Beef Enchiladas with Sauce (Printable)
Ground beef wrapped in tortillas, baked with zesty sauce and melted cheese for a comforting Mexican-inspired meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Homemade Enchilada Sauce
01 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
02 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
03 - 3 tablespoons chili powder
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 2 cups chicken or beef broth
→ Beef Filling
12 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
13 - 1 pound ground beef
14 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
15 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
16 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
17 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
18 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
19 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
20 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
21 - 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
22 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
→ Assembly
23 - 8 medium (8-inch) flour tortillas
24 - 2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
25 - Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
26 - Sour cream, for serving (optional)
27 - Sliced jalapeños, for serving (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for one minute. Stir in chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add tomato paste and gradually whisk in broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft, about three minutes. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat if necessary. Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and diced tomatoes. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cilantro if using. Remove from heat.
04 - Spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place about 1/4 cup of beef filling and 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese onto each tortilla, roll tightly, and arrange seam side down in the dish.
05 - Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.
06 - Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden.
07 - Allow enchiladas to rest for 5 minutes before garnish with cilantro. Serve with sour cream and sliced jalapeños if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce is genuinely homemade in under ten minutes—no can opener required, and you'll taste the difference immediately.
- Your guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen when really it comes together while you're relaxing and chatting.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
02 -
- If your sauce is too thin, let it simmer a minute longer; if it's too thick, whisk in a splash more broth—you want something that coats the tortillas but still pours easily.
- Brown your beef properly before seasoning it; the browning creates flavor that no amount of spice powder can replicate.
- Don't overbake; the moment the cheese stops bubbling and turns golden is your signal to pull it out—overbaked enchiladas dry out and the tortillas get tough.
03 -
- Make the sauce while your beef is browning—you'll finish them at almost the same time and nothing sits around getting cold.
- If you're short on time, you can assemble the enchiladas in the morning and bake them right before dinner; cover them with plastic wrap if you refrigerate them.