The Best Ground Beef Enchiladas for an Easy Weeknight Dinner
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This is the best ground beef enchilada recipe! It’s full of flavor, easily customizable with your favorite fillings, and it comes together in minutes for an easy weeknight dinner.
These enchiladas have become one of my family’s favorite dinners.
Ingredients
- Ground Beef: Enchiladas are so adaptable, easily swap the ground beef for shredded rotisserie chicken, sauté diced chicken breast, ground chicken, shredded pork or shredded beef. Easily make these vegetarian enchiladas by filling with beans, sauteed bell peppers and cheese.
- Diced onion: white, yellow or red onion work will for the enchilada filling.
- Diced Green Chiles
- Cheese: My go-to cheese is marble jack because it’s what I usually have on hand, but these enchiladas would be delicious with pepper jack cheese or a Mexican blend.
- Beans: I love to use refried beans, but you could use black beans, pinto beans or lentils.
- Tortillas: I use flour tortillas because they’re a quicker option, but enchiladas are traditionally made with corn tortillas. And for good reason, the flavor can’t be beat if you’re wanting more of an authentic dish. If using corn tortillas, be sure to fry each tortilla in oil for a few seconds on each side until they’re crisp but still pliable. This will create a barrier from the sauce, so you don’t end up with soggy tortillas.
- Enchilada Sauce: While you can use any enchilada sauce, I highly recommend using my homemade enchilada sauce. If you’re short on time, another option is to doctor up a can of store-bought enchilada sauce. Melt 1 T of butter and then whisk in 1 T of all-purpose flour. Add 1 19 oz can of enchilada sauce, 1/2 c chicken broth, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1 tsp garlic powder. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until thick.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
While the oven is heating, sauté a diced onion in 2 tsp of olive oil. Brown the ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat until the ground beef is fully cooked.
Lower the temperature to medium heat and stir in refried beans and diced green chiles until warm.
Spread a cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9X13 casserole dish.
Divide enchilada filling down the center of each tortilla. Add shredded cheese and roll tortillas tightly.
Place seam side down in baking dish. Continue with the rest of the tortillas until the pan is filled.
Spoon and spread the remaining sauce over the top of the filled tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and gooey.
Store any leftover enchiladas in airtight container in refrigerator and use within 3 days.
Make Ahead
Need to meal prep when in a time crunch? Assemble these enchiladas and place in baking dish. Cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze for 2 months. Remove plastic wrap and bake according to directions.
To bake from the freezer, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes until the enchiladas are hot. Then remove the foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes to brown the top.
Topping Ideas
I think what makes these the best enchiladas is that at its simplest form, they taste amazing! And yet, there are so many topping options that you can add to make them your own.
- Salsa, salsa verde or hot sauce for an additional kick
- A dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Sliced black olives
- Jalapeno slices
- Diced tomatoes
- Diced green onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
What Sides to Serve with Enchiladas?
Looking for recommendations for side dishes to round out your meal? Cilantro lime rice, Mexican rice, or chips and guacamole are my favorite go-to sides.
I’d love to hear from you! Please rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! Don’t forget to tag your photos #Lockremhomestead over on Instagram!
Quick Enchiladas for a Busy Weeknight Dinner
Ingredients
- 1 lbs Ground Beef
- 1 medium diced onion
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 10 Flour Tortillas
- 1 pint (or 19 oz can) Enchilada Sauce
- 1 4 oz can of green chiles
- 3 cups Shredded Cheese, divided
- 1 16 oz can Refried Beans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Dice onion and sauté in 2 tsp of olive oil until translucent in large skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until there is no longer any pink. Add the refried beans and green chiles to the ground beef.
- Add 1 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9 X 13 baking dish, spreading to cover the bottom of the pan.
- To assemble enchilada:Divide enchilada filling mixture evenly into 8 flour tortillas, down the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle 2 T of shredded cheese on the enchilada filling, roll tortilla up and place seam side down in 9 X 13 pan. Evenly spread remaining enchilada sauce over the top.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese over the enchilada sauce.
- Bake 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly golden.
- Add toppings of choice:Fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, diced green onion, jalapeno slices, sliced black olives, a dollop of sour cream, salsa or freshly squeezed lime juice.
- Store leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator, best eaten within 3 days.
