Beef Enchiladas Recipe – Jessica Gavin

By Ghuman

Introduction

Welcome to Jessica Gavin’s Beef Enchiladas Recipe! This delicious dish is a great way to enjoy Mexican flavors in your own home. It’s a hearty and flavorful meal that is sure to please everyone. The beef enchiladas are filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, onions, garlic, and spices, and then topped with a rich and flavorful enchilada sauce. The enchiladas are then baked until golden and bubbly. Serve with a side of Mexican rice and refried beans for a complete meal. Enjoy!

Beef Enchiladas Recipe – Jessica Gavin

This beef enchiladas recipe is a delicious and easy way to enjoy Mexican-style cuisine. The beef is cooked in a flavorful tomato sauce and then rolled up in corn tortillas and topped with cheese. Serve with a side of Mexican rice and refried beans for a complete meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • Optional toppings: diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, sour cream

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain off any excess fat.
  2. Add the cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add the tomato sauce and water. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  5. Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds. Place about 1/3 cup of the beef mixture in the center of each tortilla. Roll up the tortillas and place them seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
  6. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the cheese.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  8. Serve with desired toppings.

The whole family is going to love these tasty beef enchiladas! This easy casserole recipe harmoniously comes together with a flavorful red sauce, bubbly melted cheese, and bold seasonings in the ground meat.

Beef enchiladas in a baking dish

Get ready to satisfy your Mexican food cravings

To elevate the flavors, look no further than your spice cabinet. I use plenty of dried spices and seasonings like onion, garlic, chilies, paprika, cumin, coriander, and oregano to add rich flavors that complement the savory ground beef.

You can wrap the meat in either corn or flour tortillas before topping with spiced enchilada sauce and plenty of cheese. Baking infuses all the flavors together and gives a great contrast in textures. Feel free to add extra toppings like sour cream, chopped avocado, or spicy salsa to customize the dish.

ingredients to make enchiladas

Bumping up the beefy flavor

The protein of choice for these hearty enchiladas is ground beef, but shredded beef is also an appetizing option if you want to switch it up. Although already rich and savory, there are simple ways to enhance the flavor. First, the ground beef and onions are sauteed and browned in a hot skillet. This ensures that the vegetables develop a slight sweetness and the surface of the meat picks up more aroma and flavors.

Next, a combination of dried seasonings, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, coriander, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder is sprinkled on top and cooked in the hot fat. This releases the fat-soluble compounds that are locked in the spices, adding depth to the plain beef. I use a similar spice blend in my taco seasoning recipe and it works well for chicken enchiladas too.

Pouring enchilada sauce over rolled tortillas

Add a little flour

To make sure that the seasonings mixed with beef cling to the meat filling, add some flour. Incorporate the flour with the dried seasonings then simmer with water until the sauce lightly thickens. This will keep the beef stay moist and flavorful when encased inside the tender tortillas.

Tortilla selection

I prefer flour tortillas to wrap my enchiladas because they’re soft and very flexible. If you’re looking for a gluten-free alternative with earthy flavor then corn tortillas are a tasty option. Although sometimes the store-bought versions are very brittle and break apart, so I avoid using those.

Make sure your wraps are about 6-inches in size to hold ⅓ cup of filling. Tortillas out of the package are pretty bland, so I like to heat them in a skillet until small flavorful brown spots form. Then add the fillings and toppings.

Canned or homemade sauce

The pourable deep red tomato-based enchilada sauce is what makes this dish so special. If you’re in a hurry you can purchase the canned sauce, either in mild, medium, or spicy varieties.

To add more authentic and bold flavors, I recommend making my enchilada sauce recipe from scratch. It has a nice spicy and smokey taste from the crushed tomatoes and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. The heat level can be adjusted to your liking.

Person sprinkling freshly grated cheese over a casserole dish

Assembly

Enchiladas are like little mini wet burritos. To quickly assemble the casserole, grease a baking dish and make sure you have the beef filling, toasted tortillas, enchilada sauce, and shredded cheese ready to go. I like to add some sauce on the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking and to evenly coat each portion.

Add the beef to the center of each tortilla then wrap it up and place it in the pan seam-side down. Once all of the filled tortillas are lined up, pour more sauce over the top to lightly coat. Sprinkle the cheese evenly on top, I like to use a combination of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack for a more interesting appearance.

Cover the dish with foil and bake at 400ºF (204ºC) until the enchiladas are hot and the cheese is completely melted.

Toppings for the casserole

Although a hot pan of enchiladas is delicious on its own, I like to add some contrast in texture and fresh flavors on top. Sliced green onions, chopped red onion, diced avocado, and cilantro leaves are my top picks. Some sour cream or plain Greek yogurt can cool any spicy bites if you added extra peppers. Homemade guacamole or chunky salsa are also nice additions.

Stellar side dish pairings

Two beef enchiladas on a plate

Increasing the spice factor

If you want to bump up the heat level in the beef filling add some freshly chopped peppers like jalapenos or serrano, or green chilis. A small amount of dried chilis like cayenne, chipotle or hot paprika quickly increases the heat and adds some smokiness. A little goes a long way, just about ¼ teaspoon at a time to the beef mixture.

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  • Adjust oven rack to the center position. Preheat to 400ºF (204ºC).

  • To make the spice mixture, in a small bowl combine flour, paprika, cumin, salt, black pepper, coriander, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder. Set aside.

  • Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, once hot, add the onions. Saute until translucent, 2 minutes.

  • Increase the heat to medium-high, add the beef, cook until browned, breaking the meat up until smaller pieces, about 4 to 5 minutes.

  • Sprinkle the spice mixture over the beef. Stir and cook for 1 minute.

  • Slowly add the water and cook until the beef sauce slightly thickens, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat.

  • Heat a small pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Warm each tortilla until lightly toasted on both sides and flexible, about 15 to 20 seconds per side.

  • Lightly coat a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil. Evenly spread ½ cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom.

  • Transfer the tortillas to a plate and fill the centers with about ⅓ cup of ground beef. Roll into a cylinder and transfer to the pan. Repeat the process until 10 enchiladas are rolled and lined up in the pan.

  • Evenly pour and spread the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, just enough to lightly coat the surface. There will be extra sauce leftover.

  • Sprinkle the monterey jack cheese and cheddar cheese on top.

  • Cover with foil and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.

  • Garnish with green onions, red onions, and chopped cilantro.

  • Serving Size: 1 enchilada
  • Storing: Leftovers should be cooled down to room temperature. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Reheating: Microwave each enchilada on high power until warmed, about 1 ½ to 2 minutes.
  • Make-Ahead: The beef enchiladas can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 5 days before baking. Add more sauce if desired as it may absorb into the tortilla as it sits.

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Nutrition Facts

Beef Enchiladas

Amount Per Serving

Calories 362
Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 10g50%

Cholesterol 62mg21%

Sodium 968mg40%

Potassium 236mg7%

Carbohydrates 21g7%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 634IU13%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 212mg21%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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