Description
Hearty beef enchilada bake delivers Mexican-inspired comfort straight to dinner tables. Layers of seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, and zesty sauce create a crowd-pleasing meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 12 corn tortillas
- 12 ounces (340 grams) Mexican blend shredded cheese
- 1 (15 ounce / 425 grams) can chili beans
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 large bell pepper, any color, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings and Sauces:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 (15 ounce / 425 grams) can red enchilada sauce, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish (Optional):
- Cilantro
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 375°F, preparing a welcoming environment for the upcoming culinary creation.
- In a spacious skillet, drizzle olive oil and introduce chopped onion, minced garlic, and diced bell pepper, allowing them to dance and soften over medium heat.
- Introduce ground beef to the sizzling vegetable mixture, browning thoroughly and carefully draining any lingering fat.
- Enhance the meat with chili beans, aromatic ground cumin, salt, and pepper, letting the flavors intermingle for a few moments.
- Create a delicate foundation in the baking dish by spreading a thin veil of enchilada sauce across the bottom.
- Construct the first architectural layer using corn tortillas, positioning them carefully over the sauce.
- Distribute a generous portion of the seasoned beef mixture atop the tortillas, generously showering the surface with melting cheese.
- Repeat the layering process twice more, ensuring each stratum is rich with beef and generously adorned with cheese.
- Crown the final layer with remaining enchilada sauce, allowing it to cascade across the surface.
- Transfer the assembled dish to the preheated oven, baking for 20-25 minutes until the cheese transforms into a golden, bubbling masterpiece.
- Optional: Garnish with fresh cilantro and a dollop of cool sour cream to complement the warm, robust flavors.
Notes
- Customize heat levels by adjusting ground cumin and choosing mild or spicy chili beans for personalized flavor intensity.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for healthier protein alternatives that keep the dish’s signature taste.
- Use corn tortillas strategically by slightly overlapping them and ensuring complete coverage to prevent dry edges and create a consistent layered texture.
- Consider preparing this dish ahead and refrigerating before baking, which allows flavors to meld and makes weeknight dinner preparation easier.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg