Description
These Red Beef Enchiladas are a flavorful Mexican-inspired dish featuring seasoned ground beef, a blend of mozzarella and Colby Jack cheese, and mild red enchilada sauce. Wrapped in corn tortillas and baked to perfection, this hearty recipe is topped with sour cream and cilantro for a delicious, comforting meal perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Beef Filling
- 1 ½ pounds 90/10 ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
- ¾ cup sour cream, plus more for serving
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheese (mozzarella and Colby Jack blend), divided
Enchiladas and Toppings
- 10 (6 inch) corn tortillas
- 1 (19 ounce) can mild red enchilada sauce
- 1 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella and Colby Jack blend), divided
- Finely chopped cilantro, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and position the rack in the center to ensure even cooking.
- Cook beef mixture: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef, diced onion, minced jalapeño, and minced garlic. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until the beef is browned and onions are tender. Remove from heat.
- Mix filling: Stir into the cooked beef mixture 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning until well combined.
- Prepare tortillas: Wrap the corn tortillas in a damp paper towel or tea towel and microwave for 1 minute to soften and make them pliable for rolling.
- Warm enchilada sauce: In a small skillet over medium-low heat, gently warm the red enchilada sauce until hot but not boiling.
- Assemble enchiladas: Working with one tortilla at a time, dip it lightly on both sides in the warm enchilada sauce. Spoon about ¼ cup of the beef filling down the center of the tortilla, then roll tightly. Place each rolled enchilada seam-side down in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Repeat with all tortillas and filling.
- Add sauce and cheese: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the assembled enchiladas. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and Colby Jack cheese blend generously over the top.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese on top is fully melted and slightly golden.
- Rest and serve: Remove from oven and let the enchiladas rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro if desired, and serve with extra sour cream on the side.
Notes
- If you prefer a spicier dish, keep some jalapeño seeds or add additional chopped jalapeño.
- Use a blend of cheeses or substitute with your favorites like sharp cheddar for a different flavor profile.
- Warm tortillas help prevent cracking when rolling and improve texture.
- Leftover enchiladas can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- For a gluten-free meal, ensure taco seasoning and enchilada sauce are gluten-free certified.
