Baked Beef Enchilada Casserole (Printable)
A hearty layered dish featuring seasoned beef, corn tortillas, beans, corn, and two cheeses smothered in red sauce and baked until bubbly.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meat & Protein
01 - 1 pound ground beef
02 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 1 small onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup corn kernels
→ Spices & Seasonings
06 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Sauces & Dairy
11 - 2 cups red enchilada sauce
12 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
13 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
→ Tortillas
14 - 8 small corn tortillas (6-inch)
→ Garnishes
15 - Chopped cilantro
16 - Diced fresh tomatoes
17 - Sliced jalapeños
18 - Sour cream
# How-to Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or a small amount of oil.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef, breaking up with a spoon, until browned throughout, approximately 5 minutes. Drain excess fat from the skillet.
03 - Add diced onion to the beef and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Mix in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, corn kernels, and black beans. Cook for 2 minutes to blend flavors, then remove from heat.
05 - Spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping as necessary to cover the surface.
06 - Spoon half of the beef mixture over the tortillas. Top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese blend. Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce over the beef layer.
07 - Place the remaining 4 tortillas on top. Spread the remaining beef mixture over them, followed by another 1/3 of the cheeses. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the casserole and top with the remaining cheese.
08 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes to heat through and blend flavors.
09 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden on top.
10 - Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing to allow layers to set. Garnish with cilantro, tomatoes, jalapeños, and sour cream as desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything tastes better when melted cheese is involved and this delivers on every layer
- The beef filling comes together in one skillet minimizing cleanup and maximizing flavor
- Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day if they last that long
02 -
- I learned the hard way that cutting into this immediately causes all those beautiful layers to collapse into a messy pile
- Corn tortillas can dry out in the oven, so wrapping a stack in damp paper towels and microwaving for 30 seconds first keeps them tender
- The casserole is done when you see the sauce bubbling up around the edges and the cheese has those perfect golden spots
03 -
- Sprinkle a handful of cheese between each layer not just on top for that perfect cheese pull in every bite
- Warm your tortillas in a dry skillet for 15 seconds each if you prefer a slightly toasted flavor