Simple Ground Beef Enchilada Recipe

Name: Simple Ground Beef Enchilada Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; 4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese; 1 onion; 2 tbsp taco seasoning; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 19 oz red enchilada sauce; 8 flour tortillas

Seasoned ground beef and melted cheese, rolled in warm tortillas and baked to perfection in enchilada sauce. Everyone will love this simple ground beef enchilada recipe! They are truly the epitome of Tex-Mex.

Total Servings: 6

Total Cost: $21.06

Cost Per Serving: $3.51

Ingredients & Costs*

1 lb ground beef ($5.93)
4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese ($2.24)
1 onion ($1.38)
2 tbsp taco seasoning ($1.22)
3 tbsp vegetable oil ($3.97)
19 oz red enchilada sauce ($3.84)
8 flour tortillas, burrito size ($2.48)

Want ALL the Recipes?

Enter your email below to join our Weekly Roundup and receive one convenient email per week with every new recipe that’s added to the site.

*Food costs may vary and can change over time. The prices listed were the current prices of these ingredients when this recipe was made at the time of this post. Almost all our ingredients are purchased from Walmart as we live in a small town without any other options. If you notice a significant price difference, please let us know at hello@freshgains.com so we can update this post.

FAQs for the Perfect Ground Beef Enchilada

What’s a good side dish for these enchiladas?

These ground beef enchiladas would go great with any traditional Mexican side dish. I would personally recommend pairing them with Mexican corn salad, refried bean dip and chips, or Mexican rice and mixed veggies.

Can I use corn tortillas?

Yes, corn tortillas are a perfectly find substitute for flour tortillas in this recipe. In fact, corn tortillas are more commonly used in enchilada recipes. However, I greatly prefer the taste and texture of flour tortillas over corn tortillas, so I always opt to use flour tortillas whenever possible. Be sure to use whichever tortilla you prefer.

How long will these enchiladas stay good in the fridge?

When stored properly in an airtight container, these ground beef enchiladas wills stay good for up to four days. They can be reheated in the oven or the microwave. In an airtight container in the freezer, they will stay good for up to one month. If you freeze these enchiladas, allow them to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

What’s that sauce you put on the enchilada in the photo?

The orange sauce that you can see in the photo of this recipe is Melinda’s Sriracha Ranch sauce. I added the sauce after removing the enchiladas from the oven. I thought it was a great addition to this recipe and definitely added some cream and spice to the enchiladas. If you’re not looking for additional spice, I would top with a different sauce as it does add a nice touch to the recipe.

Tips for Cooking Your Ground Beef Enchiladas

Choose lean meats: Although any ground beef will work, I would say the leaner the ground beef, the better for this recipe. This will make for a healthier meal and eliminate a lot of grease left after cooking the meat and make for easier cleanup. It’s a classic win-win!

Use your favorite taco seasoning: Whether you like to make your seasoning blend at home or prefer the ease of buying a pack of taco seasoning at the store, either will work for this ground beef enchilada recipe. Be sure to select whatever seasoning fits your taste preferences.

Red versus green enchilada sauce: Red enchilada sauce is made from red chiles and has an earthy flavor. Green enchilada sauce is made from green chiles and has a fresher flavor. When it comes to ground beef enchiladas, red sauce is typically used. However, if you use a different meat for this recipe such as chicken, green enchilada sauce is a more common ingredient. Both sauces range from mild to very hot, so it really just comes down to your personal flavor preference.

Consider additional ingredients: If you want to add more flavor and nutrients to these enchiladas, sauté diced pepper and onions with the ground beef.

Top the enchiladas: Once you place the enchiladas in the baking pan and cover them with enchilada sauce, you can also top them with additional ingredients such as jalapenos, green onions, diced tomatoes and/or cheese.

Don’t overheat the tortillas: The tortillas only need a few seconds on each side to heat properly once the oil is hot. Leaving the tortillas in the skillet for more than just a few seconds will overheat them and make them crispy and much more difficult to work with without breaking.

Avoid overcrowding the dish: For this recipe, you’ll want to tightly pack the enchiladas into the baking pan, leaving little room between the enchiladas. Using a dish that’s too large will cause the enchilada sauce to spread thin and could allow the enchiladas to come apart while cooking.

Remember to place the enchiladas seam down: In addition to placing the enchiladas close together in the baking pan, you’ll also want to make sure you place them with the seam facing down. This will also help the enchiladas stay together while they’re in the oven.

Drain excess grease from the skillet: This probably goes without saying, but if you’re not used to browning ground beef, there will be a good amount of excess grease in the skillet once it’s browned. Be sure to remove this grease from the skillet before adding and mixing in the seasoning in order to obtain the maximum flavor.