Beef Enchilada Casserole Cheese (Printable)
A comforting Tex-Mex dish with seasoned beef, tortillas, enchilada sauce, and melted cheese layers.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meat & Protein
01 - 1 lb lean ground beef
02 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
→ Spices
06 - 1 tbsp chili powder
07 - 1 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
11 - 1 tsp salt
12 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
→ Other
13 - 2 cups red enchilada sauce
14 - 10 small corn tortillas (6-inch each) or flour tortillas
15 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
16 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
17 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Garnishes
18 - Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
19 - Sliced scallions (optional)
20 - Sour cream (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and red bell pepper; cook 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
05 - Mix in black beans (if using), chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper (if using), salt, and black pepper. Cook 1 to 2 minutes to blend flavors.
06 - Pour in 1 cup enchilada sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
07 - Spread 1/4 cup enchilada sauce evenly in the bottom of the prepared dish. Layer 5 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary.
08 - Spoon half the beef mixture over tortillas, then sprinkle with 1 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese.
09 - Add remaining tortillas, spread remaining beef mixture, and top with the remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the top.
10 - Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
11 - Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with cilantro, scallions, and sour cream as desired.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been cooking all day.
- One baking dish means minimal cleanup, maximum praise.
- Freezes beautifully, so you can make ahead and bake later without guilt.
02 -
- Don't skip draining the excess fat from the beef—it prevents the casserole from being greasy and lets the sauce flavors shine.
- Resting the casserole after baking isn't optional; those 5–10 minutes make the difference between a neat slice and a soupy mess.
03 -
- Make the beef mixture ahead and refrigerate it—this actually improves the flavor as the spices marry overnight.
- Use a mix of both cheeses; it creates a more interesting melt and better flavor than relying on just one.