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Stacked Beef Enchiladas (AKA Mexican Lasagna)

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By Jenn Segal
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With layers of corn tortillas, spicy ground beef, salsa and cheese, this stacked beef enchilada casserole is a huge family-pleaser.

serving slice of stacked beef enchiladas.

You know when you make a dish for the first time and your whole family loves it, and you’re thrilled because you’ve found a new recipe to add to your repertoire forever? That’s how I felt the first time I cooked these hearty stacked beef enchiladas. With layers of corn tortillas, spicy ground beef, roasted tomato salsa, and cheese, it’s a cross between traditional beef enchiladas and lasagna — yet easier to make than both. It’s a great make-ahead dish for a potluck or big family dinner. And if you prepare the sauce in advance, it’s doable on a weeknight, too.

Table of Contents

What You’ll Need To Make Stacked Beef Enchiladas

stacked beef enchiladas ingredients
  • Ground Beef: The main protein that fills the layers of the enchiladas. 90% lean beef is ideal for its lower fat content while still providing rich flavor (with extra lean beef, there is no need to drain the fat).
  • Baking Soda: Used for tenderizing the beef.
  • Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic: These ingredients are used to create a vibrant and rich sauce, essentially a roasted tomato salsa.
  • Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Chipotle Chili Pepper: This spice trio infuses the dish with earthy, spicy, and smoky notes, giving the enchiladas bold Mexican flavor.
  • Cilantro: Adds a pop of herbal freshness and color.
  • Yellow Corn Tortillas: The foundation for the stacked enchiladas, these tortillas are cut into quarters for easy layering.
  • Mexican Blend Cheese: A mix of cheeses that includes cheddar and Monterey Jack, this blend melts beautifully, creating gooey, stretchy layers that bind the enchiladas together.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Tenderize the Beef

To begin, mash the ground beef and the baking soda in a large bowl and let sit on the counter for about 20 minutes. The baking soda raises the pH of the meat, helping to lock in moisture and make the beef melt-in-your-mouth tender.

mashed ground beef and baking soda.

Step 2: Make the Sauce

Toss the tomatoes, onions, and garlic with the vegetable oil directly on a foil-lined baking sheet.

tomatoes, onions, and garlic on baking sheet.

Broil until softened and charred, 12 to15 minutes (if the vegetables are browning too quickly, give them a quick stir with a rubber spatula).

roasted tomatoes and vegetables on baking sheet.

Transfer the vegetables and juices to a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper and pulse until just slightly chunky — then toss in the cilantro leaves.

adding cilantro to blended vegetables in food processor.

Pulse until the cilantro is chopped. Set the sauce aside.

finished roasted tomato salsa in food processor.

Step 3: Make the Beef Filling

Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently and breaking into pieces, until just slightly pink, about 2 minutes.

sautéing ground beef in skillet.

Add the chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes more, or until cooked through.

browned ground beef in skillet.

Step 4: Assemble the Casserole

Preheat oven to 350°F and move the oven rack to the center position. Lightly oil a 9×13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Set aside 1 cup of the sauce for the top of the casserole. (You want to ensure that you have enough to cover the top layer of tortillas, otherwise they won’t cook through.) Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a layer of tortillas, overlapping them slightly.

layer of corn tortillas in baking dish.

Spoon half of the beef (and any juices) over the tortillas, followed by half of the sauce.

first layer of salsa in baking dish

Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over the sauce.

first layer of cheese in baking dish.

Repeat with another layer of tortillas, the remaining beef, remaining sauce, and 1/3 of the cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas. Spread the reserved cup of sauce over the tortillas and cover completely. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over top.

finished stacked enchilada casserole ready to bake.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is completely melted.

baked stacked enchiladas fresh out of the oven.

Slice the stacked enchiladas into squares and serve.

removing slice of stacked beef enchiladas from baking dish

Video Tutorial

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Print

Stacked Beef Enchiladas (AKA Mexican Lasagna)

Metric Cup Measures
By Jenn Segal

With layers of corn tortillas, spicy ground beef, salsa and cheese, this stacked beef enchilada casserole is a huge family-pleaser.

Servings: 8
Total Time: 1 Hour 5 Minutes

Ingredients

For the Beef

  • 1½ pounds 90% lean ground beef
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1½ teaspoons ground chipotle chile pepper (see note)
  • 2½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon salt

For the Sauce

  • 4 large vine-ripened tomatoes (about 1.3 lb), quartered
  • 2 medium yellow onions, cut into ½-inch wedges
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves

For Assembling

  • 10 (8-in) yellow corn tortillas, cut into quarters (I use Mission brand)
  • 4 cups (12 oz) shredded Mexican blend cheese

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef and the baking soda. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Let sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes.
  2. While the beef sits, prepare the sauce. Set an oven rack about 5 inches beneath the heating element and preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  3. Toss the tomatoes, onions, and garlic with the vegetable oil directly on the prepared baking sheet. Broil until softened and charred, 12 to15 minutes (if the vegetables are browning too quickly, give them a quick stir with a rubber spatula). Transfer the vegetables and juices to a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper and pulse until just slightly chunky. Add the cilantro and pulse until the cilantro is chopped. Set the sauce aside.
  4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently and breaking into pieces, until just slightly pink, about 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes more, or until cooked through.
  5. To assemble: Preheat oven to 350°F and move the oven rack to the center position. Lightly oil a 9x13-in glass or ceramic baking dish.
  6. Set aside 1 cup of the sauce for the top of the casserole. (You want to ensure that you have enough to cover the top layer of tortillas, otherwise they won't cook through.)
  7. Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a layer of tortillas, overlapping them slightly. Spoon half of the beef (and any juices) over the tortillas. Top with half of the sauce and ⅓ of the cheese. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, the remaining beef, remaining sauce, and ⅓ of the cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas. Spread the reserved sauce over the tortillas and cover completely. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over top. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is completely melted.
  8. Note: Ground chipotle chile pepper is smoky and hot and makes this dish a little spicy. For a milder dish, replace the ground chipotle chile pepper with ground ancho chili pepper, which isn't as hot.
  9. MAKE-AHEAD/FREEZER-FRIENDLY INSTRUCTIONS: The casserole can be prepared ahead of time, tightly covered with foil, and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to 3 months before baking (if frozen, defrost in the refrigerator before cooking). It can also be fully baked, tightly covered with foil, and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat: defrost if necessary and heat the covered casserole in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes, or until hot. If you'd rather reheat individual servings, small portions can be zapped in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (8 servings)
  • Calories: 491
  • Fat: 32 g
  • Saturated fat: 11 g
  • Carbohydrates: 21 g
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 30 g
  • Sodium: 608 mg
  • Cholesterol: 96 mg
Nutritional Data Disclaimer

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.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

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Comments

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  • Hi Jenn, with all due respect, but do you know the meaning for ‘enchilada’?
    An enchilada (/ˌɛntʃɪˈlɑːdə/, Spanish: [entʃiˈlaða]) is a corn tortilla rolled around a filling and covered with a chili pepper sauce. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enchilada)
    And there’s no rolled tortillas nor chili pepper. When you use the tortilla in that way we call it chilaquiles. I love many of your recipes and I made some of them but also I like to say a constructive critic.

    • Hi Dan, I do love enchiladas! While I agree that “stacked” enchiladas are not authentic, they are definitely a thing — at least on the Internet! 🙂

      • Sadies in Albuquerque offers chicken enchiladas either rolled or stacked. They are yum, but very spicy with green chiles.

    • Eh, not a biggie. I lived in Cholula, Mexico and enchiladas were certainly rolled, but I had a roommate from Santa Fe and she made her enchiladas stacked (and with blue corn tortillas).

  • Hi Jenn-

    This looks really good! What yould you think about substitiuting a fresh salsa from the supermarket (for example Jack’s Garden Fresh Gourmet medium) for your sauce? If you approve, about how many cups:)?

    • Hi Dawn, I’m not familiar with that brand so I really can’t say but as long as it’s a cooked salsa (not fresh), I think it could work. The recipe makes about 2-3/4 cups. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it.

  • Can this be frozen? And would you freeze it before or after cooking? I’m looking for dishes to give to new parents. Any suggestions for great freezable dinner would be appreciated. Thanks!

    • Definitely — see the make-ahead/freezing instructions at the end of the recipe. Hope you enjoy it!

  • The recipe doesn’t say to drain the ground beef after cooking it. Is it really not necessary? Looking forward to making this – as with all of your recipes, I’m sure it will be delicious!

    • Hi Janice, Since the recipe calls for 90% lean ground beef, there is really not much to drain — promise!

  • Winner winner enchilada dinner! I love enchiladas but they’re kind of putsie.
    Italian lasagna gets kind of boring. The only change I would make with these is adding some red chili peppers when roasting the onions for a little more zing.

  • I have a ton of ground Venison. What are your thoughts on subbing it in Lieu of the beef?

    • I think it’d work nicely, Michael. Please lmk how it turns out if you try it.

      • Turned out great. Paired it with some pintos simmered with halfway cooked bacon and jalapenos dashed with some Louisiana hot sauce and some Basmati rice infused with lime zest and Cilantro. Topped it with a little sour cream and salsa. Squeeze of lime wedge. Excellent! A little high maintenance but definitely worth it!

  • I’d love to make this. What can I sub for the cilantro?

    • Hi Michael, Totally fine to just omit it.

  • can you sub flour burritos? I happen to have some on hand.

    • Hi Cheryl, I don’t recommend it – the corn tortillas add really nice flavor and they have a heartier texture that holds up a little better. Sorry!

    • I just made this with flour tortillas and it was delicious.
      My personal preference is for more heat, so I think next time I will double the chili called for and/or throw in some sliced jalapeños. Thank you for the recipe!

  • Hi Jenn!
    I’ll be making this with ground turkey. Any need for the baking soda?

    • Hi Edi, You can omit it. I’d love to know how it turns out with turkey.

  • Hi, I just noticed that the recipe cuts out the onions when switching between metric and cup measurements.

    • Hi Trevor, So sorry, there was a glitch in the system and all the ingredients were jumbled – it has been corrected.

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