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 cilantro tomato 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
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 small corn tortillas 6-inch, or flour tortillas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 15 ounces canned pinto beans rinsed and drained, 1 can
- 2 cups red enchilada sauce
- 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 ripe tomatoes diced
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. 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 ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
- Layer ⅓ of the tortillas over the sauce.
- Add ½ of the meat mixture, then add ¾ cup of cheese on top of the meat.
- Pour ½ cup of the enchilada sauce over the cheese.
- Repeat the process with ⅓ of the tortillas, the rest of the meat mixture, ¾ cup of cheese and ½ cup of sauce.
- Add the final ⅓ 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.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner
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I used 2 lbs of beef, 3 packets of spicy taco seasoning, 1 cup of diced onion, 1 can of corn, drained, 1 can of Kuners chili beans in sauce and 1 TBSP of minced garlic. It was an absolute hit! So good! ☺️
Thank you for sharing Lana! So. glad you enjoyed the casserole!
Can this be assembled ahead of time and backed later?
Absolutely. If it’s cold from the fridge it will need extra baking time. Let us know how it goes!
Was very good. I did add onions. Easy and quick!
We all liked this. Added sweet red pepper, and half of a jalapeño pepper, and some zucchini and yellow squash that I wanted to use up. Added some ground Chipotle powder because we like spicy Mexican food. Will make this again
I used ground turkey and added a can of diced green chiles but otherwise followed the recipe and my family loved it! This is definitely a keeper. Thanks!
Yum I used turkey and green chili’s too & added black olives so delicious
Made this tonight and it was amazing, I used a can of refried beans worked great. This one is a keeper.
Can you assemble, freeze, and later thaw and then bake?
Yes it can be premade and frozen. Make sure to defrost it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
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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!