Beef Enchilada Layered Casserole (Printable Version)

A layered blend of seasoned beef, tortillas, enchilada sauce, and cheese baked for a hearty meal.

# What You Need:

→ Meat

01 - 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Spices & Seasonings

04 - 1 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1 tsp chili powder
06 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
07 - ½ tsp salt
08 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Pantry

09 - 2 cups red enchilada sauce (homemade or store-bought)
10 - 8 small (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas, halved or quartered
11 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
12 - 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed (optional)

→ Dairy

13 - 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

→ Garnishes (optional)

14 - Sliced green onions
15 - Chopped fresh cilantro
16 - Sour cream
17 - Sliced jalapeños

# How-To:

01 - Set oven temperature to 375°F.
02 - Brown ground beef over medium heat in a large skillet, breaking it up, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
03 - Add chopped onion and cook until softened, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Mix in black beans and corn if using; cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
05 - Spread ½ cup enchilada sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
06 - Arrange one-third of the tortillas over the sauce, slightly overlapping.
07 - Spoon half of the beef mixture over the tortillas and sprinkle with ⅔ cup cheese.
08 - Drizzle ½ cup enchilada sauce over the cheese layer.
09 - Layer another one-third of tortillas, the remaining beef mixture, ⅔ cup cheese, and ½ cup sauce.
10 - Finish with final layer of tortillas, remaining sauce, and the rest of the cheese.
11 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
12 - Remove foil and continue baking 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
13 - Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, sour cream, and jalapeños as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, and most of that time is just the oven doing the work.
  • One dish feeds a crowd, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying the meal.
  • You can make it ahead and bake it whenever you're ready, or stretch it across multiple meals.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time at the end; a casserole served straight from the oven will fall apart on the plate.
  • If your enchilada sauce is thin or watery, the casserole can become soggy—use a thicker sauce or reduce it slightly in a pan first.
  • The cheese on top should bubble and turn golden, not brown; keep an eye on it in the final minutes.
03 -
  • If your casserole seems dry after baking, it's usually the sauce—next time, stir an extra 1/4 cup of sauce into the beef mixture before layering.
  • Shredding your own cheese from a block melts smoother and more evenly than pre-shredded cheese, which contains anti-caking agents.

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