Make these tasty beef enchiladas with ground beef, onions, garlic, homemade enchilada sauce, and a healthy helping of Mexican blend cheese. Make a batch of these delicious enchiladas and listen to all the compliments and praise.
These beef enchiladas are always a hit with friends and family. We like to make them with flour tortillas, but they are traditionally made with corn tortillas. I love to serve them with Mexican rice and pinto beans.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Ground beef: Use ground beef with a little fat in it. Fat is what gives the beef flavor. I like to use 80/20, which is 80% lean and 20% fat.
- Enchilada sauce: I strongly recommend making homemade enchilada sauce. It is a game-changer. However, I understand the need for shortcuts, so if you know of a great brand, roll with it.
- Tortillas: Flour and corn tortillas work with this recipe, although corn tortillas are more traditional.
- Mexican blend cheese: I use a combination of cheddar, Monterey Jack cheese, and queso quesadilla, but any of these will work.
How to Make Beef Enchiladas
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
If making homemade enchilada sauce, mix it and let it cool a bit. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef. About halfway through the browning process, add the onion and cook until the ground beef is brown and the onions are soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring. Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on a tortilla, add a generous amount of the beef mixture down the center of the tortilla, and sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of cheese. Roll the tortilla and place it into a casserole dish with a little enchilada sauce spread in the bottom.
Repeat the steps until all the tortillas are rolled. Top with the remainder of the enchilada sauce and Mexican cheese blend. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the enchiladas are heated and the cheese is melted.
Preparation Tips
- Heat and soften corn tortillas so they are pliable enough to roll. Heat in a nonstick skillet for 15 seconds on each side or microwave 4 tortillas, covered with damp paper towels, for 20-30 seconds.
- These beef enchiladas are best served promptly.
- To reheat, cover the dish with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, removing the foil during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
- To freeze, cover the freezer-safe dish with two layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the plastic wrap and cover with foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes, removing the foil during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
Recipe Variations
- Beans: Add a can of drained and rinsed pinto or black beans to the beef mixture.
- Chiles: Stir a small can of green chiles into the ground beef mixture.
- Enchilada sauce: Use green chile enchilada sauce instead of red enchilada sauce.
- Cheese: For a spicy change, try Pepper Jack cheese or crumbled queso fresco for a salty finish.
- Toppings: Top with Pico de Gallo, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, pickled jalapenos, salsa, sour cream, or Mexican crema.
More Enchilada Recipes
Beef Enchiladas Recipe
Ingredients
- homemade enchilada sauce or a (15-ounce) can of red enchilada sauce
- 1½ lbs ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 8 (8-inch) flour or corn tortilla
- 3 cups Mexican blend cheese
- chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- If making homemade enchilada sauce, mix it up and let it cool a bit
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spread ¼ cup of enchilada sauce in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef. About halfway through the browning process, add the onion and cook until the ground beef is brown and the onions are soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on a tortilla, add a generous amount of the beef mixture down the center of the tortilla, and sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of cheese.
- Roll the tortilla and put it in the prepared casserole dish. Repeat until all the tortillas are rolled and in the casserole dish.
- Top with the remainder of the enchilada sauce and Mexican cheese blend. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the enchiladas are heated and the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Heat and soften corn tortillas so they are pliable enough to roll. Heat in a nonstick skillet for 15 seconds on each side or microwave 4 tortillas, covered with damp paper towels, for 20-30 seconds.
- To reheat, cover the dish with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, removing the foil during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
- To freeze, cover the freezer-safe dish with two layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the plastic wrap and cover with foil. bake for 25-30 minutes, removing the foil during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
Keera
Nothing quite hits like a Saturday night beef enchiladas dinner , these were insanely delicious. Thanks for the recipe, Beth!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Keera!