Lean ground beef, spices and herbs, corn, black beans, and plenty of cheese wrapped in low‑carb tortillas and smothered in a simple, smoky red sauce. These Beef Enchiladas with Smoky Red Sauce make a complete, satisfying meal.
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A hot pan of enchiladas is one of those dinners everyone always welcomes. Cheesy, comforting, and easy to top with all your favorite Mexican-style garnishes, these enchiladas come together quickly and feed a crowd.
These Beef Enchiladas with Smoky Red Sauce are full of flavor — plenty of seasoned meat, cheese, black beans, and corn tucked into tortillas. They can be made lower-carb using low‑carb flour tortillas, but they’re equally delicious with regular flour or corn tortillas. The smoky red sauce is the highlight: fire-roasted tomatoes blended with condensed cream of mushroom soup and a blend of spices. It’s smooth, bold, and easy to prepare.
Ingredients For Beef Enchiladas with Smoky Red Sauce:
Enchiladas:
- Lean ground beef
- Onion
- Garlic
- Corn
- Black beans
- Seasonings: chili powder, cumin, onion powder, dried oregano, salt & pepper
- Water
- Shredded Mexican cheese
- Low‑carb or regular flour tortillas
Sauce:
- Canned fire‑roasted tomatoes
- Cream of mushroom soup (condensed)
- Seasonings: chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper
Toppings:
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Black olives
- Queso fresco
Substitutions:
Customize these enchiladas to suit your preferences. Use flour or corn tortillas, low‑carb or regular. Swap the beef for ground turkey, shredded chicken, or pulled pork. Cheese options that melt well include Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or sharp cheddar.
How To Make Beef Enchiladas:
Step 1. Make the sauce: combine the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and heat until bubbly; keep warm.
Step 2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 3. For the filling: in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it into crumbles, until no longer pink. Drain excess fat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and cook until softened. Stir in corn, black beans, and the spices and cook 1–2 minutes until heated. Add the water and 1/4 cup of the prepared red sauce and cook 2–3 minutes more until the mixture is thick and most of the liquid has evaporated.
Step 4. Assemble the enchiladas: place about 1/4 cup filling in the center of a tortilla, sprinkle with 2–3 tablespoons of cheese, roll tightly, and place seam‑side down in the prepared pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
Step 5. Pour as much or as little warmed sauce over the rolled tortillas as you like and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings.
Tips:
- Crispy top: For a browned, slightly crisp top, broil the enchiladas for 2–3 minutes instead of baking the final 5 minutes.
- Saucy enchiladas: If you prefer extra sauce, spread a little sauce in the bottom of the baking dish before arranging the filled tortillas. Pour more sauce over the top and use a knife to separate the tortillas so the sauce seeps down the sides.
Make Ahead:
You can assemble these enchiladas a day ahead. Prepare them per the instructions but reserve a bit of the sauce. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to bake, let them sit on the counter 30 minutes, add the reserved sauce, and bake as directed.
Can I freeze Beef Enchiladas?
Yes. Assemble the enchiladas using all the sauce but do not bake. Cool completely, cover tightly with two layers of foil, and freeze up to 3 months. To bake from frozen, set the pan on the counter 30 minutes while preheating the oven to 375°F. Bake covered for 45–60 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Enchilada Casserole
- Chicken Enchilada Dip (lightened up)
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
Let’s eat!🤍
Beef Enchiladas with Smoky Red Sauce (lower‑carb)
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Ingredients
Filling
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped fine
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup frozen, thawed corn
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup water
- 8 ounces reduced‑fat Mexican cheese, divided
- 8 eight‑inch low‑carb flour tortillas or your favorite tortillas
Sauce
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire‑roasted tomatoes
- 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup (98% fat‑free optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Toppings
- Fresh cilantro
- Crumbled queso fresco
- Black olives
- Sour cream
- Avocado
Instructions
For the sauce
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a saucepan, heat until bubbly, and keep warm.
For the filling
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large skillet over medium‑high heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink, draining excess fat. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened. Stir in corn, beans, and spices for 1 minute, then add water and 1/4 cup of the sauce. Cook 2–3 minutes until the mixture is thick and most liquid is gone.
Assemble enchiladas
- Place about 1/4 cup filling in the center of a tortilla, top with 2–3 tablespoons cheese, roll tightly and place seam‑side down in the prepared pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Pour warmed sauce over the rolled tortillas to your liking and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes. For extra crisping, broil 2–3 minutes just before serving.
- Top with your favorite garnishes and enjoy.
Additional toppings:
- Sour cream, avocado, cilantro, black olives, queso fresco.
Notes
- Saucy enchiladas: Spread a little sauce in the bottom of the pan before arranging the filled tortillas so the sauce soaks the sides and bottoms.
- Meat substitutions: Use ground turkey, shredded chicken, or pork instead of beef.
- Cheese: Monterey Jack or Colby Jack melt beautifully; sharp cheddar also works well.
- Make ahead: Assemble and refrigerate up to one day in advance. Add a bit more sauce before baking.
- Freezing & reheating: Assemble with sauce but don’t bake. Cool, wrap tightly with two layers of foil, and freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw slightly, bake covered at 375°F for 45–60 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 more minutes.
Nutritional facts are estimates and reflect two enchiladas without toppings.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should be treated as an estimate rather than a guarantee.
Nutrition
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