Cheesy Ground Beef Enchiladas Recipe

These Ground Beef Enchiladas are loaded with meat, cheese, and black beans.  A simple homemade sauce makes them extra tasty, and they are so easy to whip up!

FAMILY FRIENDLY HOMEMADE ENCHILADAS

We are big fans of Mexican food around here. We eat some variety of Mexican food at least once a week.  Sometimes at restaurants, but usually just sitting around the dinner table.

These cheesy beef enchiladas are a family favorite. They are an adaptation of a recipe I got from my mom over two decades ago. They have no fancy ingredients, so even when my kids were tiny they loved them.

My favorite way to serve them is with shredded lettuce and chopped fresh tomatoes (which we happened to be out of this time.) Enjoy!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS SIMPLE ENCHILADA RECIPE:

• It calls for simple ingredients that you probably always have on hand.
• A ridiculously easy homemade sauce makes it extra flavorful, and you can customize it to your taste.
• Black beans in the filling make the enchiladas more hearty and add nutrients.
• There is plenty of cheese on top, and some in the beef filling.  A perfect enchilada for cheese lovers!
• It can be made ahead of time and freezes well.

To skip my tips and tricks and just see the full recipe card, scroll to the bottom of the post.

HOW TO MAKE GROUND BEEF ENCHILADAS

ENCHILADAS INGREDIENTS:

• tomato sauce (I’ve used regular and low sodium both with great results.)
• taco seasoning (Homemade or store bought are both fine.)
• lean ground beef
• black beans
• cheddar cheese (or another cheese of your choice)
• flour tortillas (or corn tortillas)

1. First up you are going to make a simple enchilada sauce by simmering tomato sauce, water, and taco seasoning for a few minutes.
2. While the sauce is simmering, brown your hamburger. Drain the fat and stir in black beans, cheese, and a bit of sauce. 
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce in a 9×13″ pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. 
5. Spread filling down the center of each tortilla, roll up, and place seam side down in the pan. Pour remaining sauce over the top, then sprinkle with cheese.
   
6. Cover pan with foil and bake at 350° for about 25 minutes until hot and bubbly. 
7. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and any other desired toppings.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER HAMBURGER ENCHILADAS

Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days if covered tightly. The enchiladas do become soft as you store them; the sauce soaks into the tortillas.

These enchiladas freeze really well. I like to make a double batch and freeze one pan. I like to make the extra pan in a disposable 9×13 foil pan, then wrap it first with plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Make sure you remove the plastic wrap and replace the foil before baking!

You can freeze the pan of enchiladas for up to 3 months. When you are ready to serve them, you can thaw them first in the refrigerator, or bake them frozen. Thawed they will need to bake for 30-40 minutes, and frozen they may take up to an hour or more.

VARIATIONS ON THIS GROUND BEEF ENCHILADA RECIPE:

• These are also good with diced onion. Just cook it with the ground beef.
• We like enchiladas with flour tortillas because they are softer, but you can substitute corn tortillas.
• Stir some sliced olives, diced green chilis, chopped jalapeno, or cilantro to the filling.
• The homemade sauce is extra tasty, but if you are really in a hurry you can use store bought red enchilada sauce. 
• If you prefer, you can use colby jack, pepper jack, or mozzarella cheese in place of the cheddar.
• You can substitute another variety of beans if you like, or leave them out if you have an aversion.

MORE GROUND BEEF RECIPES:

• Skillet Lasagna
• Ground Beef Stroganoff
• Slow Cooker Sirloin Tip Roast
• Korean Ground Beef
• Goulash with Rice
• Hawaiian Meatballs
• No Boil Lasagna
• Cabbage and Ground Beef (Tex Mex)
• Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce
• Sweet and Sour Beef
• BBQ Meatballs

(originally published 11/13/2012, updated January 2021)

If you are looking for a dinner recipe that tastes amazing and takes 20 minutes of prep time, you are going to love these beef and cheese enchiladas!