Ground Beef Enchiladas
Posted Apr 17, 2023, Updated Feb 13, 2024
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The best ground beef enchiladas recipe! An easy ground beef filling is wrapped in tortillas, smothered with enchilada sauce, covered with cheese and baked to bubbly perfection!
Ground beef enchiladas are an easy and delicious recipe to serve to a crowd or make for your family on busy weeknights.
A flavorful ground beef filling is mixed with black olives, corn and cheese, wrapped in tortillas, smothered with enchilada sauce and topped with more cheese.
Baked to bubbly perfection, this easy ground beef enchilada recipe is one of our family’s favorite main dish recipes (along with all of our favorite Mexican Recipes)!
Ground Beef Enchiladas: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ground beef. You can sub ground turkey, if desired.
- Onion. Choose your favorite onion variety, our favorites include sweet onions and red onions.
- Minced Garlic. Freshly minced or jarred are both great choices.
- Taco Seasoning. I always have a large jar of this homemade taco seasoning on hand in my pantry – I highly recommend making it to use in this recipe (and others like these ground beef tacos and chicken quesadillas).
- Lime Juice. Freshly squeezed or bottled both work well in this recipe.
- Cheddar Cheese. In my opinion, the sharper the better! You can use a Mexican blend cheese if you prefer.
- Black Olives.Another key ingredient, I don’t recommend omitting but you can if you must. You can substitute green olives.
- Corn. Fresh corn cut off the cob, or frozen corn that has been thawed can be used in this recipe.
- Cilantro. There are no substitutes for fresh cilantro!
- Enchilada Sauce. choose your favorite enchilada sauce or make your own. I prefer red, but green sauce works too.
- Tortillas. Flour or corn tortillas both work well. Corn is a great gluten-free option. We prefer the taste and heartiness of flour tortillas.
How to Make Beef Enchiladas
This beef enchilada recipe is easy to make, but as always we’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Make the Ground Beef Filling:
Begin by making the beef filling – which only takes about 15 minutes. Combine the ground beef, onion and minced garlic in a non-stick fry pan or cast-iron skillet.
Then, cover the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the meat begins to brown and is no longer pink in the center, stirring often.
Once the ground beef begins to brown, add taco seasoning and stir until it’s evenly distributed.
Then, add the lime juice and stir to combine.
Continue cooking, uncovered, until the mixture is browned, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and add 1 cup cheddar cheese, black olives, corn and cilantro and stir to combine.
Assemble
Once the filling has finished cooking, it’s time to assemble the ground beef enchiladas! Begin by adding a half cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Then, add ¾ cup of the beef filling to the center of a tortilla.
Next, roll the tortilla tightly and place it in the baking dish. Repeat with 7 remaining tortillas and the rest of the filling, arranging them in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
Then, pour the remaining enchilada sauce over rolled tortillas and spread evenly.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over tortillas and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.
Serve
Let the beef enchilada recipe cool slightly then serve warm with your favorite toppings like sour cream! Here are some suggestions:
- The best homemade guacamole is a must-make to accompany these chicken enchiladas!
- Also this 5-minute homemade salsa. It’s made with canned tomatoes (or fresh if you prefer) so you can make and enjoy it year-round.
- These easy refried black beans are one of my favorite simple recipes that only take 10 minutes to make.
- If you’d prefer a vegetarian filling, try using these Black Bean Sweet Potato tacos – yum!
- Serve it with this black bean dip – yum!
How to Store Beef Enchiladas
Store leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To Freeze
There are two ways to freeze this beef enchiladas recipe:
- Freeze before baking. To freeze before baking simply assemble the enchiladas, cover tightly with plastic wrap then foil, and freeze. To bake from frozen remove the plastic wrap. Bake covered in aluminum foil until the filling is bubbly, then remove the foil and bake until cheese is melted. This is my preferred method.
- Freeze after baking. To freeze after baking simply follow the instructions, let cool to room temperature, then cover with foil and freeze. Reheat covered with foil until warmed through.
Beef Enchiladas Recipe FAQs
This recipe makes the best ground beef enchilada filling. You can add beans, sour cream, extra cheese, chopped onions, etc.
Make sure to bake them uncovered to keep the tortillas from becoming soggy.
We usually choose a Mexican cheese blend or sharp cheddar. Cotija is also a delicious option.
You can make your own, but I prefer to save time and use canned. I like Whole Foods brand enchilada sauce and hatch organic sauce. We use mild for our kids.
If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
Best Ground Beef Enchiladas Recipe
Ingredients
Enchilada Filling:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup onion (finely diced)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 4 Tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 1 cup sliced black olives (4 oz)
- 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen & thawed)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
- 15 ounces enchilada sauce (divided)
Tortillas & Toppings
- 8 to 10 flour tortillas
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese
- Homemade Guacamole
- Homemade Salsa
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13” pan
Make the Ground Beef Filling
- Combine ground beef, onion and minced garlic in a non-stick fry pan or cast-iron skillet.
- Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the meat begins to brown and is no longer pink in the center, stirring often.*
- Once the ground beef begins to brown, add taco seasoning and stir until it’s evenly distributed.
- Add the lime juice and stir to combine.
- Continue cooking, uncovered, until the mixture is browned, stirring occasionally
- Once the meat is lightly browned, remove the skillet from the heat and add 1 cup cheddar cheese, black olives, corn and cilantro and stir to combine.
Assemble the Beef Enchiladas
- Pour ½ cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Add ¾ cup of filling to the center of a tortilla. Roll tightly and place in the baking dish. Repeat with 7 remaining tortillas and the rest of the filling, arranging them in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Pour remaining enchilada sauce over rolled tortillas and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle 1 ½ cups cheese evenly over tortillas.
Bake & Serve
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.
- Let cool slightly then serve warm with your favorite toppings (salsa, guacamole, sour cream, etc.)
Video
Notes
- Ground beef. You can sub ground turkey, if desired.
- Onion. Choose your favorite onion variety, our favorites include sweet onions and red onions.
- Minced Garlic. Freshly minced or jarred are both great choices.
- Taco Seasoning. I always have a large jar of this homemade taco seasoning on hand in my pantry – I highly recommend making it to use in this recipe (and others like these ground beef tacos and chicken quesadillas).
- Lime Juice. Freshly squeezed or bottled both work well in this recipe.
- Cheddar Cheese. In my opinion, the sharper the better! You can use a Mexican blend cheese if you prefer.
- Black Olives.Another key ingredient, I don’t recommend omitting but you can if you must. You can substitute green olives.
- Corn. Fresh corn cut off the cob, or frozen corn that has been thawed can be used in this recipe.
- Cilantro. There are no substitutes for fresh cilantro!
- Enchilada Sauce. choose your favorite enchilada sauce or make your own. I prefer red, but green sauce works too.
- Tortillas. Flour or corn tortillas both work well. Corn is a great gluten-free option. We prefer the taste and heartiness of flour tortillas.
- Freeze before baking. To freeze before baking simply assemble the enchiladas, cover tightly with plastic wrap then foil, and freeze. To bake from frozen remove the plastic wrap. Bake covered in aluminum foil until the filling is bubbly, then remove the foil and bake until cheese is melted. This is my preferred method.
- Freeze after baking. To freeze after baking simply follow the instructions, let cool to room temperature, then cover with foil and freeze. Reheat covered with foil until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you use 8″ or 10″ Tortillas?
You can use either. I like 10″ because you can get more filling inside!
Ummm these were sooooo good. Whole family loved them!
Such a delicious enchilada recipe – the filling is so full of flavor!