Beef Enchiladas with Sauce (Printable)
Savory ground beef and cheese wrapped in tortillas, baked with rich homemade red sauce for a flavorful dish.
# What You Need:
→ Red Enchilada Sauce
01 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
02 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
03 - 3 tablespoons chili powder
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
07 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
10 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth
11 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
→ Beef Filling
12 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
13 - 1 pound ground beef
14 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
15 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
16 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
17 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
18 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
19 - ½ teaspoon salt
20 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
21 - ½ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
22 - ½ cup red enchilada sauce
→ Assembly
23 - 8 medium (6-inch) flour or corn tortillas
24 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
25 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
# How To Cook:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper; cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Gradually whisk in broth and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
02 - Warm vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds. Add ground beef, breaking it apart, and cook until browned, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add diced tomatoes and ½ cup prepared enchilada sauce. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
03 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread ½ cup enchilada sauce evenly on the bottom. Warm tortillas briefly to soften. Spoon approximately ¼ cup beef filling and 2 tablespoons shredded cheese onto each tortilla. Roll tightly and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
04 - Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the assembled enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted and slightly golden.
05 - Allow enchiladas to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro if desired. Serve warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon.
- Everything can be prepped ahead, so you're really just assembling and baking when people arrive.
- One pan of these feeds four people and somehow makes your whole house smell like a proper dinner is happening.
02 -
- Don't skip warming the tortillas or they'll crack and your filling will fall out onto the baking dish floor.
- The sauce needs to be thick enough to coat a spoon, not watery, or your enchiladas will be soggy.
- Draining the canned tomatoes completely matters more than you'd think because moisture turns your filling into filling soup.
03 -
- Make the sauce and beef filling the morning of and store them separately, so assembly only takes 10 minutes when you're ready to bake.
- Let the baked enchiladas rest for 5 minutes before serving so the cheese sets slightly and doesn't slide off when you transfer them to a plate.