This ground beef enchilada recipe makes the easiest weeknight dinner! Bursting with Tex-Mex flavors and inspired by a classic restaurant favorite, this recipe is a comforting, simple dish your family is going to love.
These beef enchiladas are so easy to throw together, you’re going to want to add them to the dinner rotation every week!
Filled with ground beef, bold onions, green chiles, black beans, creamy cheese and a robust enchilada sauce, it’s a wholesome meal for the whole family.
It’s so hard to pick a favorite, but ground beef enchiladas are probably a favorite in our house when it comes to Tex-Mex flavors!
Which style does your family love the most – chicken enchiladas, cheese enchiladas, or something else entirely? If you’re making my homemade enchilada sauce, the option are truly endless!
Ground Beef Enchiladas
This is a dinner that is easy enough for a weeknight but feels special enough to serve for parties, too.
Why You’ll Love It
Ingredients and Substitutions
See printable recipe card for complete ingredients and instructions.
- Lean ground beef – 93/7 preferred, but you can use anything you have on hand.
- White onion – chopped.
- Green chiles – these add so much flavor – just grab a small can off the shelf of your grocery store.
- Enchilada sauce – homemade or canned.
- Flour tortillas – I prefer flour for enchiladas because they are so easy to work with, without tearing. However, to make this dish gluten free, be sure to use corn tortillas.
- Cheese – freshly shredded Mexican blend, cheddar, monterey jack or cotija.
- Black beans – canned, drained
Variations
- Try refried beans instead of black beans – or anything you have on hand.
- Add a small can of diced black olives for even more flavor.
- Verde enchilada sauce also works beautifully in this recipe.
- Try a low carb tortilla for a more keto-friendly version of this protein-packed dish.
- Corn tortillas are always the most authentic tortilla to use for enchiladas, so feel free to use whatever you’d like.
How to Make
- Preheat oven.
- In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef, onion and green chilis until beef is browned and onion tender and translucent.
- Grease baking dish. Spread enchilada sauce in bottom of dish as noted.
- In the center of each tortilla, layer with 1/8th of ground beef leaving room at both edges. Add a spoonful of black beans and approximately 1 ounce shredded cheese.
- Fold tortilla over the filling and tightly wrap. Place in baking dish. Top generously with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.
- Bake until cheese is melted and tortillas are slightly crisp and brown.
How to Warm Tortillas
It is best to warm corn tortillas before filling and rolling to prevent tears.
In the Microwave
Wrap in a damp paper towel or flour sack towel and microwave 20 seconds.
On the Stovetop
In a skillet over medium heat, warm tortilla 15 seconds on each side. If you’re using the uncooked tortillas, follow package directions to pan fry until they bubble- so good!
Serving Suggestions
There are so many ways to top your beef enchiladas, and so many great Tex Mex inspired side dishes, too!
- Top with fresh diced Cilantro, Lettuce or Cabbage
- Sour Cream, Jalapeños or Avocado, Tomato or Olives
- Chipotle Corn Salsa
- Lime Crema
- Pico de Gallo
- Cilantro Lime Salad
- Mexican Pasta Salad
- Mexican Street Corn
- Cream Cheese Bean Dip
- Avocado Salsa
Tips
- Grease your baking dish and add a layer of enchilada sauce to prevent them from sticking to the dish. It also makes the bottom of the enchilada perfectly tender.
- Shred your cheese fresh! It’s an extra step you’ll never regret – freshly shredded cheese melts so much creamier!
Recipe Short Cuts
- You absolutely can buy pre-shredded cheese for these chicken enchiladas to save you a step – as much as I love freshly shredded cheese, I do understand that sometimes faster is better!
- Don’t have 10 minutes for my homemade enchilada sauce? Make it ahead and freeze it, or go ahead and use a can of sauce- I’ll never judge.
- To save a little time, you can also layer the ingredients of this beef enchilada recipe to create more of a beef enchilada casserole. Simply layer the tortillas with cheese and alternating ingredients for more of a lasagna style dish!
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is more of a Tex-Mex spin on beef enchiladas. To give them more of an authentic flavor, use corn tortillas and fry each one before wrapping around filling, following recipe directions after this step.
Traditionally, enchiladas were made with corn tortillas. Because flour tortillas tend to hold up better when rolling, that’s what we used here. However, for a gluten free option or simply a more authentic style, feel free to use corn tortillas!
How to Store
- Refrigerate – Tightly cover and store in the fridge for up to three days.
- Freeze – Cover enchiladas tightly before baking. Freeze up to three months. When it’s time to bake, simply unwrap, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover them and continue baking for 5-10 minutes longer, or until fully heated.
Leftovers
- Reheat your enchiladas in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. They make the best lunch on the second day when all the flavors have combined even more!
- You can also microwave your ground beef enchiladas but they will be softer, with less of the crispy edges.
Dietary Considerations
- Gluten Free (if you use corn tortillas)
- Nut Free
More Beef Dinner Ideas
Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef 93/7 preferred
- 1 cup white onion chipped (about 1 small onion, peeled)
- 1 4 ounce can green chiles
- 1¼ cup enchilada sauce (homemade or 1 10 ounce can)
- 10 8" flour tortillas
- 3 cups cheese freshly shredded (Mexican blend, cheddar, monterey jack or cotija)
- 1 15 ounce can black beans drained
Optional Garnish
- cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef, onion and green chiles until beef is browned and onion tender and translucent.
- Grease 9×13 baking dish. Spread 1/4 cup enchilada sauce in bottom of dish.
- In the center of each tortilla, layer with 1/8th of ground beef leaving room at both edges. Add a spoonful of black beans and approximately 1 ounce shredded cheese.
- Fold tortilla over the filling and tightly wrap. Place in baking dish. Top generously with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.
- Bake 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and tortillas slightly crisp and brown.
Optional Garnish
- Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Serve with sour cream, avocado, or pico de gallo.
Julie’s Tips
Recipe Tips
- Grease your baking dish and add a layer of enchilada sauce to prevent them from sticking to the dish. It also makes the bottom of the enchilada perfectly tender.
- Shred your cheese fresh! It’s an extra step you’ll never regret – freshly shredded cheese melts so much creamier!
How to Store
- Refrigerate – Tightly cover and store in the fridge for up to three days.
- Freeze – Cover enchiladas tightly before baking. Freeze up to three months. When it’s time to bake, simply unwrap, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover them and continue baking for 5-10 minutes longer, or until fully heated.
Video
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
