchilada sauce.

Variations:

• Use Shredded Mexican Beef in lieu of ground beef for amazing enchiladas
• Add 1 cup of frozen corn
• Swap 3 green onions, chopped instead of diced onions
• Use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef
• For a spicy recipe use 1 teaspoon chili powder

 

Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and portion sizes 

Nutrition

Serving: 1enchilada | Calories: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 1350mg | Potassium: 502mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1370IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 393mg | Iron: 4mg

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