Beef Enchiladas Red Sauce (Print Version)
Ground beef and cheeses wrapped in corn tortillas topped with a flavorful red sauce and melted cheese.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef Filling
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1 tsp chili powder
06 - 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 0.5 tsp salt
08 - 0.25 tsp black pepper
09 - 0.5 cup beef broth
→ Red Enchilada Sauce
10 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
11 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (substitute gluten-free flour if needed)
12 - 2 tbsp chili powder
13 - 1 tsp ground cumin
14 - 0.5 tsp garlic powder
15 - 0.5 tsp onion powder
16 - 0.5 tsp dried oregano
17 - 2 cups chicken or beef broth
18 - 0.5 tsp salt
19 - 0.25 tsp black pepper
20 - 1 tsp tomato paste
→ Assembly
21 - 8 corn tortillas (6-inch) or flour tortillas
22 - 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
23 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
24 - Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
25 - Sour cream, optional, for serving
# Directions:
01 - Set oven temperature to 375°F.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef and onion, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned and onion softens, approximately 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
03 - Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for one minute. Pour in beef broth and simmer until most liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for one minute.
05 - Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano to the roux. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Gradually whisk in broth, then add tomato paste, salt, and black pepper. Simmer while whisking for 5 to 7 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
06 - Lightly warm tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave wrapped in a damp towel until pliable.
07 - Spread 0.5 cup red sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of beef filling and a sprinkle of both cheeses in the center of each tortilla. Roll up tightly and arrange seam-side down in the baking dish.
08 - Pour remaining red sauce over the rolled tortillas evenly. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese melts and sauce bubbles.
09 - Sprinkle chopped cilantro over enchiladas and serve with sour cream if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in one saucepan while the beef cooks, so you're not juggling ten pots at once.
- There's something deeply satisfying about pulling a bubbling, golden dish from the oven that looks way more impressive than the effort required.
- Leftovers actually taste better the next day when all those spices have had time to get cozy with each other.
02 -
- If you skip warming the tortillas, they'll crack when you try to roll them, and no amount of sauce will hide that mistake, so take the extra two minutes.
- Don't oversimplify the sauce by skipping the roux step, because that's what gives it body instead of leaving you with glorified broth.
03 -
- Make your sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it, which lets the flavors marry and actually saves you time on cooking day.
- If the sauce seems too thick after simmering, whisk in a splash of broth at a time until it reaches the consistency of heavy cream.