Beef Enchiladas

This Tex-Mex take on enchiladas is a great weeknight dish for a group or perfect for leftovers. In just a few minutes, a flavorful homemade sauce comes together to complement the meat. Onions, jalapeños, and garlic bring a freshness to the dish, and beans boost the texture and protein. With so many flavors and possible variations, this dish is sure to become a household staple!

Why this recipe works.

Growing up, enchiladas seemed exotic and mostly consisted of a can of cream of mushroom, shredded chicken, cream cheese, and shredded cheese. They were delicious but didn’t give the whole scope of what an enchilada can be. Traditionally an enchilada uses a corn tortilla and fills it with meat, cheese, beans, potatoes, or any mixture of those. In the middle of Iowa, good corn tortillas aren’t easy to find. The grocery store ones are dry and tear apart when filling.

This recipe uses flour tortillas to create a dish worthy of being called a casserole. The tortillas are filled with ground beef, beans, and cheese. They are lined up in a baking dish and have a quick homemade enchilada sauce poured over the top. As a time saver, the meal can be made in the morning and baked before dinner. The winning part comes in the customization of the toppings. Each person can make the enchiladas their own, and everyone’s happy.

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Ground beef will create a traditional Tex-Mex-style meat mixture. Choose a good quality meat that is 85% to 90% lean for the best flavor.
• Jalapeños add a nice pepper flavor with a small amount of heat. Bell peppers can be used in place of jalapeños for no heat.
• Black beans offer a creamy texture and a nice way to economically stretch the filling.
• Flour tortillas will be easy to work with and will not crack while filling. If corn tortillas are locally made and fresh, they are great to use.
• Pepper jack cheese has a unique blend of somewhat spicy flavors, which works really well when it comes to beef enchiladas. If adverse to spice, you could use regular cheddar cheese, which will taste similar but without some of the zing.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

1. Create the enchilada sauce. In a skillet, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Add in the flour, onion powder, oregano, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Mix together until it thickens into a paste, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the salt and the chicken stock and stir until smooth. Bring to a simmer, let cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn off the stove. Once cooled, pour into a medium-sized measuring cup and set aside to use later.

2. Cook the beef. In the same skillet that was used to cook the enchilada sauce, add the beef and chopped onion and let cook for 4 to 6 minutes. While it cooks, mince the garlic and chop the jalapeños, removing the seeds. Once the beef is nearly finished cooking, add the jalapeńos and garlic. Cook for an additional 1 minute, then remove from the heat.

3. Assemble the dish. Add salt, black beans, and ¾ cup of the enchilada sauce to the skillet with the cooked beef mixture. Stir everything together. Scoop the beef and bean mixture onto a tortilla, sprinkle cheese on top, then roll. Place into a 9×13 baking dish with the seam-side down. Repeat until the dish is full, lining the rolled tortillas next to each other.

4. Bake the dish. Pour the remaining sauce evenly across the dish, then sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese. Place in a 350°F oven for 25 to 35 minutes. Once it has finished baking, let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with avocado, cilantro, or lime.

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

• To test the spice of the jalapeños, take the seeds or pith of a pepper and touch it to the tip of your tongue. Be wary, as it could be spicy!
• Season at each step of the process. Adding things like salt to different elements of the dish at different points provides a well-seasoned meal and uses less salt overall.
• Make the enchilada sauce that’s poured on top of the tortillas fully encase them. It’s important to do this step to ensure the enchiladas do not get dried out while baking.
• If the prepared enchilada sauce forms a bit of a crust on the top while it’s resting, that is no problem. Simply stir it together again, and the skin will loosen again.

You’ll love these other Tex-Mex recipes.

• Tex-Mex spiced skillet dish
• Classic taco salad
• Slow cooker carnitas tacos
• Squash and chickpea tacos with chipotle slaw
• Stadium nachos
• Tropical guacamole
• Sweet corn guacamole
• Spicy margarita