Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole
This Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole has all of the flavors of enchiladas with no rolling required! This cheesy enchilada skillet comes together in one pot on the stove top and it is so easy to make. It’s ready in about 30 minutes, so it’s perfect for busy weeknights!
While I love my chicken enchiladas and green enchiladas with ground turkey, I don’t really love the process of rolling them.
This Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole is the easiest way to enjoy all the flavors of enchiladas with no bothersome rolling!
Ground beef and veggies are simmered with red enchilada sauce, corn, black beans and corn tortillas in a skillet on the stove top for the easiest enchiladas ever.
The tortillas are cut into pieces, then they absorb some of the liquid and soften as the casserole cooks.
This dish is finished with fresh lime juice to make all the flavors pop, chopped cilantro for freshness, and finished with melted cheese.
From there, you can garnish it with your choice of toppings such as avocado, tomato, sour cream and more.
This cheesy enchilada skillet is ready in 30 minutes and cleanup is a breeze, which makes it the perfect weeknight dinner!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- This one pot enchilada casserole has all the flavor of classic enchiladas without the extra step of rolling the tortillas.
- It cooks up on the stove top in 30 minutes, so it’s perfect for weeknight dinners.
- It’s nice and hearty with plenty of ground beef, veggies, black beans, corn tortillas and melted cheese.
- It’s easily customized with your favorite ground meat, veggies, tortillas and more.
Recipe ingredients
This ground beef enchilada casserole recipe includes mostly pantry staples that can easily be customized with what you have on hand.
- Ground beef. Use lean ground beef to avoid excess grease. Sub with your favorite ground meat such as turkey or chicken to lighten up the meal.
- Aromatics. Onions and garlic are essential for aromatic layers of flavor.
- Poblano pepper. These peppers are similar to green bell peppers but they have a subtle spicy flavor. They can be subbed with your favorite bell pepper, chili pepper or omitted entirely.
- Corn. Adds sweetness and texture. Use fresh or frozen corn, or sub with your favorite veggie.
- Black beans. Use my homemade instant pot black beans, or your favorite canned variety.
- Enchilada sauce. My homemade red enchilada sauce includes just a few pantry ingredients, and it can be made entirely in advance. Sub with my homemade green enchilada sauce or your favorite store bought variety.
- Tortillas. The corn tortillas add flavor and help thicken this enchilada skillet dinner. I used (4) 6″ corn tortillas and stacked them on top of each other, then used a sharp knife to cut them into strips, then large rectangular pieces. Corn tortillas keep this recipe gluten-free, or use your favorite type of tortillas. You can also omit the tortillas to make this dish lower carb and simmer it a bit longer until thickened.
- Lime. The juice of one lime makes the flavors really pop.
- Cilantro. Adds freshness to the spicy, savory flavors in the casserole. Omit the cilantro if you’re not a fan of it.
- Cheese. I grated 4 ounces of Colby jack cheese for this recipe, but you can use your favorite variety of cheese. Omit it entirely to make this recipe dairy-free.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make ground beef enchiladas skillet
This enchiladas skillet is even better than classic enchiladas because you don’t have to roll the tortillas. It cooks up in one skillet for easy clean-up, it’s prepared on the stove top, and it’s ready in 30 minutes.
Pro tip: Prep my homemade red enchilada sauce a few days in advance to make this meal go even more quickly, or use your favorite store bought brand as a time saver.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! This skillet enchilada casserole is perfect for meal prep as it reheats well. Simply heat and serve with your favorite toppings!
You can also freeze this meal for up to 3 months. Simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat when you’re ready to eat it.
You can definitely omit the beans. Simply sub with an extra 1/2 lb. ground beef to bulk up the protein or with your favorite veggies.
Omit the tortillas entirely to make this a low carb meal. The tortillas do help thicken the enchilada sauce, so you’ll need to simmer it a bit longer until the sauce has thickened.
Serving suggestions
This ground beef enchilada casserole recipe is great served up the following ways:
- Serve it piled with your favorite toppings such as jalapeños, chopped tomato, diced avocado, sour cream or even pico de gallo.
- Serve with a side of my easy Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice.
- It’s great with a fresh side of Mexican caesar salad or spring lettuce salad.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Prep my homemade red enchilada sauce a few days in advance to make this meal go even more quickly, or use your favorite store bought brand as a time saver.
- This recipe is easily customized with your favorite ground meat, veggies, tortillas and cheese.
- Use corn tortillas to make this casserole gluten-free, omit the tortillas altogether for a low carb option.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
More dinner recipes you’ll love:
- Baked chicken enchilada casserole
- Black bean sweet potato enchiladas
- Cabbage and ground beef casserole
- Ground beef tacos
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 poblano pepper seeded and chopped; sub with green bell pepper or omit
- 3 cloves garlic
- 14 ounces red enchilada sauce about 1 1/2 cups
- 15 ounces black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
- 4 6" corn tortillas soft taco size; cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
- 4 ounces grated Colby jack cheese about 1 1/2 cups; sub with your favorite cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add the ground beef and break up into chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook until the beef is nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the poblano pepper and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes longer.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion, 1 lb. lean ground beef, 1 poblano pepper, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the enchilada sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in the black beans, corn and corn tortilla pieces. Simmer covered for 3-5 minutes, then stir and cook uncovered for 5 minutes more or until the tortillas have softened to the desired doneness and the sauce has thickened.14 ounces red enchilada sauce, 15 ounces black beans, 1 cup fresh or frozen corn, 4 6" corn tortillas
- Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Top with the grated cheese and place the lid back on the skillet until the cheese has melted. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro, 4 ounces grated Colby jack cheese
Notes
- Pro tip: Prep my homemade red enchilada sauce a few days in advance to make this meal go even more quickly, or use your favorite store bought brand as a time saver.
- This recipe is easily customized with your favorite ground meat, veggies, tortillas and cheese.
- Use corn tortillas to make this casserole gluten-free, omit the tortillas altogether for a low carb option.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
