Beef Enchilada Casserole Cheddar (Printable Version)
A Tex-Mex casserole with seasoned beef, layers of tortillas, enchilada sauce, and melted cheddar cheese.
# Ingredient List:
→ Meat & Dairy
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 1 cup sour cream
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
→ Pantry
07 - 1 (15 oz) can red enchilada sauce
08 - 8 small corn tortillas (6-inch)
09 - 1 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 tsp ground cumin
11 - 1 tsp chili powder
12 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
13 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Garnishes
14 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - Sliced green onions
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through, 5–7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, diced green chilies, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute to toast spices. Remove from heat.
05 - Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
06 - Layer 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping as needed. Top with half the beef mixture, ⅓ of the cheddar cheese, and half the sour cream. Drizzle with more enchilada sauce.
07 - Repeat layers: tortillas, remaining beef, another ⅓ cheddar, remaining sour cream, and more sauce.
08 - Finish with the last 4 tortillas, remaining enchilada sauce, and top with the rest of the cheddar cheese.
09 - Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden. Let stand 5–10 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Layers of seasoned beef and melty cheddar come together faster than rolling individual enchiladas
- The tortillas soften in the sauce creating that perfect comfort food texture everyone craves
02 -
- I once skipped draining the beef and ended up with an oil slick on top, now I always tilt the skillet and drain off excess fat before adding spices
- Letting it rest before cutting is absolutely crucial, cutting too soon makes everything slide apart even if it still tastes amazing
03 -
- Warm your tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds before layering, they fold better and will not crack
- If your tortillas are still stiff after baking, next time drizzle each layer with a little more sauce