Beef Enchiladas
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Whip up this cheesy, crowd-pleasing beef enchilada recipe in just about an hour, and bring authentic Tex-Mex flavor straight to your dinner table!
Inspired by Sam Sifton’s popular New York Times recipe, this beef enchilada recipe is seriously delicious. It starts with a quick, flavorful chili con carne sauce made with lean ground beef, onions, peppers, warm spices, tomato sauce, and broth. That sauce gets mixed with shredded cheese, then rolled into soft yellow corn tortillas. After that, it’s just a matter of layering on more sauce and cheese, popping them in the oven, and baking until bubbly and irresistible.
The whole thing comes together in about an hour and is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. Serve with cilantro lime rice or Mexican rice for a complete meal, and don’t forget chips and guacuamole on the side!
“The best enchiladas I’ve ever made! My picky-eater kids even loved them.”
What You’ll Need To Make Beef Enchiladas
- Ground Beef: Use 90% lean ground beef to ensure the meat is flavorful yet not greasy. You can use ground chicken or turkey instead of beef; just be sure it’s not too lean. (If you go this route, skip the tenderizing step with the baking soda.)
- Baking Soda: Used for tenderizing the beef. It raises the pH level of the meat’s surface, making it more alkaline, which disrupts the protein structure in the meat and makes it more tender. Baking soda also accelerates browning, which boosts the flavor of the dish. A win all around!
- Onion, Jalapeño Pepper, Garlic: A flavorful trio that forms the aromatic foundation of the filling.
- Chili powder, cumin, oregano: Spices that infuses the beef with Southwestern flavors.
- All-Purpose Flour: Used to thicken the filling.
- Canned Tomato Sauce: Adds a rich, tomatoey element to the beef filling.
- Chicken Broth: The savory base of the sauce.
- Yellow Corn Tortillas: Look for Mission Super Size “Super Soft” Tortillas, which are ideal for rolling enchiladas. I definitely prefer corn tortillas over flour tortillas, but flour tortillas will work too. FYI: Homemade corn tortillas are super easy to make and a fun DIY project if you’d like to make them yourself.
- Mexican blend cheese: A blend of cheeses including Monterey Jack and cheddar, this melty cheese adds a gooey element to the filling. Use a quality brand, like Tillamook thick-cut.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Tenderize the beef. Mix the ground beef with baking soda and salt in a medium bowl, then use your hands to mash everything together until well combined. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes so the magic can happen!
Step 2: Prep the aromatics. While the beef is doing its thing, chop the onion, jalapeño, and garlic, and get the rest of your ingredients ready to go.
Step 3: Brown the beef. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, then add the beef. Cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a plate and set it aside.
Step 4: Cook the aromatics. Add the onion, jalapeño pepper, and garlic to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, until the onion softens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Be careful not to let it brown—lower the heat if needed.
Step 5: Add the spices and flour. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for another minute to eliminate the raw flour taste and enhance the flavor of the spices.
Step 6: Finish the filling. Stir in the tomato sauce, then gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring as you go to combine everything smoothly. Add the beef back to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the sauce thickens, 12 to 14 minutes. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Step 7: Prep the tortillas. Now it’s time to soften the tortillas so they’re easy to roll. Brush both sides of each tortilla lightly with oil, then stack them on a plate and microwave until hot and steamy, about 1½ minutes. This makes them soft and pliable—skip this step, and you’ll likely end up with torn tortillas.
Pro tip: No microwave? Simply wrap the oiled tortillas in aluminum foil and warm them in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until they’re heated through and flexible.
Step 8: Assemble the enchiladas. 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 snugly, then place it seam-side down in the pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, nestling each one next to the last. You’ll end up with two rows of five enchiladas.
Step 9: Top with sauce and cheese. Spoon the remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas, then sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. I like to sprinkle the cheese down the center of each row rather than covering everything—this way, some of the tortillas stay exposed and get a nice, slightly crisp texture in the oven.
Step 10: Bake and serve. Bake the enchiladas until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Let it sit for a few minutes to set, then grab a plate and dig in!
Video Tutorial
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Beef Enchiladas
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 small (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 (220°C) 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 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-cm) 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.
Notes
- Always wear gloves and/or wash your hands very well after working with jalapeños, and keep your hands away from your eyes.
- For maximum efficiency, prep the onion, jalapeño and garlic and measure out your ingredients while the beef tenderizes in step 1.
- 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).
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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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These enchiladas were so good. I made them as directed and the taste was perfect. I did have to use smaller (5 inch) corn tortillas because my store didn’t have the bigger ones, so I ended up with 15 enchiladas. Thanks for sharing.
I made this with the Mexican rice and it was very good. I used a little more cheese, because we love cheese and needed to have it in the oven a LOT longer than 15 minutes – more like half an hour (I had it premade and in the fridge prior to the oven) Corn tortillas are hard to find, I used one that was flour/corn so I was able to skip the whole oil/microwave part of the recipe.
I have to agree, Donna. I premade this one as well, and I think because it was cold coming out of the fridge, the 15 minutes in the oven wasn’t enough time to get it completely hot. My company had to awkwardly heat their portions for a little longer in the microwave. Besides that issue, it’s a five star recipe!
I do not have a microwave. Can you give me an alternative method for softening the tortillas?
Thanks!
Hi Kim, Here are a couple methods you can use. Hope you enjoy the enchiladas!
We made these last night to warm ourselves defending against a snowy cold Seattle night. They were excellent. We had some marinated chimichurri beef in the refrigerator that I cut into small bite-sized chunks and sauteed in substitution for the ground beef. It worked very well. Added some finely chopped turmeric to the spice mix and away we went. Served to rave reviews of the “best ever”…….
Apparently corn tortillas are not very popular in my area. Four major grocery stores and not one had them. Is it okay to use four tortillas? Should I adjust the baking time?
Corn tortillas are better for enchiladas but if you can’t find them, flour tortillas should work. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Really good and nice change from our usual green chili chicken enchiladas. I followed the recipe as written but next time, I would add more heat from the chili. I used Tillamook Rustic Mexican Cheese blend and liked the way the rustic cut melted (more slowly) in the oven.
Best enchiladas ever! Not as great if made ahead. I loved the flavor when baked right away. But the second time I made it I assembled the day before and the flavor of the corn tortillas was not there. Next time I want to make them ahead I’ll prepare the sauce but not assemble it til just before baking. Thanks for a great recipe, Jenn!
Made this and your Mexican Rice recipe last night. Both were wonderful! Followed the recipe exactly and it was absolutely delicious. The only thing I will do differently next time is use restraint when adding the filling and cheese to the tortillas! I always tend to overfill. Thank you for another excellent recipe
By far the best enchilada I have tried! I’m always afraid of making them too soggy or overdone. This was the perfect ratio. Husband said to save it. Son doesn’t like tortillas and he said he loved them too!
Hi Jenn, I made the Beef Enchilada but the heat was too much for me and my wife and the cheese and tortillas did not mask the heat. I was not sure about the baking soda added to the meat but I followed the recipe to the T and it seemed that the beef was tasty and tender. I used ground chuck from Fresh Market. The recipe was delicious but we were overwhelmed by the pepper. I will definitely make this again but tone down the pepper quantities. Thanks, Gene
This is the best Mexican food I’ve ever had. I’ve never been a fan of Mexican food mainly because restaurant fare has always been blah with the exception of frozen margaritas. I braved the freezing rain and drove to the store just to get the Tillamook cheese and it was well worth it. Didn’t even need the Mexican rice and refried beans – just some fresh guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream. Even though the recipe feeds six, my husband and I are well into our second helpings so for us it’s a recipe that feeds two with just enough left over for a late afternoon snack. Thanks Jenn for another great recipe. Now I’ll have some of your chocolate pudding for dessert which puts the boxed stuff to shame.