The filling is simply ground beef and onion, seasoned with chili powder, cumin and salt. There are no beans or rice folded in.
Red enchilada sauce goes in twice: half a cup spread under the rolls so they do not stick, and the rest poured over before the cheese.
How to Make It
Oven heated, beef and onion browned to 160°F
Heat the oven to 375°F. Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet over medium heat with the chili powder, cumin and salt until the beef reaches 160°F, then drain the excess fat.
Half a cup of sauce spread in the dish
Spread 1/2 cup of the red enchilada sauce over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Tortillas filled, rolled and set seam-side down
Divide the beef filling among the flour tortillas, roll them tightly and set them seam-side down in the dish.
Remaining sauce and cheese on top
Pour the rest of the red enchilada sauce over the rolls and cover with the shredded cheese blend.
Baked until bubbling, cilantro to finish
Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling and browned in spots, then finish with chopped cilantro.
One Enchilada, Built to Bake
Eight enchiladas fill one 9-by-13-inch dish, each assembled the same way.
What goes into one enchilada
Sauce bed
Part of the half cup of red enchilada sauce spread across the dish.
Tortilla
One medium flour tortilla.
Filling
An even share of the chili-cumin ground beef and onion, rolled tightly and set seam-side down.
Top sauce and cheese
Red enchilada sauce poured over, then the Monterey Jack and cheddar blend.
Baked 20 to 25 minutes, then chopped cilantro.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground beef
- One pound, browned with the onion to 160°F before any rolling.
- Red enchilada sauce
- Two cups, divided: a half cup under the rolls and a cup and a half over them.
- Medium flour tortillas
- Eight soft flour tortillas, one per enchilada.
Why This Recipe Works
- Browning the onion with the beef softens it and seasons the filling in one pan.
- Sauce under the rolls keeps the bottoms of the tortillas soft instead of dry.
- Placing the enchiladas seam-side down holds them closed without toothpicks.
- A Jack and cheddar blend melts smoothly and browns in spots in a 375°F oven.
Success Tips
- Warm stiff tortillas for a few seconds so they roll without cracking.
- Drain the beef well so the filling stays neat inside the tortillas.
- Pour the top sauce over the ends of each roll so no edges bake dry.
Serving Ideas
Serve two enchiladas per plate straight from the dish, with the sauce and melted cheese spooned over and cilantro on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these made with corn tortillas?
No. This recipe uses soft medium flour tortillas.
When is the filling ready to roll?
Once the beef has reached 160°F and the fat has been drained.
Is there anything else in the filling?
Only the beef, onion and spices; there are no beans or rice.
