Easy Red Enchiladas

Easy red enchiladas filled with seasoned ground beef and a blend of cheddar and Monterey jack cheese. These flavorful enchiladas are always a hit!

Serve these enchiladas with a side of chips and our famous 7 Layer Bean Dip or Restaurant-Style Salsa and you’ll be in heaven. These red enchiladas are simple and can be filled with beef or chicken.

Red Enchiladas close up image

Beef + Red Sauce

I’ve been making these easy red enchiladas for years now. My mom showed me how to make them growing up and I never get tired of them! They have just the right amount of sauce, cheese and toppings.

We typically make ours with ground beef, however, if you’re in a pinch or just don’t want to use it, rotisserie chicken is a great option.

We use canned red enchilada sauce to make this recipe quick and simple, but if you want a homemade version, we love this red enchilada sauce. We also use cheddar and Monterey jack cheese, but a Mexican blend works great too.

Corn tortillas dipped in red enchilada sauce

How to Make Red Enchiladas

Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 11×7-inch casserole dish with baking spray and set aside. While the oven is heating up, cook the beef in a large skillet until browned. This will be the filling.

If you want to take these enchiladas to the next level you can fry the corn tortillas. Add an inch or so of oil to a small skillet and fry them until crisp, but not brown. Pat off any excess oil. Or take the easy route and keep them as they come. Totally up to you. Pour the enchilada sauce into a pie dish and dip the tortillas into it. Shake off excess sauce.

(NOTE: Frying the tortillas in an inch of canola oil makes them even more amazing- just make sure to pat any excess oil off.)

Fill with the seasoned beef and a sprinkle of cheese. I prefer to use a blend of freshly grated cheddar and Monterey jack. It’s the best! Roll them gently and place them into the prepared baking dish. Pour any of the remaining sauce over top, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Top with sliced olives and green onions. Cover the enchiladas with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese and sauce are bubbly. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Add some freshly chopped cilantro to the top and serve them up!

Red beef enchiladas being dished out

Variations + Tips

Can you use flour tortillas? Of course, you can! We prefer to use corn tortillas when we make enchiladas because that’s typically what is more authentic for enchiladas. Flour tortillas also have more calories and can turn out “gummy” which is why corn tortillas are our go-to.

For TOPPINGS, you can also add whatever ingredients you love most. We love to add olives and green onions but tomatoes and cilantro work too!

If you want to make these AHEAD OF TIME, just cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. They also FREEZE wonderfully (and our one of our favorite meals to freeze). Just make in an aluminum casserole dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil. No need to put the cheese on top, but it’s okay if you do. Just thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.

You may need to add a few extra minutes to the cook time. 😉

Red enchiladas in pan  

We love these with a dollop of sour cream and scoop of guacamole. I like to serve them with a side of black beans and rice. These easy red enchiladas are a family favorite. The kids love them and so do we!

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Easy Red Enchiladas | lifemadesimplebakes.com

Easy Red Enchiladas Recipe

Easy red enchiladas filled with seasoned ground beef and a blend of cheddar and monterey jack cheese. These flavorful enchiladas are always a hit!
5 from 8 votes
Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8 enchiladas
Calories: 312kcal
Author: Andrea
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1/2 yellow onion - diced
  • 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 2 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce* - divided
  • 8 corn tortillas - raw or fried**
  • 1 1/4 cup cheddar cheese - grated
  • 1 1/4 cup monterey jack cheese - grated
  • 2 green onions - sliced
  • 1 (2.25 oz) can sliced olives - drained
  • 1 tbsp cilantro - freshly chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 7x11 casserole dish with cooking spray, set aside.
  • In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the beef and break up. Add onions and seasonings, cook until the beef is browned. Pour in ⅓ cup of enchilada sauce to the pan and stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside. 
  • Pour the remaining enchilada sauce into a pie dish. Coat enchiladas one at a time, then fill with beef and a sprinkle of cheese. Roll up and place into the prepared baking dish. Repeat until all of the filling is gone. You may need one or two more tortillas depending on how full you fill them.
  • Pour leftover enchilada sauce over top, then sprinkle with remaining cheese, green onions, and olives.
  • Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

NOTES

* I like to use a can of mild and a can of medium.
**Frying the tortillas in an inch of canola oil makes them even more amazing- just make sure to pat any excess oil off.

Nutrition

Serving: 8serving | Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 283mg | Potassium: 328mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 787IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 294mg | Iron: 2mg

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About the Author

Andrea

Hi I'm Andrea!

Hotelier turned Food Blogger to help make your life simple, one recipe at a time.

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Comments:

  1. For the most part, this recipe was good, but being of Mexican decent, I found that this recipe is a bit salty and that is because of the cheddar cheese. If you are of true Mexican decent, you know not to use cheddar cheese in any way in your enchiladas. Too salty and takes from other seasonings. You know which cheese to use if you are of true Mexican heritage. Thanks anyways. AND, don’t ever use cheddar cheese in bean burritos either.