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Home Mexican

Beef Enchiladas

By Nagi Maehashi
803 Comments
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Published15 Aug '19 Updated11 May '25
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Beef Enchiladas with an extra tasty, saucy filling, smothered with a homemade Enchilada Sauce. My time saving trick is to use one base Enchilada spice mix for both the sauce and filling!

This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!

Close up of beef enchiladas in a baking dish, fresh out of the oven

Beef Enchiladas

I love that there are so many variations of Beef Enchiladas in this big-wide-world.

Simple ones, filled with a plain cooked beef filling then topped with enchilada sauce and (lots of) cheese. Fancy ones with the addition of chillies, beans, corn and even olives, sometimes even bacon. Hidden vegetable versions (don’t ever try that on me, I can pick them a mile away).

Shredded beef enchiladas, short rib ones.

And today I’m sharing mine. 🙂 It’s made with:

  • A simple homemade Enchilada sauce which is quick to make and so, SO much better than store bought;

  • A flavour loaded beef and bean filling which is made with ground beef (mince), a load of Tex-Mex spices, refried beans AND black beans. Bean overload? Definitely not! The refried beans add bulk while keeping the filling nice and juicy so we can have nice, big, plump enchiladas!

Overhead photo of Beef Enchiladas, fresh out of the oven
The filling of these beef enchiladas have extra oomph with the addition a refried beans, a good hit of spices and splash of Enchilada sauce!

Preparation of beef and bean enchiladas

What you need for Beef Enchiladas

Here’s what goes in my beef enchiladas.

Ingredients in Beef Enchiladas

Just a note on a few of the ingredients:

  • Refried beans – the “secret ingredient” that really fills out the beef mixture so you can big, plump, generously stuffed enchiladas that are nice and juicy. I use this in my Chicken Enchiladas too – works a treat!

  • Black beans  – to fill it out a bit and add a different texture to the filling. Diced vegetables are great to add too – especially red peppers / capsicum.

  • Homemade Enchilada Sauce – made with either tomato passata or canned tomato sauce (US, I like Hunts), plus a good hit of Tex-Mex spices.

  • Beef – This is a recipe for beef enchiladas so it’s made with ground beef. But it can be substituted with pork, chicken or turkey!

Making beef enchiladas

Here’s my little time saving trick: one spice mix to flavour both the beef filling AND the Enchilada Sauce.

How to make Beef Enchiladas

There’s a good back of Tex-Mex spices in this! Some of it is used for the homemade Enchilada Sauce, and the rest is used to flavour the Beef and Bean Filling.

How to make beef Enchiladas
Close up of Beef and Bean Enchiladas on a plate, ready to be eaten

Try these on the side

  • Corn Salad with Avocado

  • Grilled Corn or try this Mexican Corn

  • Everyday Cabbage Salad

  • Broccoli Salad

  • Pico de Gallo (Authentic Mexican Salsa)

Ahhh. These Beef Enchiladas. I really hate using the words “these are the BEST!” for any of my recipes because we all have different palettes, and what I may think is the “best” might not be to someone elses’ taste.

But truly, to me, to this day, even after having consumed more than my fair share of Enchiladas at Tex-Mex restaurants across America, I still think these are better. Way, WAY better than the mainstream chain restaurants!

Hope you had a great weekend! – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Close up of beef enchiladas in a baking dish, fresh out of the oven

Beef Enchiladas

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 35 minutes mins
Total: 45 minutes mins
Dinner
Mexican
4.97 from 295 votes
Servings4
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Recipe video above. Moreishly delish! These beef enchiladas are made extra tasty with a juicy filling made with beef, refried beans and a homemade Enchilada spice mix. The refried beans are excellent here – fills it out, makes the Filling juicy and adds flavour! 

Ingredients

Spice Mix

  • 1 tsp each onion & garlic powder (Note 1)
  • 1 tbsp each cumin powder, paprika and dried oregano
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, spiciness)

Enchilada Sauce

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp flour , plain/all purpose
  • 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock / broth , low sodium
  • 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) tomato passata OR US 1 can (8 oz) canned tomato sauce (eg Hunts) (Note 2)
  • 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Beef

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 onion , finely chopped (~1 cup)
  • 1 lb / 500g ground beef (mince)
  • 400g / 14oz refried beans (1 can, I use Old El Paso)
  • 400g / 14oz black beans, drained (1 can, Note 3)

Enchiladas

  • 8 tortillas (or burrito wraps)
  • 1.5 cups (150g) grated melting cheese, or more (I like Monterey Jack, tasty or cheddar cheese)
  • Cilantro/coriander leaves , roughly chopped (optional garnish)
Prevent screen from sleeping

Instructions

  • Mix together Spice Mix ingredients. Set aside.

Enchilada Sauce

  • Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and mix to combine into a paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, whisk straight away then it will turn into a thick smooth paste quite quickly.
  • Add remaining chicken broth, passata, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of SPICE MIX. Whisk
  • Increase heat slightly to medium high. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking regularly, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of thick syrup (see video). Remove from stove.

Filling

  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
  • Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add beef and cook for 2 minutes, breaking it up as you go. Add remaining Spice Mix. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until completely brown.
  • Add refried beans, black beans, about 1/4 cup of Enchilada Sauce + salt & pepper. Mix (Note 4) and cook for 2 minutes then remove from stove (see video).

Enchiladas

  • Smear a bit of Sauce on the bottom of a baking dish (stops sliding).
  • Place filling on the lower third of a tortilla. Roll up then place in the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining Filling & Tortillas.
  • Pour Sauce over the Enchiladas, top with cheese, bake for 10 minutes covered (Note 5) then 10 minutes uncovered. Serve hot!

Recipe Notes:

1. You can just use all onion or garlic powder, if you only have one of them. Fresh garlic is not the same, however, as a last resort substitution, you can use 3 garlic cloves, minced, instead of onion & garlic powder. Saute in the heated oil before proceeding with the recipe.
2. Tomato passata is pureed plain tomatoes that is not seasoned. Unlike crushed tomatoes, it is thick and smooth, like a thick tomato soup. In Australia it can be purchased in a bottle in the pasta aisle of major supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths). You can make your own simply by using a blender to puree canned tomatoes.
America: If you can’t find passata in the US (it is available at Walmart, Costco), a great substitute is US canned tomato sauce eg Hunts (yes, I’m such a food nerd I brought back cans to use for this recipe and it’s a near perfect substitute).
3. Black beans are commonly used in Mexican & Tex Mex cooking. It’s becoming more widely available in Australia. It can be purchased in the Mexican or canned beans aisle in most major supermarkets, as well as Harris Farms and Thomas Dux. You can substitute with red kidney beans or another type of beans if you prefer.
4. The refried beans should loosen as it heats and stir through easily. If not, add a splash of water.
5. To bake covered, I just pop a baking tray on top on the baking dish. Otherwise, cover with foil.
6. To make ahead, roll up enchiladas and place in casserole dish (can smear with sauce underneath). Keep sauce separate and top just before baking.
7. Nutrition per serving, assuming you use lean beef mince (this is a great recipe for using lean beef, you would never know!).
Beef Enchiladas_Nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 608gCalories: 649cal (32%)Carbohydrates: 55.3g (18%)Protein: 45.6g (91%)Fat: 28.6g (44%)Saturated Fat: 10.3g (64%)Cholesterol: 116mg (39%)Sodium: 1237mg (54%)Potassium: 1183mg (34%)Fiber: 13.4g (56%)Sugar: 5.7g (6%)Vitamin A: 1600IU (32%)Vitamin C: 47.9mg (58%)Calcium: 340mg (34%)Iron: 20.5mg (114%)
Keywords: beef enchiladas, enchiladas recipe
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Originally published June 2016. Updated August 2019 with new photos, new video, new process photos and refreshed writing – no change to recipe, I wouldn’t dare!

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803 Comments

  1. Devanne says

    May 9, 2025 at 12:22 am

    5 stars
    So, so delish! I thought that 1 tin each of beans and refried beens would be too much, so only used half a can. Didn’t make the sauce so that they could be cooked in the airfryer for about 6 minutes. Definitely a keeper. Thanks Nagi!

    Reply
  2. Patrick Possanza says

    November 26, 2024 at 4:39 am

    1 star
    Never had a bad meal from this website until now. I wanted beef enchiladas and ended up with bean enchiladas. Way too much refried beans in this recipe. Sorry Nagi, this was a dud for me.

    Reply
    • David Law says

      March 20, 2025 at 8:37 am

      My wife is not BIG on beans so I use 1/2 can black beans with 1/2 can refried beans. I fry up some (1/2 cup in total) of yellow, red and green peppers with the onion and garlic. Gives the dish some colour and less dense from beans.

      Reply
  3. Kelly A Kim says

    November 17, 2024 at 3:49 am

    5 stars
    Super easy to put together, and my family loved it. Thank you for another delicious recipe!

    Reply
  4. Kathy says

    November 15, 2024 at 10:27 am

    5 stars
    Why is it that no matter how many serves you are cooking you have 1 can next to refried beans and black beans

    Reply
  5. Juliana says

    November 15, 2024 at 1:39 am

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! I made extra of the filling and sauce and froze them for future meals.

    Reply
  6. Jackie says

    November 7, 2024 at 8:51 am

    5 stars
    Hello. I made this for the first time tonight. It was really good!
    Thank you for sharing such an easy and delicious recipe.

    Reply
  7. Grace says

    October 12, 2024 at 5:30 am

    5 stars
    As with every other recipe I’ve made of Nagi’s, these were great! I made them with corn tortillas and they were delicious.

    Reply
  8. Alina says

    September 27, 2024 at 6:18 am

    5 stars
    These are definitely going on my list of dinners I rotate frequently. Some of the best enchiladas I’ve had, and great macros too!

    Reply
  9. Sandy says

    August 20, 2024 at 12:40 pm

    5 stars
    Just the bomb! They’re easy to make, taste great and feed a crowd. Another gem from Nagi!

    Reply
  10. Catherine says

    July 31, 2024 at 9:24 pm

    5 stars
    Cooked it for the first time. Tastes so good. The refried beans really do bulk out the burritos. My family loved it.

    Reply
  11. Trina Davis says

    July 27, 2024 at 1:46 pm

    5 stars
    I made this once and it was delicious!! Better than my chicken enchiladas recipe. Making it again tomorrow for a casual dinner party. Can’t wait!!

    Reply
  12. MO says

    June 12, 2024 at 1:46 pm

    Just made this again for the second time and while still good it seemed undercooked. I reviewed the cookbook version I used the first time (which was excellent) and the cookbook recommends the second bake be 15 minutes instead of 10, and adding in 1/2 tsp salt and pepper into the beef mixture. Those are the only changes I noticed and should help with the flavor!

    Reply
  13. Chris C says

    June 3, 2024 at 9:16 pm

    5 stars
    Btw, we did not add the refried beans but did add all the other ingredients and it was superb!!!

    Reply
  14. Chris Cheshire says

    June 3, 2024 at 9:13 pm

    5 stars
    We tried ourthis last night from your cookbook and it was soooooo delicious! We want to thank you for this fabulous meal. As there are only 2 of us, we have plenty frozen for awhile. I sent your cookbook to my 2 daughters and am now sending one to my daughter in law. Can’t believe I forgot to send to her. So glad you put together a cookbook. It is my go to place when deciding what to eat for dinner.

    Reply
  15. Sue Heddle says

    May 22, 2024 at 5:10 pm

    Made these yet again. With your corn ribs – what can I say? Just YUUUMMMMM

    Reply
  16. Petrina says

    May 19, 2024 at 3:03 pm

    5 stars
    Have made these many times so tasty and always have the spices at home. Will finish my cuppa and off to make them for dinner.

    Reply
  17. Valerie says

    April 18, 2024 at 2:59 am

    5 stars
    Thank you so much Nagi for another brilliant recipe. Even my fussy teen who doesn’t like beans devoured the enchiladas and asks for them on a regular basis! I love watching the Dozer updayes and seeing how he continues to improve.

    Reply
  18. Mike E. says

    April 14, 2024 at 9:31 am

    5 stars
    These were delicious–even more so the next day. Had a lot of leftover filling, so mixed in some salsa, corn, chopped tomatoes and avocado and scooped it all up with oven-baked tortilla chips. Fantastico!

    Reply
  19. Maryanne says

    April 2, 2024 at 4:56 pm

    5 stars
    Boy was I popular when I served this. It was straightforward and delicious. Highly recommended

    Reply
  20. Chris says

    March 27, 2024 at 8:55 pm

    5 stars
    I made this tonight and made your pick de gallo salsa. Really really good. Thanks again for another brilliant recipe.

    Reply
    • Stephanie says

      July 2, 2024 at 1:04 am

      5 stars
      Holy moly! These are the best beef enchiladas I’ve ever had! I’ll definitely be making these again and again!

      Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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