Beef Enchiladas Red Sauce (Printable)
Flavorful ground beef, soft tortillas, melted cheese, and rich red sauce baked to comfort your family dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Beef Filling
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1 tsp chili powder
06 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Red Enchilada Sauce
09 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
10 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
11 - 2 tbsp chili powder
12 - 1 tsp ground cumin
13 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
14 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
15 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
16 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
17 - 2 cups chicken or beef broth
18 - 1/2 tsp salt
19 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
20 - 1 tsp tomato paste
→ Assembly
21 - 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
22 - 2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
23 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
24 - Sour cream for serving (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Set oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
02 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumble and cook ground beef until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat. Add diced onion and sauté 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper, cooking for 1 more minute. Remove from heat.
03 - In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk vegetable oil and flour for 1 minute. Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and cayenne pepper; cook 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in broth, then add salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Simmer, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - Spread 1/2 cup of sauce evenly in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Distribute 1/4 cup of beef filling onto each tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, and roll tightly. Place seam side down in the dish.
05 - Pour remaining sauce over rolled tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
06 - Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired. Serve with sour cream.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together quickly but tastes like it simmered for hours, which feels like a small kitchen miracle.
- Everything gets made ahead of time, so you can actually relax before people arrive instead of scrambling.
- Leftovers somehow taste better the next day, which is how you know you've won at dinner.
02 -
- Don't skip warming your tortillas before filling them, because cold tortillas crack and tear while warm ones bend without breaking.
- If your sauce seems too thick, thin it with a splash of broth; if it's too thin, that's okay because it will thicken slightly as it bakes.
- The five-minute cooling period after baking is not wasted time; it lets everything set so the enchiladas stay rolled instead of sliding apart on the plate.
03 -
- If you're making these ahead, assemble them completely, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Bake from cold, just add five extra minutes to the time.
- The sauce can be made a full day ahead and stored in the fridge, which means you can have a weeknight dinner with homemade enchilada sauce without the weeknight stress.