Beef Enchilada Casserole comes together in about 15 minutes and is much easier than traditional enchiladas. Ingredients are layered together, topped with cheese, and baked to warm bubbly perfection!
I had my first enchilada when I was a waitress at a Mexican food restaurant in high school. It didn’t look very pretty on the plate, but it was my favorite meal to order during my shift break.
Fast forward several years and I still love the taste of enchiladas, but I don’t have the time or energy to make them the traditional way. Instead, I opt for this enchilada casserole, where everything is layered together, topped with cheese, and baked until it’s warm and bubbly.
Enchilada casserole has quickly become a family favorite, and it’s my go-to when we’re hosting company. It’s also freezer-friendly, so double the recipe today and freeze the second pan – your future self will thank you for having a quick weeknight dinner ready to go!
Is This an Authentic Enchilada Casserole Recipe?
This probably isn’t the most authentic enchilada casserole recipe out there, but we use whole foods, pantry staple ingredients, and it gives the enchiladas at local Mexican restaurants a run for their money!
Plus because you don’t have to roll the enchiladas, this casserole comes together REALLY fast. It’s also fantastic as leftovers, and can be frozen ahead of time for a super fast weeknight meal!
Beef Enchilada Casserole Ingredients
The ingredient list may feel long on paper, but I promise you it’s pretty short once you get cooking.
- Ground Beef: See sections below for making chicken enchilada casserole, or vegetarian enchilada casserole.
- Onion + Bell Pepper. I love to add veggies as much as possible!
- Diced Green Chiles
- Pinto Beans: We liked the taste and texture of pinto beans in this recipe, but you can omit them or swap them for a different type of bean. See the sections below for suggested substitutes.
- Corn
- Cheese: We really liked the Mexican shredded blend, but other cheeses like Monterey jack, Colby jack, mild cheddar, or even pepper jack would be really good.
- Red Enchilada Sauce: We MUCH preferred the taste of Homemade Enchilada Sauce in this recipe. The store-bought sauce will work in a pinch, but you may want to add additional seasonings found in Taco Seasoning like garlic powder, chili powder, or cumin to prevent the casserole from tasting bland.
Baked enchilada casserole gets even better when you top it with taco toppings, like diced tomatoes, diced avocado, red onion, sour cream, black olives, or fresh cilantro. Use what you have!
Want a Chicken Enchilada Casserole Instead of Beef?
It’s VERY easy to make this beef enchilada casserole a chicken enchilada casserole – simply swap the ground beef for shredded chicken! The recipe as written calls for ground beef. For chicken enchilada casserole, you’ll need 2-3 cups of shredded cooked chicken. I love this easy sheet pan chicken breast recipe or a rotisserie chicken if you’re in a pinch!
One Simple Swap for a Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole
You can make this a vegetarian enchilada casserole by simply omitting the ground beef. You may want to add seasoned tofu, soy protein crumbles, lentils, or black bean, to beef up the contents of the casserole.
How to Make an Easy Enchilada Casserole
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375F and prepare the red enchilada sauce. This takes about 7-10 minutes and is worth every minute. I’ve tested this recipe using both my own enchilada sauce and canned enchilada sauce and the homemade sauce by far made the better-tasting casserole!
Step 2: While the enchilada sauce simmers, cook a pound of ground beef in a large saucepan over medium heat until there’s very little pink, breaking up large clumps into small pieces using a potato masher (this is my favorite).
Step 3: To the ground beef, add the onions and peppers and cook over medium-low until the onions are soft, 3-5 minutes. Add the diced green chilies (not drained), beans (drained), corn (drained), ground beef, and 2 cups of enchilada sauce. Stir to combine everything really well. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Step 4: Pour ½ cup of enchilada sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish (no need for cooking spray). Tear the tortillas in half and layer about 8 pieces over the enchilada sauce, so that the entire dish is covered. Spoon ⅓ of the beef mixture evenly over the tortillas, and then sprinkle ⅓ of the cheese over the filling.
Step 5: Repeat with a second layer of tortillas, and then pour another ½ cup of enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Repeat with ⅓ of the enchilada filling mixture evenly over the tortillas, and then sprinkle ⅓ of the cheese over the filling.
Step 6: Finish with a third layer of tortillas, ½ cup of remaining enchilada sauce, the remaining enchilada filling mixture, and the remaining cheese.
Step 7: Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is thoroughly melted. Remove from the oven and serve warm with your desired toppings.
Tip: You can make this enchilada casserole ahead of time by following the recipe below through step 6. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight. Bake straight from the fridge in a preheated oven, following the baking times in the recipe below.
Substitutions and Variations for Tortilla Casserole
- Cheese. Swap the Mexican blend cheese or Monterey jack cheese, Colby jack cheese, mild cheddar cheese, or even pepper jack cheese if you like a bit of heat!
- Beans. Black beans are a great substitute for pinto beans, but lentils would work too.
- Protein. Omit the beef and use shredded chicken instead for a chicken enchilada casserole, or omit the meat altogether for a vegetarian enchilada casserole. Ground turkey or ground pork would also work well.
- Make it Spicier. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the filling for a kick, or add a small can of diced jalapenos for additional flavor.
- Tortillas. Corn Tortillas really are preferred for this recipe, as flour tortillas can get mushy and soggy during baking.
How to Freeze Beef Enchilada Pie
The easiest method for freezing beef enchilada pie is to make one and freeze one. As you layer one dish, layer a second batch in a disposable 9”x13” aluminum pan. You can find a 3-pack at the dollar store (or 30-pack in bulk on Amazon) and you don’t need a lid since you’ll be covering it with aluminum foil anyway.
FAQs on the Best Enchilada Bake Recipe
How do you keep enchilada casserole from getting soggy?
There will always be a slight softening of the tortillas because they’re getting layered with sauce and cheese, but using Corn Tortillas instead of flour tortillas will keep the enchilada casserole from getting soggy. You can also lightly toast the corn tortillas on a skillet before laying if you really prefer the firm texture of the tortilla.
Is it best to bake enchiladas covered or uncovered?
This recipe calls for both baking the enchilada casserole covered to warm everything through and then uncovered to melt and brown the cheese.
Do you put sauce on enchiladas before or after baking?
We put the sauce layer inside the enchilada casserole before baking. This helps to soften the corn tortillas just a little bit and to make them more of a saucy casserole than basic meat and dry tortillas.
What is inside an enchilada?
Most enchiladas have some sort of meat and sauce, and sometimes cheese. This enchilada casserole has all three, but also has a few other tasty ingredients to turn an ordinary dish into a family favorite!
What to Serve With an Enchilada Recipe
This is a meal entirely on its own, but these are a few favorites we like to serve alongside:
- Tortilla Chips with Restaurant-Style Salsa
- Easy Guacamole
- Southwestern Corn
- Slow Cooker Refried Beans
- Lime Crema
More Mexican Flavor Recipes You’ll Love
- Easy Chicken Enchiladas with Spinach
- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
- Spicy Salmon Tacos
- Black Bean and Corn Salsa Tacos
30 Minute Dinners Sample Meal Plan
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Beef Enchilada Casserole comes together in about 15 minutes and is much easier than traditional enchiladas. Ingredients are layered together, topped with cheese, and baked to warm bubbly perfection!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1 large bell pepper, cored and diced
- (1) 4oz can diced green chiles
- (1) 15oz can pinto beans, drained
- (1) 15oz can whole kernel corn, drained
- 3–4 cups red enchilada sauce, homemade (ingredients below) or store-bought
- 12–16 corn tortillas, halved
- 3 cups Mexican or taco blend cheese, shredded
- Toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, Greek yogurt, diced avocado, diced red onion
Red Enchilada Sauce (optional or store-bought)
- 2 Tbsp healthy fat (butter or coconut oil)
- 2 Tbsp flour (I used all-purpose, but any flour will work)
- 4 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2–3 Tbsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- ⅛ tsp cinnamon
- ½ – ¾ tsp salt, to taste
- 2 cups water OR chicken stock
- 1 tsp white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375F and prepare the red enchilada sauce. This takes about 7-10 minutes and is worth every minute. I’ve tested this recipe using both my own enchilada sauce and canned enchilada sauce and the homemade sauce by far made the better-tasting casserole!
2. While the enchilada sauce simmers, cook a pound of ground beef in a large saucepan over medium heat until there’s very little pink, breaking up large clumps into small pieces using a potato masher (this is my favorite).
3. To the ground beef, add the onions and peppers and cook over medium-low until the onions are soft, 3-5 minutes. Add the diced green chilies (not drained), beans (drained), corn (drained), ground beef, and 2 cups of enchilada sauce. Stir to combine everything really well. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Pour ½ cup of enchilada sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish (no need for cooking spray). Tear the tortillas in half and layer about 8 pieces over the enchilada sauce, so that the entire dish is covered. Spoon ⅓ of the beef mixture evenly over the tortillas, and then sprinkle ⅓ of the cheese over the filling.
5. Repeat with a second layer of tortillas, and then pour another ½ cup of enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Repeat with ⅓ of the enchilada filling mixture evenly over the tortillas, and then sprinkle ⅓ of the cheese over the filling.
6. Finish with a third layer of tortillas, ½ cup of remaining enchilada sauce, the remaining enchilada filling mixture, and the remaining cheese.
7. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is thoroughly melted. Remove from the oven and serve warm with your desired toppings.
Notes
- You can make this enchilada casserole ahead of time by following the recipe below through step 6. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight. Bake straight from the fridge in a preheated oven, following the baking times in the recipe below.
Nutrition
- Calories: 277
This was amazing and my family declared it a keeper for regular dinner rotation! I made your homemade sauce too – so delicious, thanks for sharing your recipe.
I made this tonight for dinner. I made a couple of substitutions based on what I have and Tiffany’s teachings – mushrooms for peppers, chicken for beef, black beans for pinto. It was absolutely amazing! My kid, who won’t eat beans, ate close to 3 servings in one night! Looking forward to leftovers tomorrow.