Cheesy Beef Enchiladas

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Beef Enchiladas make a plain pound of ground beef feel like a real occasion. Seasoned beef gets rolled up in warm tortillas, covered in red enchilada sauce and cheese, and baked until everything’s bubbling.

The seasoning is simple: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and a good pinch of salt stirred into the beef right after it’s browned and drained. Where most people go wrong is the tortillas. Corn tortillas are naturally stiff, and rolling them cold splits them right down the middle.

Warm them first, either wrapped in a damp paper towel in the microwave or with a quick pass through a dry skillet. That one step is the difference between neat enchiladas and a dish full of broken ones.

More weeknight beef dinners to add to the rotation: Cuban Beef Picadillo, Cheesy Beef Stuffed Shells, or Baked Cheeseburger Casserole.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Real Tex-Mex flavor. Chili powder, cumin, and enchilada sauce, no shortcuts on seasoning.
• Budget-friendly. One pound of ground beef stretches across 10 filling, satisfying enchiladas.
• Great for make-ahead. Assemble the whole dish earlier in the day and just bake it when you’re ready.
• A crowd-pleaser. Cheesy, saucy, and mild enough that kids eat it right alongside adults.

Beef Enchiladas Ingredients

Corn tortillas are the traditional choice for enchiladas and hold up better to the sauce than flour, but they crack easily if you skip warming them first. Flour tortillas work too if that’s what you have, just skip the warming step since they’re already pliable.

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef (85/15)
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 (10 oz) cans red enchilada sauce, divided
• 10 corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, divided
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Recipe Variations

• Use flour tortillas instead of corn for a softer texture, no warming needed.
• Stir a cup of cooked rice or black beans into the beef mixture to stretch it further.
• Swap in green enchilada sauce for a tangier, milder version.

How to Make Beef Enchiladas

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish. Spread about 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over the bottom.
2. Brown the beef: Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet over medium heat, about 7-8 minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Drain off the excess grease and stir in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt.
3. Soften the tortillas: Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave 30-45 seconds, or warm them briefly in a dry skillet, so they roll without cracking.
4. Fill and roll: Spoon the beef mixture and a sprinkle of cheese down the center of each tortilla, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in the baking dish.
5. Sauce and bake: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is melted.
6. Serve: Top with chopped cilantro before serving.

How to Roll Corn Tortillas Without Cracking Them

Cold corn tortillas split the moment you bend them. This is the single most frustrating part of making enchiladas and it is completely avoidable.

Corn tortillas have no gluten, so nothing holds them together when the starch is cold and firm. Heat and moisture make the starch pliable again, and that takes about 20 seconds.

• Quick fry. 10 seconds a side in a shallow pan of hot oil. This is the traditional method and it makes the best enchiladas, because the oil also stops them dissolving in the sauce.
• Microwave. Stack of 10 wrapped in a damp paper towel, 30 to 45 seconds. Fastest and it works well.
• Dry skillet, 15 seconds a side, then stack them under a towel to steam each other.
• Dip in warm enchilada sauce as you go. Softens them and seasons them at once.

Work fast once they are warm. They stiffen again within a minute or two, so warm them in batches of a few rather than all ten at once.

Seam side down in the dish, always, so they do not unroll as they bake.

Recipe FAQs

How Do I Keep the Tortillas from Cracking?

Warm them first, either wrapped in a damp paper towel in the microwave or a quick pass in a dry skillet. Cold tortillas are stiff and split when you try to roll them.

Can I Use Flour Tortillas Instead?

Yes, flour tortillas are naturally more pliable and don’t need the warming step, though corn is the more traditional choice for enchiladas.

Can I Assemble These Ahead of Time?

Yes, roll and arrange the enchiladas in the dish, cover, and refrigerate up to a day before adding the final sauce and cheese and baking.

What’s the Difference Between Red and Green Enchilada Sauce?

Red sauce is made from dried chiles and has a deeper, earthier flavor. Green sauce uses tomatillos and is tangier and a bit milder, both work with this filling.

What Should I Serve with These?

Mexican rice, refried or black beans, and a simple salad with lime dressing round out the meal well.

Cooking Tips

• Don’t overfill the tortillas. A heaping 1/4 cup of filling per tortilla rolls up neatly without splitting or spilling.
• Spread that thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish before rolling, it keeps the enchiladas from sticking as they bake.
• Let the dish rest 5 minutes after baking, it firms up just enough to serve neatly instead of falling apart.

Storage and Freezing

To store: Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To freeze: Freeze the fully baked, cooled enchiladas in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

To reheat: Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for about 15-20 minutes, or microwave individual portions until warmed through.

How to Serve Beef Enchiladas

Serve straight from the baking dish with rice and beans on the side, or a scoop of sour cream and extra cilantro on top. This is one of the recipes in our Ground Beef Dinner Ideas collection.

Loved This Recipe?

Beef Enchiladas turn a simple pound of ground beef into a dinner that tastes like it took a lot more work than it did.

Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.

More like this: Taco night people, here are three more cheesy Mexican-style beef dinners your kids will clean off the plate. Try Cheesy Taco Casserole, Zesty Taco Stuffed Shells, or 20-Minute Ground Beef Tacos.

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