Beef Enchilada Casserole is a delicious and hearty dish that is loaded with ground beef, corn, black beans, and enchilada sauce, all layered with corn tortillas and cheddar cheese. This casserole is a perfect meal for any weeknight dinner or special occasion.
Casseroles are perfect for weeknight dinners and this one is absolutely delicious. Only about 20 minutes of prep is needed to make easy version of beef enchiladas. While the casserole is baking, you can get some side dishes ready, or clean the kitchen, or read a book…no last minute frantic prep work to get dinner on the table.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS BEEF ENCHILADA CASSEROLE RECIPE:
- Easy to make. Only 20 minutes of prep needed. Most of the ingredients are simple ones that you likely have on hand.
- Versatile. Casseroles are wonderful because you can add or subtract ingredients easily and make the dish exactly how your family likes it. You can use up any veggies you have on hand, you can swap out the beef with chicken or pork, you can use different kinds of cheese or beans…the possibilities are endless.
- Delicious. Even the pickiest eaters will devour this recipe! I love making dinners that all my kids will eat, and this is one of those dishes that is on a regular rotation at our house because of it’s popularity. I also love that this dish is naturally gluten free and high in protein.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH BEEF ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
Beef Enchilada Casserole is a great one-dish meal, but you can add some sides if you’d like. Serve with regular white rice or Easy Spanish Rice if you want to make the meal more filling or spread a little further. Easy Mango Fruit Salad goes really well with this dish, and we love serving Cheesy Cornbread Muffins alongside this casserole. Serve some Strawberry Tres Leches Cake for dessert and you’ve got the perfect meal!
Ingredients in Beef Enchilada Casserole
Ground beef: You will need 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef. You can swap this out with ground turkey if you prefer.
Oil: Use a tablespoon of olive oil (or vegetable oil) to help brown the beef and cook the vegetables.
Onion: Yellow onion works best in this dish. I always buy diced onions from the frozen section in the grocery store and keep them stocked up so that I can use them for recipes like this one. I haven’t chopped an onion in years!
Green bell pepper: Dice a green bell pepper to add more flavor and crunch to the casserole.
Garlic: I always keep a jar of minced garlic in the refrigerator to save time and effort, but fresh garlic works well too!
Corn: Make sure to drain the corn before adding to the other ingredients.
Black beans: The recipe calls for black beans, but you can use white beans, pinto beans, kidney beans or any other kind of bean you like! Just make to sure to drain and rinse the beans.
Enchilada sauce: You will need a can of red enchilada sauce. You can use hot or mild sauce, depending on your tolerance for spice!
Chili powder: A few teaspoons of chili powder adds a lot of flavor. I don’t think it makes the casserole too spicy, but if you really don’t like spice, maybe reduce it a little bit.
Coriander: Ground coriander adds a lot of flavor to the casserole as well.
Cumin: Cumin is a spice that just makes all Mexican food taste better, so don’t leave it out!
Salt and pepper: I usually don’t add salt and pepper, but you can add some if you’d like. I usually just have some on the table so people can season their own portion however they’d like.
Tortillas: The recipe calls for 10 corn tortillas, cut into bite-sized pieces.
Cheddar cheese: You will need 4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. You can use a cheddar/jack blend or any other type of cheese you want for part or all of the required cheese.
Optional toppings: Chopped cilantro, diced avocado, sour cream, lime slices, etc.
How to make Beef Enchilada Casserole
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish and set aside.
Cook the beef and vegetables
In a large pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
Add the onion, green bell pepper, and garlic to the pan and cook until the vegetables are tender. Turn heat to medium-low.
Add the corn, black beans, enchilada sauce, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper to the pan. Stir to combine.
Assemble the casserole
In the prepared baking dish, spread half of the beef mixture in the bottom of the dish (about 3 cups).
Top with half of the cut up corn tortilla pieces (about 1 cup) and 2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese.
Repeat once more using the remaining beef mixture, tortilla pieces, and cheddar cheese.
Bake and serve
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Garnish with desired toppings. Serve while hot.
Beef Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
- ½ cup yellow onion diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 15.25-ounce can yellow corn, drained
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can red enchilada sauce (hot or mild)
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 3 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 10 corn tortillas cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- Optional toppings: Chopped cilantro diced avocado, sour cream, lime slices, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish and set aside.
Cook the beef and vegetables
- In a large pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Add the onion, green bell pepper, and garlic to the pan and cook until the vegetables are tender. Turn heat to medium-low.
- Add the corn, black beans, enchilada sauce, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper to the pan. Stir to combine.
Assemble the casserole
- In the prepared baking dish, spread half of the beef mixture in the bottom of the dish (about 3 cups).
- Top with half of the cut up corn tortilla pieces (about 1 cup) and 2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Repeat once more using the remaining beef mixture, tortilla pieces, and cheddar cheese.
Bake and serve
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with desired toppings. Serve while hot.
Nutrition
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can you make the Beef Enchilada Casserole ahead of time?
You can make the casserole up to 24 hours before baking. Just assemble the entire casserole and then cover the dish with foil or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
How should I store the Beef Enchilada Casserole?
To store the Beef Enchilada Casserole, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
How do you make a beef enchilada casserole?
To make a beef enchilada casserole, start by browning ground beef in a large pan. Add diced onions, bell peppers, and minced garlic to the pan and cook until the vegetables are tender. Then, add corn, black beans, enchilada sauce, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper to the pan and stir to combine. In a prepared baking dish, layer the beef mixture with cut-up corn tortilla pieces and shredded cheese. Repeat the layering process once more and bake for 30 minutes at 375°F.
Can you use flour tortillas in a beef enchilada casserole?
While corn tortillas are the traditional choice for beef enchilada casserole, you can certainly use flour tortillas if you prefer. Keep in mind that flour tortillas may not hold up as well and can become mushy when baked.
What is a healthy version of beef enchilada casserole?
To make a healthier version of beef enchilada casserole, consider using lean ground beef or ground turkey, reducing the amount of cheese used, and adding extra vegetables like peppers, zucchini, or spinach. You can also use a homemade enchilada sauce made with fresh ingredients to reduce the amount of sodium and preservatives.
More delicious casserole recipes to try:
- CHEESY WILD RICE CASSEROLE
- CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
- BAKED CHICKEN PARMESAN CASSEROLE
- PIZZA PASTA CASSEROLE
- TWICE BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE
- SLOPPY JOE CASSEROLE
- CHICKEN FAJITA CASSEROLE
- SOUTHWEST TATER TOT CASSEROLE
- Philly Cheesesteak Bowls
- HASH BROWN BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
- TACO CORNBREAD CASSEROLE
Beef Enchilada Casserole is a delicious and hearty dish that is loaded with ground beef, corn, black beans, and enchilada sauce, all layered with corn tortillas and cheddar cheese. This casserole is a perfect meal for any weeknight dinner or special occasion.
Dena reece says
Love it every one should try it yum,yum.
Holly Crosby says
Made this for my family, substituted green sauce instead of the red and they loved it. It reheats just as good, if not better the 2nd time..
Jessica says
Oooh I love green enchilada sauce! Great idea! Glad you and your family enjoyed it!