Beef Enchiladas Red Sauce Cheese (Printable Version)
Ground beef, rich red sauce, melted cheese, and warm tortillas come together in this classic Mexican favorite.
# What You Need:
→ Beef Filling
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1 tsp chili powder
06 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1/4 cup beef broth or water
→ Red Enchilada Sauce
10 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
11 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
12 - 2 tbsp chili powder
13 - 1 tsp ground cumin
14 - 1 tsp dried oregano
15 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
16 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
17 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
18 - 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
19 - 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
20 - 1/2 tsp salt
21 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Assembly
22 - 8 small flour or corn tortillas
23 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
24 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
25 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
26 - Sour cream for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
03 - Add onion and garlic to the skillet; cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Pour in beef broth; simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
04 - For the enchilada sauce, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Gradually whisk in broth and tomato sauce. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, whisking occasionally, until thickened.
06 - Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom.
07 - Warm tortillas to make them pliable. Place about 1/4 cup beef filling and a sprinkle of both cheeses in each tortilla. Roll up and arrange seam-side down in the baking dish.
08 - Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Top with the rest of the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.
09 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden.
10 - Let cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve with sour cream if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The homemade red sauce puts canned versions to shame and comes together in under 15 minutes
- These reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, maybe even better than fresh
02 -
- Cold tortillas will crack and break every single time so warming them first is not optional
- The sauce needs those 5 to 7 minutes of simmering to thicken properly or it will be too thin
03 -
- Double the sauce recipe and freeze half for next time
- Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre shredded for better melting