These Ground Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce are an easy, cheesy dinner made with seasoned beef, soft tortillas, and a quick homemade enchilada sauce. Bake until hot and bubbly for a weeknight dinner everyone will love!
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If you’re looking for a reliable, easy dinner, these Ground Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce deliver every time.
Seasoned beef, melty cheese, and soft tortillas are baked in a quick homemade red sauce that’s rich, flavorful, and way better than anything from a can. It’s simple, satisfying, and perfect for a busy weeknight or cozy weekend dinner. Serve it with chips and queso and dinner is done!
Why These Ground Beef Enchiladas Work
- Quick homemade red sauce – Made with pantry staples and packed with flavor in just minutes.
- Simple, hearty filling – Seasoned ground beef and plenty of melty cheese make these a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
- Easy to make your own – Use corn or flour tortillas and adjust the heat however you like.
What You'll Need & Why
Red Enchilada Sauce
- Spices: Chili powder, garlic, onion, cumin, coriander, oregano, salt, pepper, and a pinch of cinnamon build the flavor.
- Tomato paste + red wine vinegar: Tomato paste adds richness while a splash of vinegar brightens everything up.
- Avocado oil + flour: Create the base for a smooth, silky sauce.
- Chicken broth: Brings the sauce together and keeps it perfectly pourable.
The Ground Beef Enchiladas
- Ground beef + taco seasoning: The simple, savory filling. Homemade or store-bought taco seasoning both work.
- Cheese: Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a combination of both. Measure with your heart.
- Tortillas: Street-taco-size corn or flour tortillas both work.
- Toppings: Sour cream, cilantro, red onion, jalapeños, avocado—or whatever sounds good.
Recipe Rundown
- Make the sauce. Cook the roux, tomato paste, and spices, then whisk in the broth and vinegar.
- Brown the beef. Cook with your favorite taco seasoning.
- Fill and roll. Add sauce, beef, and cheese to each tortilla, then roll.
- Bake. Top with remaining sauce and cheese and bake at 350°F until hot and bubbly.
Swaps & Variations
This ground beef enchiladas with red sauce recipe is easy to customize based on what you have or how you want to serve it.
- Switch the sauce: Try green enchilada sauce or salsa verde for a brighter, tangier version.
- Add beans or corn: Stir black beans, corn, or both into the beef to stretch the filling.
- Make it a casserole: Skip the rolling and layer everything lasagna-style instead.
- Change the protein: Use shredded beef, chicken, turkey, or your favorite meatless filling.
- Turn up the heat: Add cayenne, chipotle, pico de gallo, jalapeños, or hot sauce.
- Choose your tortillas: Corn tortillas give you a more traditional texture; flour tortillas are softer and a little heartier.
Tips For The Best Ground Beef Enchiladas
A few simple tips make these enchiladas easier to roll and better to eat.
- Warm the tortillas first – Keeps them soft and prevents cracking, especially with corn tortillas.
- Don’t overfill – A smaller amount rolls tighter and holds together better.
- Use a layer of sauce on the bottom – Prevents sticking and adds extra flavor.
- Place seam-side down – Keeps everything secure while baking.
- Shred your own cheese – Melts smoother and gives you that classic gooey texture.
- Let them rest before serving – 5–10 minutes helps everything set so they don’t fall apart.
Ground Beef Enchiladas Recipe
These easy Ground Beef Enchiladas are loaded with seasoned beef and cheese, topped with homemade red enchilada sauce, and baked until hot and bubbly!
Servings 6 servings
Equipment
- microwavable tortilla warmer
- 9x13 baking dish
Ingredients
Red Enchilada Sauce
- 3 tablespoon avocado oil
- 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 tsp granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
The Beef Enchiladas
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1-2 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 2-3 cups cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded This is a suggestion. Measure cheese with your heart.
- 12 corn or flour tortillas street taco size
- sour cream, cilantro leaves, diced red onion, jalapeño slices, avocado for garnish
Instructions
Red Enchilada Sauce
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the avocado oil. When the oil starts to become hot, sprinkle in the flour - it should sizzle. Whisk the flour and oil together for 3-4 minutes so the raw flour taste cooks out.
- After you've cooked the roux a few minutes, add in the tomato paste and spices. Whisk and cook for a few more minutes or until the tomato paste becomes a very deep red color and the spices become very fragrant.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth a little at a time. This helps prevent any lumps in the enchilada sauce. Add a little broth, whisk it until its incorporated. Add a little more broth and whisk some more. Repeat this until all of the broth is incorporated into the roux and tomato/spice mixture.
- Add a teaspoon of red wine vinegar, stirring to combine. Give the enchilada sauce a taste. If it needs more, salt and/or pepper, add a little.
The Beef Enchiladas
- Brown the ground beef with your favorite taco seasoning.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce into a warm tortilla, spreading it to the edges. Next, spoon about 2 tablespoons of your ground beef mixture into the middle of the tortilla followed by a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
- Roll the tortilla and place it seam-side down into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Repeat until you run out of filling and tortillas. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas and top with as much shredded cheese as your heart tells you.
- Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and everything is nice and bubbly.
- Enjoy!
Notes
I suggest mixing the spices in a small bowl before starting the enchilada sauce. It comes together quickly, so having them already measured and ready to go makes things much easier.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 965mg | Potassium: 514mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 998IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 401mg | Iron: 4mg
Make Ahead & Storage
- Make ahead: Assemble the enchiladas up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bake when ready.
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or at 350°F until warmed through.
- Freeze: Freeze assembled, unbaked enchiladas for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.
You'll Also Love
If enchiladas are already on your mind, here are a few more easy dinners that stay in that same comfort-food lane.
- Mexican Chicken Soup: Cozy, brothy, and packed with bold, warming flavor.
- Skillet Chicken Enchiladas: All the enchilada flavor you love in an easier one-pan version.
- Crispy Taco Bake: Layers of beef, cheese, tortillas, and weeknight comfort.
- Creamy Chicken Poblano Enchiladas: Rich, creamy, and full of roasted poblano flavor.
- Easy Baked Chicken Taquitos: Crispy, cheesy, and always a crowd favorite.
Who’s Stirring the Pot?
Hi, I’m Ruth—recipe developer, comfort-food creator, and the voice behind Rufus For Real. I specialize in cozy, doable, flavor-packed meals for real-life kitchens, and I’m a firm believer that breakfast, dinner, and everything in between should be simple, satisfying, and impossible to mess up.
You’ll find me sharing even more comfort-food goodness, kitchen tips, and behind-the-scenes chaos over on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube (@rufusforreal everywhere).
If you love approachable recipes with a whole lot of personality, pull up a chair—there’s always room at this table.
Happy Cooking!
-Ruth aka Rufus
Imelda says
These turned out so good. The sauce is so much better than what I used to use. I’ll never use canned again! Thank you!
Rufus says
I'm so glad to hear it! Thank you very much for letting me know!
Jessica W says
great beef enchiladas and great sauce to go with it! very tasty!
Rufus says
Thank you, Jessica!