Beef Enchiladas Red Sauce (Printable Version)

Tender beef wrapped in soft corn tortillas with rich red sauce and melted cheese, a comforting Mexican classic.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef Filling

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1 tsp chili powder
06 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
07 - ½ tsp salt
08 - ¼ tsp black pepper
09 - ½ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
10 - 1 tbsp tomato paste

→ Red Enchilada Sauce

11 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
12 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
13 - 2 tbsp chili powder
14 - 1 tsp ground cumin
15 - ½ tsp garlic powder
16 - ½ tsp onion powder
17 - ¼ tsp dried oregano
18 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth
19 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
20 - ½ tsp salt

→ Assembly

21 - 8 corn tortillas (6-inch)
22 - 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
23 - 1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
24 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned, breaking it up with a spoon for 5–6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary. Add onion and cook 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Stir in diced tomatoes and tomato paste; simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
03 - In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano; cook 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in broth and tomato paste, then add salt. Bring to a simmer and cook 5–7 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
04 - Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds, or warm them in a dry skillet until pliable.
05 - Spread ½ cup enchilada sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place about ¼ cup beef filling and a sprinkle of cheese onto each tortilla, roll up, and place seam-side down in the dish.
06 - Pour remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Top with remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.
07 - Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and golden.
08 - Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The homemade red sauce puts anything storebought to shame and comes together in under ten minutes
  • The beef filling stays incredibly moist thanks to the tomato paste and diced tomatoes
02 -
  • Warming your tortillas before rolling is nonnegotiable, cold tortillas will crack and frustrate you completely
  • Let the sauce cool for just a couple minutes before assembling, it thickens slightly and makes spreading so much easier
03 -
  • Use a block of cheese and shred it yourself instead of buying pre-shredded bags, the melt is exponentially better
  • If your sauce seems too thick after simmering, add broth one tablespoon at a time until it reaches coating consistency

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