Description
These classic Beef Enchiladas are filled with a flavorful ground beef mixture, wrapped in soft tortillas, and baked with savory enchilada sauce and melted cheese. Perfect for a hearty Mexican-inspired dinner, they are easy to prepare and can be customized with toppings like sour cream, jalapeños, and fresh cilantro.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Filling
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
Sauce and Assembly
- 1 (15 oz) can red enchilada sauce
- 8 flour tortillas (8-inch)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend
Garnish and Serving
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- Sour cream (optional)
- Sliced jalapeños (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the enchiladas.
- Sauté onion: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Cook beef: Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon until it is fully browned. Drain any excess fat from the skillet.
- Add seasonings and chiles: Stir in minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute to release the flavors, then mix in the diced green chiles and 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce. Remove from heat.
- Prepare baking dish: Spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking and add flavor.
- Assemble enchiladas: Spoon a generous amount of the beef mixture onto each tortilla, sprinkle with some shredded cheese, and roll tightly. Place each rolled tortilla seam side down in the baking dish.
- Add sauce and cheese: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas, then evenly sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake covered: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes to heat through and melt the cheese.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from oven, garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve warm with optional sour cream and sliced jalapeños on the side.
Notes
- Use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas for a more traditional and gluten-free version.
- For added heat, incorporate chipotle peppers or use a hot enchilada sauce.
- These enchiladas freeze well before baking — assemble and freeze, then bake directly from frozen by adding extra baking time.
