This Beef Enchilada Casserole is the definition of a comfort food feast, featuring layers of seasoned ground beef and plenty of melty cheese. The real star of the show is our signature Easy Red Enchilada Sauce, which brings a deep, authentic flavor to this stacked-style classic. It’s an easy-to-make, Loon-approved meal that will have everyone at your table coming back for seconds!
Jump to:
- 🧀 The Ingredients
- 📝 Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- 📌 Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Casserole
- 👩🏼🍳 How to Prepare the Enchilada Beef Filling
- 👨🍳 How to Prepare Beef Enchilada Casserole
- 🍽️ How to Serve
- 🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
- 🌮 More Tex-Mex Comforting Recipes
- The Best-Ever Beef Enchilada Casseorole
🧀 The Ingredients
This dish brings together lean protein, fresh garden aromatics, and warm, smoky spices that harmonize beautifully with our homemade sauce and a generous amount of melty cheese. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
📝 Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- The Beef: We recommend using 85% or 90% lean ground beef to ensure a flavorful filling that isn’t overly greasy; however, ground turkey or even shredded rotisserie chicken works beautifully as a lighter alternative.
- The Tortillas: Yellow corn tortillas are the gold standard here because they hold their shape during baking, but you can substitute flour tortillas if you prefer a softer, more “lasagna-like” texture.
- The Cheese: Colby Jack offers the perfect balance of flavor and “meltability,” but feel free to swap in Monterey Jack for extra creaminess or a sharp Cheddar for a bolder, tangier bite.
- The Beans & Veggies: The black beans and red bell pepper add a wonderful heartiness and sweetness to the dish; if you aren’t a fan of beans, you can simply omit them or swap them out for pinto beans.
- The Sauce: While our Easy Red Enchilada Sauce truly elevates this recipe to the next level, you can use your favorite high-quality store-bought red sauce if you are in a time crunch.
- The Heat: As written, this casserole is family-friendly and mild. If you want to kick things up a notch, add a finely diced jalapeño to the sautéed veggies or use “hot” diced green chiles.
Refer to the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📌 Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Casserole
- Build a Flavor Foundation: Don’t just dump everything in the pan! By browning the beef first, draining it, and then sautéing your onions and peppers in a tablespoon of those reserved drippings, you infuse the vegetables with a deep, meaty flavor that makes a world of difference.
- The “Flash Fry” Secret: To prevent your corn tortillas from becoming too soft or “gummy,” quickly flash-fry them in a skillet with a tiny bit of oil for about 10 seconds per side before layering. This creates a slight barrier that helps them hold their structure against the sauce.
- Shred Your Own Cheese: For the ultimate melty experience, buy a block of Colby Jack and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded bags are coated in potato starch to prevent clumping, which can keep the cheese from melting into that perfectly gooey consistency we’re looking for.
- The 10-Minute Rule: It is tempting to dive in right when it comes out of the oven, but letting the casserole rest for at least 10 minutes is crucial. This allows the layers to “set,” making it much easier to cut into clean, beautiful slices rather than a messy heap.
- Make it Ahead: This is a fantastic “prep-ahead” meal! You can assemble the entire casserole (up to the baking step), cover it tightly, and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Just add an extra 5–10 minutes to the baking time if you’re starting from a cold dish.
👩🏼🍳 How to Prepare the Enchilada Beef Filling
- Step 1: Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain with a colander. Save 1 tablespoon of the grease. Safely discard the rest.
- Step 2: Heat the 1 tablespoon of grease in the same skillet over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onions and peppers until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Step 3: Add the cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, green chiles, and rinsed black beans. Stir to combine.
- Step 4: Stir in the red enchilada sauce and simmer for a few minutes. Set aside until ready to build the casserole.
Expert Tip: The Clean Drain & Safe Disposal
To achieve a perfect, non-greasy finish, use a slotted spoon to transfer the browned beef to a separate bowl, or carefully pour the mixture into a colander set over a heatproof container. Whatever you do, never pour that hot grease down your kitchen sink! It can cause a plumbing disaster once it cools and solidifies. Instead, let the rendered fat cool in an old glass jar, a tin can, or even a small foil-lined bowl; once it has hardened, you can toss it in the trash. Your pipes (and your plumber) will thank you!
👨🍳 How to Prepare Beef Enchilada Casserole
- Step 1: Flash fry the corn tortillas for about 5 seconds per side in hot oil in a small skillet. Drain on paper towels and repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Step 2: Add a layer of the enchilada sauce to the bottom of a 9×13″ dish. Top with the lightly fried tortillas. Slice some tortillas in half to fit snuggly against the sides of the dish.
- Step 3: Spread half of the beef mixture over the tortillas. Top with 1½ cups of the shredded cheese.
- Step 4: Drizzle ¾ cup of the enchilada sauce over the cheese. Repeat this entire process (starting with the tortillas).
- Step 5: Add one more layer of the tortillas and top with the rest of the cheese.
- Step 6: Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes. Allow the casserole to rest 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
Expert Tip: The Quick Microwave Method
If you’re in a time crunch and want to skip the flash-frying step, you can easily make your tortillas pliable in the microwave. Simply wrap your stack of corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and “nuke” them for 30 to 45 seconds. This creates a steamy environment that softens them instantly, allowing you to layer them into the dish without any cracking or breaking, all while keeping the process mess-free!
🍽️ How to Serve
- The Fresh Toppings: This casserole is rich and savory, so we love to brighten it up with “cool” garnishes. Top each slice with a generous dollop of sour cream (or Mexican Crema), a spoonful of fresh pico de gallo, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. For a little extra creaminess, add some sliced avocado or a scoop of guacamole.
- Add Some Crunch: Serve this alongside a big bowl of salty tortilla chips and your favorite homemade salsa.
- The Perfect Sides: If you want to round out the meal, serve it with a side of Mexican Rice or our Authentic Refried Beans. For something a bit lighter, a crisp Mexican street corn salad (Elote) or a simple green salad with a lime-cilantro vinaigrette works beautifully.
- Family-Style Presentation: This dish is a true crowd-pleaser, so we love to bring the entire baking dish right to the table! Just make sure to place it on a trivet, and don’t forget to let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing!
- Kick Up the Heat: For the spice lovers in the family, put out a small bowl of pickled jalapeños or your favorite hot sauce so everyone can customize their own level of heat.
- The Beverage Pairing: Nothing goes better with a cheesy enchilada feast than a cold Mexican lager with a lime wedge or a freshly shaken Classic Margarita. Cheers!
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you certainly can! While corn tortillas provide a more traditional flavor and hold their structure better, flour tortillas will result in a softer, almost “enchilada lasagna” texture.
The secret to a perfect texture is two-fold: First, make sure you thoroughly drain the grease from your ground beef (see our Expert Tip above!). Second, don’t over-saturate the layers with sauce. You want enough to coat everything, but the tortillas shouldn’t be “swimming” in liquid before they hit the oven.
Absolutely! This is a fantastic make-ahead meal. You can assemble the entire casserole, cover it tightly with foil, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. When you’re ready to eat, just add about 5–10 minutes to the covered baking time since you’re starting with a cold dish.
This casserole is one of those rare dishes that might taste even better the next day! To keep the tortillas from getting mushy, we recommend reheating slices in the oven at 350°F covered with foil, until warmed through. However, if you’re in a hurry, the microwave works just fine—just 1–2 minutes should do the trick!
🌮 More Tex-Mex Comforting Recipes
Ready to make the best casserole this side of San Antonio? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
The Best-Ever Beef Enchilada Casseorole
Video
Equipment
- 9"x13" baking dish
Ingredients
For the Beef Filling
- 2 lbs ground beef 85% or 90% lean
- 1 large onion chopped, about 1 to 1½ cups
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 4 oz can green chiles don't drain
- 1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup red enchilada sauce See NOTES
For the Casserole
- vegetable oil
- 16 corn tortillas
- 3 cups red enchilada sauce divided
- 4 cups Colby Jack cheese shredded, or cheddar, or Monterey Jack
- cilantro chopped, for garnish
- pico de gallo for garnish
- sour cream for serving, optional
Instructions
Prepare the Beef Filling
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain the beef with the rendered grease through a colander into a heatproof bowl, or use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a bowl. You'll need 1 tablespoon of the rendered grease. Safely discard the remaining grease.2 lbs ground beef
- Heat the 1 tablespoon of grease in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers and sauté until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.1 large onion, 1 red bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic
- Return the beef to the skillet and stir in the cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, green chiles, and black beans. Stir to combine. Stir in the enchilada sauce (½ cup) and simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to assemble the casserole.1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 4 oz can green chiles, 1 15 oz can black beans, ½ cup red enchilada sauce
Assemble and Bake the Casserole
- Heat about 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small to medium skillet over medium heat. Working one tortilla at a time, add a tortilla to the hot oil. After about 5 seconds, carefully flip the tortilla over for another 5 to 7 seconds. Use a pair of soft tongs or a spatula to remove the tortilla from the skillet onto a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat the process with all of the tortillas, adding more oil as needed.vegetable oil, 16 corn tortillas
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Evenly spread about ¾ cup of the enchilada sauce to the bottom of a 9×13" baking dish. Add a layer of corn tortillas, cutting some in half to fit snuggly along the sides of the dish (watch the video for visual guidance). Evenly spread half of the beef mixture. Top with about ¾ cup of the shredded cheese. Drizzle another ¾ cup of the enchilada sauce over the cheese. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, the rest of the beef, another ¾ cup of the cheese, and an even drizzle of another ¾ cup of the enchilada sauce.3 cups red enchilada sauce, 4 cups Colby Jack cheese
- Top with one more layer of the tortillas. Evenly spread the rest of the sauce (should be about ¾ cup) and then top with the rest of the cheese (about 1 cup).
- Carefully tent with foil and bake for 20 minutes (see NOTES on how to prevent the foil from sticking to the foil). Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned on the edges.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Cut into slices and serve with chopped cilantro, pico de gallo, and sour cream, if desired.cilantro, pico de gallo, sour cream
Notes
- The Toothpick Trick: To prevent the foil from sticking to your beautifully melted cheese while baking, insert 2 or 3 toothpicks into the center of the casserole before covering. This creates a “tent” that keeps the foil lifted; just be sure to remove them before serving!
- The Sauce: For the most fabulous results, we highly recommend using our Easy Red Enchilada Sauce. If you are using store-bought, make sure it is a brand you love, as the sauce is the flavor backbone of this dish. SEE NOTES BELOW.
- The Rest is Best: It is crucial to let the casserole sit for at least 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. This allows the layers to “set,” ensuring you get clean, beautiful slices rather than a messy (though still delicious) heap.
- Drain Thoroughly: Ensure you drain the rendered fat from the beef as instructed. This keeps the tortillas from becoming greasy and helps the casserole maintain its structural integrity.
- Make it Spicy: This recipe is family-friendly and mild. If you prefer more heat, add a diced jalapeño to the veggie sauté or use “hot” diced green chiles.
- Melt ⅓ cup of oil (or butter) in a saucepan.
- Stir in ⅓ cup of flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add the 2 tablespoon of tomato paste and seasonings called for in the recipe.
- Whisk in 3½ cups of chicken broth. Stir until thickened, about 5 minutes
- Stir in ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar.
- Store until ready to use.
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