Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce are so flavorful and satisfying that they will rival your favorite Tex-Mex restaurant, bringing the authentic taste of Mexico right to your kitchen. Served alongside traditional refried beans and homemade Mexican rice, this dish creates a complete and delicious meal that will impress family and friends.
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🌶️ Red Sauce Ingredients
The ingredients include ripe tomatoes, dried chilies, garlic, onion, and a blend of spices, creating a rich and flavorful sauce that perfectly complements enchiladas.
🧀 Beef Enchiladas Ingredients
The ingredients for beef enchiladas may be simple and unassuming, but their combination creates a restaurant-quality dish that is both comforting and bursting with flavor.
👩🏼🍳 How To Make Red (Rojo) Enchilada Sauce
- Step 1: Toast the chiles in a skillet, then remove their stems and seeds.
- Step 2: Place the chiles in a bowl and cover them with hot water.
- Step 3: Add the chiles, tomatoes, garlic, and onions to a blender and purée them.
- Step 4: Strain the mixture into a heatproof bowl.
- Step 5: In a large skillet, create a roux of oil and flour and then whisk in the puréed chili mixture.
- Step 6: Whisk in the seasonings and stir until slightly thickened.
Expert Tip
Straining the puréed chiles is critical in yielding a silky sauce. If you skip this step, the sauce will be gritty from the skins of the chiles. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to help the sauce pass through the sieve.
👩🏼🍳 How to Make the Beef Enchilada Filling
- Step 1: Sauté the onion, jalapeño, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat.
- Step 2: Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink (remove excess grease).
- Step 3: Stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt, and chopped tomatoes. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Step 4: Add 1 cup of Mexican beer.
- Step 5: Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Step 6: Ready to fill the enchiladas!
Expert Tip
Simmer the sauce until most of the liquid has evaporated; however, don’t let the meat become dry. It should be very juicy. If you don’t want to cook with beer, you can substitute beef broth.
👩🏼🍳 How to Make Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce
- Step 1: Ladle a thin layer of the enchilada sauce
- Step 2: Heat vegetable oil in a small skillet and lightly fry corn tortillas for a couple of seconds per side.
- Step 3: Use a paper towel to remove excess grease and then coat the tortilla with enchilada sauce.
- Step 4: Add a couple of spoonfuls of the beef filling down the middle of a tortilla on the prepared pan.
- Step 5: Seal the enchiladas on top and then sprinkle the cheese over them.
- Step 6: Bake until cheese has melted and the filling is heated, about 15 to 20 minutes.
🍽️ How To Serve
- After the enchiladas are baked, they can be a little tricky to transfer from the pan to a plate. Use a large spatula and gently place it under the enchiladas and lift straight up. Use a fork to transfer the enchiladas to the plate.
- A fun way to serve these enchiladas is in individual oven-safe baking dishes. Just make sure your guests know the dish is hot.
- Don’t worry if the enchiladas fall apart when you are serving. The taste will still be amazing.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of meat for beef enchiladas?
Yes, you can substitute ground beef with other meats such as shredded chicken, pork, or even a meatless option like black beans or lentils for a delicious variation.
Can I make the beef enchiladas with red sauce ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can assemble the beef enchiladas in advance, cover them tightly, and refrigerate or freeze them until you’re ready to bake, making meal prep easy and convenient.
What can I serve with beef enchiladas?
Beef enchiladas pair wonderfully with sides like authentic refried beans, Mexican rice, guacamole, or a fresh salad, enhancing the overall meal experience.
🌮 Other Classic Tex-Mex Recipes
Ready to make the best enchiladas this side of San Antonio? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of them, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce
Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce is Tex-Mex at its very best. The red sauce (Rojo sauce) is deeply flavorful and has authentic Tex-Mex flavor. And the sauce and beef filling can be made in advance, making assembly and serving a snap!
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Servings: 4
Calories: 789kcal
Video
Equipment
- large skillet (12")
- Blender
- Sheet pan or baking dish
Ingredients
For the Red Sauce
- 5 ancho chiles dried
- 5 guajillo chiles dried
- 2 plum tomatoes roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt
For the Beef Filling
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño seeded and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb ground beef 90% lean
- 2 Roma tomatoes chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup beer preferably Mexican
For the Enchiladas
- 2 cups red enchilada sauce
- Vegetable oil
- 8 corn tortillas
- 2 cups beef filling
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- green leaf lettuce for garnish
- pico de gallo for garish
Instructions
Make the Red Enchilada Sauce
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chiles and roast for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.5 ancho chiles, 5 guajillo chiles
- Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut away the stems and then remove as many of the seeds inside the pepper as possible (don't worry if you don't get them all, you'll strain the liquid later).
- Place the chiles in a large bowl and cover them with hot tap water. Place a small plate on top of the chiles to keep them submerged. Let them rest in the water for at least 1 hour.
- Use a pair of tongs (or your hands) to transfer the soaked chiles to a blender. Add the tomatoes, garlic, onion, and 3 cups of the chili soaking water. Securely place the lid on the blender and purée until smooth.2 plum tomatoes, 3 cloves garlic, 1 medium onion
- Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve or colander into a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Gently whisk in the strained chili sauce and 1 cup of the soaking broth. Stir in the oregano, garlic powder, cumin, and salt. Stir until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Make the Beef Filling
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and peppers and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, 1 jalapeño, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Spoon off excess rendered grease and safely discard.1 lb ground beef
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are starting to break down.2 Roma tomatoes, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Stir in the beef and cook until the mixture thickens somewhat and most of the liquid is gone, about another 5 to 8 minutes. The mixture should be very moist (even wet); if too dry, add a little more beer. Set aside.1 cup beer
Prepare the Enchiladas
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Ladle a thin layer of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of a sheet pan or baking dish. Add the rest of the sauce into a shallow bowl.2 cups red enchilada sauce
- Heat a thin layer of the vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is simmering, quickly pass a tortilla through the oil, flipping after 1 to 2 seconds. Lightly fry for another second or two. Just long enough to soften the tortilla. Quickly transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Flip the tortilla over to remove excess oil.Vegetable oil, 8 corn tortillas
- Submerge the lightly fried tortilla in the red sauce. Place the coated tortilla in the sheet pan or dish. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture down the middle of the tortilla. Bring the sides of the tortilla over the filling and press to seal the edges on top. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.2 cups beef filling
- Top with the cheese and bake until the cheese has melted and the filling is hot, about 15 to 20 minutes.2 cups cheddar cheese
- Top with chopped green leaf lettuce and pico de gallo. Serve at once!green leaf lettuce, pico de gallo
Notes
NOTE: Watch the video near the top of the recipe for visual guidance.
The enchilada sauce and beef filling can be made up to 3 days in advance.
Beef broth can be substituted for the beer.
Leftovers will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on a baking dish (covered with foil) in the oven at 325°F for 20 minutes, or until heated through.
The enchiladas can be assembled and frozen (covered tightly with foil) for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw completely before baking them.
Nutrition
Calories: 789kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 648mg | Potassium: 889mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 15300IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 550mg | Iron: 9mg
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Wesley says
I think this is my favorite enchilada recipe. The homemade red (rojo) enchilada sauce is the kicker!!!