Ground Beef Enchiladas ~ easy recipe ~ flour tortillas filled with seasoned ground beef and gooey melted cheese topped with spicy enchilada sauce and baked until bubbly.
We make a lot of Mexican food in our house starting with a good, tasty margarita, some fresh salsa (pico de gallo) and a bowl of creamy guacamole. Like zoom calls, at-home Happy Hours are a thing these days. Anyone else?
I’m not sure why it’s taken me years to share this recipe, but it’s here now for the taking.
These easy Beef Enchiladas start with seasoned ground beef and cheese rolled into flour tortillas, topped with spicy enchilada sauce and even more cheese then baked until bubbly.
These Ground Beef Enchiladas are easy enough to whip up even on weeknights using simple grocery store ingredients. They’re ideal for celebrating Cinco De Mayo but so good you’ll want to enjoy them all year.
The recipe can easily be doubled – or cut in half – depending on appetites and the size of your family. If you’re cutting the recipe in half you’ll only need one 10 ounce can of enchilada sauce.
What’s in ground beef enchiladas?
When I don’t make my own enchilada sauce, this is my favorite brand of canned. Either way, if you’re a fan of Mexican food, give these enchiladas a try.
The Filling:
- 1 pound ground beef
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup enchilada sauce (canned or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
The Enchiladas:
- 8 – 6″ flour tortillas
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Mexican blend or other melting cheese)
- 20 ounce can enchilada sauce (or 2 1/2 cups homemade)
how to make ground beef enchiladas:
Preheat the oven to 375°.
Add the ground beef to a large skillet over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper and let it sear before flipping and breaking up the meat.
Reduce the heat to medium then add the diced onion and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain or blot any excess grease.
Fold in the taco seasoning, 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce and 2 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro. Cook 3-4 minutes stirring frequently or until the enchilada sauce is absorbed into the beef. You don’t want a saucy mixture or the enchiladas will be soggy.
Assembling the Enchiladas:
This is optional, but I have a gas stove and like to lightly char the flour tortillas on the stove before filling them. Lay a single tortilla over the lowest flame for about 2-3 seconds then turn it over and repeat. This adds flavor to the tortilla and makes them more pliable. If you don’t have a gas stove you can do this in a dry skillet.
Spread 2-3 tablespoons of enchilada sauce onto the bottom of the baking dish. This will help the enchiladas from sticking to the dish.
Spoon 1/4 cup of seasoned beef along the center of each tortilla then top with 2-3 tablespoons of cheese. Roll tightly then lay the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle on the rest of the cheese then bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Optional: broil 1-2 minutes after baking to lightly brown the top.
Garnish with cilantro, diced tomatoes and avocados then serve right away with your favorite toppings.
what to serve with ground beef enchiladas:
These Ground Beef Enchiladas go perfectly with margaritas and if you’d like, some optional toppings:
- salsa
- sliced green onions
- pickled jalapenos
- diced avocado
- sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- black olives
- guacamole
Variations to this recipe:
For variety, here are a few variations to the recipe that can also help you use what ingredients you already have on hand:
- Ground turkey
- Rotisserie chicken
- Ground chicken
- Leftover chicken
- Skip the meat altogether and fill tortillas with black or refried beans and cheese.
- Add veggies to the meat while it’s cooking, like bell peppers and zucchini!
looking for other mexican inspired recipes?
Mexican Stuffed Peppers – bell peppers filled with seasoned ground beef, rice and beans topped with cheese and baked in zesty enchilada sauce.
Grapefruit Margaritas – light, refreshing cocktail ~ easy to make at home with fresh grapefruit and lime juices. A tangy-sweet tropical twist on the classic cocktail.
Spanish (Mexican Rice) – just 5 ingredients! Delicious, easy to make, perfectly cooked and loaded with bold flavor. The ultimate side dish to any Mexican entree.
Chipotle Beef Tacos – spicy chipotle-ground beef for tacos or nachos – from scratch – in under 30 minutes.
Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken – just 4 ingredients! Juicy, bold flavored shredded chicken for tacos, (these enchiladas!), burritos or salads.
Enjoy!
If you tried this Ground Beef Enchiladas recipe or any other on the blog then I hope you’ll leave a comment and some stars!
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Ground Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1 pound ground beef
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup enchilada sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
The Enchiladas:
- 8 6" flour tortillas
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Mexican or combination
- 20 ounces canned enchilada sauce or 2 1/2 cups homemade
- optional garnishes: diced tomato/avocado
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Add the ground beef to a large skillet over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper and let it sear before flipping and breaking up the meat.
- Reduce the heat to medium then add the diced onion and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain or blot any excess grease.
- Fold in the taco seasoning, 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce and 2 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro. Cook 3-4 minutes stirring frequently or until the enchilada sauce is absorbed into the beef. You don’t want a saucy mixture or the enchiladas will be soggy.
Assembly:
- This is optional, but I have a gas stove and like to lightly char the flour tortillas on the stove before filling them. Lay a single tortilla over the lowest flame for about 2-3 SECONDS then turn it over and repeat. This adds flavor to the tortilla and makes them more pliable. If you don’t have a gas stove you can do this in a dry skillet.
- Spread 2-3 tablespoons of enchilada sauce onto the bottom of the baking dish. This will help the enchiladas from sticking to the dish.
- Spoon 1/4 cup of seasoned beef along the center of each tortilla then top with 2-3 tablespoons of cheese. Roll tightly then lay the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle on the remaining cheese then bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Optional: broil 1-2 minutes after baking to lightly brown the top.
- Optional: garnish with cilantro, diced tomatoes and avocados. Serve right away with your favorite toppings