Description
Beef enchilada bake delivers pure Mexican-inspired deliciousness straight from your kitchen to the dinner table. Cheesy, spicy layers meld together creating a hearty meal your family will devour in minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 lb ground beef
Cheese and Tortillas:
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- 8 corn tortillas
Sauce and Seasonings:
- 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Fire up your oven to a precise 350F (175C), ensuring the rack sits in the middle position for even heating.
- Grab a large skillet and drop in 1 lb ground beef with 1 cup diced onions, sizzling over medium heat until the meat turns completely brown and loses its pink color.
- Sprinkle 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp cumin, and a pinch of salt and pepper across the meat, stirring to distribute the seasonings evenly throughout the mixture.
- Pour ½ cup of red enchilada sauce across the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish, creating a thin protective layer.
- Carefully arrange 4 corn tortillas across the sauce, slightly overlapping to create complete coverage.
- Distribute half of your seasoned beef mixture across the tortillas, creating an even layer that reaches all edges of the dish.
- Generously scatter 1 cup of shredded cheese over the beef, ensuring complete surface coverage.
- Repeat the tortilla, beef, and cheese layers one more time, using the remaining ingredients.
- Drizzle the final ½ cup of enchilada sauce across the top layer and finish with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Slide the dish into the preheated oven and bake for exactly 25-30 minutes until the cheese transforms into a bubbly, golden blanket.
- Remove from the oven and allow the enchilada bake to rest for 5 minutes, helping the layers settle and making it easier to serve.
Notes
- Make sure the ground beef is completely browned and no pink remains to ensure food safety.
- Swap ground beef for shredded chicken or black beans to create a lighter protein option for different dietary needs.
- Drain excess fat from the beef after cooking to keep the casserole from becoming greasy and maintain a cleaner texture.
- For a spicier version, add diced jalapeños or use a hot enchilada sauce instead of the mild version to kick up the heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg