Ground Beef Enchiladas

I have a love-affair with Mexican-style foods and Tex-Mex foods. The flavors just speak to me. The spices, the heat, the freshness, the cheese… man, I could eat those foods every day!

This recipe has actually been here on the site for years (since 2015), but I thought it could do with some updated photos and more helpful information.

Of course, I highly recommend making these with my Homemade Enchilada Sauce I shared with you last week… the flavor of homemade versus a can is just insane.

And don’t forget an ice cold margarita to wash it all down!

How to make homemade beef enchiladas?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Make filling. Brown the beef, then add onion, garlic, and green chiles, and cook until tender and beef is cooked through.
2. Drain and return to skillet. Once the beef mixture is back in the skillet, stir in beans, cilantro and some enchilada sauce.
3. Assemble enchiladas. Start by spreading a thin layer of sauce over a tortilla, then add beef mixture, and top with some cheese.
4. Roll up. Roll from the bottom of the tortilla up towards the top, rolling the tortilla into a long cigar-like shape.
5. Add to baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and add them all to a baking dish.
6. Top with sauce and cheese. Spread any remaining enchilada sauce over the top, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.
7. Bake. Bake uncovered, until cheese is melty and the enchiladas are hot and bubbly.

Variations of this recipe

• Shredded meats – if you prefer a shredded meat texture inside your enchiladas, try my beef barbacoa, pork carnitas, or Mexican-style chicken!
• Ground meats – this recipe works really well with ground pork or chicken instead of beef.
• Vegetarian – also, feel free to use a ground beef alternative (like Impossible beef), tofu crumbles, or all beans to make a vegetarian version!
• Tortillas – I know enchiladas are traditionally made with corn tortillas, but my family prefers when I make these with flour tortillas, so that’s how I’m sharing them here with you. You can definitely swap them out for corn though, if you prefer.
• Store-bought sauce – we LOVE using a homemade sauce for these enchiladas, but it will still taste yummy with store-bought if that’s what you have on hand.
• Extra saucy – feel free to use as much or as little sauce as you’d like for this recipe. You can even dip the tortillas IN the sauce before rolling them! Messy, but delicious.

Making beef enchiladas ahead of time

One of the best things about enchiladas (other than the taste), is that can be assembled ahead of time, and even frozen!

Assembled enchiladas can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to bake, let the baking dish sit out on the counter while the oven preheats, then bake as directed.

Freezing

Assemble the enchiladas, but don’t bake them. I like to use a disposable pan, since it makes freezing easier.

Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. You have two options when it comes to baking the frozen enchiladas.

1. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.
2. Bake from frozen, covered, for 20 minutes, then uncover and add an additional 10-15 minutes of baking time, until cheese is melted and enchiladas are hot and bubbly.

Storage

Leftover enchiladas should be refrigerated in an airtight container and eaten within 4-5 days.

Recipe adapted and inspired from Gimme Some Oven