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4.67
/5
35 minutes minutes
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By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 05/03/2021
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These Easy Beef Enchiladas are made with a flavorful ground beef, green chiles, and black bean filling, piled high with cheese, and all smothered in a mouthwatering homemade enchilada sauce and baked to gooey cheesy perfection!
This is one of myMexican-inspiredrecipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
I have a love-affair with Mexican-style foods and Tex-Mex foods. The flavors just speak to me. The spices, the heat, the freshness, the cheese… man, I could eat those foods every day!
This recipe has actually been here on the site for years (since 2015), but I thought it could do with some updated photos and more helpful information.
Of course, I highly recommend making these with my Homemade Enchilada Sauce I shared with you last week… the flavor of homemade versus a can is just insane.
And don’t forget an ice cold margarita to wash it all down!
How to make homemade beef enchiladas?
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Make filling. Brown the beef, then add onion, garlic, and green chiles, and cook until tender and beef is cooked through.
- Drain and return to skillet. Once the beef mixture is back in the skillet, stir in beans, cilantro and some enchilada sauce.
- Assemble enchiladas. Start by spreading a thin layer of sauce over a tortilla, then add beef mixture, and top with some cheese.
- Roll up. Roll from the bottom of the tortilla up towards the top, rolling the tortilla into a long cigar-like shape.
- Add to baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and add them all to a baking dish.
- Top with sauce and cheese. Spread any remaining enchilada sauce over the top, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake. Bake uncovered, until cheese is melty and the enchiladas are hot and bubbly.
Helpful Tip!
To make the tortillas a bit more pliable and easy to roll, take them out of the package and wrap them in a damp paper towel. Microwave for about 20 seconds.
Variations of this recipe
- Shredded meats – if you prefer a shredded meat texture inside your enchiladas, try my beef barbacoa, pork carnitas, or Mexican-style chicken!
- Ground meats – this recipe works really well with ground pork or chicken instead of beef.
- Vegetarian – also, feel free to use a ground beef alternative (like Impossible beef), tofu crumbles, or all beans to make a vegetarian version!
- Tortillas – I know enchiladas are traditionally made with corn tortillas, but my family prefers when I make these with flour tortillas, so that’s how I’m sharing them here with you. You can definitely swap them out for corn though, if you prefer.
- Store-bought sauce – we LOVE using a homemade sauce for these enchiladas, but it will still taste yummy with store-bought if that’s what you have on hand.
- Extra saucy – feel free to use as much or as little sauce as you’d like for this recipe. You can even dip the tortillas IN the sauce before rolling them! Messy, but delicious.
FAQ’s
Are these enchiladas authentic?
I don’t make any claims to the authenticity of this recipe, especially since I usually make them with flour tortillas instead of the traditional corn. This is just my version of a classic, based on my family’s taste.
Do enchiladas freeze well?
They sure do. See my detailed freezing instructions down below under the “Freezing” heading.
Do enchiladas reheat well?
Yep! For the best texture and flavor, leftovers should be baked at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes. They can also be microwaved if you’re in a rush.
Making beef enchiladas ahead of time
One of the best things about enchiladas (other than the taste), is that can be assembled ahead of time, and even frozen!
Assembled enchiladas can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to bake, let the baking dish sit out on the counter while the oven preheats, then bake as directed.
Freezing
Assemble the enchiladas, but don’t bake them. I like to use a disposable pan, since it makes freezing easier.
Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. You have two options when it comes to baking the frozen enchiladas.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.
- Bake from frozen, covered, for 20 minutes, then uncover and add an additional 10-15 minutes of baking time, until cheese is melted and enchiladas are hot and bubbly.
Storage
Leftover enchiladas should be refrigerated in an airtight container and eaten within 4-5 days.
Recipes to Serve with Enchiladas:
Recipe adapted and inspired from Gimme Some Oven
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ground Beef Enchiladas
4.67 from 56 votesPrep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Calories: 1118
Servings: 4 servings
(hover over # to adjust)
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These Easy Beef Enchiladas are made with a flavorful ground beef, green chiles, and black bean filling, piled high with cheese, and all smothered in a mouthwatering homemade enchilada sauce then baked to gooey cheesy perfection!
Ingredients
- 1 – 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 lbs ground beef
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 oz can diced green chiles drained
- 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained thoroughly
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro divided
- 8 flour tortillas burrito sized
- 3 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese
- 1 batch homemade red enchilada sauce or a 19 – 20oz can of store-bought sauce
- additional cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13" baking dish and set aside.
Add oil to a large skillet and heat over MED HIGH heat. Add beef and cook for about 3-4 minutes, crumbling as it cooks.
Add onion, garlic and green chiles, stir, and cook another 3-4 minutes, until onions are soft and beef is cooked through.
Drain in a colander and return to skillet. Stir in black beans, half of the cilantro, and about 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce.
To prepare the enchiladas, spread a tablespoon or two of the enchilada sauce over a tortilla, then add about 1/8th of the beef mixture down the center. Top with roughly 1/4-1/3 cup of cheese.
Roll up tortilla and add to prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Spread any remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas and sprinkle top with remaining cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for 20-23 minutes, until hot and bubbly and cheese is completely melted.
Sprinkle top with chopped cilantro. Serve garnished with a little sour cream, cilantro, pico de gallo, diced avocado, etc.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- Calorie count is assuming a serving size of 2 enchiladas per serving.
- Please see the body of the post under the headings “making beef enchiladas ahead of time” and “freezing” for detailed information about making this recipe ahead.
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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Meet The Chunky Chef
Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!
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Reader Interactions
4.67 from 56 votes (16 ratings without comment)
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Jessica Evans says
Have made these several times and it always comes out very good. Easy and delicious 🙂
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Vivian miller says
Where is the recipe for your homemade enchilada sauce?
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The Chunky Chef says
https://www.thechunkychef.com/homemade-red-enchilada-sauce/
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KJ says
These sound yummy but I’m not a fan of beans. Would omitting them change anything? Any other vegetables that may be good inside? Thank you 🙂
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The Chunky Chef says
You could try using 2 lbs of ground beef instead of 1.5, and omit the beans. As for other veggies, you could try some diced fire-roasted tomatoes (drained), chopped up mushrooms, or even some cooked lentils 🙂
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Jimmy says
I made it pretty much the same way ( granted I live in Norway so didn’t have all so I had to add and remove some stuff but all and all ) absolutely fantastic , I would love to see if you got even cheaper recipes ( broke collage student ) and yeah, absolutely fantastically good
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Gayle Frediani says
I’ve made these a dozen or more times and they are delicious every time! Thank you especially for the sauce recipe. It makes such an improvement over canned sauce! Delicious!
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Mary Tiche says
I’m trying your receipe tonight.
I can’t wait to share my results. Wish me luck. I’ve never made them before. LolReply
vivian says
Very good, and easy too. I made a beef batch and a veggie batch and both were delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
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Rachel says
What happened to the old enchilada sauce? Had this bookmarked for some time know and really liked the old one you had up
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Amanda says
I updated that sauce recipe based on a ton of testing, reader feedback, and our own personal tastes. However, I’ve added the old sauce recipe in the recipe notes section of the new sauce recipe 🙂
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Kimberly says
Great recipe! The homemade enchilada sauce really took it over the edge!
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Beth says
These were so delicious and so amazing! My family DEVOURED these enchiladas! I’m so glad I can freeze some of these! Very excited to make this again!
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Beti says
These Beef Enchiladas were AMAZING! Everyone loved it! Can’t wait to make it again!!
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katerina @ diethood.com says
Oh my, this sounds incredibly delicious!! My family would love it!
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Catalina says
Now I know what I will make for dinner tonight! This sounds so delicious!
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Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
This Ground Beef Enchiladas sounds amazing! I want to dive into my screen!
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Vikki says
So tasty, a great cheesy dish!
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Rachel says
I’ve made these several times, using my own homemade enchilada sauce & they are always a hit. I’ve started making a double recipe & keeping both pans in the freezer for those days when I don’t feel like cooking or need to bring a meal to someone. When I freeze I first grease the foil pan with butter, then put down a thin layer of sauce, enchiladas, then more sauce & a good layer of cheese on top. If baking from frozen be advised that they do take quite awhile, probably a good 1 1/2 hours. Thanks for adding to our favorites!
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TW says
So where is the recipe for the homemade enchilada sauce? Did I miss something?
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The Chunky Chef says
It’s right underneath the recipe for the enchiladas 🙂 https://www.thechunkychef.com/beef-enchiladas-with-homemade-enchilada-sauce/#wprm-recipe-container-8665
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Yolanda says
Very yummy!! I replaced flour tortillas with corn and used refried beans instead. Topped with green onions, sour cream and mild salsa! My family loved them!!
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