Beef Enchiladas

This beef enchiladas recipe is comfort food at its finest, and tastes just as good (if not better) than what you’d be served at your favorite Mexican restaurant! You’re going to want to add this meal to your regular dinner rotation and make it on repeat! It’s one of those dishes that never goes out of style. You only need a handful of simple ingredients, it’s budget friendly, serves a crowd and is always a hit.

Why you should make this recipe

• Easy. Making enchiladas at home is actually quite easy to do! And even though this recipe is super simple, there’s no sacrificing flavor!  
• So flavorful. These are made with richly seasoned ground beef, your choice of tortillas, cheese and red enchilada sauce. And when baked to warm and melty perfection, then served up with a few slices of avocado and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro, these are always a favorite.
• Family-friendly. Your whole family is going to enjoy this meal! It’s hearty, comforting, and kid approved!
• Make ahead. They’re perfect for prepping ahead of time, making this recipe a great option for easy entertaining or popping in the oven after a long day of work.

Ingredients needed

Only simple, easy to find ingredients are needed to make this beef enchiladas recipe, which makes it perfect for an easy weeknight meal. Here’s the list:

• Beef. We typically use organic lean ground beef for this recipe. But if you happen to have ground turkey, ground bison or leftover cooked, diced or shredded beef on hand those will all work well.
• Onion. Sautéed with the ground beef to add a nice savory flavor to the filling. Feel free to throw in some minced garlic too.
• Spices. The seasonings for the beef filling are cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, sea salt and black pepper. Omit or use less of the red pepper flakes, if you’re sensitive to spice.
• Enchilada sauce. You can use any type of enchilada sauce that you like, but we highly recommend using homemade enchilada sauce. It only takes a few extra minutes to prep and can simmer on the stovetop while you cook the beef. It’s made with basic pantry ingredients and tastes so much better than store-bought.
• Tortillas. Any type of tortillas work here. Corn tortillas are traditionally used in Mexican-style enchiladas, but flour tortillas are more commonly used in Tex-Mex and American-style enchiladas because they are easier to roll.
• Cheese. We most often use a Mexican-blend of shredded cheese, but feel free to use whatever variety of cheese that you like best. Pepper Jack cheese, cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese are other great options.

How to make this recipe

1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Set aside.
2. Cook the meat. Start this beef enchiladas recipe by heating the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a spatula.
3. Add the onion & spices. Once the beef is beginning to brown, add the diced onion to the pan and continue cooking until the onion is soft. Add all of the seasonings, along with a tablespoon of water, to the meat. Stir until the beef is coated in seasoning.
4. Assemble the enchiladas. Warm the tortillas until soft and pliable. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of cheese down the center of each tortilla, then divide the beef mixture evenly among the tortillas. Roll up each tortilla tightly, then arrange in the baking dish seam-side down.

5. Finish assembly. Pour 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the tops of the tortilla rolls. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the sauce.
6. Bake. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese has melted and sauce is bubbling. Enjoy with your favorite toppings!

Expert tips 

• You can make these as mild or as spicy as you like by sautéing minced jalapeño with the onion and beef, adding a dash of cayenne pepper to the spice mix and/or using spicy enchilada sauce.
• To soften corn tortillas, wrap 4 to 5 tortillas at a time in a damp paper towel and cook for about 30 seconds in the microwave. If you’re not using corn tortillas, this probably will not be necessary.
• To reduce calories and fat in this recipe use the 96% lean ground beef, light shredded cheese and a lower calorie tortilla option. If using beef with more fat, we recommend you drain it before adding it to the tortillas.
• For a make-ahead meal, assemble these up to about 4 to 6 hours before you plan to cook them. It may be best to hold off on adding the enchilada sauce and cheese over the top until right before baking. Simply, cover and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake and eat.

Frequently asked questions

Variations

We love these enchiladas as the recipe is written, but feel free to customize them by using different ingredients. Here’s some options:

• Cheese. Use any favorite cheese or what you have on-hand. Pepper Jack, regular Monterey Jack, cheddar or Colby cheese are all great choices.
• Filling. You can add other ingredients to the filling such as green chiles, corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, diced bell pepper and/or other veggies.
• Sauce. Try using green enchilada sauce instead of red sauce.
• Toppings. You can really get creative with the toppings! We change it up often and some of our favorites are sour cream or Greek yogurt, avocado or guacamole, salsa, pico de Gallo, diced red onion and fresh cilantro.

Serving suggestions

To make a full feast, you can serve these with a few side dishes. Here are some of our favorites:

• Guacamole and/or salsa with tortilla chips
• Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice or Mexican rice (great for soaking up all that extra red sauce)
• Cucumber Tomato Salad for a lighter side dish
• Refried beans and Spanish rice for a more traditional meal option

Storage recommendations

• Storing leftovers. Beef enchiladas should be covered tightly in plastic wrap or foil and stored in the fridge for up to about 5 days.
• To reheat in the oven, cover the pan with foil and bake at 350ºF for approximately 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. To reheat in the microwave, transfer individual servings to a microwave safe plate, cover loosely and heat for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Continue to microwave at 30 second intervals until heated through.
• Freezing. These will keep well in a freezer-safe, airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you plan to freeze the whole pan, we recommend adding the sauce and cheese on top just before baking. You can either freeze the whole pan of enchiladas or freeze individual servings. If you freeze the whole pan, you can reheat them from frozen. Place the covered pan in the oven and bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes or until warmed through. If you prefer to thaw them, bake them as instructed, but for about 5 to 10 minutes longer.

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves them as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.

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Beef Enchiladas

Yield: 5 servings (2 enchiladas each)

Prep Time: 25 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

Bringing you the best Beef Enchiladas Recipe! This easy Mexican dish is made with the most deliciously seasoned ground beef rolled up in flour tortillas and topped with red enchilada sauce and plenty of cheese, then baked to perfection. A satisfying dinner that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Author: Kim

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons avocado oil (or other oil)
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef, (regular ground beef, ground bison or even ground turkey works)
• 1/2 cup onion, finely diced
• 1.5 tablespoon chili powder
• 1.5 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, omit or use less if you're sensitive to spice
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 (10 ounce) cans red enchilada sauce, divided (be sure to use mild as needed)
• 10 8-10-inch flour or corn tortillas*, gluten free, as needed (I used ones that were a blend of corn & wheat)
• 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
• Garnish options: cilantro, diced onion, avocado, lime, salsa & sour cream

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9″x13″ pan with cooking spray.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a spatula.
• Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes or until onion has softened and beef has cooked through. Add the seasoning, along with 1 tablespoon of water. Stir until everything is coated in seasoning.
• Spread 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
• Warm the tortillas until soft and pliable.* Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of cheese down the center of each tortilla, then divide the beef mixture evenly among the tortillas.
• Roll up each tortilla tightly, then arrange in the baking dish so the seam is down.
• Pour 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the tops of the tortilla rolls. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the sauce. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese has melted and sauce is bubbling.
• Garnish with cilantro, diced onion, avocado and serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!

Notes

*To reduce calories and fat in this recipe use the 96% lean ground beef, light shredded cheese and a lower calorie tortilla.

*To soften corn tortillas, wrap 4 to 5 tortillas at a time in a damp paper towel and cook for about 30 seconds in the microwave. If you’re not using corn tortillas, this probably will not be necessary.

• Storing leftovers. Beef enchiladas should be covered tightly in plastic wrap or foil and stored in the refrigerator for up to about 5 days.
• To reheat in the oven, cover the pan with foil and bake at 350ºF for approximately 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. To reheat in the microwave, transfer individual servings to a microwave safe plate, cover loosely and heat for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Continue to microwave at 30 second intervals until heated through.
• Freezing. These will keep well in a freezer-safe, airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you plan to freeze the whole pan, we recommend adding the sauce and cheese on top just before baking. You can either freeze the whole pan of enchiladas or freeze individual servings. If you freeze the whole pan, you can reheat them from frozen. Place the covered pan in the oven and bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes or until warmed through.

Photos by Sasha at Eat Love Eats

Author: Kim

Course: Main

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex

Serving: 2enchiladas, Calories: 592kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 47g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 127mg, Sodium: 2074mg, Potassium: 682mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 1936IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 388mg, Iron: 7mg

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