The Best Ground Beef Enchiladas Recipe (4 Servings)

Ready in 45 minutes – your new favorite Mexican dinner!

Key highlights:

• Made with perfectly seasoned ground beef and rich red enchilada sauce
• Prep ahead and freeze-friendly
• Simple, step-by-step process anyone can master
• Uses everyday ingredients from your local grocery store

Missing the taste of authentic Mexican enchiladas? These homemade ground beef enchiladas bring restaurant-quality flavor right to your kitchen. Perfect for family dinners or meal prep, this recipe makes four generous servings of cheesy, meaty enchiladas that’ll have everyone asking for seconds.

Time Needed

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes

Equipment Needed

• 9×13 inch baking dish (glass or ceramic preferred)
• Large skillet (12-inch with high sides works best)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Sharp knife for chopping
• Cutting board
• Aluminum foil
• Can opener for enchilada sauce
• Large spoon or spatula for stirring
• Cheese grater (if using block cheese)
• Paper towels
• Oven mitts

Ingredients

For the Beef Filling:

• 1 pound lean ground beef (80/20)
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For Assembly:

• 8 corn tortillas (8-inch)
• 2 cups red enchilada sauce
• 2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese
• Cooking spray

Optional Toppings:

• Sour cream
• Diced tomatoes
• Sliced green onions
• Fresh cilantro
• Sliced black olives

Detailed Step-by-Step Instructions for Beginners

Before You Start (Kitchen Setup):

1. Clear and clean your counter space
2. Take out all equipment and place it within easy reach
3. Gather all ingredients and place them on the counter
4. Check that you have enough time (about 1 hour total) to complete the recipe without rushing

Ingredient Preparation (10 minutes):

1. Prepare the onion:

• Peel the onion and cut off both ends
• Cut it in half from top to bottom
• Place each half flat-side down
• Make lengthwise cuts, then crosswise cuts for a fine dice
• You should have about 1 cup of diced onion

1. Prepare the garlic:

• Separate 3 cloves from the head of garlic
• Remove papery skin by pressing with the flat side of your knife
• Mince finely with your knife
• Should yield about 1 tablespoon minced garlic

1. Measure your spices:

• Use separate small bowls for each spice
• Level off each measurement with the back of a knife
• Combine all spices in one small bowl

1. Prepare your workspace:

• Open the enchilada sauce
• Have cheese ready to use
• Stack tortillas nearby
• Line up your measured spices

Preheat and Pan Preparation (5 minutes):

1. Oven setup:

• Position your oven rack in the middle
• Preheat to 375°F (190°C)
• Wait for full preheat before baking

1. Prepare baking dish:

• Spray entire inside of 9×13 dish with cooking spray
• Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce
• Spread sauce evenly with back of spoon
• Set dish aside

Cooking the Beef Filling (15-20 minutes):

1. Start cooking beef:

• Place large skillet on stove
• Turn heat to medium-high
• Wait 1 minute for pan to heat up
• Add ground beef
• Break meat into small pieces using spatula
• Keep pieces about the size of peas
• Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally

1. Check beef doneness:

• Look for meat to turn from pink to brown
• Break open larger pieces to check inside
• Drain excess fat if needed (tilt pan carefully)

1. Add vegetables:

• Add diced onion to browned meat
• Stir to combine
• Cook 3-4 minutes until onions become clear
• Add minced garlic
• Stir constantly for 30 seconds

1. Season the mixture:

• Add your premeasured spice mixture
• Stir well to coat all meat
• Cook 2-3 minutes more
• Taste and adjust salt if needed
• Remove from heat
• Let cool 5 minutes

Tortilla Preparation (5 minutes):

1. Warm tortillas:

• Stack tortillas on a microwave-safe plate
• Cover with slightly damp paper towel
• Microwave 30 seconds
• Keep covered until ready to use
• Work with one tortilla at a time
• Keep others covered to stay warm

Assembly Process (10 minutes):

1. Fill each tortilla:

• Lay one warm tortilla flat
• Spoon 1/3 cup beef mixture down center
• Leave 1-inch space at ends
• Add 2 tablespoons cheese
• Don’t overfill – this makes rolling harder

1. Rolling technique:

• Lift side closest to you
• Pull it over filling
• Roll tightly away from you
• Place seam-side down in dish
• Repeat with remaining tortillas
• Arrange them snugly together

1. Final touches:

• Pour remaining sauce over top
• Use spoon to spread evenly
• Cover completely with remaining cheese

Baking Instructions (25-30 minutes):

1. Initial bake:

• Cover dish completely with foil
• Place in preheated oven
• Bake 15 minutes

1. Final bake:

• Remove foil carefully (watch for steam)
• Return to oven
• Bake 10 more minutes
• Cheese should be bubbly
• Edges should be slightly crispy

1. Finishing:

• Remove from oven with mitts
• Let rest 5 minutes
• Add optional toppings
• Serve while hot

Troubleshooting Tips

Problem: Tortillas breaking while rolling
Solution: Make sure to warm them properly or dip briefly in warm enchilada sauce before rolling

Problem: Filling too wet
Solution: Drain excess fat from beef after cooking

Problem: Enchiladas unrolling
Solution: Place seam-side down and pack them tightly in the baking dish

Problem: Tortillas are tough
Solution: Don’t skip the warming step, and handle them gently

Problem: Sauce is too thick or thin
Solution: For thick sauce, thin with a little chicken broth. For thin sauce, simmer to reduce

Variations & Substitutions

• Tortillas: Use flour tortillas instead of corn
• Meat: Switch to ground turkey or chicken
• Cheese: Try Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar
• Heat level: Add diced jalapeños or cayenne for extra spice
• Vegetables: Add diced bell peppers or corn to the filling

Storage & Reheating

• Refrigerator: Store up to 3 days in airtight container
• Freezer: Wrap well in foil, freeze up to 2 months
• Reheating: Cover with foil, heat at 350°F until warm through (about 20 minutes)
• Individual portions: Microwave 2-3 minutes, covered with damp paper towel

Safety Notes & Tips

• Cook ground beef to 160°F internal temperature
• Don’t let cooked beef sit at room temperature over 2 hours
• Use fresh tortillas for best results
• Shred cheese from block for better melting
• Handle hot baking dish with oven mitts
• Keep raw meat separate from other ingredients
• Wash hands after handling raw meat
• Clean all surfaces that touched raw meat

Pro Tips for Success

• Pre-cook tortillas slightly for better texture
• Don’t overfill – it makes rolling difficult
• Let rest before serving to set up
• Make extra filling for quick weeknight meals
• Grate cheese while beef cools
• Have all ingredients prepped before starting
• Read through entire recipe before beginning

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Dietary Notes: This recipe contains dairy and meat. For gluten-free version, verify your enchilada sauce is certified gluten-free.

Beginner’s Note: Don’t worry if your first few enchiladas aren’t perfectly rolled – they’ll still taste great! Focus on even filling distribution and keeping tortillas intact.