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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I love your recipes! I made these tonight and the flavor was delicious however the corn tortillas fell apart. Any suggestions of what I did wrong to prevent this from happening again? Thank you
Hi Julie, Sorry you had trouble with the tortillas! What brand did you use?
Thanks for your reply! I used Mission brand (the super soft ones).
Hmmm, that’s the brand I use so I’m a bit puzzled. They do soften, but they shouldn’t fall apart. Were they fresh? Did you make any changes or use extra sauce by any chance?
They weren’t fresh. Probably a few weeks old. Maybe that made the difference?
I have your cookbook too btw 🙂
Hi Julie, if they were opened, then yes, that makes sense. Hope you have better luck if you make these again!
Just perfection. First-time ever making these. A real effort, but so tasty!
Hi Jenn,
This will be my second time making these but I was wondering if I could make the filling the day before and then assemble the next day? If so, would I need to adjust the cooking time? Im a little worried that the sauce will thicken up too much and then there won’t be enough for the top…
Hi, It’s fine to make it ahead — in fact, you can assemble the whole dish ahead (see the Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions at the bottom of the recipe). Hope that helps!
Sounded so good and had to try. DELICIOUS! So this is the new go to & Favorite. Best yet! Thanks so much
Most Excellent. I am going to make these again, but am going to double the recipe. Hoping double the spices won’t change the outcome. The four men in my family were disappointed there were no leftovers. Served with cilantro rice which was equally popular. I may not cook the sauce down as much, as I had little left for the topping. Added to my make again file.
I made this last night and it was delicious! My kids loved it so much! I am brand new to your blog and can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Oh my goodness, These are delicious!! These turned out better than any I’ve ever had in a restaurant!! I’m telling family and friends to give them a try!!
Thank you so much for the recipe!!
I was making vegetarian enchiladas tonight but I so needed this method for softening the tortillas! It worked brilliantly.
What is the baking soda for?
Trying this today 😁
Hi Ann, baking soda raises the pH of the meat, helping to lock in moisture and making the beef tender. Hope you enjoy the enchiladas!
This is my new favorite enchilada recipe. It’s so flavorful! The sauce is the perfect consistency too. Will absolutely make it again. Thank you for the recipe.