Description
These Ground Beef Enchiladas are a classic Mexican-inspired dish featuring seasoned ground beef wrapped in warm corn tortillas, smothered in rich red enchilada sauce, and topped with melted cheddar or Mexican blend cheese. Perfectly baked to bubbly perfection and garnished with fresh cilantro, these enchiladas are comforting, flavorful, and ideal for a family dinner or casual gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Filling
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
- Salt and pepper to taste
For Assembly
- 1 can (15 oz) red enchilada sauce
- 8-10 corn tortillas
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Olive oil or vegetable oil for frying
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream
- Sliced olives
- Diced tomatoes
- Avocado
- Sliced jalapeños
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the enchiladas.
- Sauté Onions: In a large skillet, heat a small amount of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Cook Ground Beef: Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with a spatula or spoon for even cooking.
- Season and Add Chilies: Season the beef with salt and pepper to taste, then mix in the chopped green chilies. Cook for another 2 minutes to combine flavors.
- Fry Tortillas: In a separate small skillet, heat a little oil over medium heat. Quickly fry each corn tortilla for a few seconds on each side until they become pliable. Drain the tortillas on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Pour a small amount of enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish to coat it lightly.
- Assemble Enchiladas: Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the beef mixture onto each tortilla, add a bit of shredded cheese, then roll the tortillas tightly.
- Arrange Enchiladas: Place the rolled tortillas seam-side down in the prepared baking dish, aligning them closely together.
- Add Sauce: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas, ensuring they are well covered.
- Top with Cheese: Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the top of the sauced enchiladas.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden.
- Rest and Garnish: Remove from the oven and let the enchiladas rest for a few minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.
- Serve: Serve hot with optional toppings such as sour cream, sliced olives, diced tomatoes, avocado, and sliced jalapeños as desired.
Notes
- For softer tortillas, warming them slightly before frying helps prevent cracking when rolling.
- Use Mexican blend cheese for a more authentic flavor, or cheddar cheese as an alternative.
- Adjust the amount of green chilies and jalapeños based on your desired spice level.
- Leftover enchiladas can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
- To make this dish gluten-free, ensure corn tortillas are certified gluten-free and check all canned ingredients.
