Beef Enchiladas
This Beef Enchiladas Recipe is everything I want in an easy Mexican dinner! Warm tortillas are stuffed with perfectly seasoned ground beef and cheese, then smothered in red enchilada sauce and even more melty cheese. Add your favorite toppings and watch them disappear!
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A Note from Kim
Bring Mexican Night Home
This beef enchilada recipe is comfort food at its best! It has all the cheesy, saucy goodness I love about restaurant enchiladas, but it’s surprisingly easy to make at home. The seasoned beef filling is packed with flavor, and everything gets covered in red enchilada sauce and plenty of melty cheese.
I also love that it’s budget-friendly and great for feeding a family. You can even assemble the enchiladas ahead of time, then pop them in the oven when you’re ready for dinner. Add avocado, cilantro, sour cream, or your favorite toppings and dig in!
With love (and lots of good eats), 
These were easily the best beef enchiladas I’ve ever made! The homemade enchilada sauce was so quick and easy, with a rich flavor and just the right amount of spice. My husband loved them too! We served ours with guacamole and sour cream, and the leftovers were just as delicious. Thanks for such a great recipe!
— Nicole
Ingredients for Beef Enchiladas
Only simple, easy to find ingredients are needed to make this enchilada recipe, which makes it perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
The full list of ingredients with measurements can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- Protein: Lean ground beef works great for the filling and keeps it from feeling too greasy. You can also use ground turkey, ground bison, ground chicken or shredded beef.
- Onion: Adds extra savory flavor to the beef as it cooks. Feel free to toss in a little minced garlic too.
- Spices: Chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes give the beef plenty of flavor. Use less red pepper flakes or leave them out for milder enchiladas.
- Enchilada sauce: Use your favorite red sauce or make my homemade enchilada sauce. It only takes a few extra minutes to prep and can simmer on the stovetop while you cook the beef. It’s made with basic pantry ingredients and tastes so much better than store-bought.
- Tortillas: Flour or corn tortillas both work well. Flour tortillas are soft and easy to roll, while corn tortillas give the enchiladas a more traditional flavor.
- Cheese: I usually use a Mexican cheese blend for plenty of melty goodness. Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack are all delicious options too.
Variations to Try
- Add beans: Stir black beans or pinto beans into the beef filling to make the enchiladas extra hearty.
- Mix in veggies: Add diced bell peppers, corn, or green chiles to the filling for extra flavor and texture.
- Adjust the spice: Make these as mild or as spicy as you like. For more heat, sauté minced jalapeño with the onion and beef, add a pinch of cayenne to the seasoning, and/or use a spicy enchilada sauce.
- Using corn tortillas: You’ll want to soften corn tortillas before rolling. Wrap 4 to 5 at a time in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 30 seconds.
- Try green sauce: Swap the red enchilada sauce for green enchilada sauce to change up the flavor. You also may want to try my creamy enchiladas verdes!
How to Make Beef Enchiladas
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Cook the beef. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the beef and onion for 7–8 minutes, breaking up the meat, until browned and the onion is soft. Stir in the seasonings and 1 tablespoon water until well combined.
Step 2: Assemble the enchiladas. Spread 1 cup enchilada sauce in the casserole dish. Warm tortillas until pliable, then add 1½ tablespoons cheese and an even portion of beef down the center of each tortilla. Roll tightly and place seam side down in the dish.
Step 3: Bake. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the tops of the tortilla rolls. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the sauce. Bake for 20 minutes (uncovered) or until cheese has melted and sauce is bubbling.
Serving Suggestions
Turn these beef enchiladas into a full Mexican-inspired meal with a few easy sides. Here are some of our favorites:
- Chips and dip: Serve with guacamole and/or salsa plus plenty of tortilla chips.
- Add rice: Try cilantro lime cauliflower rice, cilantro lime rice, or Mexican rice. They’re perfect for soaking up any extra enchilada sauce.
- Keep it fresh: cucumber tomato salad adds a fresh, light side to balance the cheesy enchiladas.
- Go classic: Pair them with refried beans and Spanish rice for a hearty, restaurant-style dinner.
Storage & Make Ahead
- Store: Cover leftover beef enchiladas tightly with plastic wrap or foil, or transfer them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Make ahead: Assemble the enchiladas up to 4–6 hours in advance. For the best texture, wait to add the sauce and cheese on top until just before baking. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Reheat: Cover the baking dish with foil and warm at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until heated through. For individual servings, microwave for 45–60 seconds, then continue in 30-second intervals as needed.
- Freeze: Freeze the whole pan or individual portions for up to 3 months. If freezing before baking, wait to add the sauce and cheese on top until you’re ready to bake.
- Bake from frozen: Cover and bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes, or until hot throughout. If thawed overnight in the refrigerator, bake as directed, adding about 5–10 minutes to the cook time if needed.
More Favorite Mexican Recipes
If you try this enchilada recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, subscribe to our mailing list to receive more delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil, (or other oil)
- 1½ pounds lean ground beef, (regular ground beef, ground bison or even ground turkey works)
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 1½ tablespoons chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, omit or use less if you're sensitive to spice
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 (10 ounce) cans red enchilada sauce, divided (be sure to use mild as needed)
- 10 8-10-inch flour or corn tortillas*, gluten free, as needed (I used ones that were a blend of corn & wheat)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
- Garnish options: cilantro, diced onion, avocado, lime, salsa & sour cream
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9″x13″ pan with cooking spray.
- Heat the 2 teaspoons avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 1½ pounds lean ground beef and cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a spatula.
- Add the 1/2 cup finely diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes or until onion has softened and beef has cooked through. Add the 1½ tablespoons chili powder, 1½ teaspoons cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, along with 1 tablespoon of water. Stir until everything is coated in seasoning.
- Spread 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
- Warm the tortillas until soft and pliable.* Place 1½ tablespoons of cheese down the center of each tortilla, then divide the beef mixture evenly among the tortillas.
- Roll up each tortilla tightly, then arrange in the baking dish so the seam is down.
- Pour 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the tops of the tortilla rolls. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the sauce. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese has melted and sauce is bubbling.
- Garnish with cilantro, diced onion, avocado and serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store: Cover leftover beef enchiladas tightly or transfer them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Make ahead: Assemble the enchiladas up to 4–6 hours in advance. For the best texture, wait to add the sauce and cheese on top until just before baking. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Reheat: Cover the baking dish with foil and warm at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until heated through. For individual servings, microwave for 45–60 seconds, then continue in 30-second intervals as needed.
- Freeze: Freeze the whole pan or individual portions for up to 3 months. If freezing before baking, wait to add the sauce and cheese on top until you’re ready to bake.
- Bake from frozen: Cover and bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes, or until hot throughout. If thawed overnight in the refrigerator, bake as directed, adding about 5–10 minutes to the cook time if needed.
Did you make this recipe?
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These were easily the best beef enchiladas I’ve ever made! The homemade enchilada sauce was so quick and easy, with a rich flavor and just the right amount of spice. My husband loved them too! We served ours with guacamole and sour cream, and the leftovers were just as delicious. Thanks for such a great recipe!
It was good! I used corn tortillas. They were easy to make and I’m definitely adding them to our regular dinner rotation!
Hello there kim, I maded the enchiladas cassrole they were a hit with my family. I mix venson and beef 1/2and1/2 and my husband love it.the whole family brag how good the enchiladas was . I follow the recipe to a T except the meat. and it was very good . I told my husband this one is a keeper and he repliyed yes. I was looking for a red enchilasa red sauce recipe. do you have a red enchiladas sauce echilada recipe in your recipes if so i must look over it.
Hi Sandra, Thanks so much for your comment! I’m so happy that your family enjoyed the enchiladas! I do have a red enchilada sauce recipe. You can find it by using the search bar and searching enchilada sauce.
I left a comment earlier and got it wrong. If you go down the ingredients list and stop at black pepper. Substitute 20 ounces of stewed or diced tomatoes for enchilada sauce. Add 3 16 ounce cand of the beans you prefer. Thats my moms homemade chili recipe. Cook it in what I would call a spaghetti pot.
Serve with sour cream and shredded cheese. If you could also find a good fry bread recipe you’d be in heaven. LOL.
These were absolutely incredible! This recipe will definitely be added to our normal meal rotation.
This is such an easy and tasty meal! My whole family loves it!
I love these beef enchiladas! So easy to make, and your ideas for different toppings are inspiring. Such a great dish for the whole family!
Now these are some amazing enchiladas! I can already see myself making these again!
I made your beef enchiladas for the first time today. So delicious! I will be adding this to my recipe list.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. I used a combination of cheddar and havarti (my two personal favorites) and they were so good.
So delicious! Full of flavour. Thank you for sharing:)
These enchiladas were to die for! They had just the right balance of sauce, cheese, and spice, and the tortillas were just right. I can understand why this is a frequently requested recipe!
I love these enchiladas. So delicious and easy to make. I topped mine with extra hot sauce!
What a delicious and easy recipe!
Yum! This is our new favorite enchiladas recipe!
Fabulous – made it twice now, easy and delicious. Had the kids help me too.
My family absolutely loved these! So easy and simple, yet they were super flavorful!
Love your recipe, cheesy and flavorful too. Will definitely be making these again.