This beef enchiladas recipe is seasoned ground beef wrapped in flour tortillas and topped with red enchilada sauce and cheese, then baked to perfection. The absolute best enchiladas you’ll ever eat!
We have Mexican food night in my house at least once a week, and my kids often request pork tacos, Mexican casserole, or these simple yet totally satisfying beef enchiladas.
Beef enchiladas are one of my favorite dishes to order at my local Mexican restaurant, but they also happen to be quite easy to make at home! I love this recipe because it’s super flavorful, and you can even double or triple the batch if you’re feeding a larger crowd.
How do you make beef enchiladas?
To make beef enchiladas, start by cooking the meat in a pan while breaking it up into crumbles. After a few minutes, add diced onion and garlic to the pan. Pour in taco seasoning with a splash of water to coat everything with the spices. With the beef cooked, assemble the enchiladas by spreading enchilada sauce in a baking pan. Place beef and cheese on warm tortillas, roll them up and place them in the baking pan. Pour enchilada sauce over the top and add a sprinkle of shredded cheese. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted. Top the enchiladas with olives and green onions and they are ready to eat.
Tips for the best beef enchiladas
- I recommend using 90% lean ground beef for this recipe. It has plenty of flavor, but is not overly greasy. If you use meat with a higher fat content, be sure to drain off any excess grease when the meat is cooked.
- You can steam your tortillas to make them pliable by covering a stack of tortillas with a damp paper towel and microwaving them for 1 1/2 minutes.
- I like to serve these enchiladas with Mexican rice and pinto beans to make a complete meal.
- These enchiladas can be assembled up to 4 hours before you plan to bake them. Store them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake and eat.
- For the best flavor, you can try making my homemade enchilada sauce!
Enchilada variations
These enchiladas are delicious as-is, but you can absolutely customize this recipe by adding other ingredients.
- Protein: Try shredded chicken, ground turkey or shredded beef instead of the ground beef. You can even use black beans to make a vegetarian dish.
- Cheese: Swap in pepper jack, regular Monterey Jack, or colby cheese instead of cheddar.
- Fillings: You can add other ingredients to the filling such as green chiles, corn, diced tomatoes or bell peppers.
Are enchiladas made with flour or corn tortillas?
You can make enchiladas with flour or corn tortillas. Corn tortillas are the traditional choice; however, I prefer flour tortillas with this recipe. It’s simply a matter of which flavor you like the best. Be sure to use the smaller size flour tortillas so that they’ll fit into a baking dish.
Can you freeze enchiladas?
You can freeze enchiladas in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can freeze a whole pan of enchiladas or freeze individual servings. If you freeze the whole pan, you can reheat them from frozen. Place the covered pan in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until warmed through.
Beef enchiladas is a traditional Mexican dish that is a classic for a reason – it is loaded with meat and cheese, and absolutely delicious! Next time you have people over or you just want a hearty Mexican meal, give these enchiladas a try, you’ll be glad you did.
More Mexican food recipes you’ll enjoy
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Stuffed Poblano Peppers
- Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
- Steak Fajitas
- Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef I use 90% lean
- 1/2 cup onion finely diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 2 10 ounce cans red enchilada sauce
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided use
- 10 flour tortillas 8 inch size
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a spatula.
- Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes or until onion has softened and beef has cooked through. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the taco seasoning, along with 1 tablespoon of water. Stir until everything is coated in seasoning.
- Spread 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the bottom of the baking pan.
- Warm the tortillas until soft and pliable. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of cheese down the center of each tortilla, then divide the beef mixture evenly among the tortillas.
- Roll up each tortilla tightly, then arrange in the baking dish.
- Pour 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the tops of the tortilla rolls. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the sauce.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese has melted and sauce is bubbling.
- Top with olives and green onions, then serve.
Do you not drain the hamburger?
I typically use 90% lean beef which does not need to be drained. If you’re using beef with a higher fat content, feel free to drain it!