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–+ servings

Beef Enchiladas

Pantry To Table
This is one of those homey, feel-good meals that you really love to have leftovers.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican, Tex-Mex
Servings 8
Calories 645.13 kcal

Ingredients
  

Enchilada Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil, or other neutral oil
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dark chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 2 garlic cloves, pushed through a garlic press or grated on a microplane
  • 2 cups chicken broth, lower sodium
  • 2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 dried bay leaves

Meat Mixture:

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, hot or mild
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
  • 4 ounce can diced green chiles, undrained
  • 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

Enchiladas:

  • 15 ounce can refried beans
  • 8-10 flour tortillas, more or less depending on size and amount of filling per tortilla
  • 12 ounces Colby-Jack cheese, shredded

Toppings:

  • tortilla chips, crushed or whole
  • avocado, sliced or guacamole
  • cilantro, chopped
  • scallions, sliced
  • black olives
  • sour cream
  • jalapenos, pickled or fresh

Instructions
 

Make the Enchilada Sauce:

  • Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a small saucepan.
  • Once shimmering, sprinkle the flour over the oil and whisk thoroughly.  It will thicken slightly. Stir and cook for about 2 or 3 minutes. If the mixture begins to darken, lower your heat.
  • Add the tomato paste and continue to whisk to combine.
  • Add the broth and continue to whisk thoroughly to combine ingredients into a smooth sauce.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and whisk again.
  • Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste for saltiness and the tang of the vinegar and adjust as desired.
  • Remove the bay leaves and your sauce is ready to go.

Make the Enchiladas:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and onion, breaking the meat apart and stirring occasionally until no longer pink and onions are softened, approximately 8 minutes. Drain meat mixture and return to pan.
  • Turn the heat down to medium and add the remaining ingredients for the meat mixture and combine well. Turn the heat down to low and stir occasionally for 10 minutes to allow flavors to “marry.”
  • While the meat is simmering, pour 1/3 cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the greased 9×13 baking dish, spreading a thin layer on the bottom.
  • To assemble, spread 2 tablespoons of refried beans down the center of each flour tortilla.
  • Place about half a cup of the meat mixture on top of the beans and roll to enclose the enchilada. Place seam-side down in baking dish.
  • Continue to fill and roll tortillas, as many will fit.
  • Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of enchiladas, using as much or as little as you would like. (Save any leftovers for dipping or over nachos.)
  • Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the sauce.
  • Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted. If you like your cheese on the “more toasty” side, broil for a minute or two…. Just don’t walk away. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.  Serve with toppings of choice.

Notes

The nutrition label does not account for any toppings. If you need those calculations, you need to work those numbers out for yourself. I personally use Nutrifox for the nutrition charts. My nutrition chart in this recipe post is an estimate only.
Enchilada sauce is adapted from CookieandKate.com. She has a really great website that’s all-out vegetarian recipes. Even if you’re not a whole-hearted vegetarian, you’ll find other great recipes too.
 
Nutrition Facts
Beef Enchiladas
Amount per Serving
Calories
645.13
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
41.06
g
63
%
Saturated Fat
 
18.22
g
114
%
Trans Fat
 
1.21
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2.33
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
12.85
g
Cholesterol
 
107.1
mg
36
%
Sodium
 
1566.33
mg
68
%
Potassium
 
691.36
mg
20
%
Carbohydrates
 
35.15
g
12
%
Fiber
 
6.8
g
28
%
Sugar
 
3.32
g
4
%
Protein
 
32.22
g
64
%
Vitamin C
 
9.99
mg
12
%
Calcium
 
366.26
mg
37
%
Iron
 
5.42
mg
30
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword beef enchiladas, refried beans, enchilada sauce
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