Sunday, August 20, 2023

Beef Enchiladas (110 of 150)

Anyone who knows me, knows that Mexican food is my favorite. I could eat tacos almost every day. The days I wouldn't eat tacos, I'd eat enchiladas. 

For years, the ONLY enchilada recipe I'd make was my mom's. It's still the best for me for sentimental reasons - and they're pretty darn good. 

I've since made these AMAZING cheese enchiladas a couple of times. And tonight, I'm trying my hand at some beef enchiladas.

What struck me immediately about this recipe was adding diced green chilis and pinto beans to the enchilada filling. That sounded amazing. 

What didn't I do?
1. I didn't use flour tortillas. I really dislike enchiladas made of flour tortillas. I feel like they get mushy and the texture gets weird. So I used corn and made them flexible by running them through hot oil to soften them up (Mom did it, so I do it).

2. I just read in the instructions about putting enchilada sauce INSIDE the enchilada. I've never seen that before and missed it in the recipe so didn't do it. Honestly I think it's a waste. 

3. I seasoned my beef with chili powder because - well that's what I always do. Again, Mom did it so I do it.

I served mine with some sour cream on top and ate nothing else with them. You're gonna want to make these. They were amazing.




Beef Enchiladas
Recipe from Gimme some Oven

Serves 8

Enchilada sauce (You could also just buy canned. But why? This is so easy)
  • 2 T avocado oil or olive oil
  • 2 T all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 c chili powder (see note below)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 c chicken or vegetable stock
  • fine sea salt, to taste

Enchilada Meat
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces) lean ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
  • fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
8 large flour tortillas*
3 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese
toppings: fresh cilantro, chopped red onions, diced avocado, sour cream, and/or crumbled cotija cheese

Enchilada Sauce
Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly.  Add in the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano and cook for 1 more minute, whisking constantly.

Gradually pour in the stock, whisking constantly to combine until no lumps remain.  Continue cooking until the sauce reaches a simmer.  Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer (the sauce should continue lightly bubbling) for about 10-15 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce has slightly thickened.

Check for seasoning; adjust as needed. Use immediately in your favorite recipe and enjoy!

Enchilada Filling:
Sauté the beef filling. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground beef and cumin and sauté for 5 minutes or until completely browned, crumbling the beef with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Stir in the beans and green chiles until combined. Season the mixture with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper, to taste.


Prep oven and baking dish. Heat oven to 350°F. Spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce evenly along the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Assemble the enchiladas. 
To assemble the enchiladas, set up an assembly line including: tortillas, enchilada sauce, beef filling, and cheese. Lay out a tortilla, and spread two tablespoons of sauce over the surface of the tortilla. Add a generous spoonful of the beef filling in a line down the center of the tortilla, then sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese. Roll up the tortilla and place it in the prepared baking dish. Assemble the remaining enchiladas. Spread any remaining sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas, followed by any extra cheese.

Bake. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the enchiladas are cooked through and the tortillas are slightly crispy on the outside. Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack.

Serve. Serve the enchiladas immediately while they’re nice and hot, garnished with lots of your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

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