Say “hola” to these meaty enchiladas made with ground beef and red enchilada sauce. It’s impossible to resist the melted cheese and your choice of fresh toppings!
Not many people know this, but my first job was at a taco restaurant local to the Pacific Northwest. From that point on, Tex-Mex became one of my favorite cuisines. I loved the years I worked at that restaurant and inevitably found myself channeling those flavors back into my own home cooking.
How To Make Easy Beef Enchiladas
The only kitchen gear you’ll need to make this beef enchiladas recipe is a baking dish, a skillet, and a bit of foil. There’ll barely be any dishes to wash — what a win!
- Prep the oven and baking pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spread a portion of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a baking pan or large casserole dish.
- Sauté the meat mixture: In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Cook until the meat is browned and the onions have softened. As a note, I don’t add salt because I find that the enchilada sauce add enough salty flavor, but you can add salt to taste.
- Finish off the beef mixture: Pour in a cup of enchilada sauce, stir, and allow it to simmer. Then, turn off the heat and add in a cup of cheese.
- Roll up the enchiladas: Place the tortillas on a large cutting board. Divide the meat mixture evenly across the tortillas, placing it on the lower third. Roll the enchiladas up, then place seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Brush on the remaining sauce and cheese: Brush the remaining sauce all over the enchiladas, then sprinkle on the remaining cheese.
- Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve: Serve the enchiladas warm with your favorite toppings and side dishes.
Make ahead tip: Prepare and assemble the enchiladas up to 24 hours in advance. Fully cool the meat mixture before wrapping the tortillas, then store the assembled enchiladas in an airtight container in the fridge. You may need a few more minutes of baking time since the enchiladas will be starting from cold.
Substitutions & Variations
Ready to take your ground beef enchiladas up a notch? Add in more veggies or seasonings, or substitute the meat if needed.
- Veggies: For more veggie power, add in a can of green chiles or black beans, or finely diced and sauteéd bell peppers, tomatoes, or zucchini.
- Seasoning: If you love using a variety of seasonings for more flavor, add a dash of onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, paprika, and/or chili powder to the meat mixture.
- Meat: If you’re looking to substitute the meat, you can use ground turkey or chicken in a pinch. Keep in mind the flavor will be different, as turkey and chicken tends to be more lean and mildly flavored than beef.
Tips for Great Beef Enchiladas
Follow this enchilada recipe and you’ll have great results — but consider these two tips for absolutely fantastic enchiladas.
- Opt for flour tortillas: We prefer to use flour tortillas in enchiladas because they hold their form well, but corn tortillas are a great substitute (especially for a gluten-free option!)
- Change up the heat: Enchilada sauce comes in regular, mild, or medium heat levels, so choose whichever one suits your spice preferences.
Serving Beef Enchiladas
If you’re making beef enchiladas, don’t miss out on the opportunity to serve them with a few amazing toppings and sides. These additions are the proverbial “icing on the cake.”
- Refried beans
- Rice (Spanish rice, Mexican rice, cilantro lime rice)
- Chips (baked or air fried tortilla chips)
- Dips (salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo)
- Sour cream
- Black olives
Storing & Reheating
We love enchilada leftovers — they reheat so well and a fresh topping or side makes it seem like a freshly cooked dish each time. Check out these pointers on how to best store and reheat the leftovers to have the same experience.
- Refrigerator: Store cooled leftovers for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer: To store for up to three months, store the cooled enchiladas in an airtight container in the freezer.
- Reheating: Reheat enchiladas in the microwave. Or, if you’re reheating a larger portion, place them into a casserole dish or baking pan in the oven set to 350°F. Cover the pan with foil and heat until the enchiladas are warmed through.
More Tex-Mex Recipes
- Mexican Street Corn Salad — Grilled corn tossed with spicy jalapeños and cilantro
- Taco Salad Recipe — A delicious fusion of salads and tacos
- Chicken Fajitas Recipe — Sauteéd mixture of peppers, onions, and chicken
- Carne Asada Street Tacos — Tender beef bites paired with cotija cheese and cilantro
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 2 small onions finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups Mexican cheese
- 20 oz red enchilada sauce
- 8 flour tortillas 8-10 inch size
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce evenly in the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. Set it aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion, and garlic. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are soft.
- Add in one cup of enchilada sauce and bring it to a light simmer. Turn off the heat and add one cup of cheese. Stir together until the cheese has melted and is well combined.
- Arrange the tortillas on a large cutting board. Divide the ground beef mixture evenly between the 8 tortillas (about 2/3 cup of meat mixture per tortilla). Place the ground beef on the lower third of the tortilla and roll it up. Place the tortillas seam-side down into the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas and brush it evenly on top of the tortillas. Sprinkle on the remaining two cups of cheese.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 15 minutes. Uncover the dish, then bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the dish is bubbly.
- Serve the enchiladas warm with your favorite toppings and sides. Enjoy!
Pacific NW, You must have worked at 🌮 Taco Time, awesome food, especially the Crispy burritos.
I live in Seattle but I grew up in Cal, well accustomed to great 🌯 Mexican food.
I def miss Seattle food! They have all the best restaurants! Thanks for sharing Joe 🙂
Enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. Burritos are made with flour tortillas. Chicken Enchiladas Suisa is the one possible exception. Corn tortillas are cooked in oil for about 30-45 seconds and drained on paper towels. Dip your tortillas in sauce just before you fill them. I mix beef and cheese with onions etc., for my fillng. Layer sauce in baking dish and then, roll your tortillas around the filling, placing them in baking dish. Pour sauce on top, sprinkle plenty of cheese on top and voila! Trust me, I’ve been fixing these for 74 years!!! Hope this helps!
Traditionally, they are made with flour tortilla’s. However it’s up to the individual which one to use. I prefer flour tortilla’s over corn, I don’t like the texture of corn tortilla’s! So use which ever one YOU like!!
Thanks Nikki for sharing how you make them! Corn tortillas may be used traditionally, but flour tortillas are a personal preference. Either way, it's hard to resist goey, cheesey enchiladas!