Beef and Cheese Enchiladas with a savory ground beef filling rolled up in corn tortillas, topped with enchilada sauce, and finished with a creamy cheddar cheese sauce. Add your favorite enchilada toppings, and you get a hearty and comforting dinner!
Table of contents
Old school beef enchiladas get a cheesy upgrade with my go-to cheddar cheese sauce I love to use on all the things. So, instead of just shredded cheese on top, you pour a creamy cheese sauce over the top of the enchiladas before they go in the oven.
You end up with the best beef and cheese enchiladas with seasoned ground beef green chile filling, a saucy top with enchilada sauce, cheese sauce, and shredded cheese to make it even more fun.
Add your favorite toppings, pour yourself a margarita, and add a bowl of tortilla chips on the side. It’s the makings for a very delicious dinner, and I think you’re gonna love it.
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Ingredients
- Vegetable oil or canola oil
- Lean ground beef
- Chopped onion
- Diced green chiles
- Chili powder
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Lime juice
- Enchilada sauce
- White corn tortillas
- Shredded Monterey jack cheese
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Cornstarch
- Half and half
Recipe Instructions
Brown the beef in a large nonstick skillet with the onion, green chile, and spices. Add the lime juice, and then take the skillet off the heat so the mixture can cool.
Place shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl. Add the cornstarch and toss to coat the cheese evenly. Warm the half and half in a saucepan, add the cheese and stir until the sauce is smooth.
Add both kinds of shredded cheese to the cooled beef mixture and stir.
Spread some enchilada sauce in the bottom of a prepared 9×13 baking dish. Fill each tortilla with the beef and cheese mixture, roll them up, and place them seam-side-down in the baking dish.
Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas. Pour the cheese sauce over the top, and then sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese over the top of the sauces.
Cover the pan with foil and bake the beef enchiladas for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake them for 10 minutes.
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for three to four days.
Toppings and Garnishes
While the enchiladas bake, get all the toppings ready because you know you’ll want to load them up. Here are some ideas:
- Shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes
- Diced jalapenos
- Chopped onion or sliced green onions
- Sliced black olives
- A scoop of sour cream or guacamole
- Diced avocado
- A drizzle of salsa or spoonful of pico de gallo
- Chopped fresh cilantro
Can you use flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas?
Yep! Depending on the size, you may get more or fewer enchiladas so keep that in mind.
Can you make enchiladas ahead?
Another ‘yep’ on this one! You can assemble the enchiladas, but instead of baking them, cover them with foil and pop them in the refrigerator for up to a day before baking them. You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time.
I haven’t tried freezing unbaked enchiladas, but I think it will work fine. Just be sure to thaw them before baking.
I hope you give these beef and cheese enchiladas a try soon! The flavors are great, and that creamy cheese sauce takes them to a whole new level. Enjoy!
More Recipes to Try
- Chile Colorado
- Chipotle Chicken Tacos
- Cilantro-Lime Rice
- Chicken and Black Beans Rice Bowls
- Honey Garlic Shrimp
📣 Do you love this recipe? I would love to know! Leave a comment below the recipe along with your recipe star rating.
PrintBeef and Cheese Enchiladas
Beef and Cheese Enchiladas with a savory ground beef filling rolled up in corn tortillas, topped with enchilada sauce, and finished with a creamy cheddar cheese sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 enchiladas 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon of vegetable or canola oil
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- ½ cup chopped white onion
- 1 (4-oz) can diced green chiles
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Juice of 1/2 a lime
- 1 (15-oz) can of red enchilada sauce, divided, divided
- 12 white corn tortillas
- 4 ounces shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided
- 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, divided
For the Cheese Sauce
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 3/4 cup half and half
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Garnishes
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
Make the Filling
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13″ casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook partially way through for about 5 minutes. Use a spatula to break up any larger pieces.
- Add the chopped onion and continue to cook until the onions are softened about 4 additional minutes.
- Add the green chilis, chili powder, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Stir well to combine and remove the pan from the heat. Put the beef mixture into a separate mixing bowl and set aside for about 10 minutes to allow it to cool.
Make the Cheese Sauce
- While the beef is cooling, make the cheese sauce: Place the cornstarch and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl and toss to coat the cheese evenly.
- In a medium saucepan, warm the cream over medium heat. Add the coated shredded cheddar cheese and salt and stir until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Assemble and Bake the Enchiladas
- After the beef mixture has cooled for 10 minutes, add the shredded Monterey jack cheese and cheddar cheese, reserving about 2 tablespoons of each cheese for the topping.
- Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce in the bottom of the baking dish, enough to fully coat the bottom.
- Fill each tortilla with the beef and cheese mixture, roll it up, and place it seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, then the cheese sauce, then finish with the remaining cheeses in an even layer over the sauces. Cover the dish with tin foil.
- Bake the enchiladas, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover, then bake an additional 10 minutes longer. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and other toppings, if using.
Notes
Enchilada Sauce: Use store-bought or try my easy enchilada sauce recipe.
Make-Ahead: You can assemble the enchiladas, cover them, and refrigerate them up to a day in advance. You may need to add a few minutes of baking time if you do this.
Leftovers: Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 enchilada
- Calories: 273
- Sugar: 2.5g
- Sodium: 625.5mg
- Fat: 14.9g
- Saturated Fat: 7.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.9g
- Trans Fat: 0.4g
- Carbohydrates: 18.7g
- Fiber: 2.9g
- Protein: 16.7g
- Cholesterol: 52.4mg
Keywords: easy beef enchiladas, beef and cheese enchiladas, ground beef enchiladas
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
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