Beef Enchilada Casserole

Layering the corn tortillas instead of rolling them makes this Tex-Mex recipe extra quick and easy!

If you prefer chicken you'll love this creamy chicken enchilada casserole.

🗝️ Key takeaways

• Hearty recipe with lots of Mexican flavor and it's so much easier than traditional enchiladas. Budget-friendly and feeds a crowd.
• This beefy casserole makes dinner time a snap, and lets the oven do the work. It's perfect for busy weeknights and as a great way to change up Taco Tuesday.
• It's important that you NOT store this covered with aluminum foil. Read the storage sections to find out why.

If you love Tex-Mex food as much as I do this recipe will be on your table on a regular basis.

If you try this you'll want to try my ground beef Dorito casserole.

🧾 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions for this Mexican casserole in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

📖 Variations

• Diced bell peppers can be added to the beef when you are browning it for a great flavor.
• Add a little spice to this beef enchilada recipe by mixing in a can of green chilies to the beef before layering in the casserole dish.
• Mexican cheese blend would make a great melting cheese to sprinkle on top of the tortillas.
• If you are not a fan of red sauce, you can use green enchilada sauce instead.
• Refried beans or pinto beans make a great substitution for black beans in this recipe.
• Not a fan of corn tortillas? Use small flour tortillas instead in the prepared baking dish. Be aware that flour tortillas will get soggy.
• Reduce the fat in this delicious dinner by using ground turkey or ground venison in place of ground beef.

🔪 Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.

1. Brown ground beef and onions over medium heat, but the beef mixture is no longer pink.
2. Mix in the taco seasoning, black beans, and water to the meat mixture.
3. Cut the corn tortillas in half, and then spread ¼ cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
4. Layer the remaining enchilada sauce and ingredients to build the casserole.

🎥 Video

🥫 How to store leftover beef enchilada casserole

Store leftovers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or an airtight container for up three days.

This dish can be assembled and then frozen for up to three months.

Be sure to put plastic wrap over it before you cover it with aluminum foil. The ingredients in this recipe will react with the aluminum and it won't taste very good.

💭 Things to know

Expert Tip: If you are cooking with lean ground beef add a small amount of olive oil to the pan to prevent the beef from sticking and to help it brown.

• Add a little spice to the beef mixture by tossing in a dash of cayenne pepper or adding some green chiles.
• Out of fresh onions? You can use one teaspoon of onion powder with the raw beef for the same flavor.
• Top this easy beef enchilada casserole recipe with your favorite toppings, like green onions, black olives, sour cream, and diced tomatoes.
• For extra flavor you can add a dash of salt and black pepper to the meat when you are cooking it.
• Instead of store-bought sauce, you can use a homemade delicious enchilada sauce.
• Be sure to drain the excess grease off the meat before adding in the taco seasoning and beans.
• Spray the baking dish well with cooking spray for easy clean-up.
• I like to use freshly shredded cheese instead of pre-shredded because it melts better without the cellulose.
• Sprinkle a few fresh cilantro leaves on top of your casserole when it's finished baking for a fresh flavor.

No tortillas? Try this hobo casserole made with potatoes!

👩‍🍳 FAQs

📚 Related recipes

• If you love Mexican casseroles then you are going to love this make-ahead friendly Crescent Roll Taco Casserole recipe.
• Mexican food is a staple on our weekly meal plans, and this Cheesy Mexican Lasagna recipe is one of my favorite casseroles.
• John Wayne Casserole is layers of ground beef, creamy sauce, and biscuits in an easy casserole that the whole family will enjoy.

Here are more easy recipes with ground beef.

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🍽️ Serve with...

I like to do the whole Mexican restaurant experience with chips and queso, a crunchy Frito corn salad, and a white Texas sheet cake for dessert.

📞 The last word

You can make this extra special with this homemade enchilada sauce! It keeps in the fridge for days so you can make it ahead of time.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

4.75 from 27 votes

Beef Enchilada Casserole

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This easy beef enchilada casserole recipe has layers of ground beef, cheese, black beans, & corn tortillas covered with red enchilada sauce then baked to gooey perfection. It's a family favorite!

Course Dinner (quick and easy)

Cuisine Tex-Mex

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings:8

Calories:546

Author:Marye Audet-White

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

• ▢
  13x9-inch pan

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 10 corn tortillas, cut in half
• ▢ 2 pounds ground beef
• ▢ 1 cup onion, diced
• ▢ 1 ounce taco seasoning
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ 15 ounces black beans, rinsed and drained
• ▢ 2 cups red enchilada sauce
• ▢ 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• ▢ 1 cup pepper jack, shredded

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Add the ground beef and onion to a heavy skillet that's been sprayed with no stick spray (or a tablespoon of oil).
• Cook over medium heat, stirring often and breaking up chunks of ground beef.
• When the meat is fully cooked and the onions have softened add the taco seasoning, beans, and enough of the water to moisten the mixture.. Stir.
• Spread ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce evenly over the bottom of the baking dish.
• Layer ⅓ of the tortillas over the sauce, covering the bottom
• Add ½ of the meat mixture.
• Add 1 cup of the cheese evenly over the meat.
• Pour ½ cup of the enchilada sauce over the cheese.
• Repeat the layers with ⅓ of the tortillas, the rest of the ground beef mixture, a cup of cheese and ½ cup of sauce.
• Add the final ⅓ of tortillas on top of the casserole and pour the rest of the sauce over the top.
• Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.
• Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, tomatoes, or other favorite toppings.

Notes

Storage:

Store leftovers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or an airtight container for up three days.

This dish can be assembled and then frozen for up to three months.

Be sure to put plastic wrap over it before you cover it with aluminum foil. The ingredients in this recipe will react with the aluminum and it won't taste very good.

Tips:

• If you are using very lean ground meat you may need to add a little olive oil to the pan before cooking so it won't stick.
• Out of fresh onions? You can use one teaspoon of onion powder with the raw beef for the same flavor.
• Be sure to drain the excess grease off the meat before adding in the taco seasoning and beans.
• I like to use freshly shredded cheese instead of pre-shredded because it melts better without the cellulose.

Scroll up to read more tips for success in the things to know section.

You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 1149mg | Potassium: 681mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1129IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 368mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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First published February 28, 2022. Last updated for editorial improvements September 7, 2023 for editorial corrections and more information.