Make Homemade Enchiladas
Ground beef and bean enchiladas are a classic favorite at Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. Still, you can create an even more memorable experience by making Cheesy Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas at home. This recipe is such a hit with my children that they often resist dining out and insist on enjoying my homemade version. Once you try it, you’ll see why!
Why I love this Beef and Bean Enchilada Recipe
- Flexible to many diets. You can make the recipe vegetarian, gluten-free, grain-free, or low-carb enchiladas with the various tortilla and filling options.
- Reduces waste – use leftover vegetables and protein in the filling
- Make-Ahead Meal – assemble enchiladas in the morning and refrigerate until ready to cook
- Amazing leftovers
- Good for picky eaters – the cheese topping hides the beans and any veggies you add.
- This recipe uses whole wheat tortillas with black beans. The nutritional facts below show that these beef and bean enchiladas meet the daily values of 55% fiber and 73% protein.
- More Mexican recipes to try:
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Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas are Adaptable to Many Diets
When making enchiladas from scratch, you can control the ingredients and accommodate picky eaters, dietary needs, and nutritional goals. An enchilada has four components:
- ENCHILADA SAUCE is red or green and store-bought or homemade. This recipe uses homemade red enchilada sauce, which allows for control over spice and salt levels and provides authenticity with ingredients you probably have on hand.
- FILLING can include any combination of meat, seafood, beans, or vegetables. It’s a great way to use a rotisserie chicken or disguise leftovers. Adding beans will increase the fiber and stretch the budget. If you have picky eaters, mash the beans to disguise the ingredients.
- TORTILLAS come in many varieties, including corn, flour, and alternative flours. The 5″ – 8″ sizes are ideal for enchiladas. Sometimes, they are called soft taco tortillas.
- TOPPINGS: Cheddar, Colby, or Colby-Jack (orange) is the most popular cheese topping in a Tex-Mex recipe. A traditional Mexican enchilada includes white cheese such as crema and queso fresco. Garnishes are optional and include lime slices, chopped cilantro, avocado slices, guacamole, or sour cream.
- AVOIDING GLUTEN? Read Gluten-Free Menu Plan: Recipes & Tips.
Recipe Steps
1
Make homemade red enchilada sauce.
2
Saute ground beef, black beans and green chilies for filling.
3
Fill and roll tortillas. Place in casserole dish.
4
Cover tortillas with sauce . Place leftover meat along the edges.
5
Sprinkle cheese on top.
6
Bake at 325º for 15 minutes. Full directions in below recipe.
High-Fiber Black Bean and Beef Enchiladas
When I first began making beef and bean enchiladas as a family meal, I used whole wheat tortillas and black beans to sneak a high-fiber, low-fat meal. I consider this recipe a Tex-Mex that meets the “Mediterranean Diet.” Years later, with my gluten intolerance, I changed to corn tortillas. The third recipe change occurred when I began eliminating grain and using almond or cashew tortillas, making the dietary change easy. All three versions taste amazing, and I include all options in the recipe below.
The nutritional panel shows the recipe with La Tortilla Factory Whole Wheat Tortillas, which add 8 grams of fiber per tortilla according to the package. The Mediterranean diet recommends moderate beef and dairy, so using ground turkey and a small amount of cheese on top is a great adaptation. Try my recipe for Christmas Style Enchiladas, which uses ground turkey or leftover roast turkey.
Notes on Tortillas
Flour tortillas are sturdy and have various nutritional options, like whole wheat or high-fiber. Corn tortillas are gluten-free and traditionally used in Mexican dishes. For specialty diets like Paleo or Whole 30, grain-free tortillas made from almond or cassava flours are great options. If you follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and avoid grains, collard greens or cabbage leaves can be used as a wrap. You can find recipes by Alex Snodgrass from The Defined Dish for using collard greens in wraps and enchiladas. Soft tortillas can be found in various areas of the store.
- Bread aisle
- Grocery/international department with Mexican food
- Specialty grain-free tortillas are in the frozen or refrigerated section. Siete is an excellent brand
- Some stores have daily store-made tortillas in the bakery
Warm Tortillas Before Filling
If tortillas are cracking (especially corn), below are some options to make them more pliable.
- Let them come to room temperature on the counter if stored in the refrigerator.
- Microwave: Wrap 4 – 5 tortillas in a damp dish towel or paper towel and microwave them for 30 seconds. Continue in batches.
- Oven – wrap 4 – 5 tortillas in aluminum foil and place in a 350º oven for 15 minutes.
- On the stovetop, place one tortilla at a time in a skillet over medium heat and cook for a few seconds on each side.
- Brush some enchilada sauce on the tortilla to soften before filling.
What to do with Leftover Soft Tortillas?
Often the package contains more than you can use in one recipe, so choose a style that you can use the leftovers in another meal:
- Mexican Vegetarian Tortilla Casserole
- Fajitas
- Make homemade tortilla chips
- Quesadillas
- Sandwich Wraps
- Huevos Rancheros
Side Dishes for Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas
- Coleslaw – Charred Poblano Coleslaw with Pepitas
- Guacamole with tortilla chips
- Corn
- Spanish rice
Try the Recipe and Give it a Rating
This delicious beef and black bean enchilada recipe is a staple in my meal rotation. Although they can be time-consuming and messy to prepare, the result is definitely worth the effort for a truly delicious meal. If you love this recipe, please give it a 5 star review.
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Cheesy Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas
This cheesy beef and black bean enchilada recipe has an authentic Tex-Mex sauce and is adaptable to many diets. The various tortilla options help meet multiple dietary goals: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, and High-Fiber Recipes for cheesy, meaty perfection!
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Enchilada Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons arrowroot starch, cornstarch, or almond flour*
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste**
- 2 cups of low-sodium beef broth – (SCD use homemade)
Filling
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion red, white, or yellow, chopped
- 4-oz can of mild green chilis, chopped
- 16-oz can of black beans, drained or 1.5 cups of homemade pre-cooked beans, recipe here***
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 soft tortillas, room temperature or warmed – flour, corn, grain-free, collard greens****
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping and Garnish
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar, Colby, or Colby-jack cheese or 4-oz cheese block, grated
- 2 – 3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- Lime slices, optional
- Favorite salsa, optional
- 1/2 cup sour cream, optional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325º
Make Enchilada Sauce
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter, add arrowroot, and stir until combined.
- Combine all the spices and whisk the mixture constantly.
- Stir in the tomato paste.
- Slowly add the beef broth and boil until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
Cook Filling
- Place ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat and break up with a wooden spoon until brown. Pour off fat.
- Pour the olive oil and add the onion and cook until soft.
- Mix in chilis, drained black beans, and pepper.
- Add ½ cups of the enchilada sauce to the meat and bean mixture, or more if you double the recipe.
Assemble Enchiladas
- Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish with 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce to coat the bottom.
- Fill each tortilla with meat filling at the bottom third and carefully roll it up. If using 5 – 6 inch tortillas, use 2 – 3 Tablespoons; if using 8-inch tortillas, use 1/4 cup of filling. Place the tortilla seam-side down in a casserole dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. If using Collard greens, follow the recipe here.
- Spoon any remaining meat mixture along the sides of the casserole.
- Top with the remaining sauce over all tortillas to cover completely. Don’t leave any open areas without sauce. If making ahead, cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
Bake
- Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 15 minutes. If the casserole is stored in the refrigerator, add 5 minutes to the cooking time.
Notes
*Check for compliance of arrowroot if you are on a grain-free diet
** Freeze the remaining tomato paste in ice cube trays or small baggie for future use
*** Make SCD beans a day ahead with this recipe.
****Warm tortillas if they are cracking while rolling. See the post above for warming tips. For grain free, I use Siete Brand almond or cashew tortilla but check for compliance with your dietary restrictions.
Note: The nutritional information was calculated with whole wheat low-carb tortillas from La Tortilla Factory
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4 responses to “Cheesy Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas”
I made these with Siete grain free tortilla shells and they were fantastic! The beef and bean combo with cheese and the enchilada sauce meld into a very rich flavorful dish. I served it with a side of corn. Highly recommend this entree!
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! I am thrilled the flavor combo made such a delicious meal for you. Your creative twist with a side of corn sounds amazing! I am excited to keep sharing these winning recipes.Happy cooking!
Delicious!! Last night I made these enchilada s for dinner. The family demolished them. This morning I am still dreaming of how tasty they were and I want them for dinner again tonight!!!! I used half smoked paprika and half sweet, and I used smoked chipotle powder instead of cayenne which gave them a lovely warmth. Ahhhhhh Nagi, you ve done it again!!
Ahhh thanks for the rave review and spice suggestions. It’s been a while since I made enchiladas. I need to make them too.