Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas
Updated Jan 11, 2026
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These Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas are a go-to for busy nights, combining seasoned ground beef, gooey cheese, and soft tortillas baked in a rich, flavorful sauce. Quick to assemble and perfect for family dinners, no one in my family is ever sad to find out these are for dinner.
Weeknight dinners don’t have to be complicated, and these Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas prove it. Packed with seasoned ground beef, melty cheese, and soft tortillas, they bake into a bubbly, golden dish that’s pure comfort in every bite. I love recipes like this because they’re quick to throw together, satisfying to eat, and make enough for leftovers—or a freezer-ready meal.
I promise you, even if you have a family of four, make this whole recipe. The leftovers are brilliant. If you ever find that out.
These Beefy and Cheesy Enchiladas will go perfectly with a side of Cilantro Lime Rice, a Grilled Corn Salad, or even some Cowboy Caviar.
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Ingredients
- Vegetable or canola oil – For cooking.
- Tortillas – I use 6-inch flour tortillas.
- Ground beef – I used ground chuck, but you can also play around with different types of meat.
- Onion – Red or yellow will work well here.
- Scallions – These are not cooked and add a slightly sharp and fresh note.
- Jalapeño pepper – For a bit of a kick.
- Green chiles – These offer an earthy, slightly sharp, and bright flavor.
- Corn kernels – You can use fresh frozen corn, or canned and drained.
- Enchilada sauce – You can make your own or use canned enchilada sauce; check out the note below for more.
- Chicken broth – I like to use less sodium, so I can control the salt level.
- Monterey Jack cheese and sharp cheddar – The mix of these two cheeses offers a perfect balance of mild and sharp flavors and creates the perfect cheese pull.
Enchilada Sauce
I have made my own enchilada sauce often, and it’s a very good enchilada sauce. But I have also used a can of enchilada sauce more times than I can count. I like to bolster the flavor of the canned sauce with additional garlic and herbs and spices, but it’s an easy shortcut base. Note that canned enchilada sauce can have a lot of sodium, so go easy on any additional salt.
Cheese in Enchiladas
I like to put some of the shredded cheese in the enchilada filling to melt right into the beefy filling, but also have enough left to sprinkle a thick layer on top of the enchiladas for that satisfying cheese-pull layer.
Here, a mixture of Monterey Jack (beautifully melty) and sharp cheddar (super flavorful) is used, but you can use a Mexican blend of cheese instead of the two kinds of cheese if you like. Those bags of shredded cheeses are lifesavers, and there are so many great varieties available that you can keep changing things up.
How to Make Enchiladas
- Warm the tortillas: In a large skillet, heat the tortillas one at a time for about 20 seconds each. Stack them on a plate as they are warmed.
- Cook the beef and onions: Brown the ground beef and drain. Sauté the onions until golden brown.
Kitchen Smarts
You can use the same pan for the tortillas, beef, and onions. Just set each aside until the onions are done.
- Make the sauce: Combine the enchilada sauce and chicken broth in a measuring cup.
- Make the filling: Add the cooked meat, scallions, jalapeños, green chilies, and corn, plus 1 cup of the enchilada sauce mixture, to the pan with onions. Stir to combine. Remove the pan from the heat, add 1/2 cup each of the Monterey Jack and the cheddar, and stir.
- Form the enchiladas: Spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan. Add 1/4 cup of the filling mixture to each tortilla. Roll them up as you go, placing them seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Add the sauce and cheese: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce mix over the enchiladas, then top with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake and enjoy: Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes until the filling is hot and the cheese is nicely melted. Serve hot with your favorite toppings
How to Top Enchiladas
You certainly don’t need to provide toppings for these enchiladas; they are delicious on their own. But if you wanted to make the meal feel extra special, you could offer a selection of sour cream, salsa, fresh cilantro leaves, and diced avocado or guacamole, and let everyone pick and choose.
Storage
Store enchiladas in the fridge for about 2 days, covered tightly in foil. Reheat in the oven at 350ºF until warm all the way through.
What to Serve with Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas
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Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil (approximately; divided)
- 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large onion (red or yellow; chopped)
- ½ cup sliced scallions (white and green parts)
- 1 jalapeño pepper (seeded and minced; optional)
- 1 can (4.5-ounce) green chiles
- ½ cup corn kernels (fresh frozen, or canned and drained; optional)
- 1 can (28-ounce) enchilada sauce
- 1 cup less sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (divided)
- 1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar (divided)
To Serve (Optional; Pick and Choose)
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Diced avocado (or guacamole)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add just enough oil to barely coat the bottom of the pan. Add the tortillas, one at a time, and cook for about 20 seconds on each side until the tortillas are soft. Stack them on a plate as they are warmed. Add additional oil 1/2 teaspoon at a time as needed, and keep going until all of the tortillas are softened.
- Return the pan to medium-high heat, then add the beef and cook for about 4 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned and crumbly. Drain the beef in a colander.
- Return the pan again to medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until golden and tender.
- Meanwhile, combine the enchilada sauce and chicken broth in a measuring cup.
- Add the cooked beef to the pan with the onions, along with the scallions, jalapeños, green chilies, and corn, plus 1 cup of the enchilada sauce mixture, and stir to combine. Remove the pan from the heat, add 1/2 cup each of the Monterey Jack and the cheddar, and stir to blend.
- Pour 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan. Scoop 1/4 cup of the filling mixture onto one of the tortillas and roll it up. Place the enchiladas seam-side down in the baking dish, nestled closely to one another. Repeat with all of the tortillas and filling.
- Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce mixture evenly over the enchiladas, and sprinkle the rest of the Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese over the casserole. Bake for 20 minutes until the filling is hot and the cheese is nicely melted. Serve hot.
