Beef Enchiladas
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Whip up these cheesy, crowd-pleasing beef enchiladas in just about an hour, and bring the authentic flavors of Mexico straight to your dinner table!
Drawing inspiration from Sam Sifton’s popular enchiladas con carne recipe featured in the New York Times, these beef enchiladas are seriously delicious. To prepare them, begin by making a quick chili con carne sauce using lean ground beef, onions, peppers, spices, tomato sauce, and broth. Next, combine the sauce with shredded Mexican cheese and roll the mixture into soft yellow corn tortillas. Carefully arrange the filled tortillas in a baking dish, layer additional sauce and cheese on top, and bake until bubbly.
Taking about an hour start to finish, this recipe delivers an irresistibly crowd-pleasing dish. Serve with cilantro lime rice or Mexican rice to complete the meal, and don’t forget chips and guacuamole on the side!
Table of Contents
“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.
- Baking Soda: Used for tenderizing the beef.
- 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: Provides a savory liquid for simmering and tenderizing the beef.
- Yellow Corn Tortillas: Look for Mission Super Size “Super Soft” Tortillas, which are ideal for rolling empanadas.
- 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 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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
I definitely prefer corn tortillas for enchiladas, but flour tortillas will work. Homemade corn tortillas are super easy to make and a fun DIY project if you’d like to make them yourself.
Baking soda raises the pH level of the meat’s surface, making it more alkaline. This change in pH disrupts the protein structure in the meat, making it more tender. Baking soda also accelerates browning, which boosts the flavor of the dish. However, it’s important to use baking soda sparingly, as using too much can lead to an undesirable soapy taste; stick to the recommended amount for the best results.
You can soften the tortillas in the oven. Simply wrap the stack of oiled tortillas in aluminum foil and place them in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until they are warmed through and pliable.
Yes, 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.
Video Tutorial
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Beef Enchiladas
Whip up these cheesy, crowd-pleasing beef enchiladas in just about an hour, and bring the authentic flavors of Mexico straight to your dinner table!
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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It turned out so good. My family loved it. Great recepie! Now we have another dish added to our Menu. I learn something every day!
We just finished eating this tonight. My husband said I could make it again! He’ll get his wish as, since there’s just the 2 of us, I’ll get a couple more meals out of the leftovers! I made 12 instead of 10 as they fit nicely in my pan. It’s a rich tasting recipe. I didn’t find the spices hot, but they were tasty.
These are the best enchiladas I have made! I’m so happy when I can add another dish to my list for my picky family! Thank you!!
I made for the first time about 2 weeks ago and actually commented. It’s a great recipe but I could not figure out why it was so darn hot/spicy hot, that is. I just made it again for company tonight and halved the chili powder and it’s still too hot for me. I checked the bottle of chili powder I was using and it turns out it’s chipotle chili powder which I learned is way hotter than regular. I’m determined to get it right and can’t wait to try this recipe for a third time using regular chili powder. I wanted to write this so others know to be careful of which chili powder they use. Love these enchiladas tho!
That would explain it! Glad you enjoyed them nevertheless. 🙂
Made this tonight. As he took the first bite, my husband eyes widened to the size of saucers, he made a weird gurgling sound like a cross between growl and a moan, silently he began pounding furiously on the table…as I yelled in alarm “Are you okay???? Was it spicy???” He whispers quietly…”It’s just so freaking good…”
🤣🤣
When is your next cookbook coming. This was very good. Our new enchilada recipe. The spices were awesome.
So glad you liked them! As of now, I don’t have plans to write a third cookbook, but as I’ve learned, I’ll never say never — thanks for inquiring! 🙂
OMG, THIS IS A GREAT RECIPE I WILL DEFINITELY MAKE AGAIN. DIDNT HAVE CORN SHELLS SO USED FLOUR, THEY TURNED OUT GREAT! ALTHOUGH I THINK TO MUCH SALT! BUT DEFINITELY A KEEPER
These were simple, yet so delicious made as is. Next time for extra fiber, I’ll add some black beans. Definitely don’t cheese up the top so some of the edges crisp up.
Cinco de Mayo dinner was excellent with this easy recipe. Will be adding it to the dinner rotation. Thank you Jen I follow you regularly and when my husband says wow this is good I say it’s from my favorite chef!
Another excellent recipe! Followed it exactly except I used dried garlic instead of fresh. The best enchiladas I have ever made. Thanks, Jen❤️
This was sooo crazy good! I have been making homemade enchiladas for years but with store-bought seasoning pkg. I also can’t believe how easy it was to put it together with all the ingredients prepped. Thank you for sharing, this is a keeper and I will be using for years. 🙂
Loved everything about this recipe, for the exception of the level of heat. Waaaay too hot for my tastebuds! I’m pretty sure I added the 3 T of chili powder and no more than that. Removed the seeds and white part of the jalapeño so not sure where the heat came from. The texture of everything was what I love in an enchilada. I’m going to make again and maybe just add half of the amount of chili powder. Served it with the lime cilantro rice and huge dollop of sour cream on top which all helped balance the heat.
I’m planning on making this for a party that I’m going to. What would you suggest as far as assembly goes? How far in advance can we soften the tortillas? Should I assemble at their house or can I assemble immediately before going? It will take at least 30 minutes to get there. Probably an hour total before we eat it if I assemble it from home.
Hi Elizabeth, assembling the enchiladas ahead of time is fine (it’s actually okay to assemble them up to 24 hours in advance). Hope the party is fun!
Will try this tmrw for taco Tuesday as looks delicious and easy. Assuming flour tortillas will work as all I have??
Hi Phung, Corn tortillas are better for enchiladas but if you don’t have them on hand, flour tortillas should work. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Made a Mexican feast for my daughter’s 40th birthday and made your beef enchiladas, white chicken chili, chicken nacho’s, honey lime bean salad, guacamole and tacos ALL from your recipes. What a hit! Dinner was fantastic and oh so delicious! Everyone loved it! Thanks once again for your spectacular recipes ❤️
Can I make these with shredded rotisserie chicken? What adjustments would I need to make?
Hi Del, I think you could use chicken, but I’d stick with ground chicken for them.
Made this today but cooked the beef for a good hour gently. Couldn’t get Mexican cheese so used a 4 cheese mix with some cheddar added in. Pretty much followed your recipe but added red kidney beans and paprika. It was super super delicious and came out just like the photo. Also cooked the Mexican rice with basmati and that too was amazing. Thank you.
I made these tonight and they were really good. I used 93% ground turkey. Didn’t have a jalapeno or corn tortillas, so used flour ones. Even with those substitutions, they came out very tasty.
These enchiladas are delicious. Thank you for another great recipe!
Very good!
This is so good.!Made it for my family and it was a hit. It was a nice diversion from our usual taco night. Will keep this in my rotation. Really good, flavorful, and easy to put together.
Fantastic! Been wanting to get an easy yet delicious enchilada recipe for a while now and this is it! Doubled it for my family and it was perfect! Thank you for this! Tastes great, packed with flavor! I omitted onions and used onion powder (1 tbsp = 1 onion) and tasted just as yummy!
Just finished a dinner for five with this amazing dish. Supplemented with the Mexican rice, it was a big hit.
Made these last week. Chef’s kiss!😘
If you wanted to make these gluten free would you be better off to use gluten free flour or cornstarch? I assume that the flour is used for thickening but wouldn’t want to mess up the recipe. Love your recipes. Thank you!
So glad you like the recipes, Bea! I’d go with the flour. 🙂
My family loved it! It was a big hit. They were super yummy! Great recipie, so full or flavor.
Hi Jenn! I would like to try this with ground turkey since that’s what I have at home. Do I still do the baking soda step? Thanks.
Hi Gigi, You can skip the baking soda if using turkey. Please LMK how it turns out!
This was so good. Our whole family loved it. We will definitely be making this again. I did find that the tortillas really only needed oil on one side being stacked .
Excellent Enchiladas! I’ve made A LOT of enchiladas, including Sam Sifton’s version. My husband said these were the best ever. I made a couple substitutions based on what I had on hand. I had only 1/2 jalapeno so I added a ‘good’ pinch of red pepper flakes to augment the heat. I also didn’t have the Tillamook Mexican blend (or any shredded Mexican blend) on hand so I used 1/2 block of Tillamook extra sharp cheddar, 1/2 block of Sargento Fiesta Jack, and 1/2 block of Cracker Barrell extra sharp white cheddar – I think my homemade blend worked just fine. I sprinkled the cheese all over the top instead of down the center, as suggested, so removing them intact from the casserole dish was a challenge but still quite tasty. Thanks for a great recipe and looking forward to leftovers!
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!
If I may contribute. I am Mexican and have made them for years. You can make them ahead but you should not put the topping on them. I usually make in the morning for dinner parties and just cover and leave on the counter. I have not done them overnight in the refrigerator, but perhaps it would still work.
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!