Beef Enchiladas Red Sauce (Printable Version)
Tender beef wrapped in tortillas with rich red sauce and melted cheese baked to perfection.
# What You Need:
→ Beef Filling
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1 tsp chili powder
06 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
07 - ½ tsp salt
08 - ¼ tsp black pepper
→ Red Enchilada Sauce
09 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
10 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
11 - 2 tbsp chili powder
12 - 1 tsp ground cumin
13 - ½ tsp garlic powder
14 - ½ tsp onion powder
15 - ½ tsp dried oregano
16 - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
17 - 2 cups chicken or beef broth
18 - ½ tsp salt
19 - ¼ tsp black pepper
20 - 1 tsp tomato paste
→ Assembly
21 - 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
22 - 2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
23 - ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
24 - Sour cream, for serving (optional)
# How-To:
01 - Set oven temperature to 375°F.
02 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef, breaking it apart until fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Drain fat. Stir in diced onion and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper; cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
03 - In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk vegetable oil and flour for 1 minute. Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and cayenne; cook 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in broth, then add salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Simmer, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - Spread ½ cup enchilada sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place ¼ cup beef mixture onto each tortilla, sprinkle a small amount of cheese, roll tightly, and arrange seam-side down in dish.
05 - Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
06 - Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbling.
07 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with chopped cilantro. Serve with sour cream if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce is rich and deeply flavored, not watery or one-dimensional like store-bought versions.
- You can have everything ready to bake in under thirty minutes, making it perfect for weeknight dinners that feel special.
- Melted cheese and tender beef wrapped in soft tortillas just feels like comfort in every bite.
02 -
- The tortillas must be soft and pliable before filling, so warm them briefly in a dry skillet or over a flame if they've been sitting out and become stiff.
- Do not skip draining the excess fat from the cooked beef, as it can make the filling greasy and heavy.
- The enchilada sauce thickens as it cools, so if it seems too thin when you first make it, trust the process and bake it anyway.
03 -
- Warm your tortillas in a damp kitchen towel wrapped in foil for a few minutes before filling them, so they're pliable and won't tear.
- Roll the enchiladas snugly so the filling stays inside, but not so tight that the tortillas split open in your hands.
- Taste the sauce before baking and adjust the seasoning if needed, as it won't change much in the oven.