Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas
on Jul 18, 2021, Updated Jul 20, 2023
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Satisfying old-school beefiness and cheesiness, wrapped up in flour tortillas and baked until hot and melty.
After digging in to these my husband pronounced them the best old-school beefy thing I have made in a while. This is truly a full-on compliment from him: anything comfort food-ish made with ground beef and cheese is right up his (and my kids’) alley, and the less fussy and the more beefy and cheesy is what hits the home run.
Enchilada Sauce
I have made my own enchilada sauce often, and it’s very good enchilada sauce. But I have also used a can of enchilada sauce more time that 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) are used, but you can use a Mexican blend cheese instead of the two cheeses if you like. Those bags of shredded cheeses are lifesavers, and there are so many great varieties available, you can keep changing things up.
How to Roll Enchiladas
Once you have your filling made, spread ½ cup of the enchilada sauce mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan. Scoop ¼ 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
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.
Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas: Satisfying old-school beefiness and cheesiness, wrapped up in flour tortillas and baked until hot and melty.
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How to Top Enchiladas
You certainly don’t need to provide toppings for these enchiladas, which 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.
I promise you, even if you have a family of four, make this whole recipe. Leftovers are brilliant. If you ever find that out.
What to Serve with Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas:
- Guacamole
- Salsa Ranchera
- Southwest Black Bean and Corn Salad
- Romaine Salad with Queso Fresco
- Stewed Chayote with Tomatoes
Other Enchilada Recipes:
- Spicy Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas
- Butternut Squash, Black Bean and Chicken Enchilada Cups
- One-Skillet Beefy Enchilada Casserole
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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 jalapeno pepper , seeded and minced (optional)
- 1 can (4.5 ounces) 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 the 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 saute 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, jalapenos, green chilies and corn, plus 1 cup of the enchilada sauce mixture and stir to combine. Remove the pan from the heat, add ½ cup each of the Monterey Jack and the cheddar and stir to blend.
- Pour ½ cup of the enchilada sauce mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan. Scoop ¼ 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.
