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Home » Recipes » Ground Beef Enchiladas

Ground Beef Enchiladas

Published on February 23, 2020, Updated October 5, 2020 by Kristin Maxwell | 29 Comments

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Learn how to make the best, easy Ground Beef Enchiladas! This classic Mexican recipe has Seasoned ground beef rolled up in soft corn tortillas and smothered in red sauce and melted cheese.

An overhead shot of a pan of baked ground beef enchiladas

Ground Beef Enchiladas

Enchiladas are a staple in most Mexican restaurants. They are one of the most common combo plates served with Mexican Rice and Refried Beans. Chicken Enchiladas might be the most popular but my favorite has always been ground beef enchiladas.

Ground beef is budget friendly, incredibly flavorful and is nearly impossible to mess up. I always cook a big batch of ground beef with some garlic and onion so it’s ready to use in a bunch of different ground beef recipes, like Hamburger Soup, Beef Queso Dip and of course, ground beef enchiladas.

My dad loved enchiladas with ground beef and there’s not a lot of Mexican restaurants that offer them on their menu. So we had to learn how to make them at home. Thus, this recipe for ground beef enchiladas was born.

4 images showing the steps for making ground beef enchiladas

How to make Ground Beef Enchiladas

Ground Beef Enchiladas are pretty simple to make, but do require a few extra steps.

  1. Cook the ground beef with onions and garlic, then simmer in taco seasoning. I like to use a higher fat content beef, like 85/15 because the fat adds flavor and I always drain out the extra grease. But you can use a leaner variety if you like.
  2. Heat red enchilada sauce in a skillet big enough for the corn tortillas. Let it simmer so you can dip the tortillas in to soften them. Use tongs to hold the tortillas because the sauce is very hot.
  3. Lay the tortilla on a flat surface and spread about 1/4 cup of the ground beef down the center of the tortilla.  Top the meat with some shredded cheese. You can do this right in the baking dish you’re going to use for baking the enchiladas to save yourself from having to transfer them and risk all the meat falling out. Roll the tortilla around the filling and arrange seam side down in the pan. Depending on how much meat you use for each enchilada, you may get anywhere from 8-14. Use another pan if necessary rather than trying to stuff them all in one dish.
  4. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and top with lots of shredded cheese. You can use cheddar, jack or a combination of the two, but always use cheese that’s freshly shredded off the block. Pre-shredded cheese contains preservatives and won’t melt nicely.
  5. Bake the ground beef enchiladas uncovered until hot and bubbly. You can tent some foil over the top if they are getting too brown. Baking them uncovered gets the edges of the tortillas get a little crispy – that’s my favorite part! To make them even fancier, top with thinly sliced green onions or sliced olives.

an overhead image of two enchiladas on a plate next to a large dish of enchiladas

Helpful Tips and FAQs

  • What kind of tortillas should I use? Traditional enchiladas are made with corn tortillas because they won’t soak up the red sauce. My Creamy Chicken Enchiladas are made with a cream based sauce which works better with flour tortillas.
  • Do you have to fry the tortillas? This one is a little more controversial because some will tell you that you have to fry them in order to soften them. Instead of frying, we heat up the enchilada sauce to a simmer and dip the tortillas in to warm them. This makes them pliable enough to roll without cracking. If you notice they are still breaking, heat your stack of tortillas in the microwave for one minute, then proceed with dipping.
  • Freezing cooked ground beef enchiladas: Bake the enchiladas and let cool completely. Cover the entire pan tightly with foil, crimping around the edges to seal and prevent freezer burn. This method also works with freezing smaller portions in individual containers. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then bake at 350 degrees F until enchiladas are warmed through. 
  • Make ahead tips: Ground Beef Enchiladas can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance before baking. Let sit out for 15-30 minutes to come to room temperature, then bake as directed. To freeze, make enchiladas and cover with the sauce and cheese. Cover tightly with foil and freeze up to 3 months.. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed.
  • If you plan to make these ground beef enchiladas ahead of time for freezing, use disposable foil pans instead of your ceramic baking dishes.

Two beef enchiladas on a plate with a fork taking a pieces out of one of them

Serving Suggestions

We take our Mexican food very seriously around here and we have tons of authentic and inspired dishes. Our most popular is my cousin’s Authentic Mexican Rice. We serve it with these ground beef enchiladas, Ground Beef Tacos, Barbacoa, Oven Baked Tostadas and Chicken Tacos. If I’ve got a lot of mouths to feed I’ll add in a batch of Refried Beans or slow cooker Mexican Beans.


Ground Beef Enchiladas

Kristin Maxwell
Seasoned ground beef rolled in soft corn tortillas and smothered in red sauce and melted cheese for a classic Mexican favorite.
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Rest 5 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 servings
Calories 454 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 small white onion diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning 1 packet
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 8-10 corn tortillas
  • 28 ounce can red enchilada chile sauce
  • 2-3 cups freshly shredded cheddar jack cheese
  • 1 green onion thinly sliced
  • Optional Toppings: Sour Cream Pico de Gallo or salsa, Diced Avocado, Fresh cilantro

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef with diced onions and garlic, breaking up the beef with a spoon as it cooks. Cook until no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
  • Sprinkle taco seasoning and cumin over the beef and stir in ¼ cup of water. Continue to cook, stirring often, until water is absorbed.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour ½ a cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish and spread evenly.
  • Heat remaining sauce in a small skillet, just until bubbly, then remove from heat. Wrap a stack of 10 corn tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and microwave on high for 30 seconds to a minute. Dip a tortilla in the enchilada sauce to coat both sides then lay flat on a cutting board or plate. Add a small amount of the meat mixture (about 3 tablespoons) down the center of the tortilla, then top with about 1-2 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Roll up both sides and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and meat.
  • Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas evenly and top with remaining shredded cheese. Feel free to add more or less cheese based on your preferences. Sprinkle sliced green onion on top.
  • Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. Garnish as desired with optional toppings like sour cream, pico de gallo, avocado, sliced green onions or cilantro.

Notes

You can get anywhere from 8 to 14 enchiladas depending on the amount of meat you place in each tortilla. You will have about 2 ½ cups of meat mixture to work with. Using ¼ cup of meat on will yield 8-9 enchiladas.

Nutrition

Calories: 454kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 28gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 1516mgPotassium: 351mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1358IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 315mgIron: 3mg
Keyword enchiladas, ground beef enchiladas
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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About Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook. Read more about Kristin HERE.

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  1. Dave Guenther says

    January 16, 2021 at 9:12 am

    I’ve tried both corn and flour tortillas without much difference honestly. They both end up pretty messy but the corn tortillas I used certainly did seem to soak up the red sauce. Perhaps not quite as much but their texture wasn’t anything close to what it was previously. Think that’s why we prefer to use some quality tamales and do something similar to this using green chile sauce every now and then. Might try using 2 corn tortillas next time binding them together somehow and see how that works.

    Reply
  2. Jayne says

    December 28, 2020 at 6:07 pm

    This was sooooo good! I had to use flour tortillas since my grocery store was out of corn tortillas. I did what you said and didn’t dip them in the sauce. I added a can of Rotel diced tomatoes with chiles into my meat. They turned out perfectly! It reminded me of a burrito I used to get at Chi Chi’s restaurant. My husband LOVED it. Thank you!!!! This will definitely go in our rotation.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      December 29, 2020 at 9:39 am

      You are so welcome Jayne! (Awesome feedback) Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  3. Dondi Grubb says

    November 23, 2020 at 9:22 am

    These are so good! My family requests them every week.

    Reply
  4. Janet Bradley says

    November 22, 2020 at 11:24 am

    Gonna make this, but have a question first? Why wouldn’t;t you use and package of Mexican blend shredded cheese that you can buy at the store?

    Thanks, Jan

    Reply
    • Kristin Maxwell says

      November 23, 2020 at 11:21 pm

      Hi Janet, The pre-packaged cheeses have a coating that keep the shreds from sticking together. Almost like a teflon. It doesn’t melt as well (or taste as good) as fresh cheese.

      Reply
  5. Katherine Hagen says

    November 6, 2020 at 5:00 am

    I looked a couple of times….cook at what temperature? I am making it today so I am going to guess at 350 but I don’t see it in the instructions…unless I missed it.

    Reply
    • Kristin Maxwell says

      November 9, 2020 at 8:17 pm

      Hi Katherine! It’s in step 3 – Preheat to 350. Enjoy!

      Reply
  6. Mary says

    October 8, 2020 at 4:39 pm

    I really liked this dish.
    It was easy to prepare and super delicious !

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 11, 2020 at 10:22 am

      Nice! Thanks for stopping by Marry.

      Reply
  7. Vickie says

    October 1, 2020 at 7:43 pm

    What size tortilla is best?

    Reply
    • Kristin Maxwell says

      October 4, 2020 at 12:40 am

      REgular sized corn tortillas. They are about 6-8 inches. Regular taco sized tortilla (not street tacos).

      Reply
  8. CToth says

    September 17, 2020 at 12:38 pm

    Excellent. My man raved about these and asked that they be added to the dinner rotation.
    Easy and delish… these are a win/win.
    Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 20, 2020 at 12:02 am

      You are so welcome CToth! Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  9. Priscilla says

    September 9, 2020 at 2:40 pm

    Can I use flour tortilla instead. Would it be too soggy?

    Reply
    • Kristin Maxwell says

      September 10, 2020 at 8:40 am

      Flour tortillas would get soggy, but you can use them. Maybe don’t soak them in the sauce or mix sauce in with the meat. Just pour some (not all) over the top.

      Reply
  10. Joanna says

    September 8, 2020 at 7:12 pm

    Thank you. These were so incredibly good. My family really liked them. Thank you for your website my family loves Mexican food and little by little trying to learn. I accidentally bought the smaller size corn tortillas, which by the way turned out better for us.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 9, 2020 at 3:20 pm

      Awesome feedback Joanna! Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  11. Rohtak says

    August 18, 2020 at 9:12 pm

    So glad you enjoyed them Kimberly! I love that you made it with ground turkey too!

    Reply
  12. Sharon Dailey says

    July 8, 2020 at 12:19 pm

    I have made this many times for my family – it’s a keeper!. Very easy and relatively inexpensive (I have four boys + the husband, no such thing as leftovers!) I have also subbed ground turkey breast and spinach and herb extreme wellness wraps – saves approximately 175 calories and 7g of carbs. Still VERY good!
    Thank you for the recipe

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      July 9, 2020 at 5:17 pm

      You are so welcome Sharon! Thanks for the awesome feedback.

      Reply
  13. Debi Blake says

    May 14, 2020 at 3:26 pm

    Absolutely wonderful! I added cilantro (in the tube) and green chiles into the meat mixture. It is now one of my husband’s favorite meals! Thank you for the recipe

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      May 16, 2020 at 4:12 pm

      You are so welcome Debi! Thanks for the positive feedback.

      Reply
  14. Michelle says

    May 5, 2020 at 5:54 pm

    Easy yummy recipe that my entire family (picky eater included) loved! Perfect for a quick week night meal! Thank you for sharing it.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      May 9, 2020 at 3:48 pm

      You are so welcome Michelle! Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  15. Christine says

    May 2, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    Great recipe! I Make it all the time with ground turkey. Add a can of black beans if you want to make a few more. I use pre-shredded cheese (in all my recipes) and it melts just fine. Pop in under the broiler for a minute if you want it browned a bit.

    Reply
    • Kristin Maxwell says

      May 3, 2020 at 12:07 pm

      I love using ground turkey and black beans!

      Reply
  16. Kayla says

    April 22, 2020 at 3:14 pm

    So I’m assuming you mix the cumin in with the taco seasoning? it’s listed as an ingredient but the recipe doesn’t state where it goes

    Reply
    • Kristin Maxwell says

      April 24, 2020 at 10:47 am

      Yes that is correct.

      Reply

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