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
Start by tenderizing the beef—just mix it 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!
While the beef is doing its thing, chop the onion, jalapeño, and garlic, and get the rest of your ingredients ready to go.
Make the Sauce: 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.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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.
To 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.
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.
Bake 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
More Enchilada and Tex-Mex Recipes You May Like
Beef Enchiladas
Hearty, saucy, and loaded with melty cheese—these beef enchiladas are the kind of comfort food everyone will be excited to dig into!
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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Not a comment but a question: I used to make this with flour tortillas. To keep them from getting soggy I would make, cook and serve. This time I used your suggested corn tortillas, I made the recipe without changes, let them sit on the counter for an hour before heating and serving. They came out like a casserole, kinda like a soggy lump, not like individual enchiladas. What am I doing wrong? Or, is this like they are supposed to be?
I love your recipes and consider myself a good cook, so I am at a loss.
Hi, the enchiladas definitely shouldn’t be overly soggy. What brand of tortillas did you use?
Mission Corn
Hi JB, like you said in your first comment I’m at a bit of a loss as those are the tortillas I use. I’m not sure why it came out so soggy like you described. While it should be OK to sit for awhile before heating them, next time I’d put them directly in the oven. I’d be curious to know if that makes a difference. Sorry I can’t give you a more definitive answer!
I would think brushing both sides of the tortillas with oil would help protect them from getting soggy. Maybe not!
Unless you serve these asap, they will turn into a lasagna texture. Restaurants don’t pre make enchiladas, they’re made to order. Delicious either way
What a yummy and quick recipe for Enchiladas. And yes, I’ve also made Sam Sifton’s version which takes a lot longer qne uses more pots/pans. I liked the step of tenderizing the beef. I’ve use frequently use this technique with Asian dishes but never Tex-Mex. In addition to spices named, I added garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes to pan before adding the flour to toast. I didn’t actually have enough cheese on hand but it was still delicious. I also didn’t have corn tortillas on hand so I had to use flour; but I like your method of softening the tortillas instead of frying. Fewer pots/pans to wash. My husband & son approved – Best Enchiladas Ever! Thank you.
Question-do you drain the meat juice before adding the onions, peppers, or sauté them in the juice? I can’t wait to try this recipe!
You’ll keep the fat/juice from the meat in the pan as you’ll use that to cook the onions, etc. Hope you enjoy!
Turned out great! Paired with Once Upon a Chef Mexican Rice which was also excellent.
I have made these several times and they are perfect! I don’t typically change a thing but I agree with others that I might like a little more heat (maybe not seed the jalapeño so much). I have made and froze, I didn’t think they were as good, seemed like the tortillas soaked up too much of the sauce. I plan on making them for my family coming in early for July 4th. I think I will make the sauce in advance and make the enchiladas up right before putting them in the oven. If needed, I will add some extra broth to the sauce.
We have made this recipe four times. Each time adding more jalapeños. A friend suggested adding Serranos. Our last batch was three jalapeños and one Serrano.
The Serrano added a huge flavor kick. Highly recommend giving it a try
Thanks for a great recipe.
Well, my husband finished dinner (after getting seconds, which is RARE), and declared that they were the best enchiladas he’s had in his entire life. My picky 18-year-old said they were incredible, and that he was already planning on eating them the next night for dinner, and then for lunch the day after that (and he’s not a leftovers guy)–and then he did! He also asked me to put the recipe in the Recipe Book he’s taking to his new apartment at college in the fall. SO, a keeper. 🙂 I followed the recipe faithfully, except for sauteing the diced onion and jalapeno for quite a bit longer than 3 or 4 minutes, because I wanted them to really melt into the sauce. Oh! Also made your Mexican Rice, Jenn! Fantastic. Just an absolutely delicious meal. Thank you!
Excellent and authentic recipe Jenn! Comes together quickly and can be easily prepared for a weeknight meal. Topped the enchiladas with diced fresh tomatoes, green onions, and sour cream. Thank you for sharing your outstanding recipes!
I love Mexican food, as a change to our normal rotation. This is truly a winner and I always follow your recipes to a tee, why really would I make any change, I found everything except the large super size yellow corn tortillas. So I had to use the small ones. But what I really appreciate are the details using corn instead of flour and brushing them with olive oil is a game changer.
You are truly the go to site to get the best recipes, also have your book.
Thank you again and again!
💕
Love your method for softening Tortillas…. We use it for making taquitos and works like a charm!