Enchiladas without all the work – this Beef Enchilada Casserole recipe is family friendly and done in under 30 minutes! It’s the perfect dinner for when time is short but you still want a lot of flavor.
This Beef Enchilada Casserole is the best for busy nights! If you have a little bit of extra time, try some other favorites, like these White Chicken Enchiladas or Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas.
This is such a great weeknight dinner – you can have it on the table in as little as 30 minutes. I love enchiladas, but don’t always love all of the rolling and the prep work that goes into them. So put this one on the menu and let it become one of your family favorites as well!
Ingredients
- Ground Beef: I like to use a ground beef that is not too lean, but not too fatty, either.
- Taco Seasoning: I like to use my homemade taco seasoning. You can use a store bought seasoning mix that you like, as well.
- Salt: The recipe calls for 1/4 teaspoon salt, but you can adjust this according to taste.
- Enchilada Sauce: Make sure you use an enchilada sauce that you like.
- Salsa: I like to use a thick and chunky salsa.
- Tortillas: You can use yellow or white corn tortillas.
- Cilantro: The cilantro adds lots of flavor, but if you are not a fan of cilantro, feel free to leave it out.
- Cheese: I like to use colby-jack, but any easy melting cheese will work fine.
How to Make Beef Enchilada Casserole
I’ve got a video (below) to show you how to make this enchilada casserole, but here is the step by step!
- Cook the beef with the taco seasoning.
- Add enchilada sauce, salsa and water and cook.
- Cut the tortillas into strips.
- Layer the casserole by placing half of the tortilla strips in the bottom of your baking dish, followed by half of the ground beef mixture, then half of the cheese and cilantro. Repeat the layers, except reserve the remaining cilantro for after the casserole is baked.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until everything is melted and warmed through.
- Top and serve!
Beef Enchilada Casserole Video
Favorite Toppings
You can’t forget the toppings! Here are a few things that I like to set out for people to put on their own servings.
*Sour Cream
*More Cilantro
*Hot Sauce
*Jalapenos
*Guacamole
*Shredded Lettuce
*Diced Tomatoes
Tips and Tricks
This recipe is super, super simple! Here are a few tips to make it the best way possible:
- If you use a ground beef with a higher percentage of fat, make sure you drain off the fat after cooking the ground beef.
- You can use any enchilada sauce that you want, but make sure it’s one that you love since the flavor will really come through. The same goes for the salsa.
- The longer you cook the beef and enchilada sauce mixture, the thicker it will be. Just make sure you don’t take it too far because you’ll need some of the moisture to soak into the tortillas.
- This casserole really reheats well, so look forward to those leftovers!
More Tex-Mex dinner favorites:
Taco Casserole
Crispy Shrimp Taco Recipe
Weeknight Tamale Pie Recipe
Homemade Salsa
Chicken Tostadas
Chicken Chimichanga Recipe
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Beef Enchilada Casserole
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
Enchiladas without all the work – this Beef Enchilada Casserole recipe is family friendly and done in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 10–oz can enchilada sauce
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup medium thick and chunky salsa
- 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, divided
- 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
- sour cream and lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, taco seasoning and salt. Cook, stirring and breaking up the beef, until the beef is browned and cooked through. Drain any fat, if needed.
- Add the enchilada sauce, water and salsa and bring to a boil. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until slightly reduced. Remove from the heat.
- Stack the tortillas and cut into 1-inch strips. Arrange half of the tortilla strips in the bottom of a 9-inch deep dish pie dish. Add half of the beef mixture, then sprinkle half of the cheese over the top. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the chopped cilantro on top. Repeat the layers, using the remaining tortillas, beef and then cheese.
- Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cilantro over the top before serving. Serve with sour cream and lime wedges.
Recipe Notes:
adapted from 29 Minutes to Dinner
Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.
Counts do not include sour cream for serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 365
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 711 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 67 mg
Keywords: enchilada casserole, beef enchilada casserole, ground beef, easy dinner
Tina says
This was VERY good. I added cooked rice and a can of black beans to the layers and then sliced black olives on top.
Meridith Lafrenz says
Hello, I’m cooking for someone else and am looking for recipes I can prepare and freeze for them to pull out and bake. Is this such a recipe or not so much due to the tortillas? And can you direct me to other recipes that could be frozen and then baked?
Deborah says
I have not personally tried freezing this one, but I think it would freeze well! The tortillas might get a little soggy, but I still think it would make a great freezer meal. Another favorite freezer meal is this Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta: https://www.tasteandtellblog.com/cheesy-kielbasa-pasta-casserole/
Rosane says
My husband likes it so much he requested every week. This recipe is easy and very tasty. Thank you.
Josephine Carroll says
OH…MY…GOD!!! My family RAAAAAVVED about your recipe and how fabulous it was! How much simpler it was to make the enchiladas as a casserole (no wetting/rolling/ripping the tortillas) again. This is going on our rotation (on a regular basis!). Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
★★★★★
James smith says
Another enchilada recipe with no onions?
I added 1/3 cup of chopped onions to each layer and it actually tasted like the real enchiladas I grew up with in s. Texas
Phil Culver says
Can I assume that you used RED enchilada sauce?
Or did you use GREEN?
Deborah says
I use red, but I’m guessing either would be delicious!
Julie says
Very yummy! I made it in an 8×8 pan. Tweaked it just a little. Added two more teaspoons of taco seasoning, added more cheese in the middle and on top. I will make it again. 🙂
John Doe says
I loved this recepie so much !
★★★★★
Polly Barnhardt says
I’ve made this several times and its so easy great casserole!
Tamara says
I made this tonight. My husband loved it. He’s usually not wild about casseroles. I did use a small shallot and sautéd that once the meat was no longer pink. I used a 15 oz. can of Hatch organic red enchilada sauce; thus used only 1/4 cup of water.
★★★★★
Denise says
Had this on Saturday night with my family. Everyone loved it from the youngest our 2 year ago granddaughter to the elders in the family. It is easy to make which is great when you want to share time with family and have a good meal.
Judy Clarkson says
This has become one of our family favorites in quarantine and it really couldn’t be easier. Thank you!!
★★★★★
Barbara H says
This casserole was delish!
★★★★★
Leslie says
Delicious! Instead of taco seasoning I use chili, cumin, garlic, and sea salt. Doubled the recipe and added black beans. My 13 year old son was so intrigued by the delicious smell he actually came upstairs from his game console to help me put everything in the casserole dish!!
★★★★★
carolyn trottier-mize says
at 82, i have rolled, tucked, layered,
stacked…but finally, i followed your recipe and cut, layered placed in my 10″pyrex deep dish and in 110 out weather, 81 degrees in, i fired up my gas oven and baked this in a few more minutes than you..ovens vary…but all done in such a short time…my old body couldn’t be more thrilled with this dish!!..it is wonderful in all aspects…start to finish!! thank you so much…out with the old (preparations, not me), and on with the new!
★★★★★
Teresa says
Family loved this recipe! Next time. I’ll double the ingredients so we have leftovers
★★★★
Bonny Dallman says
I’m so going to try this.
★★★★★
barbara Bush says
Made this for the 2 of us-cut recipe in little more than half-added some mashed bl.beans to layers. Sprinkled cumin over meat when saute.Extra water and used 4 white tortillas. Topped with s.cream& prepared avocado and cilantro.Yumm
★★★★★
Deborah says
I’m so glad you liked it!
Dacia Denison says
Can you sub flour tortillas instead of corn? Wanting to make this tonight, but only have flour tortillas on hand. Thanks!
Deborah says
I have not tried flour tortillas, so I can’t say for sure, but I’m guessing it would work!
Kathy Peters says
So good! And so easy to make! I doubled the recipe and used a 13×9 pan for our weekly family dinner. Everyone loved it so much!
★★★★★
Judy Sanders says
Did I miss the measurements on the ingredients?
Deborah says
Hi Judy – there is a recipe card in the post with the full recipe including ingredients and instructions. It is after the post and the photos but before the comments.
Phyllis Wells says
It was simple and delicious! Making again for family get-together.
★★★★★
bob says
3/4 cup of water seems to be way too much :/
Lisa Roberson says
Can you make it up and put in the fridge and cook he next day?
Bev Svobodny says
I’m wondering the same thing. I imagine the tortillas might get a little soggy but I will give it a try.
Deborah says
I agree – I think the tortillas might get soggy, but it might not be too bad. If you try, let me know how it turns out!
Chelsea says
Sounds so yummy, can’t wait to make! What is your favorite enchilada sauce and thick and chunky salsa?!
Elivetz says
Can I swap out the beef for chicken? Do I need to change anything in the recipe?
Deborah says
You definitely could – you shouldn’t need any changes!
Sandy says
Use to buy a kit like this. But never again. My hubby liked this so much he went back for 2nds. Have to make bigger one next time. He wanted 3rds when we had leftovers.😆
★★★★★
Yoli Barabani says
I want to make this tomorrow for dinner, do you need to fry the tortillas before putting them in the dish? Thank you!
Linda says
I made this dish last night and it was very good.
Katie says
I made this for my family, and it was delicious! It had such a great flavor. I went ahead and cooked it for about 12 mins in a 9×13 baking dish with two layers and it worked great. Thank you!
Deborah says
I’m so glad you loved it!
Mary ford says
Can I freeze ahead?
Tahoe Mama says
Made this recipe for the first time tonight for dinner. It was a huge success! I added chopped onions to the meat mixture, used a chipotle cooking sauce instead of a traditional canned enchilada sauce, added a can of black beans, and avocado as a garnish. This recipe will definitely be a regular in my household. I’m also thinking of adding this to my camping recipes, as it can be done in an outdoor style dutch oven no problem.
Thanks for creating this wonderful, family friendly dish 🙂
Deborah says
I’m so glad you liked it, and I love the idea of making it a dutch oven recipe for camping!
Nancy says
I will often add pinto beans to my casserole, top with tomatoes and shredded lettuce as a garnish.
Deborah says
I love the idea of adding beans!
Loren says
If I need to double this recipe for a large group, is there any reason I could not use a large 13″ x 9″ baking pan? Thanks!
Deborah says
I’m guessing that would work just fine!
Melanie says
trying this tonight!
Linda Long says
After a long hard day, it’s so nice to come home and throw it in the oven or microwave because it was easy enough to prepare ahead. They say you are what we eat, so I guess that makes me, fast, cheap, and easy. I love these recipes.
Deborah says
Haha – love this! I’m so glad you enjoyed the casserole.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
LOVE! We are a enchilada-eating family for sure!
Mary Ellen says
probably just missed it, but what temperature do you bake this at?
Deborah says
Oh my goodness – I can’t believe this has been up so long without catching that! The recipe has been updated. Thank you!
kita says
Oh holy heck I wanna stick a fork in that no matter how hot it is outside today!
Karen says
Could you layer refried beans in this recipe?
Deborah says
I definitely think you could! They might be hard to spread, but you could drop dollops of the beans in, and I think it would be delish!
Flat Fee MLS says
In the winter we make casseroles just about every day, thanks for the new recipe.
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says
I know this would go over really well in our family, and I love having a different version for taco and enchilada night meals!
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
I need this in my life asap!
Cathy Pollak ~ Noble Pig says
I love an easy summer recipe. My family would adore this one.
cheri says
great looking casserole, love meals that come together quickly.
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
Congratulations on your pregnancy! The first trimester of my first pregnancy sucked the energy out of me. When my head hit something soft, I was out like a light. This casserole looks delicious and I love that it comes together in 30 minutes!
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
I’d imagine this is a huge hit at summer barbecues. Looks addictive!
Julie says
Easy totally works for me too…and if it's also delcious, even better! This one is making me hungry.
The Comfort of Cooking says
I just made enchiladas for the first time last night, and they were SO delicious, but I bet this tastes even better. Love this dinner idea. Thanks for sharing this, Deborah!
Monet says
I am just so happy that you are expecting! So even though I've said it before: Congratulations! This meal looks delicious…I love enchiladas and I love simplicity…so this will be making its way into our weekly meals!
Megan says
Although I'm not expecting, I'm all for fast,easy and healthy dinners. I especially like the fact that there isn't any "cream of canned soup" in the recipe!
Abby says
I'm definitely going to try this one. I know Brad would love it.
newlywed says
Looks delicious!
Joanne says
Quick and easy is the name of the game! Good stuff. I think that should apply to med students as well. This looks delicious!
Kim says
I didn't know that you were expecting again. Congrats to you and your family.
This looks like one of those meals that you would crave and need to make again to satisfy the craving!
Love it!
Kitten with a Whisk says
I don't think there is anything wrong with a simple but delicious diiner. This looks really yummy!
Acacia says
That looks delicious!