Beef Enchiladas
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Filled with chile con carne and cheese, these beef enchiladas are the ultimate Mexican comfort food.
Inspired by Sam Sifton’s popular Enchiladas Con Carne in the New York Times, these family-style enchiladas are seriously delicious. You begin by making a quick chili con carne, or chili sauce, with lean ground beef, onions, peppers, spices, tomato sauce, and broth. The sauce is then combined with shredded Mexican cheese and rolled into soft yellow corn tortillas, which are nestled into a baking dish, topped with more sauce and cheese, and then baked until bubbling. The recipe takes about an hour start to finish — perfect for a comforting weekend dinner or weeknight when you’ve got a little extra time.
If you enjoy the chili con carne in this recipe, you will also love my Southwestern-flavored stuffed peppers, which have a similar filling and cheesy topping.
What You’ll Need To Make Beef Enchiladas
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Tenderize the Meat
In a medium bowl, combine the beef, baking soda, and salt. 
Mash with your hands until evenly combined and let sit on the counter for at least 20 minutes. As it rests, the baking soda raises the pH of the meat, helping to lock in moisture and making the beef tender.
Step 2: Prep
While the beef rests, chop the onion, jalapeño, and garlic and prep your other ingredients.
Step 3: Make the Sauce
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the meat.
Cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the browned meat to a plate.
Add the onion, jalapeño pepper, and garlic to the skillet.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary.
Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and flour. 
Cook, stirring constantly, to toast the flour and spices for 1 minute more.
Stir in the tomato sauce.
Gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring to combine.
Add the beef.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and vigorously simmer until the sauce is thickened, 12 to 14 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
Step 4: Soften the Tortillas
Pour the oil into a small bowl or ramekin. Using a pastry brush, brush both sides of each tortilla with oil, then stack them on a plate and microwave until hot and steamy, about 1-1/2 minutes. This makes them pliable; if you skip this step, they’ll likely tear when you roll them.
Step 5: Assemble the Enchiladas and Bake
Spoon about 1 cup of the sauce evenly into the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking dish.
Working directly on the stack of tortillas, put about 3 tablespoons of cheese and 2 generous tablespoons of the sauce in the center of the top tortilla.
Roll it up.
Place it seam-side down in the pan, and repeat with the remaining tortillas, nestling each one against the last. (You’ll have two rows of 5 enchiladas.)
Spoon the remaining sauce over the rolled tortillas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. (I like to sprinkle the cheese over the center of each row of enchiladas, rather than all over, so that the tortillas are partially exposed during baking.)
Bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
You May Also Like
- Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce
- White Chicken Chili
- Stacked Beef Enchiladas (Mexican Lasagna)
- Homemade Corn Tortillas
- Chicken Nachos
- Chicken Fajitas
Beef Enchiladas
Filled with chile con carne and cheese, these beef enchiladas are the ultimate Mexican comfort food.
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (see note)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
For the Enchiladas
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for brushing the tortillas
- 10 (6- to 7-inch) yellow corn tortillas, preferably Mission Super Size "Super Soft"
- 3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, preferably Tilamook
Instructions
- Tenderize the Meat: In a medium bowl, combine the beef, baking soda, and salt. Mash with your hands until evenly combined and let sit on the counter for at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Make the Sauce: Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the browned meat to a plate.
- Add the onion, jalapeño pepper, and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and flour; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Add the tomato sauce, then gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring to combine. Add the beef and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and vigorously simmer until the sauce is thickened, 12 to 14 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. (The sauce may taste a bit spicy; it will mellow out when combined with the cheese and tortillas.)
- When the sauce is almost done, soften the tortillas: Pour the oil into a small bowl or ramekin. Using a pastry brush, brush both sides of each tortilla with oil, then stack them on a plate and microwave, uncovered, until hot and steamy, about 1½ minutes.
- Assemble the Enchiladas: Spoon about 1 cup of the sauce evenly into the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
- Put about 3 tablespoons of cheese and 2 generous tablespoons of the sauce onto the center of each tortilla, then roll the tortillas up and place them seam-side down in the pan, nestling each one against the last. (You'll have two rows of 5 enchiladas.) Spoon the remaining sauce over the rolled tortillas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. (I like to sprinkle the cheese over the center of each row of enchiladas, rather than all over, so that the tortillas are partially exposed during baking.) Bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer Friendly Instructions: The enchiladas can be assembled up to one day ahead of time, tightly covered with foil, and refrigerated until ready to bake. If you go this route, bake for 15 minutes covered with foil, and then remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted. The enchiladas can also be frozen for up to 3 months before baking (if frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight before cooking).
- Note: Always wear gloves and/or wash your hands very well after working with jalapeños, and keep your hands away from your eyes.
- Note: For maximum efficiency, prep the onion, jalapeño and garlic and measure out your ingredients while the beef tenderizes in step 1.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 2 enchiladas
- Calories: 693
- Fat: 43 g
- Saturated fat: 16 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Sodium: 918 mg
- Cholesterol: 126 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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These are wonderful. Any special instructions for freezing them?
Hi Patty, You’ll find freezing instructions at the bottom of the recipe. Glad you enjoyed them!
These were really good! I followed the recipe exactly. Next time I might add pinto beans and less beef. Thanks for a great recipe, Jen!
This turned out really, really well. I love Jenn’s recipe for the homemade enchilada sauce; the texture and flavors were amazing!
I used old corn tortillas and while the heating technique was genius, they still split when rolling. It didn’t matter though, since the enchiladas held up well in the casserole dish and the whole family enjoyed it.
Thank you Jenn!
Can I substitute Ortega Diced Green Chiles for the fresh Jalapeño?
Sure, just make sure to drain them first. Enjoy!
We love enchiladas. I like to make ahead…say for Christmas Day. So they get refrigerated and I take to kids house. then when I try to heat a big pan of them… they all mush together..no shape any longer. Help, what would be the best way to take and heat up and still look nice. Thank you. Karen
Hi Karen, enchiladas kind of stick together as is (I always need to separate mine with a spatula), so if you make them ahead and reheat them, it just increases that quality. Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s a way around that except for serving them right after baking. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
These were a huge hit with my family! They have a perfect amount of spice especially when mixed with the cheese and tortillas. I skipped your step of softening the tortillas and regretted it, will follow to the T next time 🙂
I haven’t made it yet, but I have a semi-related question. Can the baking soda tenderizing also apply to casseroles that have Italian sausage? I made a rotini bake last weekend, and I thought it turned out dry-ish, but it’s really the sausage more than anything else. Too chewy.
Hi Kurt, I wouldn’t use the baking soda technique on sausage. If you found it to be dry, it may have been a little overcooked. Also, you could dry a different brand of sausage if your store carries one.
I made these and, although delicious, they were too rich for me and my wife. Our appetites are not what they once were. By the way, I’ve made the Sam Sifton version before. Jenn’s are much better.
Hey Jenn,
I am gluten free so could I use cornstarch or masa instead of flour?
Hi Michelle, I’d use masa or cornmeal. Enjoy!
I made this tonight and it was excellent. I didn’t sufficiantly soften the tortillas, so they broke. Then, I didn’t buy enough cheese. I added some jack and cheddar that I had. It turned out great.
Hi Jen,
I love all your recipes – I tried almost 50 (and counting) and not a single one of them ever failed 🙂 So happy that I found your website.
Having said that: I don’t own a microwave oven. How do I soften the tortillas? Is there an alternative method?
Sending you loads of love from Austria,
Nicole
Hi Nicole, So glad you like the recipes!! Here is some guidance on an alternative for heating the tortillas. Hope you enjoy the enchiladas!
The corn tortilla microwave technique is brilliant — I’ll never go back to the old method of dunking the tortillas in hot oil again! I also made this with Impossible Burger since my spouse doesn’t eat met — came out great (I skipped the baking soda since I wasn’t sure how it would work the fake meat, but otherwise followed the recipe to a T).
I was just reading through this recipe and it sounds delicious. I do not have a microwave though — how do you suggest I prep the tortillas after applying the oil?
Hi Margie, Here’s an alternative to the microwave for warming your tortillas. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn, this sounds delicious! Just wondering if beef broth work instead of the chicken broth?
Yep that will work fine. Enjoy!
So easy to make and great flavor! I’m so glad to have learned about tenderizing hamburger!
This recipe is amazing and for once when working with corn tortillas they didn’t tear. Now I know. 🙂
This really was delicious. I love the baking soda idea for the beef!
I had never heard of this idea of the baking soda in the beef until I made Jenn’s chili recipe. Don’t skip this part! It does something to the beef and really makes a difference in the outcome. Love this site….Jenn, your recipes are spot on and always delicious! Always the question “can I please have your recipe” follows the meals I serve to guests. Thank you! PS I always just give your website so they can enjoy your talent to the fullest! Thank you for all the deliciousness you help us create!
💗
I will make these again and again……they were wonderful. Restaurant quality!
Outstanding! These were really amazing, the whole family loved them! I never knew baking soda helped tenderize meat and lock in moisture – thanks for that!
Hi Jenn,
Could you please add the metric toggle for this one? Thank you!
I just added them! 🙂
Thank you!
Would this recipe work with flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas?
Yes, corn tortillas are better for enchiladas, but flour will work. Enjoy!
An excellent recipe! It always annoys me when people praise a recipe then list all the modifications they made, sadly I had to make one for these. Living in Canada restricts your access to latino foods and I wasn’t surprised when I couldn’t get corn tortillas, so I used flour. Beyond that, I followed the plan and really enjoyed the results. I used a pretty large jalapeño and they weren’t hot at all. Not sure what the baking powder did to the meat, didn’t notice much of an effect, but I will continue to do it whenever I make these.
I made these again last night for the family. They are delicious! Thanks so much.
This was delicious!! I had originally made another enchilada sauce from scratch prior to finding this recipe. I sautéed the ground beef, onions, garlic and jalapeño then added it to my sauce. I reserved some of the enchilada sauce before adding the meat, (to drizzle on the bottoms of my casserole pan and on top of the enchiladas). I followed the rest of the recipe and it was just as delicious. I love the baking soda on the meat for tenderizing, really gives it a nice texture. This will be a keeper recipe when we want some comfort Mexican food. Thanks Jenn for another tasty recipe!