Beef Enchilada Casserole comes collectively in about quarter-hour and is far simpler than conventional enchiladas. Elements are layered collectively, topped with cheese, and baked to heat bubbly perfection!
I had my first enchilada once I was a waitress at a Mexican meals restaurant in highschool. It didn’t look very fairly on the plate, nevertheless it was my favourite meal to order throughout my shift break.
Quick ahead a number of years and I nonetheless love the style of enchiladas, however I don’t have the time or vitality to make them the standard approach. As an alternative, I go for this enchilada casserole, the place all the things is layered collectively, topped with cheese, and baked till it’s heat and bubbly.
Enchilada casserole has shortly turn out to be a household favourite, and it’s my go-to after we’re internet hosting firm. It’s additionally freezer-friendly, so double the recipe at this time and freeze the second pan – your future self will thanks for having a fast weeknight dinner able to go!
Is This an Genuine Enchilada Casserole Recipe?
This most likely isn’t essentially the most genuine enchilada casserole recipe on the market, however we use complete meals, pantry staple substances, and it offers the enchiladas at native Mexican eating places a run for his or her cash!
Plus since you don’t need to roll the enchiladas, this casserole comes collectively REALLY quick. It’s additionally incredible as leftovers, and might be frozen forward of time for an excellent quick weeknight meal!
Beef Enchilada Casserole Elements
The ingredient record could really feel lengthy on paper, however I promise you it’s fairly quick when you get cooking.
- Floor Beef: See sections under for making rooster enchilada casserole, or vegetarian enchilada casserole.
- Onion + Bell Pepper. I really like so as to add veggies as a lot as attainable!
- Diced Inexperienced Chiles
- Pinto Beans: We favored the style and texture of pinto beans on this recipe, however you may omit them or swap them for a distinct sort of bean. See the sections under for urged substitutes.
- Corn
- Cheese: We actually favored the Mexican shredded mix, however different cheeses like Monterey jack, Colby jack, delicate cheddar, and even pepper jack could be actually good.
- Purple Enchilada Sauce: We MUCH most popular the style of Selfmade Enchilada Sauce on this recipe. The shop-bought sauce will work in a pinch, however chances are you’ll wish to add further seasonings present in Taco Seasoning like garlic powder, chili powder, or cumin to stop the casserole from tasting bland.
Baked enchilada casserole will get even higher while you prime it with taco toppings, like diced tomatoes, diced avocado, pink onion, bitter cream, black olives, or recent cilantro. Use what you might have!
Need a Hen Enchilada Casserole As an alternative of Beef?
It’s VERY simple to make this beef enchilada casserole a rooster enchilada casserole – merely swap the bottom beef for shredded rooster! The recipe as written requires floor beef. For rooster enchilada casserole, you’ll want 2-3 cups of shredded cooked rooster. I really like this simple sheet pan rooster breast recipe or a rotisserie rooster if you happen to’re in a pinch!
One Easy Swap for a Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole
You can also make this a vegetarian enchilada casserole by merely omitting the bottom beef. You could wish to add seasoned tofu, soy protein crumbles, lentils, or black bean, to beef up the contents of the casserole.
The right way to Make an Straightforward Enchilada Casserole
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375F and put together the pink enchilada sauce. This takes about 7-10 minutes and is value each minute. I’ve examined this recipe utilizing each my very own enchilada sauce and canned enchilada sauce and the selfmade sauce by far made the better-tasting casserole!
Step 2: Whereas the enchilada sauce simmers, cook dinner a pound of floor beef in a big saucepan over medium warmth till there’s little or no pink, breaking apart massive clumps into small items utilizing a potato masher (that is my favourite).
Step 3: To the bottom beef, add the onions and peppers and cook dinner over medium-low till the onions are comfortable, 3-5 minutes. Add the diced inexperienced chilies (not drained), beans (drained), corn (drained), floor beef, and a pair of cups of enchilada sauce. Stir to mix all the things very well. Take away from the warmth and put aside.
Step 4: Pour ½ cup of enchilada sauce evenly over the underside of a 9×13 inch baking dish (no want for cooking spray). Tear the tortillas in half and layer about 8 items over the enchilada sauce, in order that the complete dish is roofed. Spoon ⅓ of the meat combination evenly over the tortillas, after which sprinkle ⅓ of the cheese over the filling.
Step 5: Repeat with a second layer of tortillas, after which pour one other ½ cup of enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Repeat with ⅓ of the enchilada filling combination evenly over the tortillas, after which sprinkle ⅓ of the cheese over the filling.
Step 6: End with a 3rd layer of tortillas, ½ cup of remaining enchilada sauce, the remaining enchilada filling combination, and the remaining cheese.
Step 7: Cowl the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Take away the aluminum foil and bake for one more 10 minutes, or till the cheese is totally melted. Take away from the oven and serve heat together with your desired toppings.
Tip: You can also make this enchilada casserole forward of time by following the recipe under by way of step 6. Cowl with aluminum foil and refrigerate in a single day. Bake straight from the fridge in a preheated oven, following the baking instances within the recipe under.
Substitutions and Variations for Tortilla Casserole
- Cheese. Swap the Mexican mix cheese or Monterey jack cheese, Colby jack cheese, delicate cheddar cheese, and even pepper jack cheese if you happen to like a bit of warmth!
- Beans. Black beans are an amazing substitute for pinto beans, however lentils would work too.
- Protein. Omit the meat and use shredded rooster as an alternative for a rooster enchilada casserole, or omit the meat altogether for a vegetarian enchilada casserole. Floor turkey or floor pork would additionally work effectively.
- Make it Spicier. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the filling for a kick, or add a small can of diced jalapenos for extra taste.
- Tortillas. Corn Tortillas actually are most popular for this recipe, as flour tortillas can get mushy and soggy throughout baking.
The right way to Freeze Beef Enchilada Pie
The simplest methodology for freezing beef enchilada pie is to make one and freeze one. As you layer one dish, layer a second batch in a disposable 9”x13” aluminum pan. Yow will discover a 3-pack on the greenback retailer (or 30-pack in bulk on Amazon) and also you don’t want a lid because you’ll be protecting it with aluminum foil anyway.
FAQs on the Greatest Enchilada Bake Recipe
There’ll all the time be a slight softening of the tortillas as a result of they’re getting layered with sauce and cheese, however utilizing Corn Tortillas as an alternative of flour tortillas will preserve the enchilada casserole from getting soggy. You may also calmly toast the corn tortillas on a skillet earlier than laying if you happen to actually choose the agency texture of the tortilla.
This recipe requires each baking the enchilada casserole lined to heat all the things by way of after which uncovered to soften and brown the cheese.
We put the sauce layer contained in the enchilada casserole earlier than baking. This helps to melt the corn tortillas just a bit bit and to make the extra of a saucy casserole than fundamental meat and dry tortillas.
Most enchiladas have some kind of meat and sauce, and generally cheese. This enchilada casserole has all three, but additionally has a number of different tasty substances to show an abnormal dish right into a household favourite!
What to Serve With an Enchilada Recipe
It is a meal solely by itself, however these are a number of favorites we prefer to serve alongside:
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Enchilada Casserole
Beef Enchilada Casserole comes collectively in about quarter-hour and is far simpler than conventional enchiladas. Elements are layered collectively, topped with cheese, and baked to heat bubbly perfection!
- Prep Time: quarter-hour
- Cook dinner Time: half-hour
- Whole Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Class: Important Meals
- Technique: Oven
- Delicacies: Mexican
- 1 lb floor beef
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1 massive bell pepper, cored and diced
- (1) 4oz can diced inexperienced chiles
- (1) 15oz can pinto beans, drained
- (1) 15oz can complete kernel corn, drained
- 3–4 cups pink enchilada sauce, selfmade (recipe under) or store-bought
- 12–16 corn tortillas, halved
- 3 cups Mexican or taco mix cheese, shredded
- Toppings: chopped recent cilantro, bitter cream, Greek yogurt, diced avocado, diced pink onion
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375F and put together the pink enchilada sauce. This takes about 7-10 minutes and is value each minute. I’ve examined this recipe utilizing each my very own enchilada sauce and canned enchilada sauce and the selfmade sauce by far made the better-tasting casserole!
2. Whereas the enchilada sauce simmers, cook dinner a pound of floor beef in a big saucepan over medium warmth till there’s little or no pink, breaking apart massive clumps into small items utilizing a potato masher (that is my favourite).
3. To the bottom beef, add the onions and peppers and cook dinner over medium-low till the onions are comfortable, 3-5 minutes. Add the diced inexperienced chilies (not drained), beans (drained), corn (drained), floor beef, and a pair of cups of enchilada sauce. Stir to mix all the things very well. Take away from the warmth and put aside.
4. Pour ½ cup of enchilada sauce evenly over the underside of a 9×13 inch baking dish (no want for cooking spray). Tear the tortillas in half and layer about 8 items over the enchilada sauce, in order that the complete dish is roofed. Spoon ⅓ of the meat combination evenly over the tortillas, after which sprinkle ⅓ of the cheese over the filling.
5. Repeat with a second layer of tortillas, after which pour one other ½ cup of enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Repeat with ⅓ of the enchilada filling combination evenly over the tortillas, after which sprinkle ⅓ of the cheese over the filling.
6. End with a 3rd layer of tortillas, ½ cup of remaining enchilada sauce, the remaining enchilada filling combination, and the remaining cheese.
7. Cowl the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Take away the aluminum foil and bake for one more 10 minutes, or till the cheese is totally melted. Take away from the oven and serve heat together with your desired toppings.
Notes
- Right here is the recipe for Selfmade Purple Enchilada Sauce.
- Tip: You can also make this enchilada casserole forward of time by following the recipe under by way of step 6. Cowl with aluminum foil and refrigerate in a single day. Bake straight from the fridge in a preheated oven, following the baking instances within the recipe under.
Key phrases: enchilada casserole
