Stacked Enchiladas (Mexican Lasagna)
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With layers of corn tortillas, spicy ground beef, salsa and cheese, this stacked enchilada casserole is a huge family-pleaser.
You know when you make a dish for the first time and your whole family loves it, and you’re thrilled because you’ve found a new recipe to add to your repertoire forever? That’s how I felt the first time I cooked these hearty stacked beef enchiladas. With layers of corn tortillas, spicy ground beef, roasted tomato salsa, and cheese, it’s a cross between traditional beef enchiladas and lasagna—yet easier to make than both. It’s a great make-ahead dish for a potluck or big family dinner. And if you prepare the sauce in advance, it’s doable on a weeknight, too.
What You’ll Need To Make Stacked Beef Enchiladas
- Ground Beef: The main protein that fills the layers of the enchiladas. 90% lean beef is ideal for its lower fat content (there is no need to drain the fat).
- Baking Soda: Used for tenderizing the beef.
- Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic: Roasted and blended to make a vibrant sauce, essentially a roasted tomato salsa.
- Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Chipotle Chili Pepper: This spice trio infuses the dish with earthy, spicy, and smoky notes, giving the enchiladas bold Mexican flavor.
- Cilantro: Adds a pop of herbal freshness and color.
- Yellow Corn Tortillas: The foundation for the stacked enchiladas, these tortillas are cut into quarters for easy layering.
- Mexican Blend Cheese: A mix of cheeses that includes cheddar and Monterey Jack, this blend melts beautifully, creating gooey, stretchy layers that bind the enchiladas together.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Tenderize the Beef
To begin, mash the ground beef and the baking soda in a large bowl and let sit on the counter for about 20 minutes. The baking soda raises the pH of the meat, helping to lock in moisture and make the beef melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Step 2: Make the Sauce
Toss the tomatoes, onions, and garlic with the vegetable oil directly on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Broil until softened and charred, 12 to15 minutes (if the vegetables are browning too quickly, give them a quick stir with a rubber spatula).
Transfer the vegetables and juices to a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper and pulse until just slightly chunky — then toss in the cilantro leaves.
Pulse until the cilantro is chopped. Set the sauce aside.
Step 3: Make the Beef Filling
Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently and breaking into pieces, until just slightly pink, about 2 minutes.
Add the chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes more, or until cooked through.
Step 4: Assemble the Casserole
Line a greased baking dish with a slightly overlapping layer of tortillas.
Spoon half of the beef (and any juices) over the tortillas, followed by half of the sauce.
Repeat with tortillas, remaining beef, sauce, and another 1/3 of the cheese. Top with tortillas, spread the reserved sauce over them, and finish with the remaining cheese. (The unbaked casserole can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months.)
Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is completely melted. Slice the stacked enchiladas into squares and serve.
Video Tutorial
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Stacked Enchiladas
With layers of corn tortillas, spicy ground beef, salsa and cheese, this stacked enchilada casserole is a huge family-pleaser.
Ingredients
For the Beef
- 1½ pounds 90% lean ground beef
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½ teaspoons ground chipotle chile pepper (see note)
- 2½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon salt
For the Sauce
- 4 large vine-ripened tomatoes (about 1.3 lb), quartered
- 2 medium yellow onions, cut into ½-inch wedges
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
For Assembling
- 10 (8-in) yellow corn tortillas, cut into quarters (I use Mission brand)
- 4 cups (12 oz) shredded Mexican blend cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef and the baking soda. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Let sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes.
- While the beef sits, prepare the sauce. Set an oven rack about 5 inches beneath the heating element and preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Toss the tomatoes, onions, and garlic with the vegetable oil directly on the prepared baking sheet. Broil until softened and charred, 12 to15 minutes (if the vegetables are browning too quickly, give them a quick stir with a rubber spatula). Transfer the vegetables and juices to a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper and pulse until just slightly chunky. Add the cilantro and pulse until the cilantro is chopped. Set the sauce aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently and breaking into pieces, until just slightly pink, about 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes more, or until cooked through.
- To assemble: Preheat oven to 350°F and move the oven rack to the center position. Lightly oil a 9x13-in glass or ceramic baking dish.
- Set aside 1 cup of the sauce for the top of the casserole. (You want to ensure that you have enough to cover the top layer of tortillas, otherwise they won't cook through.)
- Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a layer of tortillas, overlapping them slightly. Spoon half of the beef (and any juices) over the tortillas. Top with half of the sauce and ⅓ of the cheese. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, the remaining beef, remaining sauce, and ⅓ of the cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas. Spread the reserved sauce over the tortillas and cover completely. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over top. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is completely melted.
- Note: Ground chipotle chile pepper is smoky and hot and makes this dish a little spicy. For a milder dish, replace the ground chipotle chile pepper with ground ancho chili pepper, which isn't as hot.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The casserole can be prepared ahead of time, tightly covered with foil, and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to 3 months before baking (if frozen, defrost in the refrigerator before cooking). It can also be fully baked, tightly covered with foil, and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat: defrost if necessary and heat the covered casserole in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes, or until hot. If you'd rather reheat individual servings, small portions can be zapped in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 491
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Sodium: 608 mg
- Cholesterol: 96 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.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Very good! I was looking for a way to use up my corn tortillas and empty out the cheese drawer, and this was a great way to do it. To make do with what I had on hand, I substituted a 28 oz can of drained whole plum tomatoes and roasted them as called for in the recipe. Also, substituted chili powder for the chili pepper. The homemade sauce was a delicious improvement over canned enchilada sauce. Great topped with fresh pico de gallo and a dollop of sour cream!
Would this work well with chicken? Would you change anything if so?
Thanks!
Yes, I think it would. I’m not sure if you’re referring to shredded or ground chicken, but either would work (and you can skip the baking soda step). Please LMK how it turns out!
Hi Jen. If I assemble this a day ahead of time. When I pull it out of the fridge to bake it, do I bake it covered or uncovered?
Hi Stephanie, I would bake it uncovered. It may take a few extra minutes in the oven as it’s coming from the fridge, so if you see the cheese is browning more than you’d like, loosely lay a piece of foil over the dish for the remainder of the baking time. Enjoy!
Very good–delicious! I made my sauce in the summer with garden fresh tomatoes and froze the sauce. When I made the dish in the fall, I defrosted the sauce in the refrigerator the night before. It came together quickly. I’ve tried making this dish in the fall with store bought tomatoes and the taste was noticeably different–tasted ok. Making the sauce in the summer with fresh garden tomatoes and freezing it is the best!
Hi Jenn,
Do you think I could use tortilla chips instead of tortillas cut up? Or would they get too hard? I have a big Costco bag opened from this holiday weekend and am looking for ideas to use them up. Thanks!!
Hi Jill, I’ve never tried it so I really can’t say. It’s unconventional, but I think it’s worth a try. I’d love to hear how it comes out if you try it!