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
Watch the video above to see how easy this recipe is.
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
One Pan Enchilada Casserole
Homemade Salsa
Chicken Tostadas
Chicken Chimichanga Recipe
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Beef Enchilada Casserole
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.1 pound ground beef, 1 teaspoon taco seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Add the enchilada sauce, water and salsa and bring to a boil. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until slightly reduced. Remove from the heat.1 (10 )oz can enchilada sauce, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup medium thick and chunky salsa
- 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.12 6-inch corn tortillas, 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, 1 cup shredded Colby Jack 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.sour cream and lime wedges
Barbara says
Can you use flour tortillas?
Deborah says
I haven’t tried the recipe with flour tortillas, but although the end result would be a little different, I think they should work. If you try, please let me know how it turns out!
SS Jones says
I have been making this regularly for quite some time now. It’s so easy and everyone loves it.
pauline says
delicious!
Kendra Jay says
Can you make this with chicken?
Deborah says
I haven’t tried, but I think that would be delicious!
Sue Muckley says
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.
Sue Muckley says
My husband said he could eat it five day straight! It’s a keeper!
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 !