Beef Enchilada Casserole cooks in one pot to make the perfect quick and easy meal for back-to-school and those busy weeknights. It takes your favorite enchiladas and creates a casserole with ground beef, enchilada sauce, tortillas, vegetables and cheese.
Casseroles are my favorite thing to make during the week and my whole family loves them too.
They are so easy and can feed a crowd. If you like traditional enchiladas this casserole is for you. This is the perfect easy mexican food for a weeknight meal on busy nights.
It is easy, packed with flavor and it cooks in one pot or skillet. You can’t beat a recipe that is easy to clean-up. In my house we love enchiladas and often rotate between these Easy Vegetarian Enchilada Recipe, Chicken Enchiladas and Beef Enchiladas.
You can use my Homemade Enchilada Sauce in this recipe or use your favorite store-bought. I also like using my homemade enchilada sauce in other dishes like these Chicken Enchilada Sliders, Chicken Enchilada Soup and this One Pot Chicken Enchilada Pasta.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s an overview of the simple ingredients we’re using. Jump to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and printable instructions.
- Beef: This recipe uses ground beef. I like to use 80/20 for the fat. You also could use ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Taco Seasoning: You can buy your favorite taco seasoning or you can make your own homemade taco seasoning.
- Enchilada Sauce: You can make this Homemade Enchilada Sauce or buy your favorite homemade enchilada sauce.
- Tomatoes: Diced tomatoes are added to this casserole. I suggest draining the diced tomatoes so there isn’t an excess of juices. You also can use fire roasted diced tomatoes for a smoky flavor.
- Diced Green Chilies: The diced green chilies add a nice earthy, slightly spicy kick to the casserole. You also could use hatch green chilies.
- Tortillas: You can use any tortillas you have on hand. You will cut them into strips.
- Cheese: Shredded sharp cheddar cheese is added to this casserole. You also could use pepper jack or mozzarella cheese.
Ways to Modify this Enchilada Casserole
- Spices: If you like heat and spice in your food try chopping up jalapeños or adding some hot sauce. You also can use cayenne pepper or chili powder to add more rich, spice.
- Toppings: You can add your favorite toppings on the casserole. Some I like are avocado, cilantro, tomatoes or salsa. I love adding salsa like pico de gallo, guacamole, salsa verde, pickled red onions or cowboy caviar.
- Sauce: You can use a red enchilada sauce or a green enchilada sauce.
- Beans: You can use black beans, kidney beans, red beans or pinto beans. Sometimes I will also do a layer of refried beans.
- Cheese: There are a lot of cheese options. Try a mexican cheese blend, monterrey jack cheese, sharp cheddar, cheddar cheese, pepper jack, cojita or colby.
- Veggies: I love adding chopped up veggies to the mixture that goes in the enchiladas. Try any bell pepper, poblano, zucchini, black olives, yellow onion, sweet bell peppers, red onion, green onions, poblano peppers, sweet potatoes, diced green chiles or carrots.
How to Make this Enchilada Casserole
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 1: Cook Beef: In a large skillet or pot heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking the beef into crumbles and stirring occasionally.
Remove the beef from the skillet with a slotted spoon and pour off the drippings. Add the meat mixture back into the skillet.
Step 2: Add Seasoning, Sauce and Tomatoes: Add the taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes and green chiles and simmer for another 2 minutes over medium heat.
Step 3: Layer Casserole: Remove the skillet or pot from the heat and place half of the beef mixture in a bowl. Spread the ground beef mixture that is remaining in the pot evenly so it covers the bottom of the skillet or casserole dish.
Use half of the cut tortilla strips and place a layer of tortillas across the beef mixture.
Place the remaining beef mixture on top of those tortilla strips and sprinkle half the cheese on top of that. Then place the remaining tortilla strips in a layer on the cheese followed by the remaining cheese.
Step 4: Bake: Bake the enchilada casserole in the skillet or oven safe pot for 15 minutes, or until the cheese bubbles and the tortilla strips are starting to crisp.
Remove from the oven and garnish with the freshly chopped fresh cilantro, tomatoes, avocado, a dollop of sour cream and the diced red onion. Serve warm with mexican rice.
Storage Tips
Store the leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container.
When ready to heat leftovers it works best to reheat in the oven to crisp up the tortilla strips again but not necessary, you can use the microwave and reheat it for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.
More Mexican Recipes
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Beef Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pounds ground beef, cooked, fat drained
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning , {store bought or use a homemade version}]
- 6 ounces enchilada sauce, or store bought or
- 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
- 4 ounces green chiles, diced
- 5 – 8 whole wheat tortillas, cut into strips
- 1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese , shredded {or cheese of your choice}
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large skillet or pot heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking the beef into crumbles and stirring occasionally.
- Remove the beef from the skillet with a slotted spoon and pour off the drippings. Add the ground beef back into the skillet.
- Add the taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes and green chiles and simmer for another 2 minutes over medium heat.
- Remove the skillet or pot from the heat and place half of the beef mixture in a bowl. Spread the beef mixture that is remaining in the pot evenly so it covers the bottom of the skillet or pot.
- Use half of the cut tortilla strips and lay them across the beef mixture. Place the remaining beef mixture on top of those tortilla strips and sprinkle half the cheese on top of that. Then place the remaining tortilla strips in a layer on the cheese followed by the remaining cheese.
- Bake the enchilada casserole in the skillet or oven safe pot for 15 minutes, or until the cheese bubbles and the tortilla strips are starting to crisp. Remove from the oven and garnish with the freshly chopped cilantro, tomatoes, avocado, a dollop of sour cream and the diced red onion {or garnishes of your choice}. Serve warm.
Notes
- Store the leftovers in the fridge in an air tight container.
- When ready to heat leftovers it works best to reheat in the oven to crisp up the tortilla strips again but not necessary, you can use the microwave and reheat it for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.
- There are a lot of things you can add or change to this dish, it is very versatile. Try adding bell pepper and sautéing that with the ground beef. Or add fired roasted tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes.
- Another thing I love adding is black beans and corn. Always a hit with my family! You can also try using a variety of cheese, from cheddar to pepper jack.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This worked exactly as written, thanks!