It’s highly possible that there is nothing on Earth better than Mexican food. Okay…maybe puppies. But besides that…nothing better. No wonder that so many people want to make perfect recipes that get their mouths watering just thinking about them. A casserole recipe is an absolute favorite for the whole family, so we’re taking a look at exactly how to create the perfect beef tortilla casserole!
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What is a beef enchilada casserole?
Imagine taking all the juicy delicious goodness of an enchilada: The enchilada sauce, the beef, the cheese, even some refried beans, and layering it all in a casserole dish, instead of rolling it up. Not only is it way easier to eat (no food ending up on the floor with this one), but it also means the sauce is going to get right into the inner machinations of the casserole. And what does that mean? An explosion of absolute Mexican heaven right in your mouth.
How to make beef enchilada casserole
All wonders of the culinary world in one place, that’s what! Basically, your beef enchilada casserole is made up of some of the best food ever known to man, including:
#1. Tortillas
You can use either flour tortillas, which are softer, or corn tortillas which will provide a more authentic experience. Remember that corn tortillas are smaller than flour tortillas so make sure to use a few more. You can even make your very own tortillas at home with this tortilla press exactly the way you like them.
#2. Red enchilada sauce
This is the best part, and like we said because this meal is made in a baking dish, the sauce gets right into the heart of the beef enchilada casserole – which we love!
#3. Ground beef
Feel free to season your ground beef, or create a beef mixture with onions. Any beef enchilada casserole is only going to taste better with onions.
#4. Cheddar cheese
What would this beef enchilada casserole be without cheese? Any kind of cheddar cheese will do. Just make sure it’s heavenly. That’s all that really matters.
This is only the start…
This is the base; the not-so-humble beginnings. Once you’ve got these ready, we dive into the actual beef enchilada casserole recipe proper. And with a cook time of anywhere between 10 minutes and 30 minutes, it’s a super meal to make for when friends get together. The prep time is also minimal. So, your total time is enough to welcome in your guests have a drink, put on a Mexican hat, and voila! Beef enchilada casserole ready to go!
Beef enchilada casserole recipe.
Ingredients:
(makes 6 servings of beef enchilada casserole)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tsp taco seasoning
- 1 diced onion
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 10-oz can enchilada sauce
- 3/4 c water
- 1/2 c medium thick and chunky salsa
- 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- 1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped, divided
- 1 c shredded cheese (or 2 c if you’re feeling you need more cheese than usual)
- sour cream and lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Put your ground beef, taco seasoning, and salt into the skillet and cook, while stirring. Make sure you’re breaking up the beef as it cooks. You’ll know it’s done when the beef is brown and cooked through (with any excess fat drained).
- Now it’s time to add the enchilada sauce, water, and salsa. Bring this to the boil and stir together. After 4 to 5 mins remove from the heat (most of the liquid will have evaporated by now).
- Stack your corn tortillas or flour tortillas and cut them into 1-inch strips. Spread 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of the dish. Now, place half of your tortilla strips at the bottom of a 9-inch-deep baking dish. Once they’re arranged, place half of the ground beef mixture over them. Now sprinkle 3/4 cup of cheese over your ground beef. Sprinkle the 2 Tbsp of chopped cilantro over the top. Pour another 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce over this. Keep repeating with the ground beef, the cheese, and the enchilada sauce until the ingredients have almost all been used up.
- Place the remaining flour tortillas or corn tortillas on top, adding the cheese, any remaining beef, and remaining enchilada sauce on top of the tortillas to complete your beef enchilada casserole.
- Cover with foil and bake in the oven for a cook time of approximately 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melts and starts bubbling. You can sprinkle any leftover cilantro over the top before serving. The best part is serving it with sour cream and lime wedges.
Nutrition facts
This enchilada casserole recipe is mostly full of goodness, and because it’s easy to make with a short prep time, you’re able to get in that goodness without much fuss. But while we give it 5 stars for taste, there is quite a bit of saturated fat in this dish, so be aware of that.
Take a look at this Men’s Health article to read about why too much saturated fat isn’t good for you.
There’s also a lot to read on Wikipedia about fats and their health effects.
Nutrition information: Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe Calories: 365 Sugar: 6g Sodium: 711 mg Fat: 18g Saturated Fat: 7g Unsaturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 28 g Fiber: 5 g Protein: 23 g Cholesterol: 67 mg
Beef enchilada casserole FAQs
This dish is easy to prepare at home when you have all the right ingredients. Here are some FAQs we get to make your casserole even more satisfying.
What else can you make a casserole with?
Honestly, there are tons of options. All kinds of different ingredients can be added or substituted to change up this recipe.
Black beans
Refried beans
Red enchilada sauce
Beyond just using your normal enchilada sauce, ground beef, and cheese, try a red enchilada sauce instead to give a different spin on this casserole dish.
Homemade enchilada sauce
The homemade variety of enchilada sauce is also worth trying out if you want a more authentic casserole, and if you have the time.
Monterey jack cheese
Instead of using cheddar, you could use this semi-firm washed cheese. Or you could combine cheddar and jack cheese too.
The options are endless
There are so many wonderful and divers eways you can make beef enchilada casserole dishes. Whenever you make this dish, you have the potential to come up with brand new recipes, which is always exciting.
What can I put on top of beef enchilada casserole tortillas?
Cheese, cheese, and more cheese. Did we mention we love cheese? This casserole really is variable and you can add a lot of delicious variety to it. You can also add green chilies for more of a bite.
How do I prevent tortillas from getting soggy in a casserole?
The trick here is to create some kind of a barrier so that the tortillas don’t soak up too much of the sauce. Fry your tortillas in oil very briefly, before you put them into your casserole and that should help with the soggy factor.
This leads us to a question which we get a lot:
Do I have to fry tortillas for my enchilada casserole?
Not neceserally, but it does make the whole experience much more satisfying. All they need is three to four seconds per side in the frying pan and they’re ready for all the enchilada sauce in the world.
The Final Word:
This recipe is going to deliver bite after bite of heaven every time. Remember that you can swap out ingredients for other things so that you keep your casserole interesting. Black beans, green onions, red enchilada sauce…the possibilities are endless. Keep exploring. When it comes to the question “How to make tortilla casserole” there are no rules. Be creative, enjoy yourself, and remember, the more cheese the better.
Go ahead and bookmark this recipe for your next Mexican get-together.