Cheesy beans and beef enchiladas with a homemade enchilada sauce. It’s comfort food filled with melting cheese, soft tortillas, bold flavors of chili, cumin and garlic, and topped with fresh sour cream and cilantro or spring onion. It doesn’t get much better than that!
So Cinco de Mayo is coming up (note this recipe was originally published May 1st 2018), as I’m sure you’ve noticed by the massive amounts of Mexican food popping up on Pinterest. Cinco de Mayo is actually the celebration of the Mexican army’s unlikely victory of the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, on you guessed it… May 5th. Thanks Google. Many thinks it’s Mexico’s Independence Day, but it is not. Anyhow, let’s talk Mexican food.
If I had to choose only one cuisine to eat from for the rest of my life, Mexican miight be on top. Just imagine all the tacos al pastor, guacamole, or Mexican fried rice you could justify eating.
However, it’s pretty hard letting go of Norwegian Christmas dinners, but all in all Mexican food is just so yummy, comforting and versatile!
Cheesy Beef and Beans Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce
So I’d begin with making the sauce, so that’s what we’ll do!
How to Make Enchilada Sauce
Soo.. this enchilada sauce recipe is adapted from Gimme Some Oven, but I had to make some adjustments. As mild chilis are impossible to track down here in Norway, I used regular chili powder the first time I made it. I cried my eyes out and burned my insides. It was just so, so spicy. But nevertheless, it tasted amazing! So I didn’t want to let the recipe go, so I just made a few alterations.
Second time I made it I halved the chili amount, still too spicy. Then I reduced it further, added more paprika, mm just about right. It’s something about the flour thickening that’s so comforting. I loved it, so now I have definitely found the perfect enchilada sauce if all you have is spicy chilis.
It’s actually really simple. Just heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk together for about 1 minute (2). This is to get rid of the flour flavor. This flour and fat combination is also called a roux. The roux is made to thicken the sauce and it can be used in all kinds of sauces really.
Add in the remaining seasonings. Gradually pour in the stock, whisking constantly to remove any flour lumps (3). Reduce heat and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, until it’s slightly thickened (4).
The Beef Enchiladas Filling
Enchiladas can be filled with whatever you please really, it’s very tasty with chicken and salsa verde too, or just beans, or like this one, beans and ground beef enchiladas. But I think these easy beef enchiladas may be the best out there!
Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Brown the minced beef, about 4-5 minutes (5). Then add in chopped onion and the seasoning (6). Continue to brown until the fat has evaporated. Set aside.
How to Make Beef Enchiladas
Pre-heat oven to 400F (200C). Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish or any that can hold 8 tortillas.
Rinse and drain the beans. Grate the cheese
Place all 8 prepared tortillas in the baking dish (12). I get 6 in a row and then 2 on the sides. Pour more of the enchilada sauce on top (13). If you have a lot to spare, then don’t use it all. But most likely it’s just the right amount. Spread the rest of the grated cheese on top (14).
Bake for 10-15 minutes. Since everything really is done, all we want to is for the cheese to melt and incorporate the flavors a little. So 10-15 minutes is enough. Serve this delicious cheesy beef and beans enchiladas with some chopped cilantro (or spring onion if you’re in the soapy cilantro club), a fresh salad, sour cream, and this amazing spicy guacamole!
It’s a very easy dinner, but filled with delicious, comforting Mexican flavors. Perfect to serve on a Cinco de Mayo party!
If you could eat from only one cuisine the rest of your life, what would it be?
Comfort Me Food:
- Easy 20 Minute Vegetarian Lo Mein
- Crispy Panko Chicken Burger
- Mexican Fried Rice with Chipotle and Turmeric
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- Easy Rosemary Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
- Creamy Parmesan Pumpkin Pasta
- Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Apple Puffs
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I’d love to hear from you! Comment either in the comment section below, or tag me @thegingerwithspice on Instagram. And don’t forget to Pin it for later!
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This recipe was originally published on May 1st 2018, but updated on June 12th 2019 for better photos and content.
Cheesy Beef and Beans Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
Red Enchilada Sauce
- 2 tbsp canola oil or other neutral oil
- 2 tbsp flour
- 3 tbsp paprika powder *
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups vegetable stock 500ml. Chicken stock can also work.
Enchilada Beef Filling
- 1 lb ground beef or 400g
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Enchilada Assembly
- 8 large flour tortillas corn tortillas can also work
- 1 cup black beans 8 oz, 250ml. rinsed and drained.
- 3 cups cheese of choice 200g. I used Jarlsberg, but Swiss or Mexican cheese are also good
- optional toppings cilantro, guacamole**, sour cream, salad
Instructions
Red Enchilada Sauce
- Make a roux: Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk together. Whisk for about 1 minute to get rid of the floury taste.
- Simmer for 10 minutes: Add in the remaining seasonings. Gradually pour in the stock, whisking constantly to remove any flour lumps. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, until it's slightly thickened.
Enchilada Beef Filling
- Brown the beef: Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Brown the ground beef, about 5 minutes.
- Add onion and seasonings: Add in chopped onion and the seasoning. Continue to brown until the fat has evaporated. Set aside.
Enchilada Assembly
- Preparations: Pre-heat oven to 400F (200C). Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Rinse and drain the beans. Grate your cheese of choice.
- Assemble: Take your tortillas, spread 1 tbsp of enchiladas sauce over it, fill with 2 tbsp of beans, 2 (heaping) tbsp of meat, a little bit of cheese and roll it up. Place all 8 prepared tortillas in the baking dish. I get 6 in a row and then 2 on the sides. Pour more of the enchilada sauce on top. If you have a lot to spare, then don't need to use it all. Spread the rest of the shredded cheese on top.
- Bake: Bake for 10-15 minutes. Since everything really is done, all we want to is for the cheese to melt and incorporate the flavors a little.
- Serving options: Serve this delicious cheesy beef and beans enchiladas with some chopped cilantro, a fresh salad, sour cream, and this amazing spicy guacamole**!
Always looking for a good enchilada recipe! Thanks you for sharing!
The pleasure is all mine, Karly! Thank you!
I love enhiladas, one of my favorite Mexican foods! Your sauce looks and sounds really tasty and I’m sure it is and it will be great for the weekend!
Thank you so much, Fred! Enchiladas is such an easy dinner to love
These are seriously drool worthy. We will be making these soon, perhaps for Cinco de Mayo.
Thank you so much! I hope you’ll love it!
Only one cuisine for the rest of my life? That’s a tough one. Is it cheating to say American because we have incorporated foods from so many different cultures, so I’d still get all that variety?
The enchiladas look great! Love that cheese on top. Pinning this for later!
Nice save, Tara! Might be a little bit cheating, but I won’t tell ? Thank you so much, very much appreciated, my friend
Wow this is a truly mouthwatering dish!!! I seriously want to make it this weekend. Pinned!
Thank you so much! I hope you’ll make it and that it will be as mouthwatering!
We love Mexican food and can have it almost every week. Your sauce sounds super inviting and I will try it soon.
Thank you so much! Hope you’ll like it.
These look so amazing!! We have been craving mexican food like crazy lately, so these are just perfect 🙂
Thank you, Stephanie! Mexican food is always high on my list!
Wow! Looks so delicious and tempting to make. Definitely trying this recipe and also excited to try your homemade Red Enchilada Sauce. Thanks for this recipe.
Thank you so much, I really hope you’ll love it!
These looks great perfect dish for Cinco de Mayo, can’t wait to try it!
Thank you so much, Sondria!
Ohhh, goodness Mexican food is my very favorite food! It goes beyond comfort food. Yoru enchiladas look actually perfect.
Mine too! And thank you very much!
I don’t know if it gets any better. Beans, melty cheese and ground meat wrapped up in a tortilla sounds like comfort food at its best.
I really think this is comfort food at its best. At a citrusy guacamole and I’m all happy!
I just love enchiladas! This recipe looks incredible and that sauce is beautiful, thick, and full of flavor. I know that my kiddos would love this hearty meal!
Thank you so much. Yes I loove this enchilada sauce!
I love enchiladas so much! Your red enchiladas sauce sounds delicious and perfectly seasoned. This recipe would go over really well at my house – not sure there would be leftovers because we love enchiladas SO MUCH so we’d have to make a double-batch!
Thank you so much! Super easy to make a bigger batch as long as you have larger pans!
THat cheese shot though!!! My stomach literally rumbled. I have only made enchilada sauce once. This one sounds like a great version!
Haha I was going for that cheesy look! Thank you so much, I hope you give it a try.
These enchiladas are mouth watering! Reading this post has made me so hungry! Wish I could make them right now but will have to do some shopping first so am going to pin for later!
Thank you so much, I hope you enjoyed them!
Ohhh, I have a serious weakness for enchiladas, and I’m drooling over these! You can’t go wrong with that flavorful spice and plenty of cheese.
Thank you, Amanda. Enchiladas are always a winner!
Ahh, enchiladas. I love them to death! And every time I stumble upon a new enchilada recipe, I get really excited to try it out. Can’t wait now! 🙂
Hope you’ll like it! 🙂