Description
A homemade beef and cheese enchilada recipe featuring a rich, restaurant-quality red sauce made from rehydrated ancho chiles. This comforting dish is easier to make than you think and perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large dried Ancho chiles
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano (Mexican or Italian)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- Black pepper to taste
- 1.5 pounds ground beef (80/20 blend)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 12–15 small corn tortillas
Instructions
- Remove stems and seeds from the dried Ancho chiles. Place them in a medium saucepan, cover with chicken broth, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until soft. Drain chiles, reserving the broth.
- Blend the softened chiles, reserved broth, garlic, cumin, oregano, vinegar, salt, and pepper until completely smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook until translucent and beef is fully cooked. Drain excess grease, leaving about 2 tablespoons.
- Stir 1 cup of the red sauce into the beef mixture and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in half of the shredded cheese.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Warm each tortilla in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side to make them pliable. Keep warm under a towel.
- Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of beef mixture onto each tortilla, sprinkle with a little cheese, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in the dish.
- Pour the remaining red sauce over the enchiladas, ensuring they are fully covered. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with cilantro, sour cream, or jalapeños if desired.
Notes
Warm tortillas before rolling to prevent cracking. The sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for 3 months. Enchiladas can be assembled up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated before baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 enchilada
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 28
Keywords: beef enchiladas, red sauce, homemade enchiladas, mexican food, comfort food, easy dinner, ancho chile sauce