These Cheesy Beef Enchiladas are Tex-Mex comfort food at its finest! Perfectly seasoned ground beef, cheese and sour cream rolled up in corn tortillas and smothered in a delicious cheese sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights and make ahead friendly.
When it comes to enchiladas, these cheesy beef enchiladas are a family favorite. I can confidently save these cheesy beef enchiladas are requested more than any other Tex-Mex dish in my house. And we LOVE our Tex-Mex.
If you love a good red sauce for enchiladas, you should give these Chicken Enchiladas a try.
While these cheesy beef enchiladas are made completely from scratch, they are really easy to make. Little effort is needed to make these delicious enchiladas, and they can even be made a day or two in advance.
Why You'll Love These Cheesy Beef Enchiladas
- Easy to make with little effort.
- They are a crowd pleaser.
- Make ahead friendly.
- They are smothered in the BEST homemade cheesy enchilada sauce.
Ingredients for Cheesy Beef Enchiladas
When making enchiladas, the entire dish is easily customizable. From the tortillas used to the the filling to the sauce. You can even add garnishes to the finished dish.
Meat - Ground beef is my go-to for these enchiladas. Shredded chicken is also a great option.
Onions - For the filling and the cheese sauce.
Cheese - Shredded cheddar cheese, colby jack or a Mexican blend for both the filling and the cheese sauce.
Sour Cream - For flavoring the meat filling and the cheese sauce.
Tortillas - I love using corn tortillas for enchiladas. Flour tortillas are also great to use.
Spices - Ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper .
Chicken Stock - For flavoring the cheese sauce.
Milk - Whole or 2% can be used to make the cheese sauce.
Flour - All-purpose flour for thickening the cheese sauce.
Rotel - Canned Rotel for flavoring the cheese sauce. Diced tomatoes can be used if you do not have canned Rotel.
How to Make Cheesy Beef Enchiladas
The full recipe is in the recipe card below.
- u003cstrongu003eMake the fillingu003c/strongu003e - Begin browning the meat in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the onions and all of the seasonings and continue cooking until the meat is fully cooked. Drain off fat and stir in the shredded cheese and sour cream.
- u003cstrongu003eMake the cheese sauceu003c/strongu003e - In a saucepan melt the butter, add in the onions and sauté until translucent. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock, milk and sour cream. Cook until thickened. Stir in the shredded cheese, rotel and spices.
- u003cstrongu003eAssemble Enchiladasu003c/strongu003e - Begin filling the tortillas with about 3 tablespoons of filling and roll up. Place them seam side down in the baking dish. Top with cheese sauce, extra cheese and bake for 45 minutes.
Top your finished cheesy beef enchiladas with cilantro, Pico de Gallo or your favorite hot sauce. Enjoy!
Pro Tip
To soften the corn tortillas, heat each one for 30 to 45 seconds on each side. Just long enough to make the tortillas pliable. Place in a damp towel to keep warm.
Variations
Try using shredded chicken, shredded beef or ground turkey for the meat in these cheesy enchiladas.
Add-Ins are always great for customizing enchiladas. Try adding black beans, or pinto beans to the filling. Sautéed peppers or canned chiles are also great added to the filling.
If you like these Cheesy Beef Enchiladas, you may also like these recipes.
What is the secret to good enchiladas?
The secret to good enchiladas is to add sour cream to the filling. The sour cream not only adds flavor, but it adds moisture to the filling, ensuring that the enchiladas do not dry out.
Should you use corn or flour tortillas for enchiladas?
Corn tortillas are traditionally used in making enchiladas. However, flour tortillas can be used to make delicious enchiladas.
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Tried This Recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Cheesy Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
Enchilada Filling
- 1 ½ lb ground beef
- ½ Medium onion small diced
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 Pinch chipotle powder
- 1 Teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ Cup sour cream
- 1 ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 17 soft corn tortillas
Cheese Sauce
- 2 tablespoon onion finely diced
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoon flour
- 1 ½ cup chicken stock
- ¼ Cup milk
- 3 tablespoon sour cream
- ½ Cup canned rotel drained
- ½ Teaspoon cumin
- ½ Teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ Cup cheddar cheese shredded
- To Taste salt
- To Taste pepper
Instructions
- In a small non-stick pan over medium heat begin warming up the tortillas. Cook each tortilla for 30 to 45 seconds on each side. Just long enough to make the tortillas pliable. Place them in a damp towel to keep warm.
- While you are warming up the tortillas, begin browning the meat in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the onions and all of the seasonings, and continue cooking until the meat is fully cooked.
- Once the meat is done, drain the grease off and set aside while you make the cheese sauce.
- In a saucepan over medium heat add in the butter and onions and sauté until translucent. Add in the flour to make a roux. Allow to cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly add in the chicken stock, stirring vigorously to ensure all of the roux gets mixed in.
- Once the sauce starts to thicken add in the milk and sour cream. Allow the sauce to thicken a bit more, continue whisking to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.
- The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add in all of the cheese and continue whisking until the cheese has completely melted. Stir in the rotel and seasonings. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly cover the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with some of the cheese sauce. Add the ¼ cup of sour cream and 1 cup of shredded cheese to the meat mixture and mix well.
- Begin filling the tortillas with about 3 tablespoons of filling and roll up. Place seam side down in the baking dish.
- Top with the remaining cheese sauce and remaining shredded cheese. Place uncovered in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly. If you are prepping this ahead of time, cover with foil and bake and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes uncovered.
- Garnish with Cilantro and Hot Sauce if you like. Enjoy!
Tayler says
I made these enchiladas for dinner last night and they were delicious! So easy to make too!
Charah says
Love this recipe. Looks tempting! thanks for sharing
Katherine says
Loved the big bold flavor of the cheese sauce in these enchiladas!
Sky Pilgreen says
Thank you!
Sheila says
These enchiladas are amazing! And that cheese sauce—so so good! Mexican food is my favorite cuisine and these definitely hit the spot when I’m craving Mexican. 🙂
Simply Scratch Made says
So glad to hear you like them!