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These quick and easy Ground Beef Enchiladas are perfect for a weeknight meal the whole family will love! With just 6 ingredients, they come together in a snap!

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A white ceramic baking dish with easy ground beef enchiladas baked and topped with sour cream, tomatoes, avocado slices and fresh cilantro.

My family LOVES Mexican food and this recipe is no exception!!  In fact, we love this recipe so much that it was the very first recipe I ever posted here on Dance Around the Kitchen wayyyy back in 2018!!!

It’s a recipe my mom cooked often growing up and probably the most requested by my siblings and I.  And now that I’m the one cooking for my family, I see why Mom made it so often – it’s just SO quick & easy!  

Ingredients needed to make beef enchiladas on a white countertop.

Ingredients Needed

  • Enchilada Sauce – I’m picky when it comes to canned enchilada sauce and Old El Paso is my go-to!  For this recipe, use red sauce (rather than green enchilada sauce).
  • Ground Beef – Though ground beef is my favorite, you could also use ground turkey, chicken or pork.
  • Minced Onion – I keep it really simple, but you could also add diced bell peppers, taco seasoning, chili powder and/or green chiles to the beef mixture.
  • Refried Beans – You can use regular or fat free refried beans OR refried black beans.
  • Flour Tortillas – I’ve always used flour tortillas for this recipe rather than corn tortillas.
  • Shredded Cheese – Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack or a Mexican blend cheese all work great.

How to Make Enchiladas

First, get the oven pre-heated so it’s ready to go once you’ve got the enchiladas rolled up!  Pour a little bit of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish so they don’t stick.

Ground beef cooked in a silver saucepan.

Next, you’ll add the ground beef and onion to a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown and crumble the meat until it’s cooked through.  Discard the excess grease.

Ground beef and bean filling for enchiladas in a saucepan.

​Then add the refried beans to the beef and stir until combined.

Flour tortillas with a beef and bean mixture and shredded cheddar cheese.

To each of the tortillas, add some shredded cheese and about 1/4 cup of the beef filling.  You will not use all of the beef for this part – just set it aside for now.

Enchiladas made with flour tortillas in a baking dish.

Roll up the tortillas and place them into the prepared pan seam side down.

Pouring a red enchilada sauce over a pan of enchiladas.

Now you’ll add the remaining sauce to the beef and bean mixture and pour it over the rolled up enchiladas.

Enchiladas with cheese on top ready to be baked.

Top with the rest of the cheese and bake!!  

​NOTE – These enchiladas are really saucy!  We love dipping tortilla chips into the extra meaty sauce!! 

​My Favorite Enchilada Toppings

  • Fresh Cilantro
  • Guacamole 
  • Green Onions
  • Black Olives
  • Sliced Jalapenos
  • Diced Avocado
  • Sour Cream
  • Hot Sauce
  • Salsa or Pico De Gallo
Two enchiladas on a white plate topped with sour cream, tomatoes, fresh cilantro, avocado and hot sauce with a gold fork next to it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I serve with enchiladas?

These are great served with Mexican rice or chips and salsa or guacamole!  For dessert, these easy churro bites and this fried ice cream pie are my two favorites with this meal!!

How should I store leftovers?

Leftover enchiladas can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Can I use corn tortillas for these enchiladas?

Using soft corn tortillas is a great option, especially if you eat gluten free.  However, I do like to warm them up before rolling them.

Are these easy enchiladas spicy?

Not at all!!  For me, I like it this way so the entire family enjoys it.  However, if you want them to have some heat, it’s easy to spice them up!  You can stir some cayenne pepper into the beef mixture, use a “hot” enchilada sauce or use Pepper Jack cheese.

A fork with a bite of a cheesy enchilada on it.

Other Mexican Recipes for Busy Weeknights

A white ceramic 9x13 inch pan with easy ground beef enchiladas in it topped with melted cheese, sour cream, diced tomatoes and avocado slices.
5 from 1 vote

Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas

Author: Kelsey
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
8 enchiladas
These quick and easy Ground Beef Enchiladas are perfect for a weeknight meal the whole family will love! With just 6 ingredients, they come together in a snap!

Equipment

  • One 9×13-inch baking dish

Ingredients
 

  • One 19 ounce can red enchilada sauce
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon minced onion
  • One 16 ounce can refried beans
  • Eight 8-inch flour tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Toppings optional

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350°F.
  • Pour about 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce into a 9×13-inch baking dish and save the rest for later.
    One 19 ounce can red enchilada sauce
  • Brown the ground beef with the onions in a large saucepan; drain.
    1 pound ground beef, 1 tablespoon minced onion
  • Stir in the refried beans.
    One 16 ounce can refried beans
  • Scoop 1/4 cup of the meat and bean mixture onto each tortilla. NOTE: You will have leftover meat/bean mixture, which you'll use in the next step. Sprinkle each with 2 tbsp cheese, roll up the tortilla, and place into the 9×13 pan.
    Eight 8-inch flour tortillas, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Add the remaining enchilada sauce to the meat and bean mixture; stir well.
    One 19 ounce can red enchilada sauce
  • Pour the sauce over the enchiladas and spread to an even layer.
  • Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.
    2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Top with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, avocados and cilantro, if desired.
    Toppings

Notes

  • Spice it up!  Use “hot” enchilada sauce or add some cayenne pepper to the beef mixture!  Or simply top with a few splashes of hot sauce!
  • Add some veggies!  Add diced onion, diced bell peppers and/or green chiles to the ground beef as it cooks.
  • Use all that sauce!  Leftover sauce in the casserole dish is great scooped up with some tortilla chips!

Nutrition

Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8.7g | Trans Fat: 0.9g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 1010mg | Potassium: 475mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 3.2g | Vitamin A: 252IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 3.9mg
“Dance Around the Kitchen” is not a dietitian or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Two enchiladas on a plate with a dollop of sour cream, beside a red pan of enchiladas.
Fun fact! This photo (above) was the first photo I ever posted on Dance Around the Kitchen! Though I’ve since re-photographed the recipe, I couldn’t get rid of this “beauty”! 😉

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2 Comments

  1. Kelly Estes says:

    On this recipe, there isn’t a way to access the recipe card to print. The “jump to recipe” prompt (usually above the photo) is missing, and I would love to have this recipe.

  2. Lindsey F says:

    5 stars
    Dinner winner! Love incorporating this into the “Taco Tuesday” rotation and each family member can add toppings to their liking!