Beef Enchiladas Classic Tex-Mex (Printable)

Savory beef wrapped in tortillas with rich sauce and melted cheese, perfect for a comforting Tex-Mex meal.

# What You Need:

→ Beef Filling

01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 small onion, finely diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp chili powder
07 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
11 - 1/2 cup tomato sauce

→ Enchilada Assembly

12 - 8 corn tortillas, 6-inch
13 - 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce
14 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
15 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Garnishes (optional)

16 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - 1/2 cup sour cream
18 - 1 small avocado, sliced
19 - 1/4 cup diced red onion

# How To Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef, breaking it apart as it browns completely.
04 - Incorporate cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until spices become fragrant.
05 - Add tomato sauce, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
06 - Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds or lightly warm in a skillet.
07 - Spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
08 - Place 2–3 tablespoons of the beef filling onto each tortilla, sprinkle a little cheese, and roll tightly.
09 - Set rolled tortillas seam-side down in the baking dish.
10 - Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.
11 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
12 - Allow enchiladas to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with cilantro, sour cream, avocado, and diced red onion as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beef filling is seasoned so perfectly that every bite tastes like someone who really knows Mexican cooking made it for you
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, but tastes like it's been simmering all day
  • Once you make this, you'll realize you don't need to order takeout anymore—your version is honestly better
02 -
  • Cold tortillas will crack and fall apart—warm them every single time. This is the number one reason people think their enchiladas failed, and it's completely avoidable.
  • Don't skip resting the enchiladas for five minutes. It sounds like nothing, but it lets the cheese set up just enough that everything holds together when you serve it.
03 -
  • Make the beef filling the night before if you want to save yourself time. It actually tastes better when the flavors have overnight to develop.
  • If your enchilada sauce is too thick, thin it with a splash of beef broth or water so it coats the tortillas smoothly without gumming up.

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