The key to a perfect Tex-Mex Beef Enchilada is a combination of multiple factors: A good authentic enchilada gravy, a flavorful ground beef filling, and melty cheese. Today we'll cover how to easily get a superior version of this Tex-Mex classic on your table, as well as how to make a perfect, foolproof enchilada gravy, the key to the most flavorful beef enchilada filling, plus, fun ideas for what to serve alongside your enchiladas!
Down here in Texas, we know our way around a good authentic Tex-Mex enchilada, and this recipe is no exception. This recipe was developed with high expectations and seasoned taste buds, and it never disappoints.
Love Tex-Mex? Be sure to bookmark these Authentic Cheese Enchiladas for next time!
BEEF ENCHILADA RECIPE OVERVIEW
- Cook ground beef filling on the stovetop.
- Make the enchilada gravy.
- Heat tortillas in the microwave so they are pliable.
- Roll the enchiladas with ground beef and cheese.
- Add sauce to the casserole dish and line with enchiladas.
- Cover with remaining sauce and cheese.
- Bake.
If this is your kind of recipe, you'll love our enchiladas rojas!
WATCH THIS! HOW TO MAKE ENCHILADAS {VIDEO}
THE FILLING IS NO TIME TO SKIMP ON FLAVOR
The filling is no time to skimp out on flavor, and if you like a good cheesy beef enchilada, this is the recipe for you. The enchilada filling begins with a finely diced onion, followed by the browning of some seasoned ground beef.
Once the beef is ready, it is transferred over to a mixing bowl, along with some freshly grated Cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese -- Cheddar for flavor, Monterrey Jack for creaminess.
The filling will be tightly rolled in warmed corn tortillas (tips on that to come), transferred to a casserole dish, and completely smothered with the Tex-Mex beef enchilada gravy.
TIPS FOR FILLING AND ROLLING ENCHILADAS
Rolling enchiladas is not difficult work and once you get the hang of it, you'll find yourself flying through the process. For best results, here are a few pro tips for working with tortillas and enchilada filling. We also recommend checking out our full post on How to Roll Enchiladas for more details!
FOOLPROOF HACK FOR WORKING WITH CORN TORTILLAS
From time to time, corn tortillas can give us a little trouble when rolling enchiladas. If they're too dry, they may break or tear, allowing that precious beef enchilada filling to spill out. Now we can't have that, can we?
To make corn tortillas more pliable, wrap a stack of six corn tortillas in damp paper towels. Then, place them on a microwaveable plate and microwave for 1 minute. When you pull the tortillas out, they will be steaming (so be careful), but they will also be bendy and perfectly pliable for stuffing.
FILLING THE ENCHILADAS
As much as we all want to slam each corn tortilla from edge-to-edge with beef and cheese, take care not to overstuff the enchiladas. This will make them difficult to roll closed, and it will likely spill out before you even make it to the casserole dish.
If a little spills out in the casserole dish, there's no reason to fret, it's all going to the same place, but we wouldn't want to leave any of that goodness behind on the prep table. A couple of heaping tablespoons is the perfect amount of filling per tortilla.
Not only does this keep us from wasting the filling, but it also allows more of the flavor for the corn tortilla to come through, which, in combination with the filling and the gravy, is one heck of a perfect bite.
HOW TO ROLL ENCHILADAS
- Place warmed corn tortilla on flat work surface.
- Add 2 heaping tablespoons of filling to the center of a tortilla.
- Roll one side the tortilla over the filling, and tuck the flap under the filling, tightly rolling it over at the same time.
- Place seam-side down in casserole dish.
HOW TO MAKE BEEF ENCHILADA GRAVY
This is an easy beef enchilada gravy that begins like all other gravies: with oil and flour (also known as a roux -- but don't let that scare you, it's super easy). After the roux is ready, beef broth is slowly added, and the mixture is then seasoned with dried spices like cumin and chili powder.
The gravy bubbles and thickens, and the end result is that savory and addictively delicious beefy enchilada sauce, perfect for smothering enchiladas, spreading onto rice and beans and scooping up with tortilla chips.
For an uber cheesy beef enchilada, the dish is finally topped with more of the cheese mixture and baked.
This is an excellent dish for entertaining as it can be made ahead up until the point of baking and refrigerated until ready to cook. Plus, this particular recipe feeds a crowd.
I've served these up on countless occasions, and the feedback is unanimous -- these enchiladas are positively stellar and very likely, the best enchiladas you've ever had. Please, enjoy!
5 MORE TEX-MEX FAVORITES YOU'LL LOVE
- Homemade Beef Chimichangas are loaded with a savory ground beef filling and topped with a quick and easy stovetop queso! Tips for frying to perfection and more!
- Baked Chicken and Ranchero Sauce is a healthy take on a Mexican classic. Perfectly baked chicken featuring a topping of Ranchero sauce and Monterey Jack cheese. Slice it up and serve it with tortillas and sliced avocados.
- Verde Chicken Enchiladas is a gluten-free dinner recipe featuring shredded chicken, Monterrey Jack cheese, corn tortillas, and a tangy green sauce accented with sour cream!
- King Ranch Casserole may be a Texas-born casserole, but it's most definitely earned its ranking amongst Mexican food favorites. A stacked enchilada casserole featuring shredded chicken, corn tortillas, hearty vegetables, cheese, and a creamy Tex-Mex sauce to bring it all together. This recipe feeds a crowd and is guaranteed to be a new dinnertime favorite!
- Easy Taco Soup is a quick fix dinner perfect for chilly weather. This family-friendly soup features taco-seasoned ground beef, kidney beans, fire roasted tomatoes, corn and more!
SERVE BEEF ENCHILADAS WITH:
Black Bean Sofrito, Easy Guacamole, Fresh Salsa, or Authentic Mexican Rice
Authentic Tex-Mex beef enchiladas featuring ground beef, a homemade beef gravy, and a freshly grated cheese blend.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
- 4 tablespoons TAK's Tex-Mex Blend or a packet of store-bought taco seasoning, if desired
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons All-Purpose flour
- 4 cups unsalted beef broth*
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Pinch of black pepper
- 16-20 corn tortillas
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese freshly grated
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Preheat oven to 350° and have ready a 9x13” greased casserole dish.
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Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 5-8 minutes until softened. Add ground beef along with TAK’s Tex-Mex Blend, and break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 10 minutes, or until no more pink shows and completely cooked through. Remove from the heat and transfer meat mixture to a bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
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Return sauté pan to stovetop over medium heat. Add butter and allow to melt. Sprinkle over the flour and whisk to form a roux. Allow to cook 2-3 minutes. Begin to add beef broth a splash at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition until all of the broth has been incorporated. Season with salt, cumin, chili powder, and pepper. Cook for an additional 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally and allowing to thicken.
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Add just enough sauce to the casserole dish to thinly coat the bottom.
Add a ¼ cup each Monterrey Jack and Cheddar to the beef mixture and stir to evenly distribute.
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Dampen two paper towels and wrap half of the tortillas in the towels. Repeat additional paper towels and the remaining tortillas. Heat in a microwave for thirty seconds to 1 minute, until warmed and pliable.
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One at a time, add 2 tbsp of beef filling to a tortilla and roll tightly. Place seam-side down in the dish. Continue to roll enchiladas, placing them side-by-side until you can no longer fit any more in the dish.
Pour remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
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Bake, covered with aluminum foil for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, uncovered. Allow to cool, serve and enjoy.
Recipe Video
*It is extremely important that you use Unsalted Beef Broth for this recipe. Otherwise, the salt content will be overwhelming.
MAKES 16 ENCHILADAS.
Stacie Clarke says
My husband couldn't eat enough of these! I'm not a big enchilada fan, particularly beef, but thought these were very good. I followed the recipe exactly! I will definitely make these again.
Valerie says
When cooking the 80/20 ground beef, do you drain any of the fat out?
Kelly Anthony says
Just using a slotted spoon to transfer the meat mixture to the bowl should be fine!
Lisa says
cant find unsalted broth , any suggestion as alternative
Kelly Anthony says
Low-sodium will also work, and in a pinch, you could also use a low-sodium or unsalted chicken or vegetable broth!
Tamara says
I used low carb tortillas, yumskers!
Suzy Yecha says
So yummy! We love the beef based enchilada sauce even better than the more traditional tomato based sauce. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Earlene says
Made 2 baking dishes full of these yummy enchiladas today, for our NFL watching group & these were a Huge Hit!
Everyone wanted more!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you, Earlene!
Colleen says
We are not a big fan of corn tortillas, can I use flour tortillas?
Kelly Anthony says
Hi Colleen! Yes, you can use flour tortillas 🙂
Deb says
Corn tortillas are s9 much tastier than flour...yuk!
Jennifer Lamb says
To each their own. I prefer flour over corn. Doesnt matter which you like!
Lyssa says
Sounds like something my 8 year old niece would say. I think even she’s aware that it’s in poor taste though.
Such a mature response to post on a recipe site...
Iris10 says
You can but, they will have a "gummy" texture.
Irma says
Can you make this recipe ahead of time?
Kelly Anthony says
Yes! This is a great make-ahead recipe! You can make it a day ahead and wait to bake it until the day ready to serve. But, if it's going into the oven cold, remember it will take longer to warm through!
Patsy M. says
Great recipe! There are only two of us, can I split the recipe and freeze half?
Kelly Anthony says
Yes, the recipe freezes very well!
Tonya Denton says
I made your recipe and my husband and I enjoyed it very much! It's going into my recipe binder not to mention I have it pinned as well. I did change one thing as I used ground venison. Love the Beef Enchilada Gravy! Great recipe for Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas!
Kelly Anthony says
I'm so glad to know that. Thank you for sharing, Tonya 🙂 This is one of our all-time fave family recipes!
Christy Ireland says
Oops....I'm not a good recipe reader....didn't look at the asterick about the salt until it was in the oven. Any tips? I've got another half hour!
Kelly Anthony says
Hi Christy! Unfortunately, once the sauce is in the oven, there's not a whole lot you can do to reduce the salt content of the gravy.
Terri Greenwald says
I used salt free taco seasoning and did not add additional kosher salt. it was delicious. also only had half a pound of ground chuck so I threw in a can of black beans. sooooo good. my boyfriend said "its a keeper" after his second helping. thank you.
Kelly Anthony says
That is so great!!!! Thank you for sharing that, Teri! 😉
Shawnee says
These are delicious!!! And so easy!! My grown children request them whenever they come home for a visit. Thank you for sharing your talents!!
Kelly Anthony says
I love this! Thank you, Shawnee!
Cathy says
Made this today and it is wonderful! Used flour tortillas cuz that is what I had and used salted butter and beef broth and did not add the kosher salt..turned out great!
Kelly Anthony says
So glad to hear that! Thank you, Cathy!
Sarah Clarke says
Holy smokes, these are amazing! And it makes such a huge batch, I split it in two and gift the second one to my sister, who is a working single mom and doesn't always have time to cook. She loves them, too!
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you so much, Sarah 🙂
Lyssa says
You are such a sweet sister! I’m sure that your sister was so appreciative, sometimes the most simple gesture is one that means the most. My sister is a Hospice Nurse and works very long, ridiculous hours, and she also absolutely HATES cooking! (I know, I’m not sure where we got her, I don't know how she could be related to our family and actually hate cooking!?!) There’s nothing that means more to her than a homemade meal for her family. My niece is 8 and my sister feels so guilty sometimes because she does buy fast food or they order in more often than cooking a meal at home, so it really means a great deal to her when she can provide a healthy, homemade, super yummy (of course lol) meal that they all love.
I always TRY to make sure that if there isn’t enough for 2 meals, (her hubby is a BIG EATER), that there will be enough for her to at least have it for lunch also. It’s rare that she has a chance to eat while working unless it’s something from the drive through, but at least it’s there when she does finally make it home.
I apologize for the lengthy post, it doesn’t really pertain to this recipe (although we will be eating this deliciousness TONIGHT and I will definitely make it for my sister as well!). I just wanted to shine a light on your sweet gesture, maybe it will touch the heart of someone who will then do this for someone they love or someone they know who could really use a little pick-me-up! Kindness is contagious, spread it around like confetti!
Kelly Anthony says
In 100% agreement with this, Lyssa! I love that you took the time to respond here!
Sue says
Wow - the sauce is AMAZING! We loved it! Next time I will add more than 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture to each tortilla (they came out of the oven semi flat and after filling the pan, I had meat left over). Any suggestion on re-heating these? I tossed them in the oven at 350* but they came out "heavy" and not nearly as good as the first night. Will definitely be making these again - thank you!!!
Diana says
I’m making these the second time as they are so good. My only addition was some extra spices to make the gravy more flavorful. I make these using small flour tortillas and stuff they good with the meat and cheese and make only 8. We eat them with sour cream. Thank you for sharing this recipe, like it because it’s different than the regular red or green sauce.
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you, Diana!
Olivia says
Made this recipe to use up some ingredients, and even though I made adjustments, it turned out so good!! Switched the corn tortillas out for flour and used a vidalia onion instead and it still turned out delicious. 100% recommend!
Sharon says
As a 40-year Texan, I love the gravy-chili sauce better than the tomato. I soften the corn tortillas with a very shallow oil fry for 3 seconds on each side...it really brings out the toasted corn flavor. You can also dip them in the sauce. This makes them much more pliable. We use corn tortillas for beef and cheese, White for chicken. And the lady who used black beans was a great suggestion. Great recipe!
ema39 says
I love that you do not call it enchilada sauce. In South Texas it is enchilada gravy. I really like your recipe and it is very similar to what I learned to make while living in deep South Texas near Presidio. One thing my mentors recommended was the addition of about 1/4 a tablet of Mexican chocolate. They knew what they were talking about. Give it a try and see the difference.
Karla says
I made this tonight because i wanted a different kind of enchiladas. It was a bit time consuming, simply because it was my first time making it. SOOOOO Delicious!!! I will definitely make this regularly.
Kelly Anthony says
Makes me so happy to read this! Thank you, Karla!
Tina G. says
This 'Texas girl in a Missouri world' was born and raised on 'Tex-Mex'. I'm really excited to find this beef-based and not tomato-based sauce recipe!! In addition to making the beef enchiladas, I'm also making some cheese and onion ones, too! I always use corn tortillas and dip each one in warm sauce to soften before filling. I also sometimes make 'stacked' enchiladas instead of rolling individual ones. Still very good! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Kamie Moore says
Thank you, Tina!
Connie says
Thank you! I have struggled to find and make a really good enchilada recipe and I stumbled onto your you tube video by accident. Then I found your website. Hallelujah! My husband and my sons went nuts over this one. It came out perfect. I followed the recipe exactly except I couldn't resist the urge to add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper to the gravy. We also live in Texas (home of great Mexican food restaurants) and everyone decided these were better than any they've ever had. I like your easy to follow videos and that you stay on point during the video. I like your web site too. Cant wait to try more of your recipes. I'm a fan!
Kamie Moore says
Thank you for the kind words, Connie! This made my day! 🙂