Ground Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 8 medium flour tortillas
- olive oil
Homemade Enchilada Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups water +1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon chicken base
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano leaves
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons salt
or
- 1 (28-ounce) can + 1 (15-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
Ground Beef Filling:
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound grated Colby-Jack, medium, or sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in the center of the oven. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch pan.
- In a medium sauté pan, cook tortillas in a small amount of olive oil over medium heat until light brown, turning once. Stack on a plate and set aside.
Enchilada Sauce (can be made up to three days ahead):
- Pour olive oil in a medium saucepan and turn heat to medium. After oil has heated for about 1 minute, sprinkle flour in the pan and whisk until smooth. Cook for 1 minute while whisking, being careful not to let the oil burn.
- Carefully add the chicken broth or water and chicken base. Whisk again.
- Add the chili powder, oregano, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and salt. Whisk until mixed together. Cook on low, stirring occasionally, while making meat filling.
- If using prepared enchilada sauce, open can and set aside. No need to heat.
Ground Beef Filling:
- In a large sauté pan, cook ground beef and onion until meat is no longer pink.
- Drain fat from the pan and return the sauté pan to the stove.
- Add cumin, garlic, salt and pepper, and sauté for 1 minute.
Assembly:
- Pour and spread ½ cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Place ½ cup ground beef in a straight line down the middle of a tortilla. Top with ¼ -⅓ cup shredded cheese.
- Roll tortilla and place, seam side down, in the pan. Repeat with all tortillas. Top the rolled tortillas with any leftover meat.
- Pour 2 cups enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas and top with 1½ cups shredded cheese.
- Cook for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
To freeze: Prepare the enchiladas, cover in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze. When ready to cook, leave on the counter for 1 hour, uncover, and bake at 325 degrees for about an hour (check the center to make sure it’s heated through).
Ground Beef Enchiladas can also be wrapped individually in plastic wrap or foil and stored in a gallon ziplock bag for grab-and-go meals. Just heat in the microwave or oven.