Beef Enchilada Casserole

No ratings yet

Beef enchilada casserole made with seasoned ground beef, black beans, tortillas, and a rich homemade enchilada sauce, baked until bubbly and melty. My easy answer to enchilada night.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: serving

Calories: 530kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

Ingredients:

10 small tortillas halved, corn or flour
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
15 ounces black beans or pinto
7 ounces green chiles diced and drained
2 cups enchilada sauce homemade or canned
2½ cups Mexican blend cheese shredded

Sauce:

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
¼ cup finely diced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
30 ounce tomato sauce
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 jalapeno halved, seeded
4 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons tomato bouillon or chicken bouillon
1 cup chicken broth

Toppings:

Sliced avocado
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno seeded and diced
1 tomato diced
Sour cream
Salsa

Instructions

In a large saucepan, cook the ground beef till it is no longer pink.
1 pound lean ground beef
Add the onion, garlic, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and cook for 4 more minutes.
1 cup onion, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika , 1 teaspoon salt , ½ teaspoon ground pepper
Add the black beans and green chilis and heat for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
15 ounces black beans or pinto, 7 ounces green chiles
While the beef is cooking, place the onion, garlic, ½ the tomato sauce, cumin, oregano, chili powder, jalapenos, tomato paste and bouillon in a blender and blend till smooth.
¼ cup finely diced onion, 1 tablespoon minced garlic , 30 ounce tomato sauce , ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano , 1 tablespoon chili powder , 1 jalapeno, 4 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 teaspoons tomato bouillon or chicken bouillon
In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute till the raw smell has cooked out. Then whisk in sauce from the blender. Add the remaining tomato sauce and the chicken broth. Stir till combined.
3 tablespoons olive oil , 3 tablespoons all purpose flour, 1 cup chicken broth
Cook the sauce till hot and bubbly. If it is too thin, cook a bit longer and the flour will thicken the sauce. As it cools if it thickens too much, add a little more chicken broth.
Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.
Lay tortillas over the bottom of the pan, spoon some of the sauce over the tortillas. Then spread with half the beef mixture, and sprinkle with cheese.
10 small tortillas, 2½ cups Mexican blend cheese
Repeat layering everything till the top is sprinkled with cheese. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes. The enchiladas should be bubbly and the cheese melted.
2 cups enchilada sauce
Serve with your choice of toppings: sliced avocados, diced tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, etc.
Sliced avocado , ¼ cup chopped cilantro, 1 jalapeno, 1 tomato, Sour cream, Salsa

Notes

Tips:

Spoon sauce over every layer of tortillas, not only the top, so the casserole stays saucy all the way through instead of drying out in the middle.
If the homemade sauce is too thin, cook it a little longer to thicken. If it gets too thick as it cools, whisk in a splash more chicken broth.
Let the casserole rest a few minutes before slicing so it holds together in neat squares.

Storage:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat individual squares in the microwave, or warm the covered pan in a 350 degree oven until heated through.
To make it ahead, assemble the casserole, cover it, and refrigerate overnight, then bake it from cold with a few extra minutes.
To freeze, assemble it unbaked in a freezer-safe pan, wrap it well in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight and bake as directed, or bake from frozen at 350 degrees covered until bubbly in the center. You can also freeze a double batch of only the sauce for a faster start next time.

Nutrition