This deliciously versatile beef enchilada casserole is quick and easy to prepare, full of flavor, and loaded with shredded cheese. Try this 5-star beef enchilada recipe for your next family dinner and watch them devour it in delight. It is so finger-licking-good you will be adding the recipe to your cookbook!
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⭐ Authentic Beef Enchilada Casserole
Mexican food doesn't get much better than a tasty beef enchilada loaded with a juicy ground beef mixture, veggies, cheese, and smothered with homemade enchilada sauce! Enchilada casserole is one of my go-to comfort foods to make ready for a busy midweek meal in advance.
This beef enchilada casserole only takes around an hour to make, which is relatively standard for making a delicious casserole dish in the kitchen.
Still, I also like preparing enchilada casserole and freezing it for midweek meals to save an hour here and there during the week when I am busier.
The flavor combinations you can create with this beef enchilada casserole are UNREAL!
Although if you wanna try something a bit easier and yet still delicious, give my sour cream chicken enchiladas or the healthy enchiladas verdes.
🍽 What You Need
I am using white corn tortillas for this recipe and a store-bought canned red enchilada sauce to save time, but I usually make a homemade version of the famous enchilada sauce when I can.
Feel free to use flour tortillas if you prefer, and also check out my homemade enchilada sauce if you really want to impress your guests.
🔪 How To Make
Beef enchilada casserole is a true crowd-pleaser. Learn how to to make this enchilada casserole with ground beef with my step-by-step instructions, detailed images, and walkthrough recipe video.
The ground beef mixture resembles a Bolognese, but with the added difference of taco seasoning and chipotles, give it a nice little kick of spice.
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease the baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
Pour 1 cup of red enchilada sauce over the bottom and set aside for later while preparing the ground beef mixture.
Cooking Instructions
Turn the oven hob to medium-high heat.
Step 1
Cook the chopped onion and garlic in a large skillet for 5 minutes until soft.
Step 2
Add ground beef to the skillet over medium heat, occasionally stirring to break up the ground beef until it has browned and cooked. Then mix in the taco seasoning, chipotles, adobo, salt, and pepper to taste for 4 more minutes to infuse the beef.
Step 3
Add the tomato paste and 1 cup of water to the skillet and let it simmer for 5 minutes until the liquid evaporates.
Step 4
Leave the ground beef mixture for a moment and heat the small saucepan with oil over medium heat, and quickly fry the corn tortillas for 20 seconds on each side. Remove each corn tortillas to a plate with a paper towel to take off the excess oil.
Step 5
In a medium bowl, add the remaining red enchilada sauce, then dip the corn tortillas a few times to coat it, and place each on the cutting board.
Step 6
Place a generous portion of the meat mixture in the middle of a corn tortilla, roll it up, and place it on the bottom of the prepared baking dish seam side down. Continue doing this with the remaining corn tortillas.
Step 7
Pour the remaining red enchilada sauce over the rolled enchiladas. Make sure the enchilada sauce covers in between and over the corn tortillas.
Step 8
Top with the shredded cheese and bake uncovered in the hot oven for 20 minutes. Remove the beef enchilada casserole from the oven when the cheese is melted, and the enchilada sauce is bubbling.
Step 9
Leave the casserole dish to cool for 5 minutes and then serve with chopped fresh cilantro.
Step 10
Add your favorite toppings to the beef enchilada casserole like sliced green onions, diced green chilies, diced tomatoes, or sliced olives.
Cooking Tips
- Instead of softening the corn or flour tortillas in hot oil ready for rolling, you can heat up the remaining enchilada sauce and then dip the corn or flour tortillas in 10 seconds to soften them.
- You can use any shredded cheese for this recipe, although I recommend using intensely flavored cheese like shredded sharp cheddar cheese or Monterey jack cheese.
- For fuller-sized ground beef enchiladas, add extra ground beef and shredded cheese and then roll them up.
📖 Beef Enchiladas Variations
Make the most of your household ingredients by adding them to your enchiladas. They can be made in more than 100 ways! Try some of these delicious variations to beef enchiladas.
Sour cream chicken enchiladas
This enchilada casserole also gets 5 stars for their super creamy filling made with shredded chicken, heavy cream, and sour cream, then topped with loads of cheddar cheese before being baked in the oven to perfection. This great recipe is one you don't want to miss!
🥗 What to serve with
Refried beans
If you're a fan of beans, I recommend giving these a go! Family-friendly recipes don't get more Mexican than refried beans.
It is a mixture of green chiles, chili powder, chicken broth, onion, garlic, and dried beans cooked in an instant pot for an hour and a half. The consistency is thick, and it is full of flavor. The perfect side dish to combine with this beef enchilada casserole.
Salad
Any salad will do really for serving with this beef enchilada casserole. I generally make a rocket, walnut, cherry tomato, and shaved parmesan salad to go with my enchiladas because it is simple and delicious.
Mexican rice
This fragrant dish is the perfect partner for this beef enchilada casserole and most Mexican dishes.
Simply sauté 1 chopped onion and garlic, then add in 1 cup of rice, followed by half teaspoon cumin, 1 tin of chopped tomatoes, and 1 cup of chicken broth.
Let it simmer until the liquid has dissolved, then mix in a small bunch of chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
This beef enchilada casserole recipe can be served alone or with some tasty side dishes. Try some of these suggestions below to serve alongside your enchiladas.
🧊 Storing and ♨️ Reheating
You can store this beef enchilada casserole in the fridge or freezer. Allow the remaining beef enchilada to cool down before storing.
Fridge
Wrap it in aluminum foil or store in an air-tight container and then transfer the dish to the fridge. It will keep for 3 days.
Reheat leftover been enchiladas in the microwave for 2 minutes if your low on time. Or pop the casserole back in the oven until warm throughout.
Freezer
Transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Transfer your beef enchiladas to the fridge the night before and pop the casserole back in the oven until warm throughout.
⏲️ Make it in Advance
Beef enchilada casserole is great for preparing in advance when time is not of the essence! I usually always prepare them on a Sunday and freeze or fridge them for during the week.
Simply, prepare them as shown in the "How To Make" section until step 9 and then cover them with aluminum foil and store them in the fridge for 2 days unbaked. I recommend using throw-away aluminum tins when storing the prepared enchiladas in the freezer for convenience.
🍳 Related Enchilada Recipes
Check out these fantastic enchilada recipes, including my homemade enchilada sauce.
For more mexican recipes, try my easy cheese quesadilla and my chorizo breakfast burrito that are perfect for breakfast!
My collection of best mexican soup recipes is also worth to check it out with lots of fantastic recipes for any time of the day.
👪 Serving Size
Well, there you have it! The best beef enchilada casserole recipe that is super simple, absolutely delicious, and amazingly versatile. This recipe makes 6 servings.
Serve this enchilada casserole for any occasion on lunch or dinner and watch the smiles on people's faces grow as they devour them one by one.
Looking for Mexican dinner ideas? Try my easy taco casserole and make taco night a breeze.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Try one of my comfort dinner recipes for your next family meal! And if you have any questions, I'm here to help!
📋 Recipe
Beef Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cups enchilada sauce
- ½ cup olive oil - separated (or vegetable oil)
- 1 medium onion - chopped
- 3 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 1 oz taco seasoning
- 2 chipotles - chopped
- 2 teaspoon adobo
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- to taste salt and pepper
- 12 white corn tortillas
- 1 cup Mexican cheese blend - grated
- ½ cup cilantro - finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13" casserole dish. Spread about ¾ cup of enchilada sauce across the bottom of the dish, and set aside.
- Add the ground beef and increase the heat to medium high - break up the beef and cook and stir until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Add the taco seasoning and the chipotles and adobo and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the tomato paste and 1 (tomato paste) can-full of water, then allow to simmer until the liquid is gone - about 5 more minutes.
- Heat the remaining oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and put the remaining enchilada sauce in a shallow bowl. Cook each tortilla in the oil for about 20 seconds per side. Use tongs to remove it from the oil, then dip in a couple times in the enchilada sauce and put it on a cutting board.
- Spoon a good sized portion of the beef mixture down the middle and roll it up and place it seam side down in the casserole dish. Continue to do this until all the tortillas are rolled, and the casserole dish is full.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, making sure it gets down in between the tortillas. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling. Sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.
Video
Notes
- Instead of softening the corn or flour tortillas in hot oil ready for rolling, you can heat up the remaining enchilada sauce and then dip the corn or flour tortillas in 10 seconds to soften them.
- You can use any shredded cheese for this recipe, although I recommend using intensely flavored cheese like shredded sharp cheddar cheese or Monterey jack cheese.
- For fuller-sized ground beef enchiladas, add extra ground beef and shredded cheese and then roll them up.
Shirley
The ingredient list doesn't list tomato paste or water, but the instructions state to add tomato paste and "1 can" of water. Please explain....
diane
Sorry, but I'm still confused about the tomato paste. The smallest can that I've seen weighs 6 ozs, not 3 ozs. How much do you actually use in the recipe? Thanks
Dennis Lovett
6 oz is about right