Cheesy beef enchiladas are one of my favorite Mexican foods. These are made with my homemade enchilada sauce. My trick to making this simple and easy is one sauce made from scratch in the beef and over the tortillas. This will be your next new favorite.
Table of Content
If you love ground beef, this is a recipe you absolutely must try. It's a family favorite and my kids still call it lasagna because of all the cheese. When I was busy with cake orders, I'd keep a few things in the freezer so I can have food on the table when kids got home from school. The sauce and beef filling do well in the freezer and we always have tortillas in the house. So, this was always a quick meal.
About this recipe
The recipe is quite simple and easy. For me, the secret to making the best beef enchiladas, is homemade enchiladas sauce. This sauce actually takes only 10 minutes to make and uses simple pantry staples such as spices, tomato paste, chicken broth, flour, etc.
There are three components to making these beef enchiladas.
- The sauce - you can use canned enchilada sauce or make it your own - here's the best homemade enchilada sauce recipe for you. This can be done a few days in advance - my homemade sauce can be kept in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.
- The beef filling - made with ground beef and a few simple ingredients, like onion and garlic, this also takes about 10 to 15 minutes. This can be done up to 3 to 4 days in advance.
- Tortillas - today, I have used store-bought tortillas. But, often I also make my own homemade tortilla. They can be made up to 10 days in advance.
- Assembly - it takes 10 minutes to fill, layer, and prepare the baking dish. This bakes for a total of 30 minutes.
Is this beef enchiladas recipe authentic?
There are so many varieties of beef enchiladas and I love that. Everywhere I've traveled, I've enjoyed something new. Personally, I look for recipes that I think my family will enjoy. This is how we like our beef enchiladas and I hope you enjoy them too.
Having said that, traditionally, a tomato-based sauce is made using enchilada sauce. This sauce is then used in the beef and final assembly in the baking dish. Here, I simplify the process by making one tomato-based enchilada sauce from scratch, so you don't have to make it twice.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Ground beef - I am using all beef today. But, I love to use a combination of beef and pork, beef and lamb.
- Onions - I prefer red Spanish onions as they cook down easily and become sweet when cooked.
- Garlic - A little goes a long way. I've used fresh garlic, but ½ teaspoon garlic powder works just as well.
- Tomato paste - Adds a nice tang and body to the sauce.
- Enchilada sauce - You can use a store-bought sauce from a can, but I am using my homemade sauce.
- Tortillas - Again, you can use store-bought or homemade as well.
Step by step instructions
Enchilada sauce
- Watch a detailed video of how I make my enchilada sauce.
- In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
- In a saute pan or frying pan, heat oil and mixed dry ingredients.
- Cook for a minute until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste - cook a minute more.
- Then, gradually add broth stirring continuously to prevent lumps while cooking on low (about ¼ cup broth at a time).
- Once all the stock is added - add the vinegar.
- Continue to cook until you have a dropping consistency.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- The sauce will thicken as it cools. If necessary, add a few tablespoons of water to bring back to the right consistency.
- This can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Prepare beef
- Brown beef in oil breaking the meat apart - 2 minutes.
- Add onions and garlic and saute some more - 2 minutes.
- Add the enchilada sauce and tomato paste - cook 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add cheeses and cilantro- combine well.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Set aside. This can be made up to 3 days in advance.
Assembly
- Preheat the oven at 180 C / 360 F.
- Add ½ cup enchilada sauce to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, and set aside.
- Lay tortillas on a flat surface.
- Add about ¼ to ⅓ cup beef mixture and 2 tablespoon cheddar cheese.
- Roll it up and place it in the prepared baking dish seam side down.
- Continue until all the tortillas have been used up.
- Top the tortillas with the remaining enchilada sauce.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven - open the foil.
- Top with the remaining cheeses.
- Continue to bake uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
- Serve immediately garnished with cilantro.
- A side salad of cherry tomatoes and avocado work perfectly.
Frequently asked questions
These beef enchiladas will keep in the fridge for 5 to 6 days
yes, you can use 1 can tomato passata or tomato sauce. Make sure to cook it longer so it's not too runny.
You can add one can black beans or refried beans which are very popular in Mexican cooking. Add it to the beef close to the end of cooking so you don't mash them up. In our home, my kids don't like beans in their enchiladas.
Beef enchiladas recipe is a Mexican dish so a Mexican blend of cheese would be great but I often have only cheddar or Monterey Jack on hand so I just use what's available.
No, these are beef enchiladas so we use beef but you can certainly use ground chicken as well.
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Printable Recipe
Homemade Beef Enchiladas
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Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Enchilada sauce
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon Chilli powder hot
- ¼ teaspoon Oregano dried
- ⅛ teaspoon Cinnamon powder
- 2 tablespoon Flour all-purpose or gluten-free
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cocoa powder (optional)
- ½ teaspoon Sugar (optional)
- 4 tablespoon Oil cooking oil
- 6 tablespoon Tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Vinegar apple cider
- 2 cups Broth chicken or vegetable
Beef filling
- 1 lb (500 g) Ground beef
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 cup Onions chopped finely
- 1 teaspoon Garlic chopped finely
- 1 cup Enchilada sauce
- 2 tablespoon Tomato paste
- ½ cup Cilantro chopped
- ½ cup Cheddar cheese or similar
For the enchiladas
- 1 cup Enchilada sauce
- 8 Tortillas
- 2 cups Mexican blended cheese shredded
Instructions
Enchilada sauce
- In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
- In a saute pan or frying pan, heat oil and mixed dry ingredients.
- Cook for a minute until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste - cook a minute more.
- Then, gradually add broth stirring continuously to prevent lumps while cooking on low. (about ¼ cup broth at a time)
- Once all the stock is added - add the vinegar.
- Continue to cook until you have a dropping consistency.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- The sauce will thicken as it cools. If necessary add a few tablespoons of water to bring back to the right consistency.
- This can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Prepare beef
- Brown beef in oil breaking the meat apart - 2 minutes.
- Add onions and garlic and saute some more - 2 minutes.
- Add the enchilada sauce and tomato paste - cook 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add cheeses and cilantro - combine well.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Set aside. This can be made up to 3 days in advance.
Assemble
- Preheat the oven at 180 C / 360 F.
- Add ½ cup enchilada sauce to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, and set aside.
- Lay tortillas on a flat surface.
- Add about ¼ to ⅓ cup beef mixture and 2 tablespoon cheddar cheese.
- Roll it up and place it in the prepared baking dish seam side down.
- Continue until all the tortillas have been used up.
- Top the tortillas with the remaining enchilada sauce.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven - open the foil.
- Top with the remaining cheeses.
- Continue to bake uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
- Serve immediately garnished with cilantro.
- A side salad of cherry tomatoes and avocado work perfectly.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- I like to use lean beef with about 15 % fat. If you use beef with more fat, omit the oil. Cook the beef directly in the dry pan.
- Break the ground beef while browning so you don't have large chunks in the finished dish.
- Brown the meat well before you add the sauces. This will enhance the flavor.
- You can use a few tablespoons of tomato paste as I have or 1 can tomato sauce for this recipe. The tomato paste is concentrated so the sauce becomes quicker and has a deeper rich red flavor.
- Use a combination of hot and sweet paprika to make it less spicy.
- Enchilada sauce has a strong smokey cumin flavor but you can reduce it by half. I use to do that for my kids when they were young,
- Use soft flour tortillas about 8-inches round. If you have large tortillas you can fold the edges inside before rolling it up.
- If the enchilada sauce is too thick - add some water or chicken broth to loosen it up.
- Mexican cheese works great for beef enchiladas but feels free to use whichever your family enjoys. (I sometimes use mozzarella too)
- Beef enchiladas are served soon as they are ready but be careful as the cheese is hot and bubbling.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Diane P.
Will definitely make these again and again. That sauce was so good. Easy to prepare and put together. I have to mention my husband was speechless, he loved them that much. Thanks Veena.
Veena Azmanov
I am so happy to hear that Diane. Thank you for the lovely feedback.
Sam
Such a wonderful recipe! Our family loves enchiladas and this one was so good. Will be making it again, thank you!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much for your feedback, Sam. Happy your family enjoyed it.