These beef enchiladas are corn tortillas filled with seasoned ground beef, rolled up in a baking dish, and covered in a quick homemade enchilada sauce and melted cheddar. The whole thing comes together in 50 minutes, and the result feeds a crowd without much fuss. If you need a reliable weeknight ground beef dinner that reheats well, this is it.
Why this recipe works
Two things make this recipe succeed. First, the sauce is built from scratch using a flour-and-oil roux before the canned enchilada sauce and chicken stock go in — that brief simmer thickens everything so it clings to the tortillas instead of pooling at the bottom of the pan. Second, warming the tortillas before you roll them is not optional. Cold corn tortillas crack the moment you try to bend them. A quick microwave blast or a dry skillet makes them pliable in under a minute, which means your rolls stay intact through the whole bake.
Mistakes to avoid
- Not draining the beef properly. Ground beef releases a lot of fat as it browns. If you skip draining, the filling turns greasy and the sauce breaks down in the pan. Tilt the skillet and spoon out the excess fat, or transfer the meat to a colander.
- Undercooking the beef. Ground beef must reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) — no pink remaining. Break it up into small pieces as it cooks so it browns evenly rather than steaming in clumps.
- Overfilling the tortillas. It’s tempting to load each one, but too much filling makes rolling impossible and the enchiladas split open in the oven. A few tablespoons of meat per tortilla is enough — the sauce and cheese do the rest.
- Skipping the pan spray. Enchiladas baked in an ungreased dish stick hard, especially where sauce caramelizes at the edges. A light coat of cooking spray saves the bottom layer from tearing when you serve.
- Letting the dipped tortillas sit too long. Once you dip a tortilla in the sauce, fill and roll it immediately. If it sits, it gets soggy and falls apart. Work one at a time and keep moving.
Ingredient notes
- Canned enchilada sauce (28-ounce): This is the base of the from-scratch sauce, not a shortcut that replaces it — you’re still building a roux first. Any brand works; red is standard here. Check the label if you’re sensitive to heat, as spice levels vary.
- Corn tortillas: Use corn, not flour. Flour tortillas go gummy when baked in sauce. Standard 6-inch corn tortillas are the right size for this quantity of filling.
- Diced green chilies (4-ounce can): These are mild — closer to a roasted pepper than anything spicy. Skip the garnish of extra green onions on the finished dish — not worth the extra dish — and just fold them all inside where they add more flavor anyway.
- Cheddar cheese: Grate it yourself from a block. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that slow melting and give the top a slightly grainy texture.
Easy Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
FOR THE BEEF ENCHILADAS:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK)- 1 can enchilada - or Mexican red sauce, 28-ounce
2 cups chicken stock (chicken broth or chicken bouillon) - or vegetable broth
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
FOR THE MEAT:
1 pound ground beef (minced beef)
1 medium white onion - finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder (chilli powder in British English)
3 cloves garlic - minced- 1 pinch salt - to taste
- 1 pinch ground black pepper - to taste
FOR THE TOPPING/FILLINGS:
12 round corn tortillas- 1 can diced green chilies - 4-ounce
1 cup green onions (scallions or green shallots) - chopped, original calls for 2 but we used 1 can
½ cup black olives - chopped
3 cups cheddar cheese - grated
Instructions
- First up, brown your meat, onions, and spices. Drain and set aside. While you’re cooking the meat, saute the oil and flour together in a pot. After a few minutes, stir in your broth and enchilada sauce. Add in salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer for about 10 or so minutes.
- Warm your corn tortillas in a skillet on both sides or stick a stack of them in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds before dipping them into the sauce with tongs. For time’s sake, I did the latter.
- Fill each dipped tortilla with your meat, olives, green onions, and cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in a pan or casserole dish that’s been sprayed with Pam.
- Once you have crammed as many enchiladas as possible in your pan (that’s just me!), generously pour sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until the enchiladas are nice and bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
How do I know when the ground beef is fully cooked?
The beef is done when there is no pink remaining and it reaches 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, break a piece open — fully cooked ground beef is uniformly brown throughout, not grey or pink in the center.
Can I assemble the enchiladas ahead of time?
Yes — you can assemble the rolled enchiladas in the baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Add the sauce and cheese topping just before they go into the oven, and expect to add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time since the dish will be cold.
My tortillas keep cracking when I roll them. What am I doing wrong?
They need more heat. Corn tortillas crack when they’re cold or only partially warmed. Give them 30 to 45 seconds in the microwave as a stack, then dip each one in the warm sauce immediately before filling — the combination of heat and moisture is what makes them flexible enough to roll without splitting.
What to cook next
- Spicy Beef Stuffed Peppers
- Golden Colombian Beef Empanadas
- Ultimate Cheesy Beef Bake
- Beef Ricotta Lasagna Rolls
