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This Beef Enchilada Casserole skips the rolling and stacks everything together to deliver the flavor of enchiladas with half the effort. Seasoned ground beef, hearty beans, melty cheese, tortillas, and spiced enchilada sauce are layered together to create one satisfying, family-friendly dinner.
If you love the flavor of enchiladas, but don't have the margin of time to stuff and roll tortillas, you will love this spin on beef enchiladas.
Just like my chicken enchilada casserole, this casserole is built with big, bold enchilada flavor. But instead of the beefy filling being rolled into tortillas, it is stacked with tortillas and baked until bubbly. In fact, I often call this Stacked Beef Enchiladas for that very reason.😉
Notes on Ingredients
I have included notes to help you select the ingredients that work for you, while still delivering big, bold flavor.
- Ground Beef: Feel free to swap out the beef for ground turkey or chicken.
- Beans: Black beans, pinto beans, or red beans. Or omit if your crew is opposed to beans.
- Enchilada Sauce: Red or green sauce, the choice is yours! I typically use homemade red enchilada sauce, but store-bought works just as well. Just pay attention the spice level to keep this casserole family-friendly.
- Diced Green Chiles: Helps to build nuanced flavor fast. Select mild to control heat.
- Tortillas: Corn tortillas give this dish an authentic enchilada flavor, but to be honest, my family typically prefers flour. Use what you have or like.
- Cheese: Monterey Jack, cheddar, or a Mexican blend. Grating it yourself will give you the smoothest melt, but pre-shredded cheese works in a pinch.
How To Make Beef Enchilada Casserole
Brown the beef, stack everything together in a baking dish, and bake until bubbly. Easy enough for Taco Tuesday, impressive enough for a Cinco de Mayo menu.
Step One: Brown Beef
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion. Cook until the beef is fully browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, just to lightly toast. Drain excess grease if needed.
Step Two: Build Enchilada Filling
Add the green chiles, drained beans, seasonings, and a bit of the enchilada sauce to the skillet, stirring to combine. Let this mixture simmer for just a couple of minutes to warm through and deepen in flavor.
Step Three: Layer Casserole
Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of your dish. Add a layer of tortillas (cut or torn to create an even layer), then top with
- ⅓ of the beef mixture
- ¼ cup enchilada sauce
- 1 cup cheese
Repeat this layering two more times, then finish with a final layer of enchilada sauce and generous amount of cheese.
Be mindful not to oversauce. The tortillas need moisture to soften and bake into that enchilada texture, but if you use too much enchilada sauce the casserole will become soupy and soggy.
Step Four: Bake
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, to trap the moisture and soften the tortillas. After 30 minutes, uncover, and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
Step Five: Serve with Toppings
Let the casserole sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing. This helps the casserole slice neatly AND prevents you from burning the roof your mouth. Ask me how I know…
Then serve as is OR with with your favorite taco toppings and let everyone top as desired. A bit of creamy sour cream, rich avocado, and crisp lettuce brings balance and texture to the beefy casserole.
Yield + Storage Tips
As written, this casserole serves 8 easily. When paired with toppings and fresh fruit or tortilla chips and guacamole on the side, you may get closer to 10 servings. If you have teenage athletes, you may only get 4 servings.😉
- For a Smaller Casserole: Cut the ingredients in half, layer in an 8x8 baking dish, and bake as directed.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. Warm individual servings in the microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes. To reheat the whole casserole, cover loosely with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes.
- Make-Ahead: Assemble as directed, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. When ready to bake, remove the casserole dish from the fridge, uncover, and let sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes to take the chill off. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake as directed, adding 5-10 minutes to warm through if needed.
- Freeze It: Assemble as directed in a dish that is both oven and freezer-safe. Cover tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, followed by two layers of foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then uncover, and let sit on the counter while the oven preheats to take the chill off. Cover with foil and bake as directed, adding 5-10 minutes if needed to warm through.
This is one of those meals that checks all the boxes. It's easy, filling, and guaranteed to disappear fast. And the best part? No rolling tortillas while everyone asks when dinner will be ready. Enjoy! xo, Kristen
More Hearty Tex-Mex Recipes
If you love the beefy, cheesy flavors in these stacked ground beef enchiladas, don't miss a few of our favorites below. They are hearty, filling, and full of Tex-Mex flavor.
Did you make this recipe?
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Beef Enchilada Casserole
Video
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, + more for greasing pan
- 1½ pounds lean ground beef, or ground turkey/ground chicken
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 ounces red enchilada sauce, ~3 ½ cups, divided
- 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles, undrained
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 12-18 (6-inch) flour or corn tortillas
- 4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
Instructions
- Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350℉. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with olive oil (or nonstick spray).
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and minced onion, and cook, breaking it up as it browns, until fully cooked through. Add the garlic and lightly toast for 1 minute. If needed, drain off any excess grease.
- Return the pan to the heat, add in 1 cup of enchilada sauce, green chiles, 2 teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and drained beans, and heat for 2-3 minutes to warm through. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Spread about ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the greased casserole dish. Add a layer of tortillas, cutting or tearing in half to fit, over the sauce so that the bottom of the pan is covered. Top with ⅓ of the beef mixture, ¼ cup enchilada sauce, and 1 cup of cheese. Repeat these layers two more times.
- Top with a final layer of tortillas and then pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas, spreading to cover. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the casserole.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and browned.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving with desired toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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