Are you looking for a super simple weeknight dinner idea that everyone in the family is going to be lining up for seconds for? These cheesy ground beef enchiladas are awesome. Not only are they packed full of cheese but they’re also super tasty, too. It’s time to introduce a new dish to the family!
These easy beef enchiladas are great because the recipe is such a simple process to follow, and they are super easy to make. Like my cheesy rib eye enchiladas, they’re meaty, so full of flavor, and fool-proof.
There have been too many times in my life that I’ve attempted recipes that just left me scratching my head, and thankfully, this isn’t one of the last. Because let’s face it…at the end of a busy day, the last thing that we all want or need is to have to try to create a super difficult recipe on top of everything else going on.
We love having this recipe during the week because it’s fast, delicious, and packed full of awesome flavor. It’s one of my favorite Mexican food recipes to make for Taco Tuesday. I love knowing that I can easily prep this a bit beforehand as well, which can even save me even more time in the long run!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: These enchiladas are made with ground beef, tortillas, and handful of other simple ingredients you can find in your pantry or at your local grocery store.
- Quick and Easy: It only takes a few simple steps and a little over an hour from start to finish. Most of that is baking time!
- Big, Bold Flavor: The bold seasonings, enchilada sauce, ground beef, and cheese pack these enchiladas full of delicious, meaty, zesty flavor in every bite.
- Customizable: It’s so easy to tweak this recipe to make it your own, so you can make a variety of enchilada dishes.
- Versatile: Serve these enchiladas for a Taco Tuesday dinner, at potlucks, or for game day parties.
- Great for Meal Prep: These enchiladas freeze well, so feel free to make extra and save them for later.
Ingredients
I’ve listed all the ingredients you’ll need to make these enchiladas. You can find their exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Ground beef
- Onions
- Garlic
- Cumin
- Cajun seasoning
- Red pepper flakes
- Pepper
- Diced jalapenos
- Enchilada sauce
- Sliced black olives
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Flour tortillas
Variations
- Ground Beef: For a lower-fat version, use ground chicken or turkey. For even more Mexican flavor, try using ground chorizo. You can also use pulled beef or pork, as well.
- Mild: Omit the jalapenos or use diced green chiles for a milder version.
- Cheese: I used Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, but other great choices include cheddar Jack, Mexican blend, and taco blend.
- Tortillas: Corn tortillas work very well in place of flour tortillas, so use your favorite.
How to Make Cheesy Ground Beef Enchiladas
I’ve included an overview of this easy recipe here, but you can find the specific instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Cook the beef and onions in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Then, add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add the seasonings and jalapenos. Then, add the enchilada sauce and cook on medium heat until hot and bubbly.
- Add a little enchilada sauce to the bottom of a prepared 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
- Add a couple of heaping spoonfuls of the meat mixture to the center of a tortilla. Then, top with both cheeses and a few olives. Roll tightly, and place the enchilada seam side down in the dish. Repeat until all the enchiladas are rolled and placed in a single layer.
- Once you’ve made a single layer, pour enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and repeat to make a second layer. Top with the rest of the meat, more enchilada sauce, cheese, and more olives.
- Cover with foil and bake until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
- Serve hot with your favorite toppings like sour cream, sliced green onions, cilantro, and sliced avocados.
Tips
- Always drain your ground beef after cooking it, even if you use lean ground beef. You don’t want a greasy filling!
- Spray your baking dish just before filling it to ensure the nonstick spray doesn’t pool at the bottom of the dish.
- Wash your hands thoroughly and NEVER touch your face when you work with hot peppers.
- Refrigerate your onion for about 30 minutes to eliminate stinging eyes.
- If you opt for corn tortillas, warm them before filling and folding them to ensure they’re pliable.
Cheesy Ground Beef Enchiladas FAQ
Beef enchiladas are typically seasoned with chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Other seasonings may be added, as well, depending on the recipe.
Several varieties of cheese work very well in ground beef enchiladas. Try Monterey Jack, cheddar, Asadero, Queso Quesadilla, cheddar Jack, Mexican blend, and taco blend.
Lean ground beef works very well for beef enchiladas. Because the enchiladas are so full of other bold flavors, there’s no need to go with a fattier ground beef blend for flavor.
More Delicious Enchilada Recipes
And, here are some delicious Mississippi Chicken Enchiladas from Deliciously Seasoned you are sure to love as well.
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- In a large frying pan or skillet cook ground beef over medium high heat, add onions and cook until meat is no longer pink.
- Add garlic to beef mixture and cook for an additional two or three minutes stirring occasionally. Drain grease and return to pan.
- Sprinkle seasonings, pepper red pepper flakes and jalapenos over ground beef. Stir.
- Pour large can of enchilada sauce into meat mixture, stir until combined and heat over medium flame until hot and bubbly.
- Open smaller enchiladas sauce and pour a little bit into prepared baking dish. Set aside.
- Take one tortilla at a time, add a couple heaping spoonfuls of meat mixture into center of tortilla followed by both types of cheese and a 5-6 olives.
- Roll and place each enchiladas seam side down in the baking dish.
- Once the bottom layer is filled, pour a little more enchilada sauce on top and then repeat by placing the remaining enchiladas on top of the first layer.
- Next, add any leftover meat mixture on top of the enchiladas then pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, top with remaining cheese and then add the olives.
- Cover with foil and place on a baking sheet to catch any spillage.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly.
- Carefully remove from oven and serve with sour cream, slice green onions, cilantro and sliced avocados, optional.
Cheesy Ground Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef, cooked, drained
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama® seasoning
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons diced jalapenos , (can use diced green chilies instead)
- 28 ounce red enchilada sauce
- 15 ounce red enchilada sauce
- 6.5 ounce black olives, sliced
- 3-4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3-4 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 16 large flour tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° and spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with a non stick spray right before filling.
- In a large frying pan or skillet cook ground beef over medium high heat, add onions and cook until meat is no longer pink.
- Add garlic to beef mixture and cook for an additional two or three minutes stirring occasionally. Drain grease and return to pan..
- Sprinkle seasonings, pepper, red pepper flakes and jalapenos over ground beef. Stir.
- Pour large can of enchilada sauce into meat mixture, stir until combined and cook over medium heat until hot and bubbly. Stir as needed.
- Open smaller enchilada sauce and pour a little bit into prepared baking dish. Set aside.
- Take one tortilla at a time, add a couple heaping spoonfuls of meat mixture into center of tortilla, followed by both types of cheese and about 5-6 olives.
- Roll and place each enchiladas in the baking dish.
- Once the bottom layer is filled, pour a little more enchilada sauce on top and then repeat by placing the remaining enchiladas on top of the first layer.
- Next, add any leftover meat mixture on top of the enchiladas then pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, top with remaining cheese and then add the olives
- Cover with foil and place baking dish on a baking sheet to catch any spillage.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly.
- Carefully remove from oven and serve with sour cream, slice green onions, cilantro and sliced avocados, optional.
Notes
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Be aware that the longer the enchiladas are stored, the softer the tortillas will become.
- Freeze the enchiladas for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
- Defrost overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Then, microwave individual portions at 1-minute intervals.
- Always drain your ground beef after cooking it, even if you use lean ground beef. You don’t want a greasy filling!
- Spray your baking dish just before filling it to ensure the nonstick spray doesn’t pool at the bottom of the dish.
- Wash your hands thoroughly and NEVER touch your face when you work with hot peppers.
- Refrigerate your onion for about 30 minutes to eliminate stinging eyes.
- If you opt for corn tortillas, warm them before filling and folding them to ensure they’re pliable.
Nutrition
