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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Tasty. I added twice as much cumin, however, to make the dish sing!
Added 1 can of drained and rinsed black beans to the sauce. Very tasty recipe!
Hi, I’ve got a question about the tortillas you used in this recipe. Just wondering if the 8” size is correct. If I roll 2, 8” tortillas they won’t fit in the 13×9 pan. Do they shrink up when you heat them in the microwave? I’m excited to try these but want to make sure I get the right tortillas.
Thanks!
Lori
Hi Lori, Thank you for catching that! There is no measurement on the bag but the “super size” are actually between 6 and 7 inches.
Can’t wait to try these! We live in Texas, so we enjoy some good Tex-Mex. Your recipes are always so easy to make with the photos and directions.
Beef Enchiladas….our treat today ! The wind is howling and we are under a storm watch here in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Reading through Jenn’s recipes this morning and the idea of beef enchiladas in the oven sounded like a yummy idea. I take advantage of a meat sale and freeze a thin, well flattened layer of ground meat in a large Ziplock bag. Easy to store in the freezer and quick to thaw. I had not previously oiled the tortillas and found the idea to be a great hint. Thank you for that. We brewed a pot of tea, assembled all the ingredients as we sipped and the enchiladas were soon in the hot oven. Mmmmm…. the kitchen smelled delish ! The proof is always in the pudding and this is a dish I’d highly recommend. Quantities are perfect, instructions are precise and the finished dish was wonderful. Serving the leftovers tomorrow ….. well they might not make it until tomorrow… Bon appetit !
What kind of cheese did you use? I also live in Canada and cannot find Tillamook cheese🤔
I was looking for something to try with a package of beyond ground meat that I bought. This looks like it will fit the bill. Like all your recipes should be delicious!
So yummy! I like that all of the ingredients are fresh with no preservatives. My family enjoyed the enchiladas to the very last bite! Thank you❣️
Can another form of beef be used, not a ground beef fan?
Hi, Ground turkey will also work here. (You can skip the baking soda step.) Please let me know how it turns out!
Can this recipe be modified using chicken tenderloins? I know you have a chicken enchilada with tomatillo sauce but this sauce is amazing.
Hi Palma, You could go with ground chicken (and skip the baking soda) but I wouldn’t recommend tenderloins – sorry!
This looks really good, and I will definitely give this a try this weekend. Being lazy, I usually use the canned enchilada sauce, but sometimes I just make something else if I don’t have any. This version will definitely fill that void!. I am sure this is better anyway, and looks easy. For my husband, I will have to make it spicier as he likes everything HOT. I have really enjoyed your cookbook which I treated myself to at Christmas. I had never heard the tip about putting baking soda in ground beef, but I will be doing it from now on. I hope this is the right place to enter your giveaway for the Le Creuset pot.
Might be a stupid comment but your recipe doesn’t say anything about the meat after putting it on the plate. I would assume you put it in the sauce at some point?
Hi Bridget, It is added back to the skillet after the broth.
Thank you. I will be making these as I am having a knee replacement and need meals in the freezer. With just two of us, it will make more than one meal. I will also look at your other recipes and do the same.
Good luck with the surgery!!