Beef Enchilada Recipe {+VIDEO}

Name: Beef Enchilada Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 cups roast beef (shredded, cooked); 1 4 oz. can green chilies (diced); 1 cup corn; 1 20 oz. can red enchilada sauce ((we love our homemade red sauce)); 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese (divided); 12 small flour or corn tortillas (warmed)

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The best beef enchilada recipe that is a family-favorite dinner. This Mexican dish is on the table in only 30 minutes!

Beef enchiladas are a great lazy day dinner to make if you have any leftover Pot Roast! If we don’t use leftover roast for these enchiladas, we use it to make Green Chile Burritos. Both Mexican dishes are delicious!

Beef Enchilada recipe topped with sour cream and avocado slices on a white plate.

Filled with Shredded Beef!

Who else loves enchiladas?

If my husband had to choose one food that I make to eat for the rest of his life, he would definitely choose enchiladas like our favorite Red Cheese Enchiladas.

I think we can all agree that they’re delicious and so fun to change up!

I make enchiladas for dinner frequently, with a variety of fillings, and they are always delicious, but these shredded beef enchiladas are some of our favorites and have the best flavor.

They’re the perfect way to use up all of that leftover meat after a Sunday roast, and they taste amazing! We use a canned red sauce to make these beef enchiladas super easy, but you can always try our Homemade Red Sauce too!

Enchilada ingredients measured and set out on a kitchen counter.

Beef Enchilada Ingredients

These enchiladas have only six ingredients, most of which I nearly always have on hand (for enchilada-related emergencies, obviously!).

beef
green chiles
cheese
flour tortillas
corn
red enchilada sauce (we love our Homemade Enchilada Sauce)

Corn. I made mine with fresh corn from the farmer’s market, but you could easily use canned corn or frozen corn instead.

Beef. As far as the roast beef goes, this recipe for our famous Pot Roast is my favorite to use for these enchiladas, but really any beef roast recipe should work.

A substitute that you could use for shredded beef is an equal amount of ground beef or even ground turkey. Over medium-high heat brown it in a large skillet, drain excess grease, and combine it with the chiles, corn, and enchilada sauce.

Tortillas. I’m generally a corn tortilla girl, but I used Flour Tortillas for these enchiladas. They will turn out a little different depending on which type of tortillas you use, but they are delicious both ways!

Variations. I love the simplicity of just the beef and corn, but if you’re a fan of extra veggies in your enchiladas, feel free to add some chopped onion, diced bell peppers, grated zucchini, or black beans.

How to Make Beef Enchiladas

This best beef enchilada recipe makes enough for twelve enchiladas, which will serve six adults. I like to use the fajita-size flour tortillas (or regular-sized corn tortillas). It can be a little messy filling all of the enchiladas, but once you get going, they go fast.

PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

FILLING. In a medium bowl, mix together the shredded beef, green chilies, corn, and ½ cup enchilada sauce. Spread ½ cup of enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.

ASSEMBLE. Scoop about ⅓ cup of filling into the middle of each of the tortillas, and sprinkle with cheese (reserving about 1 cup of cheese for the top of the enchiladas). Roll each tortilla up and place them seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.

Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the rolled-up tortillas, spreading to cover the tortillas completely. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese.

BAKE. Bake for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling. Serve hot.

Top these with your favorites, we like to use tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, shredded lettuce, or fresh cilantro.

A pan full of enchiladas topped with cheese.

Serving + Storing Tips

This beef enchilada recipe is super easy to double or even triple the recipe and keep extra meals in the freezer.

Serving suggestions. Complete the meal by also making:

To freeze ahead of time, prepare as directed, but don’t bake. Use a freezer-safe baking pan and cover it with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. It will keep for up to 2 months. Let thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.

STORE. Keep leftover shredded beef enchiladas in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

FREEZE. You can also divide the leftovers into individual serving airtight containers and freeze them. Reheat in the microwave.

Easy shredded Beef Enchiladas in a casserole dish topped with cheese.

Recipe FAQ

Can I make beef enchiladas with corn tortillas?

You can easily use corn tortillas to make these beef enchiladas instead of flour tortillas. Since they are generally smaller you’ll need more than 12. Fresh corn tortillas are best as stale tortillas tend to tear. To help them roll better, warm the stale tortillas up before filling and rolling.

Can I use frozen shredded beef to make enchiladas?

Absolutely, in fact, I will often slow-cook a huge roast just so I can store it in the freezer to use in recipes such as this. I store 2 cups (about 1 lb) in each quart ziploc and then store them all together in a larger freezer-safe container. It will keep for about 3 months.

How is the red enchilada sauce in beef enchiladas different than green enchilada sauce?

The main difference between the two sauces is the type of chili that was used in the recipe. Red sauce typically contains red chilies, chili powder, and often oregano, cumin, and other spices. Green sauce typically contains green chiles and tomatillos and can include jalapenos, bell peppers, and a variety of spices.

For More Enchilada Recipes, Try:

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