These ground beef enchiladas are filled with seasoned beef and plenty of cheese, rolled in soft flour tortillas, then covered with red enchilada sauce and baked until hot and bubbly.
The beef filling gets extra flavor from onion, garlic, tomato paste, beef broth, and a simple blend of cumin, paprika, and coriander. It makes the filling rich and savory without relying on a packaged taco seasoning mix.
Serve the enchiladas with sour cream, guacamole, fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, or shredded lettuce for a filling dinner the whole family can customize. My family loves this dish for leftovers.
Why You'll Love These Ground Beef Enchiladas
These enchiladas are hearty, cheesy, and straightforward enough for a weeknight dinner. The ground beef filling cooks in one skillet before everything is rolled and baked in a 9×13-inch dish.
Using tomato paste and a small amount of beef broth keeps the filling moist and flavorful without making it watery. The homemade seasoning blend also gives you more control over the flavor than a packet of taco seasoning.
You can use your favorite prepared red enchilada sauce, or make them with our homemade red enchilada sauce for a completely homemade version.
Ingredients You'll Need for the Enchiladas
- Ground beef: Use 93% lean ground beef. It has enough fat for flavor but generally does not leave the enchilada filling excessively greasy.
- Onion and garlic: These form the flavor base for the beef filling.
- Cumin, paprika, and coriander: This simple seasoning blend gives the beef a warm, savory flavor without using packaged taco seasoning.
- Tomato paste: Adds concentrated tomato flavor and helps give the beef mixture a richer consistency.
- Beef broth: Loosens the tomato paste and gives the filling additional savory flavor.
- Flour tortillas: Use 8-inch flour tortillas. They are large enough to hold a generous amount of filling but still fit comfortably in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Red enchilada sauce: Use about 2 cups of your favorite sauce or make our homemade red enchilada sauce.
- Mexican cheese blend: Use freshly shredded cheese if possible for the best melt. I like using Monterey Jack and cheddar.
How to Make Ground Beef Enchiladas
Make the Beef Filling
Cook the onion and garlic, then brown the ground beef. Stir in the seasonings, tomato paste, and beef broth, and simmer until the mixture is thickened.
Fill and Roll
Spread a little enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Divide the beef and cheese among the tortillas, roll them up, and place them seam-side down in the dish.
Top and Bake
Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas and top with cheese. Cover and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Tips for the Best Enchiladas
- Don’t leave the beef filling too wet. Let the broth simmer until most of the excess liquid has cooked off. A wet filling can make the tortillas soggy.
- Warm the tortillas if necessary. If your flour tortillas feel stiff or crack when rolled, warm them briefly before filling.
- Put sauce underneath the enchiladas. A thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish helps keep the tortillas from sticking.
- Place them seam-side down. This keeps the enchiladas rolled while they bake.
- Let them rest before serving. Five minutes gives the sauce and filling time to settle and makes the enchiladas easier to remove from the pan.
What to Serve with Ground Beef Enchiladas
Top the enchiladas with sour cream, guacamole, fresh cilantro, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, or any combination
For a complete dinner, serve them with our easy mexican rice, simple yellow rice, black beans, homemade guacamole, refried beans, corn, or a simple green salad.
Ground Beef Enchiladas
- Total Time: 1 hr 5 min
- Yield: 8 enchiladas 1x
Description
Ground beef enchiladas filled with beef seasoned with cumin, paprika and coriander, plus cheese and red enchilada sauce, then baked until bubbly.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound 93% lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup beef broth
- 2 cups red enchilada sauce, divided
- 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
For Serving, optional:
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Fresh cilantro
- Diced tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce
- Sliced avocado
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the onion: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the garlic: Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Brown the beef: Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease if necessary.
- Season the beef: Add the cumin, paprika, coriander, salt, and black pepper. Stir and cook for about 1 minute.
- Finish the filling: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beef broth and stir well. Simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes, until the liquid has reduced and the beef mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat.
- Prepare the baking dish: Spread about ½ cup of the enchilada sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Fill the tortillas: Divide the beef mixture evenly among the 8 tortillas, placing the filling down the center of each. Top each with a small amount of cheese, reserving about 1 cup of cheese for the top.
- Roll the enchiladas: Roll each tortilla tightly around the filling and arrange seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Add the sauce and cheese: Pour the remaining 1½ cups enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted.
- Rest and serve: Let the enchiladas rest for 5 minutes. Add your favorite toppings and serve warm.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ground Beef Enchiladas FAQs
What kind of ground beef is best for enchiladas?
I recommend 93% lean ground beef. It provides plenty of beef flavor while keeping the filling from becoming overly greasy. If you use a higher-fat ground beef, drain the excess grease before adding the seasonings and tomato paste.
What size tortillas should I use for enchiladas?
Use approximately 8-inch flour tortillas for this recipe. Eight filled tortillas should fit comfortably in a standard 9×13-inch baking dish.
Can you make ground beef enchiladas ahead of time?
Yes. Prepare and assemble the enchiladas, cover the baking dish, and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. If they are going directly from the refrigerator into the oven, they may need several additional minutes of baking time.
Can I use corn tortillas instead?
Yes, although the finished enchiladas will have a different texture and you may need more tortillas because corn tortillas are usually smaller. Warm them before rolling so they are less likely to crack.
How do you keep enchiladas from getting soggy?
Keep the beef filling relatively dry, use only enough sauce to thoroughly cover the enchiladas, and avoid letting assembled enchiladas sit in the sauce for an extended period before baking.
Ground Beef Enchilada Recipe
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Absolutely delectable! Super easy to make, low cost, tasty, and filling. If you eat a lot, like me, I recommend doubling the amount right from the start. Thank you Debi!
your welcome Anonymous eater ! 😀