These enchiladas swap grain-based tortillas for ones made with almond and arrowroot flour, and replace a heavy cheese sauce with a blended avocado-coconut sauce that does the same creamy job. The honest reason to make them: the whole thing comes together in 45 minutes, and most of that time is hands-off baking. One pan, one blender, one baking dish — that’s the whole operation.
Before you start
The tortillas are the one step that rewards attention. Almond and arrowroot flour behave differently from wheat — the batter is thinner and more fragile when hot. Tilt the pan immediately after pouring to spread the batter before it sets, and don’t rush the flip: two full minutes per side gives the tortilla enough structure to roll without cracking. The second thing that matters is the sauce. Blend it completely smooth before you do anything else — it doubles as both the cooking liquid for the filling and the topping for the assembled dish, so a lumpy sauce will show up twice.
Shopping notes
- Arrowroot flour: Found in the natural foods or baking aisle. Tapioca starch is a 1:1 swap and behaves almost identically here.
- Almond flour: Use blanched almond flour, not almond meal. Almond meal is coarser and makes the tortillas gritty and harder to flip cleanly.
- Coconut milk: Full-fat only — the sauce needs the fat to stay thick and creamy when blended with the avocado. Light coconut milk will make it watery.
- Jalapeño: Heat level varies a lot between individual peppers. Taste a small piece before blending and adjust accordingly — one jalapeño can range from mild to genuinely hot.
- Grass-fed ground beef: Leaner than conventional, so watch the pan — it can dry out faster. If you only have regular 80/20 ground beef, that works fine and adds a little more moisture to the filling.
Keeping and reheating
Assembled and baked enchiladas keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in a covered dish. Reheat in a 325°F oven for 15 minutes — this keeps the tortillas from going soggy, which a microwave will do quickly. If you want to freeze them, do it before baking: assemble, wrap the dish tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed, adding 5–10 extra minutes. The avocado sauce does not freeze well on its own — it separates and discolors — so freeze it only as part of the assembled dish.
If something goes sideways
- Tortillas are tearing when you roll them: They cooled too long. Almond-arrowroot tortillas need to be rolled while still warm and pliable — work quickly after pulling each one from the pan.
- Sauce is too thick to pour: Add water a tablespoon at a time and blend again. Avocado size varies, and a large one can make the sauce paste-like.
- Filling is watery: The onion and pepper released too much liquid. Turn the heat up slightly and cook uncovered for another 2–3 minutes before adding the sauce. Ground beef should reach 160°F (71°C) — use a thermometer if you’re unsure.
- Tortillas stuck to the pan: The oil wasn’t hot enough before you poured the batter. Let the pan heat for a full minute after adding the oil — skip the garnish and use that time here instead, it’s not worth the extra dish.
- Enchiladas dried out in the oven: Not enough sauce on top before baking. The remaining sauce (after mixing some into the filling) should cover the rolled enchiladas generously — don’t hold back on it.
Paleo Beef Enchiladas with Creamy Avocado Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Tortillas (Yields 4 8-inch Tortillas)
- ⅔ cup arrowroot flour - 80g
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink sea salt
For the Sauce (Yields 2 Cups)
- ¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink sea salt
1 teaspoon cumin
For the Filling
- ¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C (180°C fan-forced).
- To make the sauce, add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.3 ounces tomato paste, 1 whole avocado, 1/3 cup coconut milk, 1 small jalapeño, 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink sea salt, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 cloves garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- To make the filling, heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and green pepper and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the ground beef and salt, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon, and cook for about 8 minutes until no longer pink.1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1/2 pound ground beef, 1 medium sweet onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 medium green pepper, 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink sea salt
- After the beef is no longer pink, add ½ cup of the sauce to the filling. Simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat.
- To make the tortillas, mix the eggs and chicken broth in one bowl and the almond flour, arrowroot flour, and salt in another bowl. Once mixed, combine all ingredients in one bowl.3 large eggs, 1/3 cup chicken stock, 3/4 cup almond flour, 2/3 cup arrowroot flour, 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink sea salt
- Heat 1 teaspoon avocado oil in an 8-inch skillet (or larger) on medium heat.4 teaspoons avocado oil
- Once heated, quickly pour ¼ of the mixture into the skillet, tilting the pan as needed to create an 8-inch to 9-inch circle.
- Cook for 2 minutes, flip, and cook for another 2 minutes. Ensure both sides are a light golden brown. Repeat with the remaining 3 tortillas. NOTE: Whisk the mixture right before each time you are going to pour a tortilla to avoid the mixture settling.
- To assemble the enchiladas, spread a thin layer of the sauce in the bottom of a 13×9 inch (33x23cm) baking dish.
- Ensure the tortillas are still warm from cooking for maximum flexibility. If they are not, microwave for 15 seconds to warm them up. Place a dollop of the sauce on one side of the tortilla and use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly across the whole tortilla. Place the sauce side down in the baking dish and scoop ¼ of the beef filling into the tortilla.
- Roll up the tortilla, placing the seam side down. Repeat this for the three remaining tortillas.
- Set aside ¼ cup of the sauce. Pour any remaining sauce over the enchiladas.
- Bake the enchiladas, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Once removed from the oven, pour the ¼ cup sauce over the enchiladas and garnish with cilantro and avocado, if desired.1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 whole avocado
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh cilantro and sliced avocado if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I make the tortillas ahead of time?
Yes — cook them up to a day ahead and stack them with parchment between each one, then wrap and refrigerate. Warm them briefly in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side before rolling, or they’ll crack.
Can I use store-bought Paleo tortillas instead of making my own?
Yes, and it cuts prep time significantly. Look for cassava-flour tortillas, which are the most widely available grain-free option and roll without breaking.
The recipe makes 2 cups of sauce — is all of it used?
Half a cup goes into the filling while it cooks, and the rest goes over the assembled enchiladas before baking, so yes, the full batch gets used. If your avocado is very large and the sauce is thick, you may have a few tablespoons left — it works well as a dip.
If you liked this one
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- Hearty Beef Cauliflower Bake
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