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!

Easy Enchilada Casserole

Enchilada Casserole

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

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!

Author: Tiffany
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12 servings 1x
Category: Main Meals
Method: Oven
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Scale

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

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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

Find it online: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/enchilada-casserole/