Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole
A Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole saves the day when you’re craving homemade Tex-Mex with minimal hassle. This has the traditional flavor of ground beef simmered in red enchilada sauce with tortillas and cheese, plus veggies in the mix for a one-and-done meal.
This simple enchilada casserole is the epitome of easy comfort food. Everyone loves the taste of enchiladas, but honestly, rolling them individually can be a bit of work. This lets you have the best of all worlds!
I like to call them stacked enchiladas, because you’re going to get all the same flavors and textures, just in layers — a bit like a very delicious Mexican-inspired lasagna.
Some enchilada casserole recipes don’t include any veggies, and adding them to the mix is technically optional. I say, though, when you can toss in some veggies to make your main dish healthier, more substantial, and more of a one-and-done meal, why not? I mean, anything to avoid having to make another side dish, am I right? 🙂
Ingredients & Common Substitutions
Here are a few notes and shopping tips about the ingredients you’ll need to make this, as well as possible substitutions.
- Ground Beef: A lean ground beef works very well for this. You can substitute ground turkey or chicken; if doing so, add a drizzle of olive oil or avocado oil to the pan when browning the meat and onion. No other changes are needed.
- Onion: Yellow or white onions are my preference here, but you can use a red onion, too.
- Veggies: My go-to combination for this casserole is zucchini (1 small), bell pepper (1/2, any color), and corn kernels (1/2 cup, I usually use frozen because it’s so easy). You can mix and match these in any combination, or swap in other veggies you have in the fridge.
- Taco Seasoning: Use your favorite brand, or make your own — it’s so easy, so good, and lasts a long time!
- Enchilada Sauce: Same as above — once you try making your own red enchilada sauce you won’t look back!
- Tortillas: Corn, flour, or a blend — you might consider it scandalous but at the end of the day any tortillas work, and I’m a big proponent of using what you’ve got. See more below!
- Shredded Cheese: Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend all work well. For a fun topping you can sprinkle on some Cotija, but it doesn’t melt as well as the others so I wouldn’t use it exclusively.
- Toppings: chopped tomatoes, avocado, fresh cilantro, green onions, salsa, sour cream, you get the idea!
- Optional Add-ins: If you’re big on these flavors, toss in 1-2 cloves of minced garlic or a small (4 ounce) can of green chilies along with the meat and veggie mixture. This is totally optional.
What are the best tortillas to use for enchiladas?
Corn tortillas are generally considered the traditional and superior choice for enchiladas. They have a distinct flavor, unlike flour tortillas, which are more of a blank slate.
That said, 100% corn tortillas can be difficult to work with unless you toast them briefly prior to filling and rolling. For the sake of convenience, I often rely on tortillas that are a corn-wheat blend when making enchiladas. Traditional? Maybe not. But the way I see it, you can get the best of both worlds!
What is the best enchilada sauce?
Homemade enchilada sauce is the best! Sometimes store-bought is just as good, but candidly, once you go the from-scratch route here, you’ll never go back. The richer flavor and thicker consistency is far superior to any store-bought version. Make a big batch of this homemade red enchilada sauce as much as five days before you plan to eat these enchiladas, and store in the fridge until ready to use.
How To Make an Enchilada Casserole
Enchiladas don’t seem like they should be a lot of work, until you’re the one trying to roll them individually, possibly while corralling children at the same time. Pleased to report you’re going to skip all that here.
Begin by preheating the oven to 400 degrees, then grab a skillet and make the filling. Brown the beef and onion together, then mix in the veggies, taco seasoning, salt, and most of the enchilada sauce, reserving a small amount for the bottom of a baking dish.
You want this mixture to be very flavorful, so it’s a good idea to taste it when the meat is browned and the veggies are tender. You can always add a smidge more taco seasoning or salt to taste.
Now assembly is a relatively simple matter. Cut the tortillas in half down the middle and arrange in whatever pattern makes the most sense to cover the bottom of a baking dish.
What size baking dish to use?
An 8×8 or 9×9 inch square baking dish works well for this recipe, but so does a small rectangular dish, as shown here.
Add a generous layer of the ground beef mixture — use about half of it — followed by a generous sprinkle of cheese.
Repeat all the layers: tortillas, remaining meat mixture, remaining cheese.
If you have extra space in the pan or extra ingredients, feel free to add another whole or partial layer — this isn’t too particular or fussy. Just be sure to end with cheese on top for maximal melty goodness.
Transfer your baking dish into the oven and bake for around 20 minutes. The sauce should bubble around the edges.
For a browned top, turn the oven to broil for the final 1-2 minutes of baking time. Watch it carefully during this time to be sure the top layer of cheese doesn’t burn.
Sprinkle with garnishes as desired, or reserve those for a topping bar. It’s your call.
Either way, slice it up into squares, serve, and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
This is a great all-in-one meal, like many a casserole dish, because it contains protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates all in one tasty package. If you want to dress up the plates a little or stretch servings, pair it with a simple Mexican salad, refried beans, kicked up skillet black beans, or cilantro lime Mexican rice.
But honestly? Chips and homemade blender salsa or creamy guacamole are always what everyone really wants. 🙂
Make Ahead Instructions
Yes! Prepare this casserole all the way up until it’s ready to bake — ie., make the filling and assemble all layers. Cover the baking pan tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Remove and bake as directed, being prepared to add up to 5 minutes of baking time — a total of about 25 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Storage & Reheating
I am always happy to have leftovers of these enchiladas, because they make an absolutely delicious lunch the next day, at home or on the go.
- To store extra, place servings in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To freeze, let the cooked servings cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container, seal tightly, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheat squares of the enchilada casserole either in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes on full power or in a 350ºF oven for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through. If you have extra shredded cheese, sprinkle it on top so you can get another crack at enjoying the fresh melted effect.
Related Recipes
Love a good Mexican-inspired family dinner? Try my black bean tacos, Instant Pot ground beef tacos, or sheet pan chicken fajitas next. Craving more enchiladas? Black bean and corn enchiladas are a perennial favorite here.
Looking for more ways to use ground beef? These Korean beef bowls, teriyaki ground beef, a ground beef and broccoli stir fry, and cozy 25-minute ground beef pasta are some of our favorites!
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Ground Beef and Veggie Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 medium yellow or white onion
- 1 small zucchini diced
- 1/2 bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup corn kernels canned, frozen, or fresh
- 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
- kosher salt
- 1 and 1/4 cups enchilada sauce divided
- 8 corn tortillas cut into halves
- 1 and 1/2 cups shredded cheese cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend all work well
- optional toppings: chopped tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, green onions, salsa, sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and set aside an 8”x8” baking dish.
- Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until the meat is lightly browned and the onion tender. Drain any excess fat, then stir in zucchini, pepper, corn, taco seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook 2-3 minutes more.
- Remove pan from the heat and stir in 1 cup of enchilada sauce. Set aside.
- Pour remaining 1/4 cup enchilada sauce into the baking dish and spread into a thin layer across the bottom. Lay half of the tortillas on top of the sauce, arranging to cover most of the pan.
- Add about half of the beef and veggie mixture, followed by half of the cheese. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, beef mixture, and cheese.
- Place pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges. For a browned top, turn the oven to broil for the final 1-2 minutes of baking time, but watch carefully to be sure it doesn’t burn.
- Remove from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes before cutting, and garnish with toppings as desired.
Notes
- Optional Add-ins: If you’re big on these flavors, toss in 1-2 cloves of minced garlic or a small (4 ounce) can of green chilies along with the meat and veggie mixture. This is completely at your discretion; I usually don’t.
