I should probably eat these right now.
Or maybe not.
Either way, you should definitely try them.
The last few days were a birthday stretch of nonstop eating — truly every indulgent thing I could find. I honestly can’t think of a food I didn’t have over the weekend (well, except broccoli).
I did eat kale, which counts. And yes, there was a lot of cheese involved.
I also ate sage, which is green and therefore counts as a vegetable in my book.
Today calls for either these enchiladas or a salad.
P.S. cilantro haters: how badly do you want to punch me right now?
We’ve been long-time enchilada fans — they were the first thing I made for my husband years ago — but for a long time we stuck to chicken. We loved the chicken version so much that ground beef was reserved for classic tacos in hard yellow shells, or for salads. Toss seasoned ground beef on a big salad with lots of cheese, salsa, guacamole and tortilla chips and I will out-eat everyone. Seriously.
Yes, it’s still a salad — I just like a bit of lettuce with mine. Who doesn’t?
Enchiladas show up in our rotation constantly. Half my recipes are basically riffs on Tex-Mex classics like nachos and tacos, and enchiladas are what started this obsession nearly a decade ago. They’re the instigator, and I’m grateful for it.
Most weeks we swap between chicken, turkey, pork and beef enchiladas. Each version is similar, and I rarely measure anything when I cook them — add as much meat or vegetables as you like. I won’t judge if you grate an entire brick of cheese on top; that’s just normal.
We rotate tortillas depending on mood and what else we’re eating: flour, corn or whole wheat. After I posted my BBQ chicken enchiladas years ago, many readers urged me to make my own enchilada sauce — and I did. It’s quick, easy and tastes better than canned, though I’ll absolutely reach for a can when time is tight or my stovetop is piled with pots and pans. No shame there. And like most great dishes, the toppings make the enchiladas: I pile mine high while he keeps his simple.
If you’re on an enchilada kick, there are other favorites here too: butternut squash enchiladas, Thai chicken enchiladas, buffalo chicken enchiladas and a loaded veggie enchilada that’s small-batch but mighty.
Lightened Up Beef Enchiladas with 10 Minute Enchilada Sauce
Yield:
4
1 hr
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 6 ounces white cheddar, freshly grated
- 10 whole wheat tortillas
- For serving: green onions, cilantro, sour cream, avocado
Enchilada Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil, peppers, onions and garlic. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green chiles, then add the beef. Break the beef apart with a spoon and add the cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook until the beef is browned, stirring well. Turn off heat.
- Stir 1/3 cup of the enchilada sauce and 2 ounces of cheese into the skillet. Spread 1/3 cup of the sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Place the beef filling in the center of each tortilla, roll tightly and arrange seam-side down in the dish. Top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden.
Enchilada Sauce
- Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes before using.
Notes
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I’m tempted to eat these for breakfast.