Beef Enchiladas
This Beef Enchiladas recipe makes for a fantastic weeknight meal! It’s easy to prepare, and it’s comfort food at its best!
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When it comes to Mexican comfort food, these Beef Enchiladas deserve a spot near the top of the list! This recipe is easy to prepare, and the combination of flavors is out of this world. From the seasoned ground beef mixture to the corn tortillas to the cheese (yum…cheese!), the taste of this recipe will have everyone begging for more!
We’ve been making various versions of these enchiladas for years. It started with ground turkey, green enchilada sauce and flour tortillas. Then it moved to shredded rotisserie chicken enchiladas with red enchilada sauce and black beans. Next up was ground beef, pinto beans and corn tortillas. The point is this recipe is versatile and can easy be changed to match your preferences…or to match whatever ingredients you have in the pantry or freezer!
Beef Enchiladas
These beef enchiladas are a great place to use extra lean ground beef. I used 93/7 ground beef for this recipe, and it was fantastic! (For comparison, burgers need a bit more fat to help them hold together on the grill…I usually go 80/20 there.)
This recipe is great to have on hand for busy weeknights. It’s not quite as easy as a “dump it and forget it slow cooker recipe,” but the prep work is still fairly minimal here. And when that pan of enchiladas comes out of the oven covered with melted cheese? Everyone will be ready to dig in!
Enchiladas are a bit of a blank slate in terms of ingredients. Start with a protein – beef, chicken, pork, tofu or even seafood are all good options. From there, just add seasonings that match the protein and then top those enchiladas with cheese, sour cream, chopped onions, sliced avocado and/or salsa. This version using seasoned lean ground beef is fantastic, and it’s definitely on our regular rotation of dinners here!
Variations
- Change the protein – ground turkey, rostisserie chicken, shredded pork or tofu are all good options.
- Switch the enchilada sauce – I typically use red enchilada sauce when we’re making beef enchiladas, and I usually reach for green enchilada sauce with turkey or chicken. Feel free to mix it up here, though!
- Beans – black beans used to be our go-to for enchiladas, but one time I didn’t have a can of black beans in the pantry. I substituted in some pinto beans instead, and now pinto beans are our go-to. I bet a bean version with black beans and pinto beans would be pretty fantastic – just make sure to season the beans with plenty of spices. (Mental note: make that next week!)
- Toppings – you can really go crazy with toppings for enchiladas. We kept this version classic with shredded cheese and chopped cilantro, but you could add diced avocados, chopped onions, salsa or shredded lettuce. There is no limit to the types of enchilada recipes you can create!
- Cheese – we typically use Cabot’s 4-Cheese Mexican Shredded Cheddar Cheese for this recipe. It’s a blend of Monterey Jack, Queso Quesadilla, Asadero and cheddar – and it’s delicious! But you could play around with the cheeses here. If you like things spicy, try adding some (or all!) shredded habanero cheese!
How do you reheat beef enchiladas?
Easy! We usually put the leftovers on a plate or in a bowl and cover it with a damp paper towel. Then we microwave it until heated through. Another option would be to reheat the leftovers in a dry skillet. They reheat quickly and easily – perfect for the next night!
How do you store leftovers?
Just place any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last up to 5 days in the fridge, although we rarely have that problem as we usually can’t wait to reheat the leftovers on the next night. (Like soups, these enchiladas might taste even better on Day 2…if that’s even possible!)
If you’re in the market for some serious comfort food that leaves everyone begging for more, then make a batch of these Beef Enchiladas! There’s a reason why we keep this recipe on regular rotation in our house. Cheers!
Did you make these Beef Enchiladas at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
- ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup diced white onions
- 1 jalapeno diced, ribs and seeds removed
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 16 oz. lean ground beef I used 93/7
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 15-oz. can pinto beans
- 1 4-oz. can diced green chiles
- 1 19-oz. can red enchilada sauce
- 10 6”-7” corn tortillas, see note
- 8 oz. Mexican blend shredded cheese I used Cabot’s 4-Cheese Mexican Blend, plus more for garnishing
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Using a large skillet, add olive oil and place over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add onions and jalapeno; sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic; continue sauteing for 1-2 more minutes, stirring often.
- Add the beef, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and garlic powder. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, or until beef is completely browned. (Tip: Break up beef with a wooden spoon as it cooks.)
- Drain and rinse pinto beans; add beans and diced green chilies to the skillet and stir until well combined. Remove skillet from heat.
- Spread ½ cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9”x13” baking dish.
- To assemble enchiladas, spread ~2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce on each tortilla. Spread ~⅓ cup of beef filling down center of each tortilla. Sprinkle cheese evenly on top of beef filling. Roll each tortilla up and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Spread any remaining enchilada sauce on top of rolled enchiladas. Top with a generous sprinkle of additional shredded cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until additional cheese has melted and center is hot.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Notes
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Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use tofu i never had beef enchiladas before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Yes! Tofu would be a great option for these enchiladas, Ramya. Another good idea would be to use a combination of both black beans and pinto beans. I hope you enjoy this recipe – it’s tasty, and it’s easy to mix it up for different flavors!
Ohhhhh! Now this is a beautiful cheesy bit of heaven. I haven’t had homemade enchiladas forever and you’ve just inspired me to make them, especially with this recipe. What a delightful set of ingredients that creates a dish with so much texture and flavor. Thanks so much David for sharing.
Oh you should totally make a batch of homemade enchiladas soon, Kristy! They really are a bite right out of cheesy heaven, and it’s so easy to mix up the proteins to create different versions. Enjoy!!
David, if there is one food I crave living in Sweden it’s Tex-Mex/Mexican. Not a Mexican joint around. Your enchiladas look so good. I make them here, but alas, we can’t get yellow corn tortillas and the white ones we can mail order are terrible. So, I use flour because that is the tortilla of choice in Sweden. Sorry to vent, but I miss my Mission yellow corn tortillas I used to buy at any grocery store.
But I’ll try your recipe with flour tortillas and call it David’s beef burritos.
Thanks for the memory of what a real enchilada is…
You know, I do remember you saying how much you miss Tex-Mex/Mexican. I’m shocked that you can’t find yellow corn tortillas there – even on Amazon?? (I don’t know what Amazon is really like in other countries, though…) I do think flour tortillas will work here, and the recipe will still be delicious! On a side note, have you ever tried making corn tortillas? It might be a complete flop, but it could be a fun project for a chilly afternoon!
Yes, I do make corn tortillas and Christmas tamales, but we can only find white masa hernia via mail delivery and a 2-pound bag is $7.80 plus freight. In the end, it’s just not worth it, so I order white corn tortillas made in Spain, even if they do cost $3.33 for a bag of 8 plus freight.
Amazon.se is relatively new to Sweden and mostly sucks.
But, you’ve inspired me to give making tortillas another try as we have plenty of cold afternoons ahead…
Interesting! I’ve gotten so used to being able to find pretty much anything on Amazon here. Of course, we have to be careful with knock-offs from other countries – junk that shouldn’t be on Amazon in the first place…but that’s another story. Either way, a tortilla making session on a cold afternoon doesn’t sound like the worst way to spend some time! And hopefully you will be rewarded well for your efforts!
Another hearty, delicious and comforting dish! All that beefy cheesy goodness happening here! Yum!
Thanks so much, Michelle! I’m all about the cheesy comfort food lately, and enchiladas certainly fall into that category! 🙂
Oh so many possibilities to enjoy enchiladas, and your family seems to enjoy it a lot (if I give you a challenge to eat a new variation every day for a month, would you dare to accept this challenge? Lol) I must admit I’ve made enchiladas only twice in my life. But when we crave for some next time, I’ll know where to find the inspiration!
Enchiladas every day for a month? Now that is indeed a challenge. I’m sure I could come up with 30 flavor variations, but I’m not sure I’d want to see enchiladas for a long time after that’s done…haha. 🙂 Also, you should make enchiladas this weekend for dinner. Trust me, you won’t be sad about it.
This sounds delicious David. I love jalapenos so I’d another one – or 2!
Ohhh…yes to the jalapenos, Sherry! I’m thinking a green enchilada sauce version with ground turkey or chicken and extra jalapenos would be pretty fantastic!!
Enchiladas are one of our favourite weekend meals. The fact you’ve made this into an easy WEEKNIGHT meal means we can also enjoy it during the week. Excellent. What a brilliant comforting recipe for colder winter days. Yum!
This really is an easy meal to make, Neil – and the flavor possibilities are endless! Red vs. green sauce. Beef vs. chicken vs. turkey vs. beans. Various flavors of cheese. I’m getting hungry just thinking about all of these options! Hope you have a great weekend ahead, my friend!
Great weeknight dinner David! I love recipes like this where the possibilities are endless. I can see why this is on the regular meal rotation in your house. What a delicious way to get everyone excited about dinner!
There really are endless possibilities with this recipe, Shannon! You can mix up the proteins – black beans and pinto beans sounds AWESOME if you ask me. And then you can change up the other ingredients for different flavors. 🙂
Beef enchiladas are a classic comfort food, and this recipe sounds absolutely delicious! It’s great that you’ve shared some variations to make it flexible according to one’s preferences and what’s available in the pantry. The combination of seasoned ground beef, cheese, and that flavorful enchilada sauce is hard to resist. Plus, it’s a fantastic weeknight meal. Thanks for sharing this tasty recipe!
The ground beef version is probably our all-time favorite, but you can totally make enchiladas with just about anything that you happen to have around. I want to try an all-bean version soon!