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Home Mexican Recipes

Beef Enchiladas

By:Nagi
Published:15 Aug '19Updated:11 Oct '22
706 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Beef Enchiladas with an extra tasty, saucy filling, smothered with a homemade Enchilada Sauce. My time saving trick is to use one base Enchilada spice mix for both the sauce and filling!

This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!

Close up of beef enchiladas in a baking dish, fresh out of the oven

Beef Enchiladas

I love that there are so many variations of Beef Enchiladas in this big-wide-world.

Simple ones, filled with a plain cooked beef filling then topped with enchilada sauce and (lots of) cheese. Fancy ones with the addition of chillies, beans, corn and even olives, sometimes even bacon. Hidden vegetable versions (don’t ever try that on me, I can pick them a mile away).

Shredded beef enchiladas, short rib ones.

And today I’m sharing mine. 🙂 It’s made with:

  • A simple homemade Enchilada sauce which is quick to make and so, SO much better than store bought;

  • A flavour loaded beef and bean filling which is made with ground beef (mince), a load of Tex-Mex spices, refried beans AND black beans. Bean overload? Definitely not! The refried beans add bulk while keeping the filling nice and juicy so we can have nice, big, plump enchiladas!

Overhead photo of Beef Enchiladas, fresh out of the oven
The filling of these beef enchiladas have extra oomph with the addition a refried beans, a good hit of spices and splash of Enchilada sauce!

Preparation of beef and bean enchiladas

What you need for Beef Enchiladas

Here’s what goes in my beef enchiladas.

Ingredients in Beef Enchiladas

Just a note on a few of the ingredients:

  • Refried beans – the “secret ingredient” that really fills out the beef mixture so you can big, plump, generously stuffed enchiladas that are nice and juicy. I use this in my Chicken Enchiladas too – works a treat!

  • Black beans  – to fill it out a bit and add a different texture to the filling. Diced vegetables are great to add too – especially red peppers / capsicum.

  • Homemade Enchilada Sauce – made with either tomato passata or canned tomato sauce (US, I like Hunts), plus a good hit of Tex-Mex spices.

  • Beef – This is a recipe for beef enchiladas so it’s made with ground beef. But it can be substituted with pork, chicken or turkey!

Making beef enchiladas

Here’s my little time saving trick: one spice mix to flavour both the beef filling AND the Enchilada Sauce.

How to make Beef Enchiladas

There’s a good back of Tex-Mex spices in this! Some of it is used for the homemade Enchilada Sauce, and the rest is used to flavour the Beef and Bean Filling.

How to make beef Enchiladas
Close up of Beef and Bean Enchiladas on a plate, ready to be eaten

Try these on the side

  • Corn Salad with Avocado

  • Grilled Corn or try this Mexican Corn

  • Everyday Cabbage Salad

  • Broccoli Salad

  • Pico de Gallo (Authentic Mexican Salsa)

Ahhh. These Beef Enchiladas. I really hate using the words “these are the BEST!” for any of my recipes because we all have different palettes, and what I may think is the “best” might not be to someone elses’ taste.

But truly, to me, to this day, even after having consumed more than my fair share of Enchiladas at Tex-Mex restaurants across America, I still think these are better. Way, WAY better than the mainstream chain restaurants!

Hope you had a great weekend! – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Close up of beef enchiladas in a baking dish, fresh out of the oven

Beef Enchiladas

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 45 mins
Dinner
Mexican
4.98 from 238 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above. Moreishly delish! These beef enchiladas are made extra tasty with a juicy filling made with beef, refried beans and a homemade Enchilada spice mix. The refried beans are excellent here – fills it out, makes the Filling juicy and adds flavour! 

Ingredients

Spice Mix

  • 1 tsp each onion & garlic powder (Note 1)
  • 1 tbsp each cumin powder, paprika and dried oregano
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, spiciness)

Enchilada Sauce

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp flour , plain/all purpose
  • 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock / broth , low sodium
  • 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) tomato passata OR US 1 can (8 oz) canned tomato sauce (eg Hunts) (Note 2)
  • 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Beef

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 onion , finely chopped (~1 cup)
  • 1 lb / 500g ground beef (mince)
  • 400g / 14oz refried beans (1 can, I use Old El Paso)
  • 400g / 14oz black beans, drained (1 can, Note 3)

Enchiladas

  • 8 tortillas (or burrito wraps)
  • 1.5 cups (150g) grated melting cheese, or more (I like Monterey Jack, tasty or cheddar cheese)
  • Cilantro/coriander leaves , roughly chopped (optional garnish)

Instructions

  • Mix together Spice Mix ingredients. Set aside.

Enchilada Sauce

  • Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and mix to combine into a paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, whisk straight away then it will turn into a thick smooth paste quite quickly.
  • Add remaining chicken broth, passata, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of SPICE MIX. Whisk
  • Increase heat slightly to medium high. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking regularly, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of thick syrup (see video). Remove from stove.

Filling

  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
  • Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add beef and cook for 2 minutes, breaking it up as you go. Add remaining Spice Mix. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until completely brown.
  • Add refried beans, black beans, about 1/4 cup of Enchilada Sauce + salt & pepper. Mix (Note 4) and cook for 2 minutes then remove from stove (see video).

Enchiladas

  • Smear a bit of Sauce on the bottom of a baking dish (stops sliding).
  • Place filling on the lower third of a tortilla. Roll up then place in the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining Filling & Tortillas.
  • Pour Sauce over the Enchiladas, top with cheese, bake for 10 minutes covered (Note 5) then 10 minutes uncovered. Serve hot!

Recipe Notes:

1. You can just use all onion or garlic powder, if you only have one of them. Fresh garlic is not the same, however, as a last resort substitution, you can use 3 garlic cloves, minced, instead of onion & garlic powder. Saute in the heated oil before proceeding with the recipe.
2. Tomato passata is pureed plain tomatoes that is not seasoned. Unlike crushed tomatoes, it is thick and smooth, like a thick tomato soup. In Australia it can be purchased in a bottle in the pasta aisle of major supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths). You can make your own simply by using a blender to puree canned tomatoes.
America: If you can’t find passata in the US (it is available at Walmart, Costco), a great substitute is US canned tomato sauce eg Hunts (yes, I’m such a food nerd I brought back cans to use for this recipe and it’s a near perfect substitute).
3. Black beans are commonly used in Mexican & Tex Mex cooking. It’s becoming more widely available in Australia. It can be purchased in the Mexican or canned beans aisle in most major supermarkets, as well as Harris Farms and Thomas Dux. You can substitute with red kidney beans or another type of beans if you prefer.
4. The refried beans should loosen as it heats and stir through easily. If not, add a splash of water.
5. To bake covered, I just pop a baking tray on top on the baking dish. Otherwise, cover with foil.
6. To make ahead, roll up enchiladas and place in casserole dish (can smear with sauce underneath). Keep sauce separate and top just before baking.
7. Nutrition per serving, assuming you use lean beef mince (this is a great recipe for using lean beef, you would never know!).
Beef Enchiladas_Nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 608gCalories: 649cal (32%)Carbohydrates: 55.3g (18%)Protein: 45.6g (91%)Fat: 28.6g (44%)Saturated Fat: 10.3g (64%)Cholesterol: 116mg (39%)Sodium: 1237mg (54%)Potassium: 1183mg (34%)Fiber: 13.4g (56%)Sugar: 5.7g (6%)Vitamin A: 1600IU (32%)Vitamin C: 47.9mg (58%)Calcium: 340mg (34%)Iron: 20.5mg (114%)
Keywords: beef enchiladas, enchiladas recipe
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

Originally published June 2016. Updated August 2019 with new photos, new video, new process photos and refreshed writing – no change to recipe, I wouldn’t dare!

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706 Comments

  1. Carrie says

    August 30, 2022 at 8:22 am

    5 stars
    This is my new go-to Enchilada recipe! Easy to cook and very tasty. I wasn’t sure if my picky family would eat refried beans , so I only used half of a 20oz can. They didn’t even notice! I’d highly recommend this recipe and wouldn’t change a thing.

    Reply
  2. Ron Self says

    August 30, 2022 at 3:38 am

    WHAT TYPE OF TORTILLA DO YOU USE, NEVER SAW IT MENTIONED IN RECIPE ??CORN OR FLOOR??

    Reply
    • Ann L. says

      October 8, 2022 at 6:51 pm

      I personally use flour in all my enchilada dishes but I’m sure corn can easily be substituted!!

      Reply
  3. Kristina D says

    August 24, 2022 at 12:17 pm

    5 stars
    This is a great dish and I use my left over beef roast meat, I just mince it. All of the seasoning covers the beef roast flavor and the homemade red sauce makes it delicious. My family loves it.

    Reply
  4. Chris says

    August 9, 2022 at 11:05 pm

    5 stars
    Really good dish. I think the spice mix is perfect and gives a wonderfully authentic flavour. Another great recipetineats recipe.

    Reply
  5. Francois says

    August 8, 2022 at 7:43 am

    Hi Nagi from Quebec !
    Thank you so much for this superb recipe…it is soooo good…everybody loved it.

    Reply
  6. Jackie says

    August 5, 2022 at 6:34 pm

    Love that your recipes can be adjusted for serve numbers, saves me time. Your recipes are great too. Give Dozer a treat and a pat from me – he looks deprived!

    Reply
  7. Stephen Turney says

    July 24, 2022 at 5:04 pm

    The flour just clumps and the flour soaked up the oil so I ended up using more oil. I did it have it on high. Could this be the reason?

    Reply
  8. Lea says

    July 23, 2022 at 9:15 am

    5 stars
    Thank you! This tasted so authentic to me, I used whole oregano and it was delish!

    Reply
  9. Paul says

    July 17, 2022 at 9:13 am

    Really yummy. They are big and filling. We only ate one and with a salad one was a plenty.love your recipes.

    Reply
  10. Christine Cheshire says

    July 12, 2022 at 8:32 am

    5 stars
    All I can say, is “WOW”. This had a fabulous flavor that both my hubby and I loved. We only made half and still have lots of leftovers. I used 1/2 a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Perfecto, Nagi!

    Reply
  11. kim says

    July 10, 2022 at 4:07 am

    5 stars
    this was so good! i accidentally added too much refried beans but the meat filling and the homemade enchilada sauce is SO GOOD!! totally going to make this again with less refried beans 🤣

    Reply
  12. Linda Kachur says

    July 5, 2022 at 9:00 am

    Many say that wheat enchiladas tend to get too mushy and melt into the sauce. Line the stuffed tortilla into a well oiled baking pan, and bake without the sauce. When it is toasted nice and brown, pour the sauce on. The texture of the tortilla will make you smile.

    Reply
  13. Kaitlyn says

    July 5, 2022 at 8:42 am

    5 stars
    I cook this all the time for family and friends. It’s an easy meal that the kids love and they taste great!

    Reply
  14. Alexandra says

    July 5, 2022 at 4:04 am

    Amazing! Really helped me out to make enchiladas. I didn’t follow the recipe the exactly but this is one of the few recipes that is really flexible. Thanks so much!

    Reply
  15. Leanne says

    June 16, 2022 at 9:05 pm

    I made this tonight for dinner, everyone loved them. As usual great easy recipe to follow and delicious. I won’t be buying enchiladas again. Thankyou , Nagi Thankyou

    Reply
  16. Colleen says

    June 15, 2022 at 4:32 pm

    5 stars
    Omg this is the bomb. My partner and I love love love them. Thank you for this recipe. We cook them maybe weekly or fortnightly. Love the flavour.

    Reply
  17. Kandra says

    June 13, 2022 at 2:34 am

    5 stars
    This recipe exceeded my expectations in every way. I don’t care for red enchilada sauce but this…this ! This was amazing ! I followed the recipe exactly and will make these again and again and again. I used corn tortillas because flour tortillas have no business being called enchiladas. HA! They are amazing reheated the next morning for breakfast with eggs. I know this because I am having exactly that as I type this. Great recipe !

    Reply
  18. Billie says

    June 11, 2022 at 6:07 am

    5 stars
    I have to say that I was a little dubious but oh my, it’s left me wanting more. The only additional thing I did was add a tiny naga chilli for depth of flavour and heat as well as ground coriander instead of oregano to the spice mix.

    This will definitely be a firm favourite.

    Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
  19. mary says

    June 7, 2022 at 10:17 pm

    I can’t wait to make this. I have loved all your recipes. I can figure it out, but the recipe doesn’t adjust the tomato sauce, just the passata, when you change the number of servings.

    Reply
  20. Felicia says

    June 4, 2022 at 10:37 pm

    5 stars
    First time making enchiladas, really really nice – but you’re right about branded enchilada bottle sauce, so not great, will be less lazy next time & make yours 🙂

    Reply
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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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