Filled with beef, refried beans, and cheese, these Ground Beef Enchiladas are a Tex-Mex favorite! These enchiladas only take a few ingredients, and are easy enough for a weeknight.
Enchiladas are definitely a favorite around here, from our delicious White Chicken Enchiladas to Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas. And add these Ground Beef Enchiladas to the list of favorites!
These Ground Beef Enchiladas have quickly become a family favorite. They are easy, they are packed with flavor, and are perfect when that craving for Mexican food hits!
I love that this is a recipe I can make when I don’t have anything on the menu – I keep these ingredients in my pantry, so it’s a great pantry staple recipe.
This would also make a great meal if you need to take dinner to someone. Just bake them up in a disposable dish and it’s a great dinner for a friend or neighbor in need.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for full amounts and instructions.
- Ground Beef: I like to choose a ground beef that is fairly lean so that I don’t have to drain off any fat. I’ll usually go with a 90/10 mix.
- Taco Seasoning: I like to use my homemade taco seasoning mix, but you can also use store bought.
- Refried Beans: You just need one can of refried beans. You could also use a can of pinto beans (drained and rinsed) but I love the texture that the refried beans bring.
- Enchilada Sauce: Make sure to use an enchilada sauce that you know that you love. The flavor will really come through.
- Tortillas: We are fans of flour tortillas for these enchiladas, but you could definitely use corn tortillas. I like flour because they come in a bigger size, and they hold together better.
- Cheese: We use a mixture of cheddar and Monterey Jack. You can also just use cheddar jack. Or switch up the cheese to something you love.
- Cilantro and/or Green Onions: These are optional for adding after the enchiladas have baked, but I always like adding something fresh.
How to Make Ground Beef Enchiladas
STEP 1: Cook the ground beef in a skillet, (I like to use my cast iron skillet), and break it up as it is cooking.
STEP 2: Once the beef is cooked through, add the taco seasoning and the water. Let this all simmer together until most of the water has evaporated.
STEP 3: Stir in the refried beans and let it all heat through.
STEP 4: Add about 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce to the bottom of your baking dish. This doesn’t need to be exact – you just need enough to cover the bottom.
STEP 5: Spread some of the ground beef mixture down the center of each tortilla, and top with 1 tablespoon of cheddar and 1 tablespoon of Monterey Jack.
STEP 6: Roll the tortillas up and place them in the baking dish, seam side down so that they don’t come unrolled.
STEP 7: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top. I like to make sure I get all of the tortillas covered in the sauce.
STEP 8: Add the remaining cheese to the top, then bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
Tips and Tricks
This might seem like a lot of enchilada sauce, but some of it soaks in and then you are left with a little in the pan to spoon over the top of the enchiladas. No dry enchiladas here!
I like to lay out all 10 tortillas on my counter, then add the meat mixture. This way, I make sure all of the enchiladas get the same amount of filling. So many times, I’m left with way too much at the end, or I have an enchilada that doesn’t have enough filling. This solves that problem.
You can serve these enchiladas as they are, or put out some shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and sour cream for topping.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
I recently made these enchiladas ahead of time for a family dinner, and they worked perfectly! I made them 2 days in advance, but for the best results, I’d suggest only making them 1 day in advance.
To make ahead, prepare the enchiladas completely, but do not bake them. Cover them with foil and refrigerate them. Let them sit out for about 30 minutes before baking. I left them covered to bake, and then just took the foil off at the end.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Mexican Inspired Recipes
Grilled Mexican Corn on the Cob
Tres Leches Cake
Taco Casserole
Pork Carnitas
Chicken Burrito Recipe
Queso Blanco
Virgin Frozen Margaritas
LOOKING FOR MORE FREE RECIPES?
Subscribe to my free recipe newsletter to get new family friendly recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more family-friendly inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
Ground Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 cup water
- 1 16 oz can refried beans
- 1 28 oz can red enchilada sauce
- 10 8 inch flour tortillas
- 6 oz cheddar cheese shredded
- 6 oz Monterey jack cheese shredded
- Cilantro and green onions for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Cook, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned and cooked through.
- Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the top of the beef, then pour in the water. Mix everything together, and let it cook, stirring often, until most of the water has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
- Stir the refried beans into the ground beef mixture. Once heated through, turn off the heat.
- Pour about 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Spread some of the ground beef filling down the center of a tortilla. Add about 1 tablespoon of cheddar cheese and 1 tablespoon of the Monterey Jack cheese on top of the ground beef mixture. Roll the tortilla up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and beef filling.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the rolled enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 25-30 minutes.
- Serve topped with fresh cilantro and sliced green onions.
Ksusha says
Made this for dinner and enjoyed every bite of it 🙂
Kristen says
Those look fantastic and are probably much more delicious then authentic!
Brilynn says
Authentic or not, they look pretty good to me!