by Sara
This Beef Enchilada Casserole has layers of ground beef, beans, tortillas and cheese, all smothered in enchilada sauce and baked to perfection.
Serve this easy meal with a fresh tossed salad or a size of Mexican rice for an easy dinner that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser!
A Meal Everyone Will Love
I am a huge fan of enchiladas, who doesn’t love this classic Mexican dish?! This beef enchilada casserole has all the great flavors of traditional enchiladas but in an easy-to-make casserole form.
A simple filling of beef and beans is layered with tortillas and cheese in a casserole dish, then baked to melty and cheesy perfection. Add a few toppings and you’ve got a dinner that the whole family will enjoy.
Start with the Enchilada Filling
To make enchilada casserole, start with the filling.
- Make Filling: Brown lean ground beef, season with taco seasoning and add a can of beans. My family prefers pinto beans, but you can use black beans if you like.
- Optional Veggies: Add some veggies during this step, like onions, corn or peppers; there are so many delicious possibilities.
- Layer: I start my casserole off with a layer of enchilada sauce. I use a mild red enchilada sauce and pair it with corn tortillas.
So Many Amazing Layers
This enchilada casserole can be made with corn or flour tortillas; it’s fabulous either way. If you go with flour tortillas, make sure to buy the smaller soft taco size. The beef mixture gets layered on top of the tortillas along with a healthy dose of cheddar cheese.
After the layers are piled up high in the dish, the enchilada casserole goes into the oven to bake. I like to add some toppings after the casserole comes out of the oven; I typically use diced tomatoes and sliced green onions for a fresh flavor.
After your casserole has cooled for a bit, slice into squares and enjoy!
Got Leftovers?
Refrigerate: Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freeze: This casserole can be frozen in individual portions or as a whole once cooked. Allow to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheat: Cover the casserole with foil and reheat at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until heated through (time will vary based on how much is left). Optionally, single portions of enchilada casserole can be heated in the microwave.
More Mexican Inspired Favorites
- Easy Ground Beef Tacos – Easy family meal.
- Creamy Chicken Enchiladas – Personal favorite!
- Easy Fish Tacos – Healthy and delicious!
- Taco Soup – Quick and easy!
- Pork Carnitas Recipe – Slow cooker favorite
- Mexican Stuffed Peppers – Flavorful and easy
Beef Enchilada Casserole
Prep Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Course Dinner
Cuisine MexicanIngredients
- 10 small tortillas cut in half corn or flour tortillas work here
- cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef I use 93% lean
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 15- ounce can pinto beans rinsed and drained
- 2 cups red enchilada sauce
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tomatoes cored, seeded and diced
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spoon.
- Add the taco seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, and beans; stir to combine.
- Spread 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
- Layer 1/3 of the tortillas over the sauce.
- Add 1/2 of the meat mixture, then add 3/4 cup of cheese on top of the meat.
- Pour 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over the cheese.
- Repeat the process with 1/3 of the tortillas, the rest of the meat mixture, 3/4 cup of cheese and 1/2 cup of sauce.
- Add the final 1/3 of tortillas on top of the casserole; pour the remaining sauce over the top of the tortillas and sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.
- Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.
- Sprinkle tomatoes and green onions over the top. Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before cutting.
I made this once and can’t wait to make it again… like today! I used the corn tortillas, added fresh corn kernels, can of black beans and substituted 1can of vegetarian refried beans along with 1# ground beef, cut red pepper, green onions, & cilantro. Yum.
This turned out really good. I added a can of creamed corn, because I was out of regular corn. My picky husband said it was a keeper.
We don’t care for enchilada sauce. Is there anything I can substitute for?
Hi Angela, taco sauce can be substituted for enchilada if you don’t care for enchilada sauce!
Very easy to put together and ingredients that we usually have around the house which is always a win. Whole family loved it.
Tried it wit flour tortillas and pinto beans. Fed 50. Was great. So easy to make a large quanity. Made small dish with corn tortillas and black beans for gluten free. Husband loved it. Will serve often. Thanks
This was very good! I used black beans and corn tortillas, and topped with pico de gallo – I will make this again. Half of us topped with sour cream as well.
Have made this twice now and ach time is delicious!! I do add black olives if I have them and serve with sour cream and tomatoes
do you heat the tortillas in oil first, like you do for enchiladas?
Hi Maria, since the tortillas aren’t rolled we don’t bother heating them before adding them to the casserole.
Delicious and easy! My husband said mid-bite “I can tell already that this is going to be one of our regular weekday go-tos!”
You’re right that it’s a great base to play with too! We took a reviewer’s recommendation and added black beans, a can of rotel, most of a can of corn, and chopped onions (1/4 to 1/2) in the meat mixture as well.
Looks good! Going to try this in a couple of weeks
Made this tonight. Really good. Will definitely make again. Thank you.
I made this last night and it was a HUGE hit with everyone in the family! Thank you so much for sharing! It will definitely become one of our regular meals. OH and it is SUPER EASY…. huge plus!!!
Can’t go wrong with super easy and delicious meals Judith! So glad your family loved it!
I made this with ground turkey (I needed to use before the recommended date), onions, black beans, a little jalapeno, corn tortillas and green enchilada sauce. I topped with sliced black olives while cooking and garnished with tomato, green onion and cilantro afterward. I love the concept, but this really lacked flavor…maybe because of the substitution of turkey for beef. I would try it again because it’s so easy, but would have to amp up the flavor.
It definitely could be the turkey, next time if making it with turkey you could add additional spices to increase the flavor to your liking Robin!
This dinner was awesome! I made it for my grandkids, daughter and son-in-law who usually hate just about everything I make. They love this it was a big hit! Buy used chili beans although rinsed them well. I used corn tortillas to make it gluten-free, also added in some extra cumin.
Very good!! I made some variations: used canned black beans (couldn’t find canned pintos in light of the coronavirus issue); simplified the enchilada sauce by adding some taco seasoning to a can of tomato sauce and used gluten free tortillas. Didn’t have the green onions but topped with salsa, sour cream and cilantro. Note about the tortillas: they were soft but to me it was like a mexican lasagna.
Great recipe! I added some chopped onion. Corn an some chopped hot peppers from the garden
I used flour tortillas. Ended up using a little extra enchilada sauce and a little more cheese.
There wasn’t much leftover!
Quick and easy! My kids loved it so much
they wanted me to make more for lunch the next day. You can add anything you like to it! Great recipe
I liked the flavor of this but it tasted rather dry – next time time I will add more enchilada sauce.
I am glad you enjoyed the flavor. I hope adding more sauce next time makes it just right!
This casserole is DELISH ! I made it as written along with the Taco seasoning recipe from this site and it was a huge hit ! I did add one can of Rotel to my meat mixture and since I didn’t have corn tortillas I used a bag of Tostidos scoops and the meal was still fabulous. It is easy and inexpensive to make and it is a very good to eat. Not to mention , the leftovers are just as good the second time around ! Thanks for posting
So happy to hear that Renee, enjoy!
I find it MUCH easier and very tasty to use corn tortilla chips as opposed to using corn tortillas. Just take them out of the bag and layer. It’s a great way to use up stale chips, they will make a great enchilada casserole.
I do this when making ‘King Ranch Chicken’ casserole also.
I am making this beef enchilada casserole later today–already gave it 5 stars because I am sure it will be great!
Great suggestion Pam! I love it. Hope you enjoyed your casserole.
Could I use Tostadas instead of corn tortillas? I have a good size package I don’t know what to do with and I seen this recipe and it sounds so good I can’t wait to try it. I was thinking of breaking them up somewhat in 1/2 and they are already crispier so maybe they wouldn’t get as soggy. What do you think?
I haven’t tried it but I do think it would be delicious!! Let us know how it goes Janet!
If I double the recipe, will it fit in a 9×13 pan?
Yes, it should fit in a 9×13 pan.I hope you enjoy it!
My family (one grown man and a grown son) LOVE this recipe – so much – that I can make it twice a week and they are happy with that. I make up some “take to work” for me & my son – while my husband eats his anytime he gets hungry.
I have made a few substitutions for my family’s taste. I added a can of corn (Drained) instead of beans and added a can of ro-tel tomatoes (mild & also drained) to the meat mixture.
It’s one of those basic recipes you can modify – make it your own. If your family loves Mexican food – they will LOVE this! :)
We love how customizable this recipe is too! Glad your family loves it as much as we do Cherie!
I am going to try to start making some new recipes and your site has lots of delicious sounding recipes!
I hope you find many recipes to try and love Linda!
Loved this and gets better the next day. Added green pepper, red pepper, black beans and some hatch chiles. Used fresh corn tortillas from local Hispanic grocery. Made taco seasoning as recommended. Really great!
Sounds delicious Nancy!
Hi! Thank you for sharing the recipe! I’m bored with my go-to meals and am looking for new ideas. This one will definitely be something I try this weekend. Should I remove the grease from the beef before adding the beans, etc? Or should I keep the grease?
Thank you!
Yes, I would suggest draining any grease.
Thank you!
Loved the sound of this recipe. Mouthwatering!!! Thanks.
Thanks Patricia!
Do you have the caloric content for this dish?
Recipe has been updated Shannon. Enjoy! It’s so good!
I have used a recipe like this for 30 years and my only suggestion is to butter both side of the corn tortillas before adding to casserole. It keeps the tortilla from getting soggy. Also I cook about 1/2 chopped yellow onion with the hamburger.
Great tip, thank you for sharing!
I made this. It turned out great. I chose to use corn oil and black beans. I also added corn. I kept everything else the same.
Great additions Jennifer! Glad you loved it.
I made this tonight and followed the recipe to the letter. However, the corn tortillas basically turned to mush. We ended up eating the dish with tortilla chips- kind of like nachos. Not sure where I went wrong ♀️ But turned out ok as a dip for chips
If your preference is more firm tortillas, you may want to reduce the enchilada sauce next time. Instead of corn tortillas, maybe you’d like to try flour next time. While I haven’t tried it, another reader suggested to heat the tortillas first, over the fire or fry them for a firmer texture. Enjoy, Ann!
yeah i used flour tortillas that turned to mush. will try frying next time. Flavor was great!
If you try reducing your enchilada sauce or frying the tortillas before layering, let us know how it goes Susan!
Thank you for posting this recipe. My mother-in-law used to make a similar enchilada casserole. But – she always made 3 of them – one was mild; one was spicy hot and the 3rd one was blow your doors off hot – which my father-in-law loved. She would never give anyone her recipe and this is the closest to hers that I have ever found. Thanks again – oh and I do the mild one.
I’m glad you found this recipe Kathi! Enjoy!
I made this casserole last night it was a home run. I followed the suggestion of one reader and used refried beans and spread them on the corn tortillas. I also added chopped onions to the hamburger meat as it browned. The addition of fresh cilantro, drained corn, and a few shakes of red pepper really elevated the flavor. Thank you for submitting this recipe.
So glad to hear you loved it! Your additions sound fantastic!
I was wondering if the beef Enchilada casserole can be made the night before and refrigerated?
Thanks, Odette
I haven’t tried making it the night before, but I think that will work if you wrap it well. It may take extra time to bake. Let us know if you try it!
Sounds delicious! Can I freeze this for a later time?
I haven’t tried freezing this recipe. Let us know how it works if you try freezing it Janet.
Did anyone freeze this recipe? If so how was it? Thank you, Brenda
I’ve made this for my guys now a couple of times and is a favorite. We’ve got a football banquet this week and I will be out of town. I’ve made it and will freeze it today (Sunday) for them to heat and take. I’ll let you know how it turns out. I feel confident it should be great!
This was a great recipe but instead of pinto beans I used black beans and sprinkled with three kinds of cheese. I did cover with tin foil to keep from drying out and took it off 10 minutes before removing from the oven. Thank you for such a simple but good recipe.
So glad to hear you loved it Patsy!
Had to cook longer than the 30 minutes to reach a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees. I had to cook at least 20 minutes longer. Other than that It is ok.
As the beef is already cooked it doesn’t require an internal temp of 165, just needs to be heated through.
Is this just as good heated up the following day/leftovers?
Yes, while we rarely have leftovers of this dish, it will reheat nicely. Enjoy Suzanne!
This recipe was delicious and my family loved it. My struggle was really the tortillas – they really became mushy. Any ideas on how to keep them a bit firm?
If your preference is more firm tortillas, you may want to reduce the enchilada sauce next time. If you used corn tortillas, maybe you’d like to try flour next time. I’m glad your family loved the recipe Lisa!
Heat the tortillas first. That’s how I do it. Heat them over the fire or fry them. I like frying them. That’s the authentic way. Good luck!
Its so easy Love it, if i may add a suggestion.. Pinto beans are great and easy if i may suggest a tweek and add an additional item. You may like it as well. So basically instead of Pinto Beans.. Use Rosaritas Refried beans.. So before you place the corn totilla in the dish, spread it with refried beans then add the beef the add my NEW ITEM “spanish rice” (make a half cup of rice only doesnt need much) then add the cheese and repeat..
Yummy idea, I LOVE refried beans.. and spanish rice!
I don’t understand the directions about the tortillas. It says to layer 1/3 of the tortillas 3 times but it also says there are 10 tortillas cut in half. How does this work? Can someone please clarify?
Cut the tortillas in half, then put 6-7 halves for each layer. Hope that helps Cheyenne!
I made this on the spur of a moment because I had corn tortillas in the fridge! Loved it and it’s so easy to make.
I used an 8×8 Glass Dish which was perfect.
Garnished with lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, and sour cream. Yummy!!!
So glad you enjoyed it Laura!
I have a big family so I doubled the ingredients. My family likes it better than regular enchiladas.
Made this tonight and was a huge hit. Very simple and tasty! Thanks.
What size baking dish is a 2 quart casserole? Is it 8×8? Looking forward to making this tonight!
Yes, 8×8 should work perfectly.
Opps, it did say, lol. I was too happy making it. Sorry.
I did make this yummy recipe, but it did not say what temp. to set your oven on. Opps! So I set my oven 350 degrees. It turned out great! A family favorite, I used refried beans instead of pinto beans. Will definitely make it again!!
I just made this for dinner…I didn’t have any canned enchilada sauce so I used the packaged…where you add 3 c. water & 1 can of tomato paste…. That was the only change i made…this recipe is absolutely delicious!! My husband went back for seconds!! I will definitely be making this again!
I am so glad that this was a hit with your family Shirley!
Great idea making enchiladas into a casserole! Yum. Looks like it would be easier to serve too. I can never get enchiladas out of the pan without them falling apart!
I need a recipie for stir fry chicken with cihicken,red peppers egg noodles, bean sprouts etc…
Bobbie, I have Chicken Pad Thai that has rice noodles and bean sprouts. You could change it out for egg noodles if you prefer! Enjoy!
This was very easy. However, I added a can of corn and green chilis to the meat mixture. Came out delicious and the fam loved it!
I am so glad this was a hit with your family Renea!
This was a huge hit with my family. The flavors were amazing. This will be on my monthly list. Thank you for sharing.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Could I use “refried beans” vs pinto beans in this recipe. Not a fan of pinto beans.
Thanks, Janet
I think that sounds like a yummy substitution!