Beef Enchilada Casserole
This Beef Enchilada Casserole skips the rolling and stacks seasoned beef, tortillas, enchilada sauce, and cheese together to deliver the flavor of enchiladas with half the effort.
Servings: 8
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.
Video
Notes
Enchilada Sauce: Use your favorite red or green enchilada sauce. I personally love using homemade enchilada sauce.
Beans: You can swap the black beans for pinto beans or red beans OR omit and use an additional ½ pound ground meat, for a total of 2 pounds.
Control Spice: Use mild enchilada sauce and mild green chiles to prevent an overly spicy dish.
Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free or corn tortillas and ensure your enchilada sauce is gluten-free.
Cut Recipe in Half: Cut the ingredients in half, layer in an 8x8 baking dish, and bake as directed.
Storage: Leftover enchilada casserole can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. 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 with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Let come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes to take the chill off. Then bake as directed, adding 5-10 minutes to warm through if needed.
Freezing Instructions: 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.
Nutrition is an estimate and based on 8 hearty servings. With toppings, you are likely to get closer to 10 servings.
Nutrition
Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 737mg | Potassium: 376mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1110IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 446mg | Iron: 3mg
