Simple, Delicious
This recipe is my take on ground beef and cheese enchiladas. My goal for these ground beef enchiladas with flour tortillas is to create a thick, sweet, homemade enchilada sauce. Combine plump, colorful cherry tomatoes, onions, spices, and fresh herbs to build a flavorful gravy.
Rolled tortillas stuffed with a creamy, cheesy, ground beef filling. Finally, garnish each enchilada with fresh chopped green onions, black olives, and rich sour cream.
What You Need to Make Beef Enchiladas with Flour Tortillas
- Cherry Tomatoes – I love the vibrant yellow, red, and orange assortment of tomatoes. The color of the tomatoes clearly dictates the color of the sauce. Toss in whatever tomatoes you have, but cherries will help make the sauce sweet.
- Onions & Garlic – In addition to the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes, use sweet onions. Garlic is garlic, it adds flavor and is an aromatic (smells delicious).
- Spices & Herbs – Fresh thyme, bay leaves, salt, chili powder, and cinnamon compliment the sweet tomatoes, onions and brown sugar. Adjust by adding more or less of each spice or herb to create a flavor of your own.
- Ground Beef Filling – a hefty two pounds of ground beef, cooked and crumbled. Flavored with onions and spices. Create a creamy filling by adding shredded Mexican blend cheese, sour cream, and a cup of your homemade sauce.
How to Make Beef Enchiladas with Flour Tortillas
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Peel and rough chop the onion and garlic. The large pieces will cook down and then be pureed. Toss in the whole tomatoes, and let the whole pan cook down. Break of any of the tomatoes as needed, allowing it to cook for 15 minutes. Add the herbs and spices, let the sauce simmer.
Going The Extra Mile
After cooking down the tomatoes and onions, blend the sauce until smooth. Then, go the extra mile and use a mesh strainer to remove the seeds from the sauce. Yes, yes, this a little more time consuming but will result in a smooth sauce.
Place a metal strainer over a bowl. Pour the sauce into the strainer. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir the sauce, pressing it through the mesh. Of course, if you don’t mind the seeds, skip this step.
Ground Beef Filling
While the tomato sauce is cooking, switch over to make the creamy, cheesy, ground beef filling. Be sure to breakdown the beef into crumbles as it cooks. Remove the excess fat, and add in cheese, sour cream, and sauce to make a yummy filling.
Bringing It All Together
In the homestretch! It’s time to assemble your ground beef and cheese enchiladas. Spoon sauce over the bottom of the casserole dish to keep the tortillas from sticking. Place a scoop of the cheesy beef filling towards one side of a tortilla, folding the side over and rolling.
I don’t fold the ends, feel free to do so, it’s an extra step. Make sure to keep the tortilla roll tight and place each seam side down to keep them wrapped. Continue until the pan is full.
Delicious Layer After Layer
After rolling all tortillas, sprinkle a generous layer of cheese, then spoon over the remaining sauce. Finally, a last layer of cheese. Bake in the oven uncovered until the cheese it melty and the dish is heated through. Ground beef and cheese enchiladas are great the next day; re-heat leftovers in a 375-degree oven and enjoy!
Tips, Tricks, & FAQs
- Ugly Tomatoes: Reduce food waste and prepare this dish using up tomatoes that have started to wrinkle; not pretty enough for a salad, but too good to send to the compost.
- Rolling the Tortillas: Be sure to place the filling to one side of the tortilla so that you can fold over the “side” closest to the filling and roll the tortilla tight. Place the rolled enchilada seam side down so the tortilla stay closed.
- A Little Toasty: If you want your cheese a little more toasty on top, place the casserole dish under the broiler until the cheese is more toasty and bubbled.
- Tasty Toppers: Of course, there are other toppings to try… fresh diced tomatoes would be amazing, petit diced red onion instead of green onions, a dollop of guacamole (by dollop I mean a generous scoop). Here’s a great recipe for Easy Guacamole with Cilantro and Lime.
Beef Enchiladas with Flour Tortillas
Equipment
- large pan or cast-iron skillet(s)
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- food processor or blender
- strainer
- Mixing bowls
- oven
- 9×13 casserole dish
Ingredients
Enchilada Sauce
- 1 large sweet onion, rough chopped ~1 cup for sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, rough chopped for sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 48 ounces assorted cherry tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Filling
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onion (1 large onion) for meat
- 2 teaspoons garlic, (2 cloves) chopped and pressed for meat
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground ancho chili
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (1/2 cup in meat, 1 cup on top of enchiladas, 1 cup on top of sauce)
- 1/2 cup sour cream + additional for garnish
- 1/2 cup pureed enchilada sauce
Assembly
- 8 -8" diameter flour tortillas
- 1 bunch green onions (garnish)
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives (garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat. Preheat oven to 375 °F
- Prepare. Gather and measure all ingredients.
- Onions and Garlic. Chop onions and garlic (fine diced for filling and rough chopped for sauce).1 large sweet onion, rough chopped ~1 cup for sauce, 2 cloves garlic, rough chopped for sauce, 1 cup chopped onion (1 large onion) for meat, 2 teaspoons garlic, (2 cloves) chopped and pressed for meat
Enchilada Sauce
- Oil. Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet or large pan over medium low heat.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Tomatoes. To the skillet add tomatoes, rough chopped onions, garlic, and salt.48 ounces assorted cherry tomatoes, 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Cook. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Next… While the tomatoes cook…
Beef Filling
- Mix. Mix the ground beef, onions, garlic, spices, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl.2 lbs ground beef, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground ancho chili, 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- Oil. Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet or large pan over medium low heat. Add ground beef and cook until meat is no longer pink. Stir occasionally, breaking up the meat into crumbles. About 10 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Remove Fat. Remove from heat. Spoon out most of the excess fat from the meat, leaving about 1/4 cup.
- Next…Go back to the sauce…
Enchilada Sauce
- Smash. Remove the lid, carefully and gently smash any tomatoes that haven't broken down using the back of a large spoon or potato masher. If they don't give easily, allow them to cook longer. Be careful not to force the tomatoes or squirt hot juice as you give them a smoosh.
- Flavors. Add the brown sugar, spices, and herbs.1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme, 1 bay leaf
- Simmer. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Cooking for 10 minutes uncovered to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavors.
- Rest. Remove the bay leaf. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow the sauce to sit for 5 minutes.
- Blend. Carefully scoop the sauce into a large food processor or blender (please follow your owner's manual). Blend the mixture on low for 2 minutes or until the sauce is smooth. If your food processor isn't large enough (this will yield about 4 cups), blend in batches.
- Strain. If a smoother, seedless sauce is desired, place a metal strainer over a mixing bowl. Pour the sauce into the strainer. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, press the sauce through the strainer.
Finish the Filling
- Mx. Over medium low heat, re-heat the beef. Add shredded Mexican blend cheese, sour cream, and enchilada sauce. Mix and cook until heated through.2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (1/2 cup in meat, 1 cup on top of enchiladas, 1 cup on top of sauce), 1/2 cup sour cream + additional for garnish, 1/2 cup pureed enchilada sauce
Assembly
- Sauce. Spoon ½ cup of sauce, and spread over, the bottom of the casserole pan.
- Meat. Spoon ½ cup of meat into each tortilla, towards one side of the tortilla, so that you can fold short flap over the tortilla over the filling, pull it tight and roll.8 -8" diameter flour tortillas
- Position. Place each enchilada seam down in the casserole dish. Continue until the dish is full.
- Cheese. Sprinkle with shredded Mexican blend cheese on top of the enchiladas.
- More Sauce. Ladle the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas. Cover with another cup of shredded Mexican blend cheese.
- Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Chop. While the enchiladas are baking, chop the green onions and black olives.1 bunch green onions (garnish), 1/2 cup sliced black olives (garnish)
- Serve! After baking, serve enchiladas. Garnish with additional sour cream, green onions, and black olives.
